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traveling with 16 month old

541 views 6 replies 7 participants last post by  pianojazzgirl 
#1 ·
Not sure if this is the right place, but...
: I am wondering if anyone has advice for traveling with a toddler, my DS is 16 months and we will be flying to a major city for a wedding and somewhat of a vacation. I have never traveled with him before and am very apprehensive to how it will go. I have him on a very good schedule, he is in bed no later than 8:00pm every night and takes a good midday nap. I am affraid this will all change once we leave for the airport which we have to catch a flight at 6:15 am
UUUUGGHH!! Anyone have any advice for me?
 
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#2 ·
For the plane nurse often if possible, and bring a mini Magna Doodle. DC can scribble to his hearts content with out fear of loosing the crayon or making a mess. and it erases wtih a quick sweep of the magnant. We did not have one on our flight out of town as I could not find one. DS was irritable and nursed constantly. I found one while at a super target and it was a life saver for the return trip.

As for the trip it's self remember that although you want to see and do things that down time is the key to your success. Try to plan it at DC's normal nap/rest times. Also bring fav. toys, blinkets, snacks from home to ease the transition.

Also try not to drastically change you toddlers eating/drinking habits (times, foods, ect.) or he may get very cranky!

And good luck!
 
#3 ·
Hi,

Bring a bag of toys/snacks and books on the plane. (Remember, they don't feed you anymore!() Make sure you include a water bottle for you and s sippy cup for him (even if you're still nursing, he may want more water.)

I second the magna doodle. We also have a great "puzzle" with doors and magnets behind the doors. My kids loved taking them out and putting them in. And then I could hide one or two behind doors for a surprise. Crayons and paper, if he's into coloring. Playdough? Remember that whatever you bring WILL hit the floor, so not to many smaller things. Read the inflight magazine with him. Hide toys in your hand and have him "guess" which hand it will be in. (He'll always guess the same hand first, it's very cute!) Sing songs and do finger plays.

Get up and walk whenever you can on the plane. Don't board early unless you have to in order to get the carseat installed. Take your stroller to the gate and ask to 'gate check' it. If nothing else, it gives you a place to plop your diaper bag and bag of 'tricks'. Bring a change or two of clothes for your son on the plane, and a clean shirt for you, just in case.

Aim to keep your schedule while you're traveling, but don't stress too much about it. Remember to feed him every 2 hours (it's hard sometimes to remember to do that if you're traveling.) If your crossing time zones, it may or may not be possible to keep him on the same schedule (so if you're going east coast to west coast, he'd be going to bed a 5 pm! west to east is easier, you can just keep him up later.) But it's going to be a new spot, new people, and the routine will not necessarily work. My kids adjust pretty well to the old routine once they get back. It's not worth ruining your vacation to try to keep him on a schedule while traveling. (But do expect a week or two of transition back to the old schedule when you get back.)

And remember, you'll never see the people on the plane again. Do what you have to do to keep yourself and your son occupied.
 
#4 ·
we went to san francisco for a wedding and vacation w/ our DD when she was almost 18 months old. the flight was around 4 hours. our DD is very active and did not like being confined to our seat. she did like paging through the magazines that were provided on board. i also had a couple books that she'd never read before saved for the plane ride. my DH and i still had to take turns walking her up and down the aisles for a portion of the trip.
oh, and we had plenty of her Organic O's on hand for snacking.

each child reacts differently to a plane ride. hopefully your ride won't be too long, and maybe your DS will sleep for most of it. since we had to be at the airport so early, we let our DD run around so that she was pretty tired when we got on the plane (as were we) and i nursed her to sleep when the plane took off, which also helps with the pressure change in her ears. don't feel bad, though, if your DS gets rowdy or cranky on the plane. people who don't have empathy for parents of young ones in situations like this are not worth feeling bad over. they were all toddlers once, and i doubt they all behaved like angels in public at all times.

as for the vacation part, we really had to be flexible so that our DD got her naptime in. sometimes she would nap in the car, and she usually slept if i slung her on my back, but for the most part, we tried to have alternatives in case she really needed to nap in the hotel. also, i would try to find playgrounds near where you will be staying so that you have a place to go that's safe for your DS to run around and let out some of that energy he's bound to have at his age.

i think the key is to not have more than one major thing you want to see or do on any given day and to be willing to switch activities around on different days, which may be necessary due to weather any way.

good luck!
 
#5 ·
You've already gotten a lot of great advice, but I'll give you my .02 too. I've travelled several times with my kiddos and it's never that bad. Do bring extra cloths for you and the baby. On a plane trip back home for Christmas, dd got sick and puked all over every outfit we had for her on the plane. By the end of it she was wrapped up in an airline blanket and I was soaked and smelly
Also, my dd loves to tear the pages out of the in flight magazines, which is okay, because they're "your complimentary copy"


As for when you get there. My advice is to try to keep the schedule you have, but don't stress too much over it. Both kids resumed their schedules as soon as we returned home without any difficulty.

Have fun!
 
#6 ·
Pray. Pray. Pray some more. Go with the flow. Whatever happens, when you get home you will get back on schedule.

I just had a great flight to the US where all the advice worked. I just had a flight from hell back to Germany where nothing worked. Sometimes the goal is to endure. Keep a sense of humor. Most people are more understanding then you think they are.
 
#7 ·
Lots of great advice!

If your ds takes a pacifier make sure to bring more than one and/or clip it to his clothes.

Either when you check in or at the gate (it differs for diff airlines), ask if there's an empty seat that it be assigned next to you.

Expect to be a constant source of entertainment. Your ds will not be able to keep himself entertained without a lot of help from mama (and daddy - not sure if he's on the trip with you guys).
 
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