First Airplane Ride

airplanes are much better as far as many years ago, but I would talk to your ped about your concerns with the ears. The flight won't be that long, but if you could make sure he had plenty of exercise, play and a good meal, prior to the flight, maybe he will take a good nap and you and dad can have a nice drink and a peaceful/restful flight too.

Have a great trip.

We started flying regularly with DS when he was 5 months old. We used the car seat until he was 4. It made life much easier. Your carseat needs to have a sticker from the manufacturer stating that it is approved for air travel. As far as I know all car seats are. He never had ear issues but when he was very little we tried having him drinking when we took off. We brought food and some quiet toys to play with. Crayons are good but they tend to fall/get dropped. Those plastic cups the flight attendants serve drinks in are a fantastic fall back toy at age 2. We also brought a bunch of books. We were lucky. DS tended to fall asleep at takeoff and wake up when we landed. The first flight I think he stayed awake for he was probably 6 years old. Good luck. It's not nearly as bad as people worry about.

We weren't allowed to bring carseats on the plane when our kids were little. I think the rules are different from one airline to the next. Anyway, I found that letting the kids have a sucker at take-off and landing helped with any ear discomfort. Snacks are always a good idea.

We have not used the carseat on the plane and have done several flights. Suckers or drink for take off and landing. Our son Hsu fun with the magazines and window shades and tray tables. We did small presents a couple of times during a five hour flight. He loved unwrapping and playing with the new toy. One flight he decided to see how many times we could go to the bathroom for a clean diaper, LOL. He was happy so we went with it. Books, favorite tv show or movie, blocks, felt board, blank paper with stickers and crayons, and lots of snacks. You should be able to take a drink for.him through security still I think, otherwise empty cup or two if he uses a sippy. Sine flights have had lids for theirh cups with straws and some have not. Read about airplanes before going, Richard Scary has a good book, A day at the airport that is fun. Above all have a great time and be relaxed. Check if the airports have a kids area if you have a long wait anywhere. Have a great trip.

It's not a big deal. Make it an adventure and make sure he has his own seat! Make it comfy and SAFE for everyone!

When we traveled w/ our 18 month old to Costa Rica, we planned the flights during her naptime (and yes, she did sleep). We brought a couple dum dum lollipops for take off and landing. We brought a DVD player w/ movies, quiet little toys, coloring books and crayons, etc. I purchased brand new little trinket toys that she hadn't seen before to her to keep her attention. We brought lots of dry snacks, etc. And we purchased the CARES safety aviation belt, made specifically for very young children, to use in place of a cumbersome carseat. If you google it, you can buy the system or rent it. We purchased it and then sold it on ebay for 3/4 of what we bought it for. Well worth the cost. Good luck and have fun!

http://www.littlegreenduckling.com/CARES-Child-Aviation-R...

My life saver on my last trip with my little one was one of the Duplo sets that comes with a story book. The one we got was about a farm and the blocks made 4-5 little farm animals. It was a GREAT multi-purpose toy, we could read the story, build each animal, play with the little animals, and build with the blocks. Probably killed an hour just with that toy. We also got a magnet set that was a blank head with magnets of all the face parts and accessories- eyes, ears, glasses, earrings, etc. That was a hit, but the magnets were a bit difficult to keep track of. Bring an extra blanket and small pillow so you can make him comfortable. Since he has his own seat, he gets his own carry-on...load it up!!

Ohhhh.....I remember my first visit to Florida to see my parents with a 6 month old and a 2 1/2 year old on a plane. The whole thing went pretty well until the baby started screaming at the top of her lungs from the plane dropping altitude as we were landing. Her ears were bothering her and as she got older and we flew on more airplanes, we came to know that she has a lot of ear pain upon descent into the landing. Many kids do have this. My older daughter never had a problem. We would bring lots of snacks, make sure u get plenty of water or kid-friendly drinks, small toys or quiet activities that can be confined to a small space. We had a small laptop that played their favorite shows or movies and they had little headphones to listen to it. Both kids had the car seats. I travelled without the seats once and it was better for us to have them. They related the seat to car travel and also fell asleep in them on part of the flight. Much better than hogging up your lap and being squished together in a tight space. We also had advice from our pediatrician to give the kids some Benadryl before the flight. It helps decongest the ear canals and also takes the edge off well enough to get them to sleep on the plane. It works. Made a huge difference in the ear pain in our younger child. The key is to keep your child occupied, hydrated, and well fed while they are in the air. This way they don't fall into a cranky episode and the time will pass quicker. Also let them know they need to use their "inside voice" on the plane....no yelling, screaming, or tantrums will be allowed. I used to tell my girls that if the behavior wasn't good, the plane won't go where we want it to. LOL...that worked too. I'm hoping some of this helps you out. My two girls have become world class travelers and we were able to fly with them easily since they were born. Don't be afraid to enlist the help of the flight staff if u need it and always pre-board to get the seats you want and get all your gear packed away easily. It will be fine and you guys will have a blast in Florida! It's 75 degrees today and total beach weather!

If you paid for a seat for you child you can bring the carseat. It might be helpful as it will keep him contained and he is used to sitting in it.

In your carry on bring enough diapers for the expected duration of the airport time layover and actual flying time..bring 3 times the number you think you might need in case of any problems. bring an empty sippy cup .. it has to be empty to go through security.. buy milk or juice at a shop after security. you can bring dry snacks.

have him drink from a cup or bottle whent he plane takes off and lands.

in your carryon.. bring 2 changes of clothes for him.. and at least an extra shirt for you. (just in case he gets sick and pukes on you.)

a few toys.. books.. the computer games.. it will be fine.. we have flown with our kids many times they do great.. we flew with our daughter at 11 months and 14 months.. and I was able to get her to nap on each flight..

For his ears, bring a lollipop for him to suck on during takeoff and maybe a second during landing. My kids really like ringpops. It will stop his ears from popping too much.

Skip the car seat on the plane. He is too big for it. If he's in a car seat, he can't use his tray table and he'll be kicking the seat in front of him too much. Just check the car seat (most airlines don't include it in your baggage allowance) and let him sit in the regular seat. Maybe he'll even lie down and take a nap.

Don't bring a ton of toys with you on the vacation. Just a couple of small things that are his favorites. He won't need much - the in-laws will keep him occupied and he'll find new things in their house to play with. You should be able to do laundry while you're there too, if needed, so don't feel like you have to bring a bunch of extra clothes.

On the plane - bring extra clothes for EVERY family member. I can't tell you how many times I've heard of kids throwing up all over their parents on the plane and they only had clean clothes for the kids. My husband was one of these victims!

Carseats take up too much space, and you will spend the whole flight fighting with your son over kicking the seat in front of him.

I do, however, recommend getting an attachment to use the carseat as a stroller. Also, he needs his own seat!

Our daughter flew for the first time right after she turned two and did a great job! We took the car seat because it was what she was used to and it really helped keep her comfortable. I will admit it was a pain to carry through the airport but worth it for her! I also recommend suckers for take off and landing, I always pack them anyway for my husband! The most important thing is for you and hubby to stay relaxed and the kiddo will follow your lead! Best of luck and enjoy your trip!