Moving from walking rock to sitting rock in readiness for flight to Oz (seatbelt sign anxiety!)

[koeda]

I'm not asking for much! My 11wo DS fights sleep and 9 times out of 10 will only manage to get properly off if being rocked and walked - as soon as I sit down he's fully awake again and will start screaming if we remain seated (I continue the exact same motion but he senses the lack of gravity somehow).

We have a longhaul flight to Oz coming up and I'd like to be able to have him calmly nod off in my lap if the seatbelt sign is on. I've started using a dummy to help the transition and am trying to sit and rock as much as possible to get him used to the idea but I almost always end up having to stand at some point (unless he's hungry and can be fed to sleep).

Is it just a case of persistance on my part, or are there amy other tips I could use?!

I have done long haul several times with a baby and this is what I do. We never take a pushchair with us. I have an Ergo. Fantastic carriers they are. Once babies are used to it, they fall asleep in it very easily. It's very comfortable. I used to carry DS1 on the plane with him strap in the Ergo and usually, the stewards are pretty good at letting me leave him in it. If they ask me to put a baby seat belt on him, I would politely ask them how that can possibly be more secure than what I am doing at the moment and usually, 9 out of 10 times, they just let me keep baby in Ergo. Both my boys have slept through taking and landing in the Ergo.

My DS slept well on the plane to Oz, I think it was the humming of the engines! You might be pleasantly surprised. Try not to worry too much.

First flight to Oz DS was 5 months and I went by myself. I was worried but it was fine.

Second time he was 1 year - that was much harder. We took our Ergo too and it helped a lot.

Good luck Koeda.

Ooh good tip angel & mimsy. I have a Moby wrap which he nods off in well (come to think of it he has fallen asleep in it whilst I've been seated on a bus once). Will do that and see how I go with the stewardesses. I have visions of screaming meltdowns as i've seen so many in the past when I've travelled childless. Once I saw a poor father (& poor baby) reduced to sitting in the plane toilet for 45mins as his LO's screaming was so ear piercingly loud

koeda If your DS kicks off, just think that you will never see these people you fly with EVER AGAIN (hopefully! ) and just count down the journey time. Time will go by and in 24 hours, you won't be on the plane anymore... Hope that helps!

I'm going to be doing a long haul flight in about 6 weeks, DS will be 5 months. I have a baby Bjorn I plan to use plus will carry the baba sling along just in case. I'm dreading traveling alone as well. Really hoping DS sleeps through!

Koeda, we use to have to walk and rock DS to sleep. I got so tired that I started sitting and rocking. He didn't like it initially but he got use to it pretty quick so I say keep trying. Now I've started putting him down for sleep, a bit tougher but we're getting there - or so I hope!

He may well acclimatise to seated rocking if you keep at it!

I just flew with my DD (16 weeks) and although it wasn't long haul, she only had minimum fuss time in each direction and spent the rest of it asleep.

If the worst comes to the worst, you may find the cabin crew will let you stand in the galley area and do some rocking - that was suggested to me by one of the stewardesses (who has a child herself) during our journey and it worked a treat. The drone of the engines definitely helps soothe them at this age.

Also, feed on take-off and during descending, if you can - the swallowing should help with the pressure changes. I gave DD a precautionary dose of infant paracetamol too - she was absolutely fine with the take-offs and landings.

Thanks for all the tips!

bena1 how many days/weeks did it take for your DS to accept seated rocking? And were you strict about it (ie every single nap/bed time regardless)?