Plane travel with LO's?

suitern

So with the holidays coming up, I am guessing many of us will be traveling with our LO's next month. 

For those seasoned travelers what are your tips for traveling with LO's this age?  I can barely get L to sit still for 5 minutes, let alone a 4 hour flight.  What are some distraction tips?  I am a nervous flyer alone and now add in a 10 month old! 

 Also, how do you discretely nurse with a distracted 10 month old?  I am a bit nervous the entire plane will see my boob with the way L NIP.  FWIW, he won't leave a cover over his head; I have been trying to practice at home and he pulls it off as soon as I put it on! 

 TIA

n8swife

I was going to post the same thing! We're going on vacation in about a month and I'm already nervous for the flight.

Jeanine88

We're in the same boat! We traveled when he was 5 months, and I was able to put him the Ergo for a little bit and walk around. He won't stay int he Ergo now, so I don't know what to do. 

MrMrsandBaby

I strongly believe they pump sleeping gas into planes!  Allison slept the entire flight last time and she ate almost double what she normally would while we were waiting to take off.

For the NIP part, I would say to try to get a window seat and then the only one to see you would be whoever is next to you (hopefully DH?) and it won't be a big deal.

Also, I have a TON of apps on my phone for Allison to play with and we brought the laptop with some movies.  Didn't need them but so happy we had them!

And personally, I like getting on the plane toward the end.  We generally check everything anyway so we don't have to worry about storage (since all the other idiots bring bags that are too big and take up all the space anyway)...that way LO is on the plane less time.  I know some people prefer to get on and get settled though...personal preference I guess.

n8swife

MrMrsandBaby:

For the NIP part, I would say to try to get a window seat and then the only one to see you would be whoever is next to you (hopefully DH?) and it won't be a big deal.

This is what I'm planning on doing. I'm hoping that between Asher's head and my shirt, there won't be much to see. But he does move around a lot and will probably unlatch to see what's going on. I'll just try to stay covered as much as possible.

suitern

MrMrsandBaby:

For the NIP part, I would say to try to get a window seat and then the only one to see you would be whoever is next to you (hopefully DH?) and it won't be a big deal.

 Sadly, DH will be flying out a few days after us due to his crazy work schedule.  He will be on the return trip with us though.  We are also flying to Costa Rica in January alone for part of the trip until we meet up with my parents so I guess this Christmas trip is a good tester for how it will go alone!

 I already have been downloading apps and also plan to bring the computer so he can watch movies if it comes down to that!

pinkshades05

On our recent trip, I was in the middle seat with a stranger on one side. I stayed covered with a nursing tank under and keeping my shirt low. I had a cover, but Nat would play with it and pull it off so it was useless. No one was able to see anything and my neighbors kept their eyes averted. You have nothing to worry about!

And if you DO catch anyone looking at you, just call him or her a pervert :

ryry1977

I get a window seat.  DD loves to look out the window at first and play with shutting it again and again.  I take toys, but usually she doesn't want them. If you do take something new that LO hasn't played with before (or for awhile at least).  I take food.  That is what really keeps my LO happiest during the flight.  I take different snacks than the norm or her favorites.  I bought a cin roll once we were through security and she loved it!  Something she rarely gets and was a special treat.  Hope yours naps during the flight...my DD doesn't usually.  Too much to look at I guess.  My DD was very good though at least!  She just kept moving all over the place and wanted to keep looking in all directions...so was pretty much spinning in the seat (my lap)!

I nurse her during take off and landing of course, just don't start too early.  At least with my DD, she doesn't nurse long and I try not to start until we are getting going really fast but still on the ground.  I don't cover her up either, just have a blanket to kind of shield myself...most people are polite and don't stare.  You are kind of blocked in anyway so only the person sitting next to you can really see.