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tips for getting toddlers to sleep on a night time flight?

5 replies

nowwearefour · 30/01/2009 19:23

we fly soon to SA a 12 hr overnight flight. we ave one good sleeper and one not so good sleeper. any tips for getting one (or both!) to sleep so we dont miss out on an entire night's sleep?

OP posts:
Ronaldinhio · 30/01/2009 20:26

What ages are they?

Mimsy2000 · 30/01/2009 20:26

err....medised?

nowwearefour · 31/01/2009 20:07

they are 3.5 an 20 months. had already thought of medised but it doesnt really work for dd2!!

OP posts:
Ohforfoxsake · 31/01/2009 20:16

When you board as the Steward for extra pillows and blankets, make each a comfy nest. Presumably they have their own seats?

Take a torch and a couple of magazines, just incase they are awake when everyone else is asleep (but don't use them until you absolutely have to). As long as they are entertained, there's a good chance you will get away with it. A bag with a few bits and bobs in it, like a soft toy from home, raisins etc. Just don't hand it all over in one go. The trick is to pull something out of the bag at the right moment. Ikea finger puppets were very useful on a longhaul flight to Oz I remember.

Accept you may not get any sleep and that it is very hard work.

If the LO really won't settle take her to the back of the plane for a toddle around, burn off a bit of energy.

Let the older one 'enjoy' the TV and headphones, even if its something you would not normally do.

So, no, sorry, no tips to get them to sleep, but remember that all you have to do is get through it. Prepare for the worst, they may well surprise you

ClaudiaSchiffer · 31/01/2009 20:51

What time is your flight?

I made the mistake of booking a 10pm flight from London to Singapore with 2 dds aged 2.11 and 8 months. I didn't realise that the cabin lights would be BLAZING for the first 2 hrs of the flight whilst drinks/meals etc were served. Cue my dds going absolutely frantic and screaming for the first couple of hours as they were desperate for sleep but unable to for all the clanking around/light.

It was ghastly.

When I do it again, I would book an earlier flight to try and avoid that rather unhappy experience.

But to make a positive suggestion I would deffo go with Medised and try to run them around a lot during the day. It is hard tho.

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