Six hour plane ride with 14 month old. Tips?

Question

we are flying across the country with ruby this weekend (she'll be 14 months on the 4th). i have already bought a portable dvd player (battery will last only 2 hours). any other tips beyond the obvious (books, small toys)? i have to admit: i am little anxious about this. she is walking now, so less likely, i think, to get through the flight then she did when she was 3 months (the last time we did it). help, please. :)

Answer 1

Use your head.  Don't go.

Answer 2

i did that one time but my son was 6 months old i toke bottles,toys, and mine was sleeping the whole trip if you do not mind let ur child stay up as long as you can and she will sleep some of the trip that is what i did. do not feel bad i have to take a trip on a plane with a 22 month old and a new born

Answer 3

Oh, now this sounds like fun... :)

First, try to set her up so her sleep schedule coincides with the flight if possible. A sleeping baby is the best baby on a flight!

Outside of that, a few good toys, DVD's as mentioned (check to see if the airline has power points in its aircraft - with this, you may be able to charge the player). Anything that can be used as a diversion.

Finally, a bottle or cup of warm milk or chamomile tea to help with sleep... If you are travelling with another adult, have that person go onto the plane with the "stuff" and get everything setup and stored. Keep her outside and running around as long as possible. Wear her out before getting on the plane and keep her from having to be confined until as long as possible.

Good luck... I'm sure you will be fine, and she will rack up a few more miles for the next trip.

Answer 4

Take a few familiar toys from home with you and also a few small new toys that she has not seen yet. It will keep her excited about and focused on the new toys and when that excitement is over, there will be a new toy! It has worked for me. Good luck

Answer 5

We've done this MANY times.....

- If you can afford to buy her a ticket, do so you can put her in her car seat.  It's the BEST advice I ever got.  It's also so much safer than holding her.  If you can't, consider finding a 'baby b'air' which is a bit of a baby seat belt that holds her to you, but still gives room to move around.  FAA compliant.

- Nurse or bottle or straw feed her when the plane is going up and when landing.  During that time that your ears pop.

- Don't bring too many toys or books, just a couple favorites...they take up too much room.  Coloring crayons are fabulous, or even a pen and she can color on the magazines they provide.  Bring stickers she can put on the window and peel off, hours of fun.  Save the dvd for the last hours of the flight.  

- Hopefully she'll sleep a little with you.  Make sure you've peed before she nods off.  Have your own jacket to take off and use as a blanket in the event you can't get a blanket or pillow from the airline.  You'll need several to make yourself comfortable while holding her if she is sleepy.  Bring a book for you to read and put it in the pocket of the seat in front of you before the plane even takes off, or try to sleep yourself during this time.

- Bring extra diapers and wipes on board.  The airport diapers are horrible.

- When going through security, know that you'll need to take her shoes off too.  

- If she has medicine or special formula, you can bring it on in quantities above their 4 oz limit, just make sure it's all in the same smaller gallon sized zip lock together.

- Consider a baby bojorn pouch or something like that for her age....very helpful when going through the airport and the layover if there is one.  You'll have to take her out of it going through security, but it's great to keep her from wanting to walk around and also when boarding the plane.

- buy food once inside the terminal to take on with you for her.  The snacks on the plane are rarely kid friends (salty and sugary and processed and never available when you need them)....remember liquids and yogurt type things you may not be able to get through security.

- Don't let her get up to walk around in the cabin as it will become a pattern/habit you wont want to continue as much as she'll want, but taking her for a little walk while carrying her if she get totally fussy isn't a bad idea.  Let her look at passengers, etc.

- Finally.....relax and don't worry about other passengers getting pissy.  Most of them have been there before and feel for you and aren't really mad.  The ones that are - oh well, you'll never see them again and they'll get over it.  The more relaxed you are, the better your child will be.