Insane in the Plane - 11 Month Old Air Travel Advice

We took our 22 month old on a plane last year and used a portable DVD player with headphones--he loved it! But your son is younger...so if you do that, stick with short, simple Baby Einstein or Sesame Street videos. Since he responds to sounds and music, he will probably like the headphones. Actually I think three shorter plane rides are easier than one long plane ride, because there is lots of distraction, and at this age their attention span is short. Don't worry about the fellow passengers, most of them love babies and will actually play with/entertain your son, knowing that you need a break. And if they don't understand, to heck with them! You have a right to travel with your child, and babies are no more annoying than anyone else on the plane!! Enjoy it and haev a good holiday.

Hi C.,
We recently took our 10 month old on a plane trip to Chicago with great success. Benedryl is a lifesaver for trips like this, not only does it help them sleep, but it also relieves their ears from getting plugged up which can cause ear infections. Also, I don't know if your son is an avid cheerios eater like my daughter is, but I packed a bunch of little finger foods for my daughter to munch on, it kept her occupied for a pretty substantial amount of time. Hope this helps and good luch with your travels.

I have done a lot of traveling via airplane with my son. He was 3 weeks old on our first flight together. He is 4 now and we just returned from a trip in September. My advice is this.... you will get to board the plane first as you have a little one. Sit by or near other parents with little ones. If he like watching movies then it is not too early for a portable DVD player. AND when people travel it is to be expected that there will be children on the plane. I was once a traveler that didn't like to sit next to children, but being a mom I know how those parents felt. SO from being in both shoes I would much rather hear toys and happiness then crying and irritation. Tylenol can help him to relax or even benedryl to help him sleep. And I would welcome the lay overs as a nice break. Let him get his wiggles out by crawling/walking around. Have a fun trip!!

When I traveled with my twin girls who were 18 mo. I packed alot of different toys that would draw their attention and not so much everyone eles. I had big legos a few peices, books, cards, I had a rubics cube that worked a long time. Basically I went to walmart went to the cheap toy section and just got what ever I thougth would work including wood puzzles. I picked cheap things because if the kids left or loss some it would not matter.
The trip was from Hawaii to Las vegas. One stop.
Aloha
M.

Portable DVD players are your friend! :)

Hi C.,
When my daughter was 9 months old we were on a 9 hr flight to Georgia. My husband and I had to fly diffrent flights on the way down there and I had her all to myself. I heard from a friend about these tablets called Hylands "Teething Tablets". They are Herbal and we found them at Longs. They didn't make her sleepy or groggy, they made her relaxed. I don't know what I would have done with out them.

I don't think it's too early for a portable DVD Player. If he will sit at home and watch a movie, then you know he will probably sit and watch it on the plane. Just try headphones at home, and if it works- that's great. Try seeing how long he will draw for with Crayons. They have some great crayons now that you twist up, and they're so convenient. Just test some things out at home that you think would work on the plane, and if they work- take them with!

we took our two kids they were 10 mo and 22 months to the Philippines.. 24 hours traveling!! yeah!! Let me just tell you.. Ask for a seat with floor space.. call ahead and make sure you get in a row that doesn't have seats in front of you. Bring lots of snacks.. and Please give in with the DVD player for the trip.. you don't have to have headphones just have it on low.. everyone else seems to wear headphones for what ever their watching... also.. just use Baby Einstein... it will be a stressful ride but you'll make it! we did with two on our laps!! Also.. walk the asiles.. don't worry about what others think.. You paid for your flight too!
Good Luck.

i travel a lot with our now 18month old. it's often a full day of travel. we've found that a combo of books and toys and bringing his carseat (for the in case there's a seat free on the plane) helped. the other thing that helped was a natural sleep-aid during his naps. we'd give him half the dose. it's found at www.nativeremedies.com

best luck!

We got our son a portable dvd player when we took him back east when he was 7 months old. It saved us on the plane! He watched Baby Einstein and slept, it was wonderful. It was a great buy!

My kids loved Baby Einstein DVDs, I would try him with the head phones prior to the trip. You need to do what you need to do to stay sane. I traveled when my daughter was 10 months, she is now 5 years old. I would walk behind her as she walked up and down the aisles. She stopped and waved to everyone but she was happy. Also, you might want to position yourselves on pre board at the front of the plane or by other families with kids.

I'm all for the portable DVD players! Plus, you can turn the volume down low enough that your son can hear it and it won't bother everyone around him (I'm not sure how the headphones would work out).

My family lives in Texas and I live in Oregon, so I've done A LOT of flying with our daughter, both with my husband and alone. If it weren't for M&M's (sorry, but planes get special "treats" when your traveling alone with a small child) and Baby Einstein videos...I don't know what I would have done.

Also, grab a couple of new toys that don't make too much noise and put them in a bag until you "really need them". A new interesting toy always seemed to intertain my daughter for about ten minutes at most. But every minute counts!

And most of all, give yourself a good pep talk, know that you love your child and sometimes there's just nothing you can do about a tantrum on a crowded plane. You'd be surprised how accomodating most people will be too!

Good luck, and let us know what happens!!!

Portable DVD player is a grate idea, Baby Einstain DVD's can capture his atenttion for a while and help him to fall asleep and I don't think headphones are necesari since everybody araund will enjoy that music too, a bunch of cheerios (don't worri abaout the mess around) and a little doddle pad for you to draw some funy things for him and don't forget his little blankie or favoritte coudle stuffed animal. I don't think is a good idea giving him sometihn to sleep even if is something mild

I would invest in the DVD player. We traveled with my daughter at 18 months and the DVD player saved the trip. You could also buy a couple of DVD's that he hasn't seen yet and save them for the trip so that it keeps his attention. My daughter is more attentive the first couple times she sees a new DVD. I would look for headphones that wrap around the ear so they don't fall off. And just check the volume before you put them on him. I always turn it lower than I would listen to it. Good luck.
S.

Hi There! My husband and I took our kiddo on his first flight when he too was 11 months old. We flew from Oregon to South Texas and believe me, at that age, I don't think a DVD player is worth investing in at this particular moment in time. I very vividily remeber our trip as we too will be flying again this coming month, but now he is 15 months and it isn't until now that we are getting ready to buy one for the this trip.

At 11 months old their attention span is still very short. I was pepared with his diaper back pack filled with finger foods, sippy cups/ (if he still drinks from a bottle, take it, you'll need that as well!)and his fav. toys, all of them.....smaller one ofcourse, little PEZ dispensers are great as long as they don't have the candy in them. A little sand shovel was my boys fav. and oh yes, books, about 5 of them, we read to him almost the whole time from Oregon to Denver. I hope this helps a bit and believe me he will be so easily distracted by all the new things going on around him, that the expense of a portable DVD player can be put off until he's about 14 mos. old or so. :) Have a great trip!