July 2013 Moms

CPW: would you use benadryl (or anything else) to make your LO sleep?

hollandmamahollandmama member
edited July 2014 in July 2013 Moms
for example, if you want them to sleep better during a flight or during anything else that needs your attention...

(question doesn't apply for LOs that need such meds)
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CPW: would you use benadryl (or anything else) to make your LO sleep? 126 votes

Yes, it doesn't seem crazy to me.
5% 7 votes
No way, giving meds for the sake of comfort?!
73% 92 votes
Only if extremely necessary. (please explain)
17% 22 votes
SS.
3% 5 votes

Re: CPW: would you use benadryl (or anything else) to make your LO sleep?

  • Due to my upcoming trip I have been hearing and reading that some parents do give these kind of over-the-counter drugs as a sleep aid when traveling with children. A friend even recommended me to 'test' it at home before the trip because sometimes it has the opposite effect.

    FTR: I wouldn't and I won't! The idea behind it freaks me out.
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  • No!

     

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  • MRadsMRads member
    I am pretty liberal with medicine, particularly Motrin, if B is fussy and I need him to have a good day. But benedryl often times has the opposite effect on kids, and makes them more hyper than they would be without the meds. So definitely no.

    I probably would give Motrin before a flight, so that any pain with ascending and descending, particularly in the ears, would be less.
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  • dliz87dliz87 member
    No medicine to sleep.

    Our pedi recommended Tylenol before flights. This does make my kids tired, but I believe the actual recommendation is to relieve sore ears during the flight.
  • Definitely not.

    Also - Benadryl doesn't make Luke sleep. The one time he had to have it for a reaction, it was horrible. He couldn't slow down - couldn't stop moving his head long enough to take his bottle, didn't know why he felt like that so was freaking out, was hungry and tired but couldn't sleep or eat. I actually buzzed a nurse (we were in the hospital) bc I was worried he was having a weird kind of seizure.

    So combine that with travel -- that would be the flight from hell.
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  • Nope, no way.
  • gutsymama said:
    Definitely not. Also - Benadryl doesn't make Luke sleep. The one time he had to have it for a reaction, it was horrible. He couldn't slow down - couldn't stop moving his head long enough to take his bottle, didn't know why he felt like that so was freaking out, was hungry and tired but couldn't sleep or eat. I actually buzzed a nurse (we were in the hospital) bc I was worried he was having a weird kind of seizure. So combine that with travel -- that would be the flight from hell.
    @gutsymama Yes, this is exactly how my friend described his boy's reaction to it. That is why she told me to 'test' it first... I like her so I tried not to put my WTF face right away. I'm just happy that she doesn't use it after that. 
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  • atlvolatlvol member
    Nope.  
  • MRads said:

    I am pretty liberal with medicine, particularly Motrin, if B is fussy and I need him to have a good day. But benedryl often times has the opposite effect on kids, and makes them more hyper than they would be without the meds. So definitely no.

    I probably would give Motrin before a flight, so that any pain with ascending and descending, particularly in the ears, would be less.

    This.

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  • Not to mention the fact that it's not recommended for children under 2 because it suppresses breathing (correct me if I'm wrong on that) --

    Can you imagine if Benadryl caused your child to stop breathing somewhere over the Atlantic? No no no.
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    This kid may not have a lot of bowel, but he has plenty of guts! 
    DS born at 34 weeks with (surprise!) gastroschisis turned short bowel syndrome.
    131 days in the NICU, 7 trips to the OR, G-button, daily TPN....
    We are impatiently awaiting the day we can say goodbye to his girlfriend Ivy for good.
  • I wouldn't give Benadryl but I may consider giving baby Tylenol before the flight. I personally take something before every flight because I can't stand the feeling in my ears. Dh and I would have to talk about it first.
  • If you are at all worried about your fellow passengers, you can look up suggestions. I have heard of people giving out cookies, ear plugs...etc to the people sitting next to them so as to break the ice before the flight.
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  • I wouldn't give Liam anything unless my doctor said it was ok or recommended it.

    When Liam had HFM doctor said to give him some Benadryl with maalox to help the sores in his mouth. Poor thing could eat or drink. Anyway. DH comes home with the Benadryl lotion. Thought we were supposed to rub it on his throat. Fail.


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  • @cwhitloc yes, I am considering giving out some 'goody bag' with ear plugs and a nice italian chocolate for the fellow passengers... I am also hoping there will be other Mexican ladies around because they are known to be great with babies and I could use some help for eating if I'm not buying the extra seat (last time we flew to Mx, some ladies were asking to hold LO... it's quite common in Mx to do that and I feel ok with it)

    I always have paracetamol in hand when I travel (for me and baby), you never know and it eases discomfort. So if he would be crying out of pain then I'd give some as I used to do when teething.
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  • I said yes, mostly because it crossed my mind recently. I also have a friend that gave her kids something that helped with their ears popping + made them sleepy for flights. Idr what it was, and I think they were all 5+ before it was tried. She also takes the same thing and tried it with them because it worked so well for her.

    Sudafed. Friends of ours gave it to their kids growing up. I think my parents tried it on my sister a few times (when she was older) because her ears were always very messed up. She almost got tubes.
  • Stina2012 said:
    Can I also say that this whole "goody bag" for other passengers is complete bullshit? Spend your money and time on prepping things to make the flight easier for your kid. iPad, snacks, sleeping in an Ergo, etc. The other passengers are adults and can get the fuck over it!
    @Stina2012 I think adults need consideration even if they can get over annoying things... I like to do for others what I would like others to do for me... if they don't, then it's sad but at least I did my part :P also (maybe my proficiency in English is lacking here but...) I could understand calling the bag 'useless' or 'a waste of time', but bullshit? wouldn't that word be used for something misleading or deceptive?
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  • I would only give my child Benadryl for allergy related suffering. I know it makes some kids sleepy but I wouldn't do it just for sleeping purposes. I hate the feeling of drugged sleep myself...
  • econmama said:
    Can I also say that this whole "goody bag" for other passengers is complete bullshit? Spend your money and time on prepping things to make the flight easier for your kid. iPad, snacks, sleeping in an Ergo, etc. The other passengers are adults and can get the fuck over it!
    I've been on many flights where the adults annoy me much more than the kids. I also am anti-goody bag.
    lol this is a good point, I'd be rich if I had a penny each time the passenger besides me or in front of me doesn't know about the existence of deodorant. Maybe I can add a small deodorant in the goody bag ;P
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  • I would never give her medicine just to knock her out for my own convenience, that's messed up.  However, if she seemed overly anxious or was having anxiety I would consider giving her something to help her relax after talking to our pedi about it. 
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  • Yeah I wouldn't. I also think the "goody bag" is fucking ridiculous. Can we stop perpetuating this idea that kids should never be heard? That kids are auch a giant inconvience to the entire population and all parents should run around apologizing every time they so much as make a peep?

    X_X I never saw it this way... but you're right, it's like apologizing for him being a baby :( 

    girls you may have just changed my mind... @Stina2012 @MrsGiantPenis ... well, one less thing to think about!
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  • When we flew with Lillie in May she was diagnosed with an ear infection a couple days before our trip.  Our pedi told us we could give her benadryl if we thought it would help her on the flight, if she seemed uncomfortable or whatever.  We considered it and didn't write it off as crazy advice but ultimately did not because we didn't think it was necessary.  I answered yes to this because depending on the situation I might.  On that flight we just gave her ibuprofen, mostly as a precaution because at that point she was acting fine.  Like others, we are fairly liberal with ibuprofen.
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  • No, no, no, no. No drugs if not necessary and no goody bags.....they are children, they are allowed to travel, people need to suck it up.

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  • So it seems I am no crazy for side-eyeing the person who recommended drugs before a flight! This makes my while world better knowing that most people wouldn't drug their children for pure convenience.

    Nb: ibuprofen doesn't count as a drug
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  • @somerandomchick‌ now I am the one wanting a goody back...
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  • Another thing that worked for us, fruit pouches!

    Even though Riley eats solids having a few of her favorite fruit pouches on hand was helpful. I don't like to use food to calm her down ALL the time, but I'll do whatever it takes on a flight. She would suck down her mangoes, mangoes, mangoes and then happily play with the empty pouch.
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  • Benedryl can cause babies to bounce off the walls (vs. sleep). I would not give it unless baby had allergies or other needs that required it.

    It makes both kids act like crazy people. So be warned!


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  • We had to give him Benadryl for allergies a few months ago. That stuff had him WIRED. He didn't sleep for 3 days
    That happens to my friend's kid too, he turns into a crazy man! Definitely not the desired effect for a flight, lol!
  • Karen0477 said:

    No, no, no, no. No drugs if not necessary and no goody bags.....they are children, they are allowed to travel, people need to suck it up.

    This too. Seriously.

    If I have to put up with drunk adults, loud adults, stinky adults & folks who have no regard for personal space then people need to STFU about my toddlers. They travel well (knock on wood) & most of the time no one around us knows that there are kids around.


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  • It was recommended to me when Nikita was 1 and a horrible sleeper. And also before her first flight, she was diagnosed with an ear infection less than 24hrs before take off.
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