Transatlantic flight with a 14 month old - help!

[MaxPowerOverkill]

Does anyone have any tips for a longhaul (10 hour) flight with my 14 month old next week please? Especially how to manage the change in time zones so he's not bouncing off the walls just as I want to sleep? I'm thoroughly dreading it.

i sympathise! i've done several long flights with babies and toddlers and it's honestly never as bad as you think. yea you are knackered ( urgh!) but so long as you have plenty of snacks and a few toys they will either sleep on the plane or collapse when you get to your destination!
not sure if it's allowed but i always buy a pack from 'Keepthemquiet' and they go down a treat ! just done give them too much milk.. never ends well

A bag that is easy to keep things separated and organised. Snacks and little toys, few changes of clothes and an iPad

I travelled a few long haul flights with ds when he was a baby (didn’t have an iPad) but did when he was older

I was travelling alone and always found people really helpful

And the time difference it’s tiring but you will both fall into a pattern soon enough

It was never as bad as I dreaded

Thank you, hopefully it won't be as bad as I think. I'm grumpy when tired so just dreading the thought of wrestling him for 10 hours then having him awake all night!

Do you have a sling/carrier? I found it invaluable.

Lots of snacks and toys.

Have they got their own seat, or are they travelling on your lap?
Just remember... after you get off the plane, you will hopefully not see the other passengers again.

Do you have a bassinet seat? I'm not sure DD ever slept, but it was useful to have all her kit in one place.

I second getting a sling or a hip seat.

We tended to do night flights, so I spent a lot of time at the back of the plane with the cabin crew. Parents tend to team up to help with loo visits. Be polite and hopefully you'll find a willing baby holder. Also pack a change of clothes (or two) and a binliner for wet or vomits stuff.

I packed a few baby food pouches and snacks and tried to book hotels that at least had a fridge and (hopefully) a kitchenette. We had a messy few days.

I’m not sure a 14 month old will fit in a bassinet? My 8 month old was a tight fit 😂

He's quite dainty to be fair, but when I looked at the seating plan I think all the bassinets were booked. The sling is a good idea, even if he sleeps in it hands free. Definitely a few changes of clothes, I learned that the hard way last year when carrying a naked baby through Schipol airport desperately searching for a clothes shop!!

Yes… Don’t do it

Remember a change of clothes for you…in case of accidents. Is he crawling? DS1 wasn’t and we flew to Texas when he was 10 months and it was fairly straightforward because he was happy to be in the bassinet or sitting on a lap. If you’re still breastfeeding then position him so you can with him strapped in for take off and landing as the swallowing helps to avoid ear pressure pain.

We did a few trips back and forth when DS was that age.

Get a bassinet seat on the plane. I assumed DS would be too big by 18 months but actually he fit in it fine. The white noise of the plane sent him to sleep too - usually slept most of the flight. Bring your own food for him.

Can’t help with jet lag, we never really cracked that, just had to tough it out.

And god yes, use the sling inside the airport. Way easier than a buggy. If I could put DS5 in one on holidays now, I would.

Take lots of snacks and changes of clothes for you and baby. Regarding the jetlag I'm afraid there's no miracle cure. Try your best to sleep based on your normal schedule but in your new time zone but don't be surprised if baby wakes up bolt upright at the wrong time. I've flown to west coast US lots of times and it does improve but you need to give it several days.

I did it with all of mine over the years. Dh was always working so I went alone, I packed the backpack with double the number of nappies I thought was needed just in case, a change of top of me, muslins for wiping messes and about 6 or more small new cheap toys wrapped to give one at a time as they got bored. Small matchbox cars a fiddle toy stuff like that. My job on board was to keep him entertained quietly so the other passengers didn't get annoyed. We read books, crayoned etc. Last baby we had planes with a screen in the seat. She watched Little bear a few times and a Disney movie, along with the toys and books, it was so much easier. I didn't expect them to sleep but was grateful when they did. Order kid meals, they get served first.

I thought I was so clever getting DD to stand up when I changed her wet nappy at the airport....Nope the aircon in the loo made her wee onto her shoes and socks.

At 15 and 16 months we travelled to and from/around Oz using a bassinet (DD was 50th centile for most of her young years).

Be careful with what toys you pack. DD smacked me in the face opening her new (hard plastic) toy from Grandma on the trip out.

Finally check the rules for strollers. We were usually allowed to wheel them onto the plane . I bought a very compact one that could fit in the overhead lockers.

This site might be far more up to date:
www.flyingwithababy.com/cabin-size-strollers/

Oh and pack a pair of reins - they were so useful for airport queuing etc.