HELP! 11 hour Flight with 11 month old!

[MrsLilac]

I'm going to visit family in America with my 11 month old. I'm really dreading the flight. Any advice about what to take to entertain her? She hasn't really got a favourite toy as we don't have many to be honest.

I will take my iPad loaded with games but she isn't really into it as it not really let her have it before. I don't know how il cope but I have my husband with me. I was also thinking of buying a cheap lightweight car seat so she might be able to sleep in it as we have a seat for her. I'm already dreading it which I know isn't the best attitude!!!

Really isn't an easy age for long haul..... (we have done 2 x 11 hours trips to South Africa, each time with a toddler about 14 months) There is not a lot that keeps them entertained at that age!! Is it overnight flight? We found overnight a lot easier since once you get through getting them to sleep, they just sleep through it. Suggest lots of milk to help get them sleepy and help their ears. Take plenty nappies and change of clothes. Interesting snacks are good entertainment :) We did the whole bedtime routine and they slept in their nappy (got hot on plane) in their grobag. They slept on our laps which wasn't the easiest, nice that you have a seat. Car seat sounds like a good idea (you may still be able to wangle the bassinet depending on your airline and her weight). If you get the seats with the dividing wall in front of you there is more space for them to crawl around. Hopefully you can find some nice friendly travellers who love babies to help you out :)

I did 10 hours with DD2 at the age (the worst child ever TM.., agreed by all!)

I was so nervous about it I was having sleepless nights.

I didn't let her eat or have her milk all morning (flight was at 10.30) and let her run around the Virgin lounge to her hearts content. I booked seats upstairs so less people and more room, plus a little cubby by the side of the seat for everything... Do this if you can!)

I was pretty much the last person on the plane, and let her moan for as long as it took to take off. Then I have her her milk, and when she finished it, a 'that's not my book' which she threw about every three minutes for about half an hour.

I took enough food (snacks and baby food) and toys so that I could feasibly give her something every half hour if need be. I only gave something new when she started to moan, and the very best thing was a Disney magazine I let her just rip to pieces. Then she fell asleep (because she was knackered from running around the lounge etc) for about 5 hours! When she woke up I have her the iPad and then when she started to get bored I gave her a dummy with it and finally, chocolate buttons, filled out one at a time for about an hour!

It worked, it was hard by we survived

On the way home, she slept The Entire Way. Red eye all the way for me in the future!!

So many typos!!

I've done Oz to the UK several times now. Just do whatever it takes to get through. I spilt the journey into 30minute chunks and take each chunk seperately.

Snacks are good - lots of snacks! Stickers, books, trashing the inflight mag, a walk up&adorn the aisle every now and again. Try to knacker then out before you get on the flight. Mine has always fallen asleep at some point.

A stiff drink helps too!

The best tip I got from MN for flying was post it notes which they can stick everywhere to their hearts content!
Agree with pp, lots of little walks, snacks, drinks and hopefully sleep.

Thanks so much. It's the sleeping in trying to figure out... On the way home we are doing an overnight flight but would she just sleep on me?! Sounds fun

I'd be nervous too but I had to stay in a hospital for 5 days with my son and worried because I was thinking "what if he cries the whole time and bothers the other patients? lol. As long as their is formula (or breastmilk) your baby shouldn't put up to much of a fuss. Mine was happy as long as he was good and fed, and diapered.

I have always found the thought of flying with babies is worse than the reality and we have done long haul as well as short haul.

Stickers - let them stick them all over themselves and you!
Lacing cheese or apple - a threading toy, good for that age group
Lift the flap books
Agree with pp's on a magazine that can be ripped apart.
One of mine on a long haul flight got a lot of enjoyment out of a part filled bottle of water and the flight safety card (it was bent into tubes to peak through etc)

Accept they sleep when they sleep. I found the flight crew were always accomodating and would let you stand and rock a baby to sleep in the kitchen area when they weren't trying to serve meals, if you asked nicely and kept to one side. There were less distractions there for a wee one going to sleep.
If needing bottles heated ask for them in advance as some come back super heated. I have asked for ice before to cool a super heated bottle for a crying baby quicker!

Just reserging this in case of any other helpful tips. Thanks to those who replied. I'm trying to find some new toys to take with me but she is at an awkward I between age at 11 months so I'm struggling. Love the idea f stickers and post its. I'm also going t take pipe cleaners, Pom poms and other crafty bugs I don't care about loosing, finger puppets and books... Not sure what else.

If you're taking pom-poms, a little box with a hole in will be good, she can push them through then take them all out again. Dd loves doing this.

Magazines are quite good. Snacks like Cheerios might be good, not too unhealthy but can be eked out.

Funny enough we've just booked a holiday to Oz and DS1 will be 19m....yikes....worried already.

But we travelled when Ds1 was the same age as yours but not long haul (to Italy) and you might be surprised about the sleep. DS1 will sleep anywhere except on me! But we bought a 'sky baby' - it's a roll up really light mattress thing that you put on your lap with the idea they'll sleep in it. He did! I was sceptical. On those flights we amused him by letting him rip up sick bags to his hearts content, books, stack pots, singing to him....he was fine.