Flying with LO - need some tips

sroszc

Ok, so we leave for AZ on Wednesday and I'm a leeetle freaked out by the thought of containing C on a plane for 4.5 hours.  I know he'll sleep for some of the trip (his afternoon nap falls in the middle of the flight) but dear Lord this kid is active and I have no idea how I'll keep him busy for the other 2+ hours.

Here's what I have planned:

- we are taking his carseat on the plane (he has his own seat) and I'm not planning to get on with him until the last minute so that I have to buckle him in and then we taxi.  I will have already sent DH on the plane to install the seat and get our carry ons tucked away.

- I bought a couple new toys - a flip book/flash cards, open the flap book, squishy find the puzzle type thing (?), and maybe his dress-me doll.  We are also downloading some kids tv episodes to the ipad, in hopes that he'll be mildly interested - he doesn't really watch much on tv even if I have it on a kids channel.

- bringing lots of snacks and his lunch, and a sippy that I plan to give him on takeoff in hopes that he sucks his face off and we don't have pressure issues.  Oh and I also bought some kids earplugs.  Who knows if that will work.  Worst case I'll BF (even though I'm sure there's not much in there during the day).  

What has worked for the rest of you to keep LO entertained?  Do I sound somewhat prepared?  

Annnnnndddd - sorry this turned out to be so long! 

janneann1127

It sounds like you are pretty prepared! The best things for G when we traveled - cheerios, books, especially those pop-up books that have lots of flaps for him to look under, and apps for my iphone. he really likes the elmo calls app, and the fisher price animal sounds app. HTH and GL!

sroszc

justbeachy109:

I flew with DD#1 when she was 9 months old. In total, we were on 4 flights (two there and two back) and she pooped on every.single.one. Someone told me it was due to the pressurization of the cabin or something. lol Either way, it was a PITA to change her diaper on the plane as they do not have changing tables.

I would try to have a plan when you get on the plane and see what the seating arrangements are like. One flight wasn't that full, so I just used the empty seat next to me. On another flight, the man sitting next to me was super nice and got up to use the restroom so I could use his seat to change her. Another time, I had to change her in her carseat, which was pretty difficult.

I seriously dread having to change a diaper on the plane.  Yikes!  Guess I'll make sure I've got the extra diapers and wipes just in case. 

ChicagoBroad26

Ugh, changing a diaper on a plane is the worst; the flights I've been on with Ava, there IS a changing station...you just have to unfold it from over the toilet. It's a tight squeeze. Download some Elmo episodes onto your iPad and bring lots of snacks. On four out of five flights Ava has been outstanding, so sending those good-fly vibes to you! 

rainydayluck

Sounds like you are pretty much set. I brought LOs blankie too so she would have it to sleep with. The anticipation is worse than the reality. We have flown with LO several times, but recently we has a 13 hour flight to Japan and a 9 hour flight back and she did so much better than I was anticipating. I read somewhere that if your LO does have a meltdown, don't worry too much about the other passengers because the sounds doesn't travel well in the plane and most people are sleeping or have headphones in.

theuntaggablek

I agree, you sound ready! You've got most of the important things covered! I would underscore bringing the blankie or a toy your LO uses as a lovie...and that changing diapers on the plane sucks.

Probably you've already thought of these things, but:

a) Pack your extra diapers and extra outfit(s) in ziploc bags, so that they're easy to find in the diaper bag and so that you have a place to stash any dirtied clothes if there's a blowout.

b) Choose the least messy options for LO's snacks & lunch, and if your kid is a moocher, try to do your own eating before or after being on the plane.

You may be (pleasantly) surprised at passengers warmth and patience! Despite my prediction that the grandmas & wanna-be grandmas would fawn over lo, it's always been the middle-aged men sitting behind us who've entertained LO with peek-a-boo the whole flight!

 

kj07

You sound pretty ready.  Make sure to bring a spare outfit for you on the plane (or at least a spare shirt) just in case of a disaster.  Think of it like an umbrella - you bring it to be sure it doesn't rain. 

I agree with ken&kendra - I've found that passengers are pretty nice overall.  And don't hesitate to ask for something from the flight attendants - they have a vested interest in keeping you and your LO happy and have probably seen it all.

sroszc

Thanks all!  Crossing my fingers that all of this worrying is for nothing

lilmgirl

Ditto pp's - you sound pretty ready   I'll suggest another show to download from iTunes - Pocoyo or whatever it's called.  Kami loves it.  It's a last resort distraction for sure.  Also, if you search in apps for Kidzstory or something like that, they're animated story books.  And OSC mentioned Paint Sparkles - it's free!

GrayGhost13

We flew with DS when he was around 11 months, and it actually went really well. (Our flights were around nap time too, so LO slept for part of both flights). You've pretty much already hit all the tips I would have suggested, so it sounds like you're good to go.

Have a great trip!