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Parenting

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Original poster

Tips for surviving a flight

11 replies

Chickz · 12/02/2014 16:28

Hello. We have a trip to Spain planned. Anyone have any ideas on how to survive the flight with a 4 month old?

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Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

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Artandco · 12/02/2014 16:30

Just feed lots and then they sleep usually. Take sling not pram. I love flights at that age, they just fed to sleep and I read

trilbydoll · 12/02/2014 17:54

Definitely take a carrier, you don't get the pushchair back until the arrivals hall.

Take a variety of things to play with, just in case baby doesn't sleep and gets bored people watching.

Original poster

Chickz · 12/02/2014 18:11

Fab thank you both. What about take off and landing. Likely to hurt babies ears?

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Artandco · 12/02/2014 18:22

Ours have always been fine with ears. As babies we always fed on take off and landing. After that age didn't seem to complain either (2 year old now likes landing as apparently like funfair!)

Spain is only 1-2 hrs away so I would just feed going up, if grouchy walk up and down plane with baby in sling, should send to sleep then feed to land. Play with baby at airport before ie peek a boo/ hold outwards so can people watch etc and should be tired

Original poster

Chickz · 12/02/2014 18:50

Great will try that trick with the feeds! Thank you very much.

OP posts:

Janek · 12/02/2014 19:15

The vibration of the plane lulls them off to sleep at that age ime, particularly if you feed on takeoff.

Mamabear12 · 12/02/2014 20:22

Babies don't always sleep. I've taken a 7 hour flight to the US with my 3 month old daughter (now two) and she barely slept a wink! On the way back she would only sleep in my arms and that was bc it was a night flight! That being said, she was fine on flight...just didn't want to sleep.

BocaDeTrucha · 12/02/2014 22:47

We did 4 hours flights with ds at just under 3 months. I bf'd on take off and touch down which made it very painless for all of us. Start though just as you are taxying to the end of the runway though, as you might find if you start any earlier he's full up and lost interest by the time you actually take off.

DS loved the turbulence though. Whilst i was with white knuckles, he had fallen fast asleep!

The only annoying last is going through security as you have to take lo out of the baby carrier as well as all the other crap like taking shoes /belts etc which can be a real faff.

trilbydoll · 12/02/2014 22:58

Gatwick has a special security lane for slow people (they didn't call it that!), so anyone in a wheelchair, with babies etc. It was great, meant you didn't feel bad about taking so long because everyone else was being just as inefficient!

I fed on takeoff but not landing, and DD didn't seem bothered. She did have a dummy though so maybe sucking on that was enough.

BotBotticelli · 13/02/2014 11:48

agree that if your LO uses a dummy then that can help on take off/landing to prevent ear pain (perhaps if they're not due a feed)....i think it's the sucking that helps. We just gave DS his dummy when we flew with him at 6mo and he was fine.

He wasa little older than yours (and a very demandig cry-y baby who always needed loads of stimulation) so we had one of our hand luggages full of picture book, rattles, toys, and we were weaning by that stage too, so by the time we had given him a milk feed, some breakfast (Ella's pouch), achanged his nappy, had a little play, and then he had a nap on DH's lap, that was most of the 4 hour flight to Greece over with!

HelenHen · 13/02/2014 19:34

Security at Birmingham was horrible and there were a couple of judgmental women working on it. One commented on how hot he was even though I was waiting to get through so I could strip him cos I didn't have enough hands. I had to take him out and fold the buggy... She told me to hand him to Dad... I said I'm on my own so she let me struggle! I ended up flustered and in tears! Then I put him in the carrier too early, even though they let you take buggy to plane. People were offering help everywhere though. Dublin, coming back, were complete opposite. Guy took him off me while I folded buggy and was chatting nicely to him an was really helpful. I had loadsa food and drink for take off and landing but again started too early. Thankfully people were lovely and tried to entertain him cos I was obviously a mess lol. Ryanair themselves were lovely and helpful, only problem really were Birmingham security but, because this was the start of the trip, it threw me for the rest!

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