travelling abroad

[sharon2133]

Has anyone flown with a 1 yr old ? What happens about popping ears - I find it quite painful sometimes - do the babies suffer the same ? Also are babies allowed in taxis without a car seat ( either abroad or in UK ? )

I've flown with children at an assortment of ages up to 5 and never had a problem with ears. Having a bottle of water for them helps because of the sucking.

We've also carried DSs in taxis with no carseat but only abroad and only on short, rare journeys - we've usually had a hire car with seats and taken our own car + seats to the airport.

The bottled water works. We took dst on a flight when they were nearly 2 and on the way out, no problem, both sucked at little bottles and not a peep.

On the way back dst2 wouldn't take his and his ears must have popped as he screamed all the way down. I think the rest of the passengers didn't so much leave the airplane as run.

So bottles work!

I've flown with dd quite a bit and never had any problems. When she was tiny I bf her ut no problems apart from that.

When my little girl was 4 and had popping ears, air steward but some napkins/serviettes at the bottom of 2 plastic beakers, poured boiling water on them (just enough to give off some steam) and she (daughter) held them against each ear. Worked a treat. You'd have to do the holding, obviously, for a 1 year old.

Sharon2133 I have just flown into the UK with my DS who is 6 months. he was fine for both take off and landing no crying at all infact for the whole flight 5hrs. I did have a bottle ready to put into his mouth though for both just incase. I thave also brought my own car seat it just went into the hold on the plane. we flew with BA and were given a seat at the front of the cabin, infront of us was what looked lioke a big pull down table and during the flight the cabin crew fitted a speacially adapted (britax) car seat on to the table for DS to sit in, not sure what the age or weight limit is on them as they looked more bouncers than adapted car sits.

I thought it was UK law that all babies (children) have to be in the suitable car seats/boosters for there age in all vehicles.

HTH

Merry Christmas

We've never had a problem with ears - just make sure they have a sippy cup for take off and landing so that they can relieve any pressure. Take lots of smallish snacks -raisins, smll crispy biscuits, mini sandwiches (you probably won't get any food for him specifically) etc -and a couple of fresh toys which you can keep count of and he'll be fine.

In UK you can use taxis without a car seat - law I think only applies if there is a suitable one available and you are not using it , see here - although this is far from ideal. You could prebook a taxi with one both here and abroad (try the airport website for a starting point), use your own to airport and ask taxi firm to store it until your return, or use your own and take it abroad with you. In some countries it will be obligatory, in some not, think someone posted a site which had some info on other countries although I wasn't sure it was accurate for where we are.

hth