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

hollandmama · July 2014

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)

hollandmama · July 2014

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.

Erinm278 · July 2014

No!

MRads · July 2014

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.

dliz87 · July 2014

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.

gutsymama · July 2014

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.

[Deleted User] · July 2014

Nope, no way.

hollandmama · July 2014

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.

atlvol · July 2014

Nope.

martyn17 · July 2014

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.

gutsymama · July 2014

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.

jemasa33 · July 2014

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.

cwhitloc · July 2014

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.

Caitable25 · July 2014

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.

hollandmama · July 2014

@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.

Lelo2006 · July 2014

HannahAlex said:
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 · July 2014

This is a Lifetime movie waiting to happen.

No, I do not drug Riley.

Stina2012 · July 2014

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!

hollandmama · July 2014

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?

stephyfaith · July 2014

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...

Unknown · July 2014

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Stina2012 · July 2014

hollandmama said:

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?

I don't think we need to apologize for our children. They are children in the world, these children will take flights. Deal with it.

Ummm, bullshit is the appropriate term.

To be clear, I'm not attacking you for the goody bags. I'm attacking the concept of doing a goody bag.

hollandmama · July 2014

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

WanderingA · July 2014

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.

hollandmama · July 2014

MrsGiantPenis said:

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!

KKinATX · July 2014

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.

sdtchica13 · July 2014

Absolutely not. A mom in my Bump group from when Corri was little did this years ago and got flamed to high heaven for a long ass time. You should NEVER give kids something to make them sleepy on a flight, what if something happened? No, no no no no no no.

Also, I agree with @Stina2012 and @MrsGiant Penis, there is no reason to give passengers goody bags. If your kid is screaming and you do nothing to help them, I can see people getting annoyed. Otherwise, they can get the everloving fuck over it, its a few hours of their lives they need to deal with noise. JFC, when did adults become such entitled aholes?

karen0477 · July 2014

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.

hollandmama · July 2014

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

hollandmama · July 2014

@somerandomchick‌ now I am the one wanting a goody back...

Stina2012 · July 2014

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.

PrimRoseMama · July 2014

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!

sdtchica13 · July 2014

dragonmom35 said:

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!

PrimRoseMama · July 2014

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.

blairwitch · July 2014

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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