Flying with toddler

[rockinrobyn]

We are taking a family vacation to California in a few weeks to visit my friend and I am starting to freak out a little about the flight. I am not afraid of flying, but I am freaking out about flying with a 14 month old. Anyone have any good tips, tricked, advice they want to send my way? Thanks!

[estrellita]

We flew for the first time with E at 15 months. We were lucky and he slept most of both flights. We flew again at about 22.5 months and he slept but not as much. Again lucky though because he was easily distracted.

Tips from our experience:
- He didn't need a ticket but he wasn't guaranteed a seat. We only had to hold him one of the four flights though!
- Bring snacks (Goldfish, raisins, Cheerios, etc) and water - you can either bring through an empty water and fill after security or they'll test it.
-E was still using a paci at the time of the first flight so we offered that at takeoff as well as his water.
- We had screens at each seat and threw on a movie for him (got cheap headphones at Target) but a tablet would work too.
- Best toys were books, Color Wonder coloring books, a felt book we got at Target, and magnetic blocks.

[luv2rn4fun]

No advice, just lots of good luck vibes! I am sure it will go well! iPad and snacks!! What part of CA?

[rockinrobyn]

May 8, 2017 8:18:03 GMT -5 luv2rn4fun said:

No advice, just lots of good luck vibes! I am sure it will go well! iPad and snacks!! What part of CA?

La Jolla/ San Diego

[wanderingenough]

Are you flying SW? We have had amazing luck with taking a car seat on SW flights. I'd say of 12 flight legs, 10 we have gotten to take the car seat on. That has been the key for us.

My recommendations (with or without the car seat) are iPad, lots of snacks, a blanket to cover his head if you miraculously can get him to sleep, and new toys he hasn't seen before.

[rockinrobyn]

May 8, 2017 8:51:09 GMT -5 wanderingenough said:

Are you flying SW? We have had amazing luck with taking a car seat on SW flights. I'd say of 12 flight legs, 10 we have gotten to take the car seat on. That has been the key for us.

My recommendations (with or without the car seat) are iPad, lots of snacks, a blanket to cover his head if you miraculously can get him to sleep, and new toys he hasn't seen before.

Yep SW. We didn't purchase a seat for him so I was just going to have him switch between my lap and H.

[pooh8402]

we flew with E when he was 17 months old (his second trip, 5th and 6th overall plane ride). fortunately, it was short, about a 1.5 hr plane ride one-way. fortunately, we were still nursing, so I was able to use my boobs to keep him mostly quiet. the trip to our destination was kind of a shitshow. I tried books, toys, boobs, snacks, in flight magazines, and the ipad and nada. he just wanted to play. the trip back home was easy because he nurses to sleep and napped the whole time. he even continued to nap once we landed, so I strapped him into the carrier, still sleeping, and he proceeded to nap while we deplaned, collected our luggage, and got on the shuttle to our car.

I always bring his car seat just in case there is an open seat, but so far, I've had NO luck on 6 different flights. so I end up gate checking it every time. I'm actually looking forward to him turning 2 and being forced to buy a seat for him so I can strap him into his car seat.

what makes it easier: nursing, if you are doing that. movies on the ipad if your kid will pay attention. car seat if you have an open seat, or if you've paid for a ticket. A CARRIER!!! I cannot stress this enough. wearing him saved us every time. you don't even have to unstrap him from the carrier when you go through security. lots of food--try food that takes some time to eat, like cheerios, goldfish, etc. small toys (new ones--make a trip to the dollar store)--bring these out one at a time.

oh I gave him benadryl every time. sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn't. it worked beautifully on our flights to and from Hawaii.

put him in a night time diaper while you're in the airport so that you don't have to change pee diapers until you get off the plane (of course, you have to change poop). and bring extra clothes for him AND you in case of puke or a blowout (happened to me last year--huge blowout as we were descending so I couldn't even change him until after we landed, it was awful).

finally, just know that each flight is a short amount of time and just grit your teeth and get through it.

[wanderingenough]

May 8, 2017 8:52:30 GMT -5 rockinrobyn said:

May 8, 2017 8:51:09 GMT -5 wanderingenough said:

Are you flying SW? We have had amazing luck with taking a car seat on SW flights. I'd say of 12 flight legs, 10 we have gotten to take the car seat on. That has been the key for us.

My recommendations (with or without the car seat) are iPad, lots of snacks, a blanket to cover his head if you miraculously can get him to sleep, and new toys he hasn't seen before.

Yep SW. We didn't purchase a seat for him so I was just going to have him switch between my lap and H.

Yeah, so what we do is carry a car seat bag to the check-in desk and just ask right there. "Is there space to take the car seat on?" If they say yeah, we lug it through to the gate. If they say no, we check it right then. It's been a lifesaver because he will usually fall asleep. Worth a try!

[luv2rn4fun]

May 8, 2017 8:41:10 GMT -5 rockinrobyn said:

May 8, 2017 8:18:03 GMT -5 luv2rn4fun said:

No advice, just lots of good luck vibes! I am sure it will go well! iPad and snacks!! What part of CA?

La Jolla/ San Diego

Such a beautiful place to vacation!! We used to go to La Jolla every year growing up and I lived in mission bay/San Diego for 6 months post grad school and loved it! I would totally move back if we had family closer (we are only 1-1.5 hour and have passed to the zoo so we are down there a few times a year). Have fun!! Hope the flight goes well!

[amaranth]

No advice, but we will probably be flying with S in Aug when she is 16mo so I'll be bookmarking this thread for ideas. She flew fine at 4mo but also couldn't move much yet.