Tips for Flying with a Toddler

[MandyfromSheffield]

We fly to Orlando next Wednesday and my youngest daughter is only 19 months old. People have recommended that I give her a few drops of Phenergen (not sure of spelling) when we are on the plane to help her sleep. Apparantly it's a travel sickness/anti histemine type of medicine that makes kids extremely tired. I would love to hear from has anyone else who has used this or who can offer any tips to occupy her during the flight.
Finally, our flight is from Manchester to MCO but it's stopping in Boston to pick up passengers, the stop is scheduled for 2 and a half hours, will they let us off or will be have to stay on the plane during this time.

Thanks

[brizzle]

Their own little rucksack of goodies that once you are on the plane and the excitment of a new place has worn off you can whip each item out one by one.
We pick up little nick nacks coming up to the trip, normally little things from pound shops etc.. crayons, pads with 'invisible' colouring in pages which you rub a coin over to make the picture appear, little farm yard animal packs.

I must admit that age is probably the trickiest we have had with our two. They are old enough to want their independence but not old enough to sit and watch the back seat TV for too long.

I personally wouldn't dose a child up with medicine just to fly but that's my view. I have heard of people that have. Also the problem is if they don't sleep and are dozy then you are going to have a little grumpy hellcat on your hands too....

Brizzle.

[stabard]

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by stabard
I have not used Phenagen myself but a friend did use it on the recommendation of her GP for her 1 year old when they were travelling to Hong Kong from the UK. She said it worked a treat and he slept most of the way there.

I would also stock up on a few cheap goodies to play with in a little back pack for her too.
[/quote]I have not used Phenagen myself but a friend did use it on the recommendation of her GP for her 1 year old when they were travelling to Hong Kong from the UK. She said it worked a treat and he slept most of the way there.

I would also stock up on a few sheap goodies in a little back pack for her too.

I agree with both posts above and being a Mummy to 5 aged from 3 to 21 I have travelled with babies a lot.

The bag of goodies works a treat but let them have new things at time intervals ie. one at a time so when the novelty wears off you have a new thing to give them.

If they have a seat of their own its much better because at that age the are too big for the bassinet (cot) on board and i found the seat some airlines now provide pretty useless too, however if they don't have their own seat try to get a bulkhead window seat so you can put a blanket on the floor between your seat and the bulkhead and they can have a little play area and give your lap a rest once the seat belt signs have gone off[msnwink]

I have had to use Phenergan once as one of mine had severe motion sickness she did not however sleep any longer than normal, if your little one does not suffer from motion sickness then I would not advocate using it[msnscared]

Make sure you have enough baby supplies and spare clothes for her too and take some extras in the event of a un planned delay etc.

Good luck and have a great flight[msnwink]

[millie]

We travelled to Orlando when my little girl was 21 months we did not use Phenergen. We used Calpol which was great in preventing her from getting sore ears and did help to give her a little sleep.

I also wrapped up lots of little things to keep her busy as recommended already. I gave her a new thing every so often when she got bored. Ideas include lacing cards, wooden beads to thread, comics, colouring pages and crayons (I printed off Disney ones from the disney.go website of all her favourites!). I also packed snacks she liked like sandwiches, boxes of raisens etc to keep her busy. Emma did watch a bit of the seatback TV as the Fimbles were on but it is not something you could bank on.

One last thing - take turns with whoever you are with to have the child on your knee. All those hours with a toddler on your knee can get very uncomfortable.

Have a fantastic holiday!
Lx

[Sharon G]

I am the proud mother of 2 boys. One 13yr old "Kevin" and one mad 4 yr old.[msnwink]

The youngest has been a handful since he was 18 months old and basically has actually got worse with age!!![msncry]

He was just 18 months old when we first took him and paid for him to have his own seat. This was a god send but realise not all families would like to do this.
I also took lots of little novelties, to suit his age group and lots of little snacks as he never stops eating.

He wouldn't watch TV for long so both myself and his dad took it in turns to walk around the plane with him. He soon made lots of new Aunties and Uncles with his cheeky laugh and smile! A lady in the row in front actually had him sat on her knee for the best part of an hour[msnsmile2][msnsmile2]

I once enquired about Phenergan and was shot down by my health visitor[msnembarrased]. She said that it shouldn't be used as a sedative and only used for its purpose of travel sickness etc!!

Have a wonderful time and enjoy your time with your little daughter, its not long before they won't sit on your knee[msneek]

Sharon

[chrizzy100]

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by millie
We travelled to Orlando when my little girl was 21 months we did not use Phenergen. We used Calpol which was great in preventing her from getting sore ears and did help to give her a little sleep.

I also wrapped up lots of little things to keep her busy as recommended already. I gave her a new thing every so often when she got bored. Ideas include lacing cards, wooden beads to thread, comics, colouring pages and crayons (I printed off Disney ones from the disney.go website of all her favourites!). I also packed snacks she liked like sandwiches, boxes of raisens etc to keep her busy. Emma did watch a bit of the seatback TV as the Fimbles were on but it is not something you could bank on.

One last thing - take turns with whoever you are with to have the child on your knee. All those hours with a toddler on your knee can get very uncomfortable.

Have a fantastic holiday!
Lx
[/quote]

My daughter has bad ears like me.........she always had calpol on the plane....

[Paula D-S]

My youngest was 13 months old when we first took her Florida. I did enquire with the chemist to see if anything was recommeded he advised me against Phenergan, quite strongly in fact.
I find the motion of the plane knocks her out anyway. Even this year as a lively 3 year old she was asleep 10 minutes after take off. When she was awake she had a few toys and books to keep her occupied.
I'm sure your flight will be fine, have a wonderful holiday.

Paula

[Calamity Jane]

I also have used Phenagen on my kids 20 + years ago and have had it since for my youngest grandson for flying to FL, my sister, however, works for Boots chemist and last year when I asked her if they still stocked it she said that which ever chemist you ask will ask you the reason why you want it ( or at least they should do) They would rather not reccommend it to you if its not a necessity.

It helped me with Tom as he is a tad hyper but I dont know that I would use it again. All things being equal your little one should nod off part way through the flight, the trick is to keep them as occupied as long as possible on the flight and give them plenty drinks. Its not easy with a very young one but we have all had to do it at sometime and we are all still going back time and time again.

[orlandobabe]

Both my grandsons have been with us this year.

The youngest was 5 months and 10months on his two visits -he had only little naps but he had our undivided attention in his skycot.

Josh was 20 months, 23 months and 2 years and 4 months on his visits and was much more of a handful.


Aren't these two lucky boys by the way! He never slept at all on the latest flight and was awake from 4-30am till 1am his time as the flight was delayed.

We took his own food and just plenty of books to amuse him. Hard work-but the babies coped better with the jet lag than the adults.