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Australia with a 2 1/2 and a 1 1/2 yr old

18 replies

SIM78 · 10/12/2008 08:36

Hi
Can any one please give me any advice on what to take on board for a very active 2yr and 1 yr old. We are flying with BA to Singpaore and then to perth. Both girls are on cow milk and drink quite a lot. I not sure what to do as far as taking milk on board for them or will BA provide it. I have been told we have to take a car seat on board for the 1 1/2 as she has to be strapped into it as we have booked her own seat for her. Any other suggesstion will be very appreciated and welcome. My first time travelling with both in tow.

thanks Sim

OP posts:
PuzzYuleLogs · 10/12/2008 09:00

bump

geordieminx · 10/12/2008 09:07

Having just flown back from Barcelona with a very active 18 month old my only advice would be sedatives or a nanny

Sorry.

I think you can take milk on board, as long as you taste it first?

Lots of new little toys (I went to pound type shop ad got a few books and stickers and little toys), lots of interesting snacks - dried fruit bread sticks white buttons

geordieminx · 10/12/2008 09:08

Oh and I bought a personal dvd for long car journeys - fab investment - couple of nightgarden/teletubbies dvds will fill a couple of hours!

mowbraygirl · 14/12/2008 17:34

I would check with BA about milk I am sure they will be able to supply you with it. Were you thinking of using the car seat in Australia as they are very fussy and they say you can only use seats with an Australian Kite Mark on it even thought our sets are very good and have a kite mark. The following link may help you www.atsb.gov-au/pdfs/child_restraints.pdf

Ohforfoxsake · 14/12/2008 17:41

The car seat fittings in Oz are different, they attach with a hook to the car roof as well as a seatbelt.

IIRC I had to taste the milk. I froze one beforehand.

Magazines for your 2 yo. Stories, activities and a toy - plus you can bin it before you get off. Order childrens meals, but ask them to substitute the main meal for adult veggie (usually pasta and went down much better with mine).

Don't worry about anyone else on the place. Its a day out of their lives, they'll get over it (fellow passengers will pull faces when you board).

The hardest bit was doing a 'double' nightflight. IIRC it was a night flight from London, to Hong Kong, and then another 'night flight' to Sydney. That was hard work, because everyone else was asleep and my children had had theirs.

Make friends with the Stewards.

I did it with 2yo and 10 mo, then again with 4 yo, 3 yo and 1.5 yo (and PG). It will be far, far better than you imagine.

savoycabbage · 14/12/2008 21:39

Hi, I am doing almost the same thing. We are going to Melbourne via singapore. My dds are 2 and 5. I am dreading it....

I have got lots of dvds as my dh says that the tv was too 'grown up' for them. He is already there. I have got this DVD player. I have been stockpiling little toys and comics. I have got some party bag type toys from Tesco too.

My two are massive milk drinkers. I am going to tell them at check in. I am going on Malaysian airlines. I have got fleece all in one suits from mothercare for the flight as it is always freezing I think. I have slippers too. I am not taking shoes. I have got a sling. I am taking nightime tixilix as my knock out drops. I doubt it will work though. I am depending quite a lot on the DVD player. I am taking Cebeebies stuff as I think they will watch that for ages. I bloody well hope so anyway!

cloudydaze · 14/12/2008 23:10

Hi, I'm also soon to do London to Syd (direct flight apart from the hr stopover). My DS's will be 2 & 3/4 and 14 months. I'll also have the younger one on my lap, eugh! I have had medisip recommended to 'help' them sleep. Also got a portable DVD player (though can't see the batteries lasting the flight) and will take stickers, books etc for them. I figure the first leg, night flight, shouldn't be too bad as they will sleep & whilst second leg will be crap nothing you can do about it and at least they have conditioned me to not need too much sleep!
Ohforfoxsake, your message has reassured me also, so thank you!

SIM78 · 15/12/2008 15:03

thanks you all for your advice I have been stocking up on stickers colouring books and any thing to keep them occupied for the flight I have also got a portable dvd player and kiddies dvds it only last 2hrs on the battery life. Some has said take a couple of bowls with cereal in it for the plane journey. Any other suggestions will be welcome.

OP posts:
kisamama · 15/12/2008 21:24

The planes have sockets to plugin/charge dvd players, at least in business class, if not economy too. May be worth taking the charger as the hostesses should charge it for you while the littlies are sleeping (we all hope). I am doing a similar trip with an 11 month old and a 25 month old and am also planning to rely heavily on snacks. Goodluck. I keep telling myself that even though it might be terrible, it WIll end.

savoycabbage · 16/12/2008 09:08

My dh says that there were sockets on the first leg to singapore but not the second one. He went on Malaysian airlines.

FiveGoMadInDorset · 16/12/2008 09:18

We got a Philips DVD player with a five hour battery.

Just done 8 hours with DD age 2.10, plenty of magazines, those little books are good and the crayola magic colours where it only marks the special paper not everything else. Also snacks, raisins, cereal bars, and juice.

Fleece sleepsuits are great and also medised which helped hugely with the night flight.

WhileShosheWatchedHerFlocks · 16/12/2008 09:26

One of my mindees has just emigrated, they bought one of these they found it so much easier with a 20 month old.

Another mindee who flies regularly has one too.

WhileShosheWatchedHerFlocks · 16/12/2008 09:27

or what about one of these

JaneLumley · 16/12/2008 09:38

Oh, I have done this so OFTEN.

Whatever you think of as stocking-type presents; take one for every hour of the flight, less five hours. Colouring books, set of six crayons; our great saviour was Playmobil kits, the tiniest ones. A picture book with things to find, of the Where's Wally sort. Stories to read. Puzzles and mazes for the five-year-olds.

Frankly, they need your attention most of the time, and when they go to sleep, it's on you. You will arrive a bit limp...

Ask the airline about milk. My bet is that they don't provide it. They don't provide much except adult drinks.

DON'T go for the bulkhead seats unless the airliner only has back-of-seat screens, or your dcs will be kept awake by the pulsating screen above. They are also always near the loos and people come and go all night.

They are also near other families who may be less well prepared and whose children may make some noise. We were on an intercontinental once with a family of 3 kids where Mum had brought NOTHING to entertain them. Dad curled up and went to sleep, leaving her to 'cope'. (That said, the passengers I tend to hate are the childless ones who wet their pants laughing at the comedy entz, at 2am....)

Phenergan is brilliant as a knockout drop. Tell the chemist ds or dd has trouble sleeping due to exzcema (sp?). It would stun a healthy horse. Also brill for jetlag later. Usually makes them slightly cranky next day, but worth it to get through the lfight. DS slept from LA to Sydney (14 hours) due to its magic. Dd took it less well.

Be careful about food. Take some packets of something simple like raisins. Dd was spectacularly sick flying in to Kingsford Smith, in dh's hands... too much airline chocolate.

Go with God!

SIM78 · 16/12/2008 12:24

thanks for you advice I have been trying to stock up on all the items listed

OP posts:
papooshka · 17/12/2008 02:18

Firstly just want to say - its never as bad as you think its going to be.

I've done Singapore-London and vice versa loads of times with my dd - know theres only 1 of her but still - my tips:

Sticker books, little books, dvd player and lots of dvds, snacks - raisins etc as mentioned, another good idea is get an old purse and fill it up with cards etc that they can pull out and put back again, favourite cuddly toy, lots of wipes/nappies, spare outfit for all of you - I always end up filthy.

We always fly singapore airlines and they do have full fat milk that they will fill up your bottles with so I don't see why BA wouldn't also - will be a nightmare to take that much milk on board yourself.

Be prepared to be walking up and down the aisles too, the plus side is (as one other passenger pointed out to me) - "you won't get DVT love will you!!"

you'll be fine

sunnydelight · 21/12/2008 21:40

If you're going to use phenergen, ALWAYS try it first. It has the opposite effect on some kids and makes them totally hyper. You really don't want to find that out once you're on the plane!

BA aren't as child friendly as Singapore so personally I wouldn't rely on them for milk. It's 12 months since I last did the trip so I don't know the current rules for liquids, but if you can I would take cartons of UHT milk.

Cocobear · 21/12/2008 21:59

Take powdered milk and the kids usual (empty) sippy cups, then make up the milk as needed. BA probably will have milk, but don't rely on them.

Take two sets of extra clothes per child, and one for yourself. If someone vomits or overruns a nappy, I guarantee you'll be in the splash zone! Take wipe-clean plastic bibs to try and keep mealtime mess off the clothes. Take 5 more nappies than you think they could ever get through.

I love Aquadraw on flights - they do travel-sized ones in Argos.

And some Paracetomol for yourself!

Oh, and with two that young, I'd take reins, in case your pushchair isn't returned to you at the jetway on arrival. It's hard to keep track of two little 'uns in all the confusion of baggage claim.

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