Flying with a 10 month old- whats it like?

[kbaby]

Hi,
Ill be going away next year and dd will be 10 months the flight is for 12hrs. How am I going to cope and is it as bad as I think it will be?

kbaby - book yourself a bulkhead seat with a basinet/skycot for DD well in advance - also make sure you get to the airport at least 3 hours before the flight in order that you get it because they are given out on a first come first serve basis on the day (in my opinion)

When DS was this age he mainly slept - we have never had a problem flying with him. Just take the usual steps to prevent sore ears (dummy, bottle, boob on take-off and landing).

The main thing is to accept that it is a big break from normal routine and it really is not a big deal if DD crys, or doesn't behave as usual.

We went on a 9 hour flight when dd was that age, we booked a bassinet, but I called the airline in advance pretty much as soon as we'd booked the flights, and booked the bassinet with them, they also gave us our seat numbers and everything over the phone, I re-confirmed it all when checking in. Take a favourite toy or something to keep dd entertained, usually the flight crew will be thoroughly enchanted and take dd on a tour of the aeroplane culminating with a visit to the cockpit...
The drawback for us was, that dd got fed up with the bassinet and thought it would be immense fun to try and hurl herself out of it, especially when the food came, she wanted a tray too... we took it in turns to eat and keep her entertained, the airline also supplied baby food and toys although I had bought my own food for dd as she's really picky. Other than that have fun, I'm sure your dd will love it, mine did when she wasn't trying to throw herself out of the bassinet she was waving at people smiling and laughing at everyone. Also give her a drink at take off and landing it will help her ears pop.

Kbaby - we've only done short haul. Malaga (3 hours) at 7 months and Toulouse (2 hours) at 11 months. Not sure if our experience will be much help. Ds was a pain at take off because hated to be strapped in to seat belt. Felt it was great to kick the seat in front and empty the seat pocket and shred everything in it. Once we got going he was great - entertained by everything going on around him, and eventually fell asleep. On the most recent trip I was travelling alone with him and found fellow passengers to be helpful and charming.

Kbaby, I took a 17 hrs flight alone with DS when he was 11 months, hope you find this info useful.

By the way, in case you are using American Airlines they don't carry baby food nor nappies.

We flew to Italy with DS when he was 11 months old. Best tip we got was to give them Calpol/Baby Nurofen before take off. Have since found another that maybe even better - Medised - as it has a very mild sedative in it and makes them sleep. That's if you don't mind using medicines to help your case

BA, and maybe someothers now, do an alternative to a bassinet which is essentially like a car seat that anchors to the same pull-down ledge that a bassinet does. IMO and IME much better for a 10 month old than a bassinet. (DS hurled himself out at 8 months).

It probably will have awful bits - and IME it's best just take a deep breath and set yourself up for it. But that's maybe becasue DS is irrepressibly energetic and hates to be still and/or restrained.

Timing the feed is vital - wait till the plane actually starts its take off. I've tried the calpol and can recommend it as well - stops ear pain, although as you'll be on a big plane I guess it shouldn't be too bad on the ears. Plenty of quiet toys to keep the baby occupied are essential and if the baby should cry don't stress - an old couple once insisted on being moved away from my kids on a plane, only to have the woman they moved next to throw up on them. It made my day!
I've travelled lots with my 4 kids both with and without dh (without is sometimes easier to be honest!) and find it an easy way to get small people from A - B

I normally enter into the plain and when everybody starts looking around for other seats I appologise in advance which just enforce their point ... the perfect strategy to get a seat for your child/bags/toys when you have not paid for it

I do also say things like I'm sorry he has had a terrible night so he may be sick during the trip.

I've never flown with a 10-month old, but flying with 5.5 month old DD to Australia wasn't as bad as we expected. LA->Brisbane she slept at least 10 hours out of 13 and people in the same row as us didn't know she was there. Brisbane->LA wasn't as good, but she still slept quite a lot. Qantas were prats, but the baby was on the whole quite good.

DD is a bit bizarre, though; she really likes it when the plane goes fast and makes lots of noise, so she usually falls asleep on takeoff if it takes long enough, and sometimes falls asleep while landing (once they put the flaps up so it gets good and noisy). She also loves squeakers, and one guy clearly couldn't decide which he hated more; crying or squeaking.

Bring lots of clothes. For everybody. We had to change everything she was wearing 3 times on the way back from Australia (and we hadn't really planned for the last change of clothes). We ended up not needing to change our own clothes, but only by the skin of our teeth, and I know lots of people who weren't so lucky.