Who has done it?
I did it on my own when bub was younger (4 months). Now she crawls, stands, sings, tries to walk, does not fit in a bassinet anymore, wants to eat on her own with the spoon, and has 2 naps a day totalling 1 hour throughout the day.
I’m still on my own and need ideas on what to pack as far as entertainment…
I am facing three flights, almost in a row, each during between 9 and 14 hours!
Also, when I’m away, I’m planning on taking my little notebook with LR & a few flashcards. How did your teaching go while on the road?
It is a challenge, dear, but not impossible (esp. if you only have one, I traveled with a couple of kids under the age of two :biggrin:, & with three, ages 3,2,1 - fun!!! lol lol lol ).
Here, in a list form, what i would pack:
plenty of clothes to change into - spills & soaked diapers are guaranteed during any, but esp. a long trip like yours. Diapers, i’m sure you won’t forget.
food!!! - don’t rely on the meals from the airline, even if you have them arranged. Stock up on crackers, apples, or whatever your little guy loves - & remember, you’ll need a bit more that for the same time period at home. In general, i’m pro health foods, but if you do allow any sugary or processed foods or drinks in your child’s diet, remember, those charge your kid up (a lot more than you’d want him to be charged) & then leave them drained, so i always recommend whole wheat, no-sugar stuff. But of course, you can’t experiment too much on a trip like this & have to stick with what he’s used to. Water & juices you can usually get on the plane (if it’s not a budget airline - if it is, some extra cash to get some).
Toys - the stuff you usually like, but just a couple.
If your little one enjoys books or LR, by all means, bring lots of those &/or your laptop.
Humility - you will need to accept and/or ask for help - from stewardesses, other passengers, etc. There is nothing wrong with that, you’re caring the most precious cargo! YOu’ll need help with the stroller, getting your "little lol "diaper bag (make sure your documents & money are securely on you!), etc. As soon as you get on the plane, ask attendants and passengers next to you if they’ll be willing to change places to give you an extra seat. For take-off & landing you’ll hold your baby, but during a flight, for feeding, rest, play, there’s nothing better than an extra seat! Don’t forget to reserve seats with lots of space in front when checking in!
Be prepared, you’ll probably spend a good amount of time running up & down the aisle, they have to get some move around time. Make friends with attendants & they’ll probably let your little one explore the many knobs & counters in their back area.
Flexibility - don’t be too frigid about the schedule - if it’s nap time & he’s fussy, definitely let him rest, but if he’s happy doing something & it’s nap time, by all means, let him play, he’ll catch up on his sleep later (of course if he’s sleeping when it’s “official” wake up time, you let him sleep!) Hearing how long you’ll have to travel, you’ll probably change time zones, so schedule will have to be worked out then, anyway.
It’s actually not too bad, dear. Relax & enjoy your time with your little one, you probably don;t get too much time to only be with your little treasure. It’s actually a treat to have that special one-on-one time (even if it comes with a little extra work )
YOu’re welcome to drop me a line if you have more questions.
HAve a good trip.
PS i’ve got to run, but if i remember anything essential, i’ll try to add it later
Thank you so much for this detailed answer. that’s exactly what i was after.
Which toys did you bring? I’ve got a little mirror which is wrapped and some books, but as I’ll be totalling almost 30 hours in the air in a few days, I think I’ll need a lot more. Any mums out there who used what was provided on board? I’ll try to be creative and give her safe things like the plastic spoon or a little cup… I’m running out of ideas…
Oh and yes I’ll be using the notebook and showing her words on LR. Battery is ‘only’ 2 or so hours though so I won’t rely on this too much.
i have experienced this!i first flew when issam was 4 months old, which is much easier then when issam turned 9months, its well say challenging bec the boy is more active than ever. happymomof5 have mentioned some good pointers already which i have been using as well.
*another thing, wear something comfy for both u n ur child, especially if its a long trip.
*try to check in way ahead of time so u can request a seat which is very convinient, i always asked for the front row, bec it has a big space for ur legs where ur kiddo can play while the plane is on flight. its usually the bassinet seat though u dont need to get a bassinet since ur kid is big for it already.
*when u give a toy to ur kid, don’t give everything at one shot, give one toy at a time so that he does not get bored easily.
moreover, don’t stress urself too much, its ok that babies will cry sometimes during the flight, the passengers will not mind it, its a something they are forced to accept since they r babies n kids in the flight.
enjoy ur trip and let ur kid enjoy it as well
Excellent advice so far on the airplane ride. Do not forget about the line-ups for security and check-in and the wait in the airport. Try to save the toys/books for the actual flight. During the aiport wait amuse you child by looking in the stores and wandering around the airport. Usually you can find a kids corner with games and toys to help pass the time. I found my dd enjoyed running up and down the corridor, which was perfect, she was tired when we boarded the plane.
My son and I are going to take our first flight when he turn 6mos. so does anyone have any suggestions for me far as do you think he is going to do fine or cry? I saw some of you guys traveled at 4 months so how was that.
My son flew when he was 6 months old. He did very well. Better than expected, actually. I nursed him during takeoff, which is good so their ears don’t clog up. You can also give your baby a pacifier or a bottle during takeoff and landing. If they can suck on something, their ears won’t hurt. He slept for a good bit of the flights. I think it felt like we were driving. He always slept well in the car. When he was awake I gave him toys, and he was content for the most part. I think he got fussy for a little while, but it was just because he was sick of sitting for so long.
babies any age are fine to fly (my first one flew at 5 weeks), but like you said, 8m - 2yo is probably the most challenging age for flying, as it takes a lot out of mom to keep him occupied. Quote from KHAKKI: [tr][td]During the aiport wait amuse you child by looking in the stores and wandering around the airport. Usually you can find a kids corner with games and toys to help pass the time. I found my dd enjoyed running up and down the corridor, which was perfect, she was tired when we boarded the plane.[/td][/tr] - YES, an excellent point that slipped my mind - every stop over, always let your kid run around or crawl on the seats for crawlers, they do enjoy the space immensely & it’s a good way to get extra energy out.
Computer batteries - recharge at every opportunity you can, now many airports have sockets.
Crying - for take off & landing it’s actually very good if they do as it prevents the ear ache, even better than sucking
have a nice trip & let us know how it went
we fly every couple of months to different places… most of them 6+ hours or multiple stops to get wherever we are going. happy mom of 5 was seriously on point!
the only things that i would add are:
pack in as efficient a manner as you possibly can. that means that your carry on should be fairly well organized so that everything is accessible and security is a breeze. it won’t be by the end but to start it really does make a difference.
buy something specifically for the flight. a couple of new books go a looooong way.
i don’t like traveling with a stroller because it is one more piece of equipment to manage. i love a sling. great for nursing, great for a padded back rest, great for easy security.
if you can (and i know it can be sketchy) but if you are able to rent or borrow a car seat on the other end it can make or break a trip. i’ve ended up with more than my fair share of wet car seats with odd rips or tears from bad handling.
pack like you are camping. if you can’t carry it, it can’t go with you. do a rehearsal before you go to make sure… it seems silly but it will ease any tension you have and that will keep your baby nice and calm and happy… happy mommy, happy baby.
they really aren’t that bad to travel with and most people are super nice about anything that happens. good luck!
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