Keeping Baby Occupied on a Plane.

there's stuff on the plane to play with too: empty cup(s), ripping up paper, dd2 really liked the barf bag
we brought lots of snacks, little people toys (you can get these tubes that have 3 items in them for less than five bucks) and wrapped each one individually that way it's fun to open and play with.
i think i probably have brought 6-12 small toys and food. that has occupied the kids for three to four hours easily. how long is your flight?

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each leg is not longer than 4 hours, but there are 3 legs...plus layovers. Both times we've flown with DD so far we've been delayed in the airports...ugh! so this time I am packing the toys.

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That's....uh....a bad idea. By that method, I would have to take 66 new toys with us when we visit our family Which I didn't think was a ridiculously long amount of travel- a 3-4 hour flight and a 90 minute flight. I wouldn't be able to take the baby, I'd be so weighed down with stuff!

Snacks are good. Puppets are good. A few books are good. Access to their parents' undivided attention for an extended period of time is good. Sleep is great.

I find babies much easier than toddlers in the range of 2 on planes. There's this contant droning noise on a plane and it seems to put my babies to sleep a good part of the time. So hopefully there will be sleep time.

I would bring some toys but I wouldn't worry about new stuff, though there will be little shops selling toys at airports. Just sing songs and play peek-a-boo and that kind of thing. She might be pretty happy just having such intense focus on her. My older dd said she'd like to go on a plane ride again, and I asked why, and she said so she can sit between me and dh and play with us for hours on end again.

If she's old enough to be amused by it, there are travel sized Magna Doodles that we've found really good on trips. Drawing, playing different kinds of games, etc. But she might be too young. Your little one is young enough I don't think toys will be a whole lot of use, but that might help. Otherwise, depending on where she is with solids, pick up snacks in the airports that will keep her amused. I think mostly you'll have to sing and play pat-a-cake/this little piggy kinds of games. You could look up different games like that on the internet before hand so you have a lot to play.

I have fown 20+ flights with DD now 18 months, most of them alone. I am so used to it now, I don't know what to do with DH when he is there!

One time the gate agent offered me an extra seat for DD and told me to bring bucket seat on. That was a horrible experience. Carseat has to be in window seat, which put me in the middle, cramped with a baby that would not want to be put down.

But, when you do get to the gate, ask if the plane is full, and get moved next to an empty seat, just for the space to put books, toys, fidgety baby, etc. Besides, not many people like to sit right next to baby, anyway.

Your crying baby is bothering you waaaay more than anyone else. Trust me.

It might be the hardest X amount of hours of your life. Something that always helped me is not to look at my watch and just remember that every minute that went by, even if she was cranky, was one less to go.

The best time you will have is when baby sleeps, and they always do. Just keep em asleep.

Also, skymall has always occupied my DD on the plane. That thing is just full of babies, cats, and dogs, My girl's faves.

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I am so worried about bothering other people, I don't know why. Before I had a child, I'd hear a baby screaming and just pray I wasn't seated near them. Now I am super sensitive to my own bugging people, I guess.

As for sleep...she will sleep IF she nurses. Well, she did a few months ago on a plane. But her naps are changing and I'm worried she'll be awake the whole time. She doesn't like to just sit. She likes her Ergo, but I can't sit down. Anything where her feet are not free-swinging gets her mad.

What MOST worries me now, is that DH just announced to me that we were upgraded to the bulk head row in FIRST CLASS. Okay, so a wiggly, high needs LAP BABY in 1st class. Help!!!

p.s. just wanted to ask a question about those who use magazines, paper bags, etc as toys...shouldn't I be worried that she will get the paper all wet and swallow some?