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Air Travel with small children


Hugh 0ne
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We're taking my 2 1/2 year old and my 4 month old to Florida on Thursday. I grabbed a row of seats towards the back of the plane to minimize any trauma they may cause other customers. The 2 1/2 year old is well behaved and quiet, and old enough that he can be reasoned with to some extent (in other words I'll put the fear of God in him if he doesn't behave :D ), the 4 month old is a good baby. Generally quiet and happy, especially if he sitting on Mom or Dad's lap, which he will be during the flight.

 

All that being said, I'm a little nervous. Any tips on ensuring that your children are quiet and calm on an airplane? It's only a little over a 2 hour flight, so it shouldn't be too torturous, but was just wondering if there were any tricks. I was thinking about giving them some Children's Benadryl so they pass out. :D

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I've gone to Florida every year since my son has been born which is going on 5 years. Since then we've added our little one. When they are younger than 2 it's tough because they don't get their own seat, therefore you play musical laps with them and it can make the flight pretty tough if they're cranky.

 

If your flight has the inseat TVs you throw it on the cartoon channel, nick, noggin, sprout, etc. whatever the hell they offer and it should be smooth sailing. If you don't have TVs, I suggest you bring some other portable entertainment unit in order to keep them occupied otherwise you're in trouble.

 

Is your flight an early one? If so, you may luck out as it's possible they nap most of the way. I know my kids either stare at the TV most of the way and are quiet or they zone out watching and end up nodding off for most of the flight.

 

The Benadryl would probably worked wonders if you want to go that route. :D

 

Good Luck!!

Edited by irish
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make sure you have a pacifier or bottle for them to suck on on landing and take off for the ear pressure!!

 

 

 

Great info here. We took Elise to Vegas when she was 8 months old and San Francisco when she was 10 months old and she never made a sound on any of the flights. Most people didn't even know we had a infant with us. Best to travel either early AM or late when they would normally sleep/nap. We also bought a combination Car/Plane seat that turns into a stroller as well, let me know if you want info on it or if you want to buy ours for a lot less money then it cost new.

 

Edit to add: Nevermind about the seat for this trip, didn't read the part about this Thursday. We also bought her a seat on the plane for 1/2 price which made things easier, but with 4 of you that isn't an option either.

Edited by T_bone65
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The 4-month old should have no problems. When our son was 4 months old, we flew over to Switzerland and all four of our flights went very smoothly. (well, except for the fact that he crapped his diaper while were we still taxiing out to the runway in Grand Rapids.)

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The 4-month old should have no problems. When our son was 4 months old, we flew over to Switzerland and all four of our flights went very smoothly. (well, except for the fact that he crapped his diaper while were we still taxiing out to the runway in Grand Rapids.)

 

 

 

those lavatories are so spacious....very easy to change a diaper. :D

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those lavatories are so spacious....very easy to change a diaper. :D

 

 

Rookie!!! You change that diaper right at the seat and all's well.

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The 4-month old should have no problems. When our son was 4 months old, we flew over to Switzerland and all four of our flights went very smoothly. (well, except for the fact that he crapped his diaper while were we still taxiing out to the runway in Grand Rapids.)

 

 

I would've rather had flown with the TB guy. :D

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We flew to Ireland with my son when he was 6 months old, and will be going to Ireland and England in August with a near 3 year old and a 3 month old.

 

What we have found with our older son is that if we can get a bulkhead seat that gives you the extra leg room, it is a perfect play area while in the sky. On a couple trips to northern california, no matter what toys we bring, he ended up most entertained with throwing a bag of peanuts at the plane window for an hour.

 

 

make sure you have a pacifier or bottle for them to suck on on landing and take off for the ear pressure!!

 

 

Definitely a good idea.

 

Bring a portable DVD player with their favorite movies on the plane.

 

 

Gonmg shopping for one this weekend or next weekend. Posted a thread a few weeks back about this.

 

childrens tylenol - double dose. :D

 

 

Not the best idea in the world to drug your children, but probably better than the whiskey in a bottle trick some people do.

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make sure you have a pacifier or bottle for them to suck on on landing and take off for the ear pressure!!

 

Good info here...not to try to scare you but, unfortunately even that doesn't work sometime and I can tell you I've seen/heard plenty of babies who screamed through nearly an entire flight. It can be brutal on both parents & child if you're not prepared for it. You may also want to bring some benadryl as well to help them sleep if needed.

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When they are younger than 2 it's tough because they don't get their own seat, therefore you play musical laps with them and it can make the flight pretty tough if they're cranky.

 

 

They don't allow it, or the airline didn't force you to buy it?

 

My son is 18 months, and we've bought him his own seat for 2 flights. He sits in a carseat and can sleep in it. The only time we didn't buy him his own seat was when he was like 6 months and could easily fit in our laps.

 

I can't imagine having a 2 year old on your lap for 3 hours. That must be incredibly inconvenient for the people around you. Unless you are poor... buy a seat for your 1+ year old. If you don't order it on line, many airlines will give it to your for half price.

Edited by AtomicCEO
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Just buy some earplugs for yourself and sit back and relax--you're not likely to see any of the other passengers on the plane ever again.

 

 

 

yeah until you get slapped across the face from someone like me for not doing anything to control your screaming banshees which happen to be a product from your loins which then includes the responsibility of at least trying to quiet them down so as not to make a cramped flight in a contained sickbay even worse.

 

Tylenol and sleep deprivation always worked for mine

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Good luck. We travelled in October with our daughter who was a couple of months shy of 2 at the time. To keep her still on the airplane for a couple of hours is quite a challenge. It was easier when she was a baby. I'm not sure what we have to look forward to this fall when we travel again.

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The 4-month old should have no problems. When our son was 4 months old, we flew over to Switzerland and all four of our flights went very smoothly. (well, except for the fact that he crapped his diaper while were we still taxiing out to the runway in Grand Rapids.)

 

 

 

dani did a lot of flying early and was pretty good (only exception was thanksgiving- ear problems and she was tough the whole flight). what i have read is that they get tougher when they are a little older (takes more to entertain them. we just did 9 hours on sunday and found out 2 days before she had ear infections in each ear.... got an rx for ear drops and she was great. we feed or give her her pacifier at take off and landing.

 

avoid the benydril... i have read that it actually amps them up

Edited by Bier Meister
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