Hello -
Has anyone taken their son or daughter on a plane at this same age or there about and if so - please advise what they did to make the comforable and how they managed the situation so that their son or daughter wasn't "fussy" while on the plane. Your advise/ehlp is appreciated.
Thanks -

Hi Sue,

It's been a while. I haven't posted anything since I went back to work in January.

As far as flying goes, I just got back from a trip to Seattle with Liam who turned one on July 3rd. He did great. We got a non-stop flight from Boston to Seattle which while being more expensive worked out well and made everything less complicated. He got fussy for a bit. This is how we dealt with it:

Before leaving, I went and bought some inexpensive small toys. Weebles to be exact. We he got cranky on the plane, I opened them up. This helped divert his attention for a while. We also brought a lot of snacksthat were dry and easy from him to grab with his little hands. Teddy Grahams and Ritz Bits work well. Again, the novelty of them was a plus as we tend not to give him that kind of food at home. I found that while we traveled, Liam didn't really want to eat regular meals, expecially on the plane. We brought bottles and formula (ok - so he still loves his Similac at 13 months!). We packed the dry formula in plastic baggies in 8 oz. servings. The flight attendants were great about getting us hot water. He was pretty happy with all the things I listed and most of all, the people. We sat near a bathroom which originally bummed me out. However, I found that the trail of folks who walked by and were more than willing to chat with him kept him occupied. After about 90 minutes of play, eating, and socializing, he fell asleep for 2.5 hours.

Ok, this is getting long. In short, bring food, toys, and drinks. ALSO - bring diapers and wipes in your carry on. My doctor also said to bring along some Benadryl. We ended up using it on the way home because he was overtired but too stimulated to fall asleep. I had my reservations about using it but his pediatrician said that it is kinder for them to sleep than it is to hold them still while they scream. It worked really well. 30 minutes after we gave it to him, he slept soundly for 2 hours and then woke up in a great mood.


Good luck. I was scared but it worked out well. You will do fine and you know what, if your baby is fussy - it will bother you more than the other passengers. Relax and enjoy you vacation.

-Jen

A week before my sons first birthday, we flew from Jacksonville, FL to San Diego, CA for his birthday, to be with my parents. I was worried about flying with a baby, too. I brought some of his favorite toys, a bottle, a binky, some books, etc. I was also lucky enough to get a window seat and that kept him occupied some of the time. He slept a lot fo the way, too. Dont be afraid to ask the stewardess' for help, either, if youre flying alone. When I had to use the bathroom, I asked one if she would watch him for a minute while I used the restroom and she adored him. She took him into the cockpit and he got to meet the pilots and "fly" the plane. He loved it. Dont be afraid to ask for help.

One thing that helped me was making sure your child is swallowing during take off, it helps pop their ears. A baby with clogged ears is very fussy and hard to calm down.

Jenw67 - How much Benedryl did you give? I called the DR and he advised a certain amount - but to me - it seemed a lot. I have the Children's stuff, but it says that if they are under the age of 6 - consult a PHD.....she is 25-26 pounds and will be 13.5 months old when we go. Just curious.....
Thanks - your help was much appreciated. I can't believe you went from Boston to Seattle, we are going only from MN to MO......(1.5 hour flight!)
Yikes......

Hi Sue,

My doctor prescribed 1/2 a teaspoon. We had given it to him before to try to control post nasal drip that was causing him to cough himself awake all night. You can also talk with your pharmicist who will most likely know all about the dosage for a boy his age.

Once you go on the trip, you will realize that even though it might have been difficult, you can do it. We are now planning on going somewhere warm this winter if the household funding allows.

Have a great trip.

-Jen

Thanks a million - that is just what the Dr advised too (the amount you mentioned). So that is comforting...thank you!

I do hope this goes well - I do plan on going from MN to CO around Thanksgiving and would hope for a similar situation!