Urgent: Advice for Managing 10 Mos Old DD in 16 Hr International Flight!

I hope that you are placed in a bulk-head seat and that your airline has one of those bassinets that you can lay her down in to sleep. I would work on getting that, even if it costs you more.

You won't be able to bring milk through security, but go ahead and bring an empty thermos. Buy the milk once you get through security - that's easy. If she takes a bottle, save it for when the plane takes off, because as it ascends, her ears will pop and that hurts!

You can bring food, as far as I know. You can also order children's meals, and special dietary meals for yourself. You just have to do it in advance. Check the airline's website to see what your choices are. If she is eating off your plate, you might really want low-sodium, if they have that option.

I would bring fruit with you that you can cut into little pieces with a plastic knife. When they bring you food, they have plastic knives. I know you can buy fruit at kiosks in the airport, if that is easier.

I always gave my toddlers/older children benedryl to help them sleep. The doctor advised it, along with the correct dosage for their weight and age, when I mentioned that we were traveling overseas. I DON'T think that your doc would advise it for a 10 month old, though. :( But this is something for you to remember for when she is older and you are traveling. You would also have to give her benedryl in advance to see if it actually does make her sleepy. It actually revs some kids up and you would never want that to happen on a plane!

Little plastic baggies are wonderful - have many of them with you! Be very organized about what you have, and make sure that your passports and plane tickets are in a gallon size plastic bag in your purse so that you have them 'at the ready' and don't have to dig anywhere. Wear shoes that easily slip off, no jewelry, and keep her in that umbrella stroller until the last moment going through security. Then put her right back in it and strap her in when you get through the scanner. That way you can pick up everything you put through the security belt. You have to have your eyes on that belt MR, so that no one else picks up your stuff, like your purse. Try your hardest to stay focused on your belongings, even if she starts crying.

If you can find a little place among the chairs, like close to the window, etc, where she can move around, that might help as you wait for the airplane to board. Definitely take advantage of boarding FIRST so that you can get everything situated. You don't want to be getting up and down the whole time getting things out from above you, so make sure you have them in your diaper bag. It will have to fit underneath your feet, if you are in a bulkhead.

I'm sure other ladies will have more ideas for you.

Good luck!
D.

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Lufthansa has the bassinet seats, but they are hard to come by so they may not be available, but it was a life saver with my walking 15 month old when we flew to Germany. Also, Lufthansa is very baby friendly, they have milk and baby food, and will heat up bottles, etc. We took an overnight flight, and gave her benadryl and she still didn't sleep, but she was fine in our arms and needed to walk every 45 minutes or so. I don't know if you will be able to get milk through security, but you can get formula through security. The airline floors are gross, but I let my daughter down on them and she did fine and she's a thumb sucker so who knows what went in her mouth. You can get any toy through security as long as it fits in your bag. We bought my daughter's Violet dog and she loved it. It was a life saver and a toy definitely worth having as she is 2 1/2 and still plays with it daily. The best $20 ever spent. It talks and plays music, you can link it to your computer and add your daughter's name, etc. Most of the airline food is soggy so your daughter shouldn't have problems eating it, but my daughter still loves to eat puffs on the plane. Make sure the airlines have milk, I know American doesn't offer it. By the way we didn't get our daughter a seat. On the way to Germany she was in our laps and did fine as she wouldn't of sat in her own seat anyway, and on the way home we were fortunate enough to get a bassinet seat so she did have her own seat, except for takeoff and landing, that we didn't have to pay extra for.

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LOAD up a bag with puffs, cheerios, and a couple of other squishy snacks for her. My kids were always happiest when they were snacking. (and these are fine for no teeth)
I would take a sippy for water with you, and ask the flight attendants for anything other than that. You can rinse the sippy as you need to.

You'll only have the airplane bathroom for changes with her, so take in 1 diaper and a pack of wipes, instead of your whole bag. Change her standing up, if you can (practice, if you haven't done this yet).

Do you have a seat for her? On a flight that long, you won't be the only one with a restless kiddo. Let her crawl in the aisle, or by the bathrooms. She can crawl around and stand by your seat as well. (PLEASE tell me you bought her a seat!!!)
Can you get a bulkhead seat for more floor space? Call the airline to see.

Buy a couple of cheap dollar store toys to keep her busy. Things like calculators with buttons to push are helpful at that age. Or old remotes.

I would avoid drugging her. It really could backfire and then she'll be wired.

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I travelled to Asia when my son was 11 months old. We went together as family though.
Two things that worked for me was my son was still breastfeeding. And still ate baby food. If your daughter doesn't eat baby food, I would suggest you try Earth's best yogurt smoothies (I buy it at babies R us). These are yummy and my son loved it! Also I had his snacks with me - gerber puffs, yogurt melts etc. And he ate banana etc along with his baby food.I think they provide milk , you can double check with your airlines on that.Be sure to have her drinking/eating something while take off and landing. It's very important.
We had a seperate seat for our son and took his travel system with us.We gate-checked his stroller and had his carseat with us. He slept in his carseat, so it was a really helpful for us as we didn't have to hold him all the time! It gets very difficult to hold a squirmy baby on such a long flight esp when we are sleepy ourselves.Yes even with two of us we were still happy we spent extra and bought his own seat. On the return trip my son was all awake for the last 5-6 hrs and wanted to play.He wouldn't sit in his carseat and it was very difficult to entertain him for that long. We had taken his infant sling/carrier as well,and my husband wore our son and walked down the aisles with him when he got too restless to sit in one place. My son loved it. He was crawling too but I wasn't comfortable letting him crawl around in the flight(that's just me). But if you want to, I would suggest asking for a bulkhead seat. Then your baby will have some area in front of the seat to crawl around. Also you can also request for a bassinet where you can put her down while she sleeps. The bassinets are first come first serve only and also they are for younger babies, but you can get one for your 10 month old if they are available.
You don't mention if yours is a direct flight or not. We had our connection in Amsterdam. They have a really nice baby lounge in the airport(lot of cribs, changing station, sink to wash bottles etc)- it was beautiful. We spent a very relaxing time there. All airports have atleast a small room for baby care.Some are big and have lot of toys for the kids too but some just had a chair for breastfeeding and a changing station.The ones I used were very clean.
About toys - take some of her favourites and some new ones. That should keep her busy for a while. Take some teethers if she is teething.My son loves books , so I took few peekaboo books.
About benadryl - Just like you , I was not ok giving that to my son either. Also his pediatrician had warned me that benadryl can make some kids very hyperactive instead of drowsy (or maybe until they get tired and drowsy). So she asked us to be ready for that in case we decide to use it.She didn't tell us not to use it.
Also let your daughter play/walk/crawl as much as she wants in the airport before boarding the flight. That way she will be tired enough to sit in one place and also sleep well in the flight and you can get some rest too. And do keep her hydrated.
Hope this helps!

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When you book your flight, let the ticketing agent know you have an infant and they will put you in a bulkhead seat but confirm that with them. The airlines will put a hanging bassinet there for your baby. I usually pick Asian airlines. (I flew Singapore Airlines when my kids were babies. It cost a little more but worth the expense because of their service. I recently flew Virgin Atlantic and they were really good with kids too.) Most Asian airlines tend to be more baby-friendly supplying baby food and toys. Some of them also keep extra diapers on board. The flight attendants have watched over my baby when I have had to use the washroom. If you are not nursing, keep a bottle handy during take-off and landing to help with the change in air pressure. Somehow the droning noise on the plane helped lull my kids to sleep. I did not do Benadryl although the doctor suggested it. She did say that it could have an opposite effect so I did not want to take the chance. I would pack little snacks (like Cheerios), toys and books. Pack lots of diapers. I thought I had enough and I ran out. Luckily there were some on board the flight. Besides a change of clothing for your baby, remember to pack a change of clothing for yourself in case of baby accidents. Don't worry if your baby cries. Everyone will feel for you and after awhile, they will tune out the crying. I just got back from a 30 hour travel time and during the 11 hour leg of my journey, there was a toddler who cried the whole time. The parents were more upset than those of us around them. Good luck and enjoy your time with your family.

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just got back from a 20 hour flight (1 layover by our choice) with a 2.5 yr old. we chose to have a layover, to give her (and us) a chance to get out of the plane, walk around, eat, etc. bring a portable DVD player with movies, crayons, etc. toys, snacks (puffs, freeze dried fruit, etc.) bring twice as much as you think you will need because remember that you have the flight home to think about too.

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A little advise from someone with a son who does not sleep and never sits still:

We have been traveling with our son since he was two months old. You sound really anxious about the flight but you really shouldn't be but do plan to be pretty tired afterwards.

You can book a seat in one of the first rows with a bassinette. Super convenient so that she can lay down when she is ready. She can also sit up and play in the basinette.

Airline hot food is super mushy and she will be able to eat any sort of pasta or mash potatoes that they have. You can also call ahead and see if they have any sort of special meal options. They ususally can arrange an extra jar of baby food if you feel you might forget to bring a back up meal.

I would recommend you buy some of those smoothies or fruit purees that come in a squeeze pack because then she can feed herself something sweet and tasty during the take-off and landing. I have seem that applesauce and yogurt comes in these packs.

All kids react differently to take-off and landing and my son never had pain in the ears. Our last trip was a nine hour flight and he had a fit because he didn't want to wear the seat belt...his ears were fine.

My son is now a year and a half and wants to walk around the entire time...that is crazy exhausting but it is better that you relax and just accept that your little girl will need a bit (tons) of action and walking around during the flight.

I also buy a few toys that have lots of buttons and lights to keep him occupied for a few extra minutes.

She will not need any sort of medicine to sleep. She will get exhausted by all the new stuff and take super long naps on the flight. My son never sleeps at home...no naps and hates going to bed, but on the flights he typically sleeps longer.

If your daughter cries, you have to realize that most other people on the flights are parents too and understand that that is just how it goes.

Borrow a Babybjörn or something to carry your daughter in so that when you are walking around the plane you don't have to have her in your arms the whole time.

My husband always brings earplugs and offers them to everyone sitting around us. He also says a few works to preventatively apologize if our son has a rough time. For some reason, after he does that, the others around us relax. But, we have never had to hand out the earplugs yet....so far so good.

Just give yourself a bit of time to think about how the flight will go...pack a little extra food (security will allow you to bring baby food on the flight), a couple toys, earplugs, extra diapers, extra outfits, something if she is teething....

If she wants to crawl around a bit or walk a bit with you holding her arms then that is just fine...there are always some people on the flight who love to ask you about your daughter. They will smile at her and give her a bit of attention. On our last flight, the woman sitting next to us took our son and played with him for 30 minutes....she was the sweetest grandma and was not at all inconvenienced.

If someone around you is grumpy...the baby is not their problem...believe me they have other issues in their head. Nothing will make this person happy.

When I feel prepared, the trip seems to always go much better than I thought. It just is what it is, kids make noise, are restless, but if you keep her busy, walk around with her, feel prepared....it will go just fine.

You don't need any luck, you just need to feel prepared, don't give her anything to sleep...it will work out just fine.

Have fun visiting your family, and book that trip, It is awesome that kids travel and see the world and family.

V.

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I can only speak for our 7 hour flight but....

I agree...no benadryl (the package says not for use under 4 yrs anyway). When you get on board, have the flight attendant fill the sippy cup with water to give your DD for takeoff and landing.

If you can get a seat for her, do. This also gives you room to spread out. You may be able to get a child seat for the flight. The airlines vary widely. Supplies are limited. Don't count on it, though.

If you have the option, ask for a child's meal in advance. They offer things like fruit, chicken nuggets, etc. DD loved it.

I would bring quiet toys but toys that are larger and won't get lost behind the seat. Like a few stuffed animals.

It's not so much what the airlines will allow on board (though ask...Aer Lingus made my SD leave her hot tea, but then sold it on the flight...) but security. I brought DD's sippy cups but they had to be empty through security. I would have them empty and then plan to get milk at a restaurant on the other side.

You will likely be able to take her umbrella stroller straight to the gate. I had a bag for it, but many people don't. It will be waiting for you right when you get off.

I found a backpack to be the best carry on. You can also bring a metro bag or diaper bag for her. A backpack will free up your arms. With the stroller, you should be able to manage 2 small bags by yourself. Don't overpack them. They will be weighed.

I brought DD's favorite snacks. No one gave me any problems as long as they were commercially packaged, like Cheerios and Beach Nut yogurt bites.

I took a small pack of diapers for the flight/first few days, and then bought more as needed.

Put all your wipes, creams, baby lotion, etc. in a clear plastic ziploc bag in the front of the backpack or carry on. They might test the items, but I was able to take DD's liquid pain reliever and two tubes of diaper cream.

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You are stuck with the same rules as everyone else. Thank god there hasn't been a diaper bomber yet. :( Look it up on the airline's website but you are restricted to I think four four oz clear bottles of liquid. That would include baby food, diaper cream and stuff like that.

I don't think they have whole milk on the flight but since you would be using it to hydrate and not nourish you should be fine.

They will not let your kid walk around the isles. At least on my past two flights there were a lot of get your damn kids in their seats announcements.

If you are really nervous about sleeping ask your pediatrician about giving you a script. That way you know it is age appropriate and use it in an emergency.

I bought those ear plugs back when I had to fly with my son. They really do work.

The food they serve is mushy and bland so you should be able to serve it to your daughter.

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We recently did a 12 hour flight with our 10 month old,( flight was broken 6 hrs then change over). We had no problem taking jars of baby food, formula, nursery water ( but I just think they didn't notice the water), and other baby snacks.
Dont worry about noisey toys as most of the noise is drowned out by the airplane. one toy which was a lifesaver was a plastic wand with spinning lights on the end, think of a windmil shape, if that makes sense! my boy loved this especially when all the plane lights went out.
Check the plane size before you book. Our first flight (SFO to JFK) was a bigger plane, 767, which had two aisles and space to walk about. The second flight (JFK-LHR), the plane was much smaller,757, only one aisle and nowhere to go. I wouldn't fly with my son on this size plane again-it was much harder.
The flights that were easiest were when the air hostess's were really nice and helpful. The worst was when one hostess kept shouting about food/ drinks etc to me when she could see my boy asleep on my lap and she woke him every time. I was lucky and my hubby was with us but I'm sure people will be extra helpful when they see it's just you and your baby.I know I would be. Good luck!

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I JUST took my 10 mo old daughter on a 2 hour flight and it went great....here are tips:

On take off and landing have her suck on a bottle (even 2 oz of fluid will help - it helps w/the popping in the ears)...if she won't do that, then a pacifier will work....my daughter fell asleep during both landings and wouldn't suck on anything and woke up fine (just an FYI).

As far as baby food goes, as someone else mentioned you can bring it, but they still need to be checked and in the original containers and inside the clear plastic baggie. As far as fluids...they might not have whole milk on the flight, but you should be able to find a place in the airport right outside of security that should/might sell it...(my daughter was drinking formula so I had the powder sectioned for what I would need per feeding and bought a big bottle of water before each flight after security and it was no problem).

As far as medicines go...I brought them on board (except bendryl) because the ones I had were small bottles and could go through security fine inside the clear plastic baggie...you might be able to purchase benedryl there if you feel you need it...

As far as toys go - I brought a bunch on board because I didn't want her to get bored and freak out - I had a teether she liked, a book, a security blanket, an electronic toy (makes noise, sings, and lights up), and a couple other things and they didn't care...I also made sure I had an extra outfit for her and plenty of diapers and wipes (just in case) and her own blanket...

As far as foods go, I brought my daughter pretzel sticks (it's one of her favorites) and some puffs and another small snack too - on the way back I had those plus a bag of potato chips and a chocolate chip cookie (for me but she ate both too)...(I didn't have her snacks commercially packaged - I brought the pretzels and puffs and other snacks for her packed in rubbermaid-like containers and I had no problems with security or the airline.)

You can bring your umbrella stroller all the way to the gate (check it at the gate) and they will have it ready for you when you get off the plane after landing at the gate as well.

I decided the best way to get through security with her and the things we needed was with a backpack...I did it both ways (there and home) and it worked great - it was counted as one of my carry-on items and I was able to keep it by my feet (as long as you don't sit in the very front row - if you do, they put it up during take off and landing and let you have it the rest of the flight).

I flew with my daughter alone too...it wasn't as bad as I was fearing (granted I didn't have as long of a flight as you will)...my daughter was already crawling for over 2 months and was already a pre-walker (walking along furniture and standing by herself a lot) and she was ok with not getting down....she actually liked being by me...the flight to our destination, though, she did want to go to the "strangers" next to us and they were so nice to let her...you'll find that you will get a lot of help (people just want to - even though I NEVER asked for it - they would just offer it to me all the time). I do know, though, that they are NOT allowed to crawl in the aisles or anywhere - they strictly told me to pick her up off the floor when I sat her down on it for a second to get something out of our bag (and it was right by my feet and she wasn't crawling anywhere)...

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We flew with kids that age. We all were fine :-).
Our flight were 10-12 hours long. The trick is to get one of the sits with bassinets. I believe, there are 6 or 8 of them on the plane. Ask at checkout counter to give you that sit. My kids slept through a whole flight in them. Until they became too big for these things.
If you are not lucky at the counter, you can simply ask someone on one of these sits to switch with you. There are nice people out there :-). Although, once, nobody wanted to switch with us, so we ended up on our assigned sits. Another option, ask for the "exit" row sit - it has more foot space. I've seen kids sleeping on the floor and they were fine. One more option - when everybody is seated and there are unoccupied sits, ask a crew member to "give" you that additional sit. I was lucky once, I had the only sit left empty, so I had two sits for price of one and my daughter could sleep on it. And remember - on the flight, a crew member is your best friend. You just ask - they will help you in any way they can. They will warm up milk, help you change the baby - whatever you need.
About food - baby food is allowed in any amount. Put what you need in separate carry-on bag and tell security that it's for baby. They might check it, but will let you through. We brought with us a 6-pack juice carton and milk in one-serving bottles. I also had milk in the cup - they checked the cup with some "wand" and asked me to open one of the sealed milk bottles and did a quick chem test (they had some sort of test strips). In the worst case, after security, if you don't have one, get a big travel coffee mug (or buy and empty big bottle of water) and just buy milk at Starbuks. They sell it, or might give you it for free (if you're lucky:-))
Also, if you have options, book flight that departs at evening hours, this will be convenient, as your baby will be in her routine schedule. And don't mind letting your baby stroll - screaming baby on the plane is much worse then happy walking one. I know :-).
And good luck!

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