Safe Medication to Help Baby Sleep During Flight

I am not judging you but I find it extremely unsettling that any mother would 'drug' their child for their own convenience.

If an adult is going to fly and take an infant on the flight then it's the responsibility of the adult to deal with it rather than just drug the child so they aren't any trouble and don't make any noise. The infant did not ask to fly and it should not have to be put at risk by being given drugs that they really don't need.

Per my Doctor, I gave my little one dramamine on a flight from Seattle to London and she slept peacefully for most of the flight. She gets car sick on very long car rides, though, and I'd used it for her before so I knew she would sleep, not get revved up.

You don't need medication! Plus you have no idea what the reaction will be and the last place you want to be is trapped on an airplane with an emergency!

Benadryl will be the most common recommendation from friends and family. But, there are a couple things to be aware of. First, it will knock your little one out in most cases, but as soon as it wears off they will wake up feeling miserable and drugged. The other issue is that at any time you give it to your child, instead of sedating, it can suddenly create a reaction of hyperactivity. The complete opposite of what you are hoping for!

We have flown to Panama with little ones and never used anything. We try to keep to our usual schedules of napping and sleeping, if you are still nursing, try to nurse during take-off and landing to keep your daughter calm and help her ears. Otherwise a pacifier or bottle will help too.

Bring toys and distractions and plan on a lot of play and no sleep for you. If she sleeps, try to sleep at the same time to reduce your jetlag. If you are on an overnight flight, then you will be fine, she'll get tired and sleep on her own once the novelty wears off.

They have short attention spans, so as oftern as possible, get up and walk the aisles with her. People don't mind seeing happy babies and the like a smile. Plus when food or drink service comes down the aisle you will be trapped for a bit.

One last thing, put your bag above head and keep a smaller diaper bag with everything you need for a couple of changes handy along with snacks, drinks and toys for your daughter handy. Makes life a lot easier! Don't forget to layer her in comfortable clothes and bring a small blanket. The temperature fluctuates tremendously on planes and it helps to be able to keep her comfortable to keep fussiness down.

Enjoy your trip!

Honestly, I would not medicate my daughter for the flight. I have taken her to the east coast and to europe several times now and you just do what you have to do in terms of comforting them.
If she's still nursing then that will help a lot, otherwise a pacifier or bottle will help with the pressure on the ears.
I would strongly recommend that you book a red-eye whenever possible. Our last trip to europe we left in the late afternoon, she fell asleep in her bassinet for her usual bedtime and stayed asleep for most of the flight. ASK FOR A BASSINET SEAT! If you fly internationally most airlines offer them and they are a lifesaver!
On the way back she was awake for all but a short nap, and we just played (take lots of toys, fingerfood, some new things to explore, books, sing) and walked the aisles. It was exhausting for me (I was on my own with her) but she was happy enough.

One quick note regarding Benadryl and such... I had to give it to my baby for a rash once upon rec. from the doctor. Yes, it made her fall asleep, but she woke up as soon as it wore off and was MISERABLE for hours afterwards. I just wouldn't want that on a plane...

I just held my baby, put him in baby bjorn and he slept for a 7 hour flight. Brought lots of kid friendly snacks, and little toys and he did wonderful he was about the same age.

I was told benadryl by family and friends but you also should try it before hand because sometimes (like my son) it made him bounce off the wall. So had i jsut planned on giving it to him for flight we would of been in trouble.

Ask for a bulkhead seat so you have some room and get a seat for her so you don't have to have her on your seat all the time. And I admire your bravery to take her on a 10 hour flight. Wear her out the day before if you can so she is really tired and will drop like a stone.

Good luck.

There is lots that I want so say but all I am going to say is you would be surprised as to how well the engine noise will put a sleepy child to sleep on a plane!!

14 months is a hard age when flying long fligths because they want to be up and about alot. You shouldn't give her any meds to make her sleep. She will sleep when she is tired, although she will likely be off schedule but that's just life. She will be very stimulated and excited from all the airport hullabaloo, and then you will need keep her busy on the flight with coloring, toys, books, walking up and down the aisle, etc. Most of the Europe bound flights will serve a meal within a couple of hours of take off, so have her eat and then give her a good dose of warm milk as it helps with sleep (I have had luck on some flights with flight attendants who were willing to warm milk for her in the microwaves on board). You can do your best to get her to relax and get comfy. My daughter would only sleep lying on her seat like a little bed(and not in her car-seat).

Also, if you have a DVD player, don't use it before nap/sleep time. I find that they tend to keep my daughter up. Although she didn't get to watch TV/DVDs until she was 2, now she does and I tell her that she can watch a DVD AFTER she takes her nap/sleeps. That is incentive enough for her to try to rest...and she usually zonks out.

I hope some of that helps!

Breastmilk! ;)

Honestly, I've flown long distances with tiny babies and found that nursing, nursing, nursing did the trick. If baby takes a pacifier, bring that along as well. All that sucking helps keep baby's ears from hurting, too. Enjoy the trip!

I flew 6 flights in one year from Denver to Melbourne Australia (over 24 hours of travel) and was nervous every time (3 legs without my husband). My daughter was 12 weeks the first time and slept the whole way. She was 9 months the second time and was very active in the airport but sleepy on the plane and the 3rd she was 14 or 15 months on the final round and again she completely surprised me on that one and was as good as you can expect at that age. She always slept a lot on the flights. I think the final one I did give her .8 of Infant Tylenol because she was getting over a cold so I didn't want pain in her ears to be too much (and I was 7.5 months pregnant). I will say that she did have her own seat which made life much easier and we were flying business class (due to my husbands work). But, we flew from Australia to New Zealand in coach with her on our lap and she did great on my lap. Her personality has been "go, go, go" from the beginning so being cooped up on a plane always made me nervous. Good luck!

I flew last night with a 4 month old infant and a 3 year old toddler. My 3 year old, wasn't bad. She was also no help with the baby. It was really rough. While I agree that "drugging" your child is not optimal. I completely disagree that you are drugging your child is strictly for your own convenience. I would be lying if I said that my baby being asleep for the flight would not be nice. It definitely would! But, at the same time, the child was clearly miserable and in pain as well. If you can find a remedy, something that works for your child as an individual, I say USE IT! I live over half way across the country from my family that does not get to see my children very often. I make the trip so I can see my family, so my family can see my babies and so my children can have my family as a part of their lives and memories. The trips are no entirely selfish, my children are not drugged up their entire lives, and I am not a bad mother because I chose or choose to help my child sleep on a flight. So stop the guilt and make life easier for both of you. So, if you're against it, don't. If you're not sure, make an informed decision. If you're for it, do it responsibly. THE END.

Talk to your pediatrician. Some antihistamines will induce drowsiness, but that's not what they're intended for. Your toddler will sleep on the plane if your flight is during her nap and sleep periods. Take her bottles,formula mix, juice box, finger foods, pacifier, her blanket, and some toys or book. 10 hrs is a long flight for anyone. Ask for bulkhead seating so you have the room to sit her on the floor before you. Is she on your lap or have her own seat? The pacifier is a must to help equalize the air pressure in her ears. She'll do fine. Drugs are not the best answer for a flight, keeping her comfortable and entertained will make it more enjoyable for all on board.
Safe and fun trip for all of you!!!

I think your best bet is having things on hand to entertain your child. When my youngest was under a yr she pretty much slept on the flights. At a yr and a half she wanted to play and slept when she wanted. One way she slept the return she wanted to play. Keep plenty of snacks on hand for her and her cup, and anything that will have the scent onf home will ease the flight (blanket or stuffed animal).
I was told by my dr taht you can give bendryl to help with pressure and have a sleepy child, its up to you. HAve something to drink or a binky handy for take off and landing, it will help pop her ears.

you should ask you doctor, but what i found with flying, is that it is like having them in a car. usually they fall a sleep on their own and a little turbulance is great. Good luck.

I completely agree with Ina G. Please no not medicate your daughter. Let her sleep, play and walk around as needed. I have flown with my 5 year old at least 15 times (long flights, international flights and red eyes) and NEVER felt like I needed to medicate him. Bring new toys, favorite snacks and nurse/bottle feed her on demand. Good luck! :)

Hi- I know I am responding late, but we have taken overseas trips with my daughter and I find that going to the dollar store and getting about 5 ziplock bags worth of toys is ideal. Keep the toys in a carry on with snacks and you are good to go.

I put a few toys in each of 5 ziplock bags and when my daughter would get tired of playing with one bag of toys, I would put them away and pull out another. I didn't worry about her losing a toy because it was only a dollar. I think she lost two on the way and one or two on the way back. She still had plenty to play with while on vacation and on the return flight.

When she got tired, she slept. It took about 2 days for her to recover to a normal sleeping routine and again on the return to home.

You also might try a DVD player with Baby Signing Time. It is educational, they like watching the babies, and you can borrow one from the library to record onto a dvd to take with you. You wouldn't want to lose a library dvd.

Don't forget to take a few board books to read together.

I'll warn you, you will be exhausted from the flight, because you will need to keep her entertained. But, my daughter, who is 4 now, still remembers her trip at about 15 months.

Good luck and have fun!
D.

I have a 3.5 year old and a 3 month old, and have travelled a lot (at least once a month) with them. I have never used medication - they both always sleep...With the baby, I put her in a carrier (moby wrap) and she sleeps the entire time we fly (only 3 hours so far, but no indication that she would have gotten up had it been a longer flight). We will be going to Isreal this summer, and I don't plan to give them anything - just pacifier for the baby, milk, and lots of toys (we don't do dvd's either).