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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To be bloomin' terrified at the thought of a 12 hour flight/jet lag/3 weeks at th PIL's with a demanding 5 month old...

29 replies

Okonomiyaki · 17/03/2011 12:34

Argh, survival tips please.

I'm bricking it. In a few weeks we are off to the inlaws for nearly a month. The journey involves a 12 hour flight, 2 hours in an airport, another flight and a car journey. Nine hour time difference.

Much as I love both the country and my inlaws I'm worried about having a shit time.

How will I cope? AIBU to be worried or just pfb? Have been struggling with mild pnd so have kind of lost a sense of perspective.

Any tips for coping gratefully received...

OP posts:
BaronessBomburst · 17/03/2011 12:39

Your MIL will cuddle your DC and you will get to eat meals in peace, watch TV and have a bath, paint your toenails. You can go shopping together and someone will be there to hold the baby whilst you try on new clothes. And the baby will sleep most of the flight. It will be fab! Relax. Grin

ZZZenAgain · 17/03/2011 12:41

I wouldn't fancy that. Is the house in the kind of area where you can keep going off for long walks with the baby if it gets too much?

mrspear · 17/03/2011 12:41

Good start from Baroness - if baby not asleep when plane goes up / comes down feed him / her! Stops the ears popping

Original poster
Okonomiyaki · 17/03/2011 12:46

Yes, luckily their is countryside nearby. We'll be taking a variety of slings in case of long walks...

And yes, MIL and great grandma both desperate to get their hands on ds :)

Unfortunately as ds is ebf I won't be able to leave him too long though. He never goes more than 2-3 hours between feeds!

OP posts:
Merlotmonster · 17/03/2011 12:46

Gin....and plenty of it ! good luck

mummytime · 17/03/2011 12:46

A 5 month old isn't demanding. Sorry but just wait. It is much better now than when the baby is 18 months.

Just make sure you aren't driving, and sleep as you and baby feel like it. You also have the perfect excuse to not do things, just take lots of laps and chill.

Have you seen your GP about the PND? Do you have medication? Make sure you have enough for the trip, and a letter expalaining it just in case.

It will be fine trust me.

MissJanuary · 17/03/2011 12:46

Relax and start looking forward to it.
With a wee one at 5 months he/she will just eat and sleep as per normal, and if you are relaxed and adjust to the airport/plane environment, the baby will as well.
I have travelled with a baby before myself through an airport and flight and as long as you still feed on time, or are near to as you can, they will follow their routine as usual.
And take full advantage of letting the inlaws spoil the baby so you get a bit of me time.
It will be easier than it seems once you get on the plane.

You'll be amazed how much more adjustable babies are than you think if you relax and enjoy it, otherwise they will pick up on your tension.

Original poster
Okonomiyaki · 17/03/2011 12:47

Ahem, there not their.

OP posts:
exexpat · 17/03/2011 12:47

Nearly a month uninterrupted with your ILs might be a bit too much - is there any interesting place an hour or two away from them where you can suddenly claim a long-held desire to go and spend a weekend/few nights with your DH and the baby (but not them)?

(PS Judging from your name and the 12-hour flight/9-hour time difference - is it somewhere in Japan? I'm sure you could find a nice little onsen ryokan somewhere for a couple of nights of relaxation...)

exexpat · 17/03/2011 12:49

Oh - and 5 months is actually the perfect age to take a baby on an aeroplane, particularly if they are BF - it gets much harder once they are mobile. Both my DCs were born in Japan so I did a lot of to-ing and fro-ing on those flights.

RJRabbit · 17/03/2011 12:50

Don't worry about it at all! 5 months is an ideal time to fly - still little enough to sleep most of the way and not grizzle. It's when they get a bit bigger (between about 8 months and 2ish) that things become absolutely nightmarish!

I've taken my son to NZ three times (he's 3) and on other long haul flights, so trust me :)

The best thing you can do is get to the airport very early and request a bulkhead seat so that you get a bassinet.

Don't ever be tempted to give antihistamines as a small percentage of children react in the opposite way (become absolutely unstoppable) as mine did - what a flight from hell that was.

Lollypolly · 17/03/2011 12:51

Agree that little ones adapt really well and don't suffer from jet lag like older ones. My 6 year old spent hours in tears at 2am, 3am, 4am, 5am last time we came back from Europe, frustrated that she couldn't sleep.

It won't be as bad as you think.....

Original poster
Okonomiyaki · 17/03/2011 12:52

Just got some medication today.

Ok, he's just woken up. Thanks in advance for suggestions.

OP posts:
Marzipanlover · 17/03/2011 12:52

You'll be fine! Dont worry about the flight and the travelling - we took our 18 month old to Australia and Thailand and prepared ourselves for the worst possible flight experience. It wasn't great but it would have been so much better had she been 5 months old! I think 3-6 months is the perfect flying age (apart from when they're older and can watch tv endlessly!) good luck and enjoy it...

Original poster
Okonomiyaki · 17/03/2011 12:55

Yes, japan. Osaka, luckily.

OP posts:
exexpat · 17/03/2011 12:59

Top tip for the flight: take several changes of clothes for the baby and for yourself. Just lightweight things you can shove in the bottom of the bag, like t-shirts and shorts or leggings.

Baby sod's law means that if they are going to throw up at any time in a 12-hour flight, it will be in the first hour or so, and all over you. Sitting in puke-covered clothes for 12 hours is not nice for you or anyone sitting near you...

And plastic bags to put wet stuff in, and more nappies and wipes than you think you could possibly need, in case of sudden poo explosions and/or delayed flights.

Original poster
Okonomiyaki · 17/03/2011 14:47

Gosh, hadn't even heard of antihistamines, thanks for the warning RJ! Could backfire badly. Confused

OP posts:
squeaver · 17/03/2011 14:54

Long haul with a 5 month old is a piece of piss, compared to later.

Stick him on the boob when you're taking off and landing then he won't get earache.

VajazzHands · 17/03/2011 15:53

I see your 12 hour flight, 2 hours in an airport, another flight and a car journey

And raise you packing a 3 bed flat in to 10 boxes, 3 hour car journey, night in airport hotel, 9 hour flight, another night in hotel, 2 hour flight, ending with moving in with mother, oh and with 2 cats and a 8 week old- all in the cabin

Do I win?

MrsTerryPratchett · 17/03/2011 15:58

This could be me. Thanks Okonomiyaki I am getting lots of top tips for my flight in a month. I was dreading it with my now 3.5 month old. Also, I was worried about jet lag but everyone seems to think it will be fine.

I am flying alone with DD. Any tips on my very long, very kicky baby BFing and not annoying the person next to us?

exexpat · 17/03/2011 16:37

MrsTP - lots of smiling, apologise in advance for any disturbance, carry sets of spare earplugs for your neighbours? And if the flight happens to be underbooked, see if you can arrange to have a spare seat next to you.

Vajazz - hope you are packing lots of Wine, you'll need it....

VajazzHands · 17/03/2011 16:40

exexpat peole keep asking if I will be tranquilizing the cats.

pfft

KaraStarbuckThrace · 17/03/2011 16:41

Buy economy tickets for PILs and a 1st class ticket for yourself. Give baby to PILs.

Have a drink Wink

Honestly it is much easier with babies when they are small. Wait until they get mobile!!!

PenguinArmy · 17/03/2011 16:42

We moved to the states when DD was 3.5 months from the UK (so 12 hour flight, 8 hours time difference).

We did a 2 week visit to the UK at xmas.

I'd say the flight etc were fine, you gear yourself up for that.

It was spending time with the our respective parents that was hard, but I think that was because there was a lot of pressure to do loads of stuff, but only a week to do it. The ILs did by head in, but by the end of the week we had all chilled in and it was a shame we were leaving then as I think another week would have been fine and the experience wouldn't have been tarnished so much.

squeakytoy · 17/03/2011 16:45

The best thing you can do is get to the airport very early and request a bulkhead seat so that you get a bassinet

Even better, pre-book your seats online if you can, to make sure you get that seat. If it is a flight where you can prebook the seat, it will probably be gone by the time you get to the airport.