Flying with a 1-year-old

We're going to Florida for two weeks in February to see my aunt and uncle...we're very excited! They've used their miles to get us the tickets, but I didn't think of it and said we only needed two tickets. Now I'm getting nervous that I really need a seat for my little one, who will be one by then. Do you think it's necessary to have a seat for her? What are your experiences? I guess we would just buy her seat if we decide we need to, instead of asking them to use their miles. I wish I would have thought of it earlier!

[Cumberland]

I have flown a lot with my DD and have always had in her my lap as we dont want to pay for an extra ticket . We have been on some loooong flights-most recently California with her as a 16 month old. She has always been fine. I usually make sure she doesnt get a nap and really try to tire her out, I bring tons of little snacks cause she loves to eat and we go for a lot of walks-up and down the aisles for what seems likes hours. I usually give her Benadryl, but it doesnt work that much with her.

[DCJenn]

I've always gotten Nikolai his own seat- partially because I'm so uncomfortable and fidgety when I fly that I need to move around alot. If you're like me, walking up and down the aisle helps. When we were coming from Germany to DC I paced a lot (it was the 3rd flight in 24 hours and I was DONE). I walked him up and down, and I also carried him some, too.

Lot's of snacks, some favorite toys and a huge running around spree at the airport for about a half hour before you board should help.

Jenn

Get a huge freezer bag and fill it with disposable toys, like the ones you can get with kiddie meals. Keeping feeding toys to child. Buy lots of tot sized snack foods. Bring at least 4 filled sippy cups. Bone up on your finger rhymes.

24 hours before your flight, call the airline and see if the bulkhead seating is available. They can't give it out earlier than 24 hours - and if a handicapped person calls after you, they'll get it - but if not, it's like 6 more inches of space, and no one in front of you (the flying equivilent of heaven).

Toys, snacks, portable DVD - all good things. For a 1 year old w/2 parents, you should be fine w/o the additional seat. I flew to Florida from Cleveland w/a 2.5 yr old in a seat, and a 1 yr old on my lap - solo. It wasn't pretty (in fact it was sticky b/c I stocked up on suckers for during takeoff and landing), but it can be done.

[Flynn]

Some airlines offer half price seats for kids under two.

We always go for buying a seat at half price if we can. If the kid falls asleep for more than 30 minutes it's money well spent as far as I'm concerned.

Bring three times the diapers and supplies you think you will need. DS decided to have pooping issues once and I ran out of diapers despite having 5 for a four hour flight and no layovers. It wasn't pretty.

Lollypops (ok not very pc) in their carseats on the plane has been great for us. DD had one on a plane at 13 months and DS was more messy BUT he was happy for more than a half an hour recently (he's currently 13 months). Get the dum dums and bring more than a few! It sure beats a screaming kid and everyone staring at you!!!

Our kids liked Magna doodles very early so that was a winner (the smaller kinds) and of course books are good. New finger food is a good plan. All the other suggestions are really good too from previous posters.

GOOD LUCK! It won't be boring!

[HeartRN]

Stickers, stickers and more stickers...also color wonders stuff is great. There's also the little aqua doodle kits that are fun...you give your child a pen that's filled with water and on contact with the picture, colors appear. The neat thing is they dry out and you can do it all over again.

Good luck! I am flying solo with DD coast to coast in about a week

Thanks for all the tips! It should be interesting!

Since you are both going, having the two seats will help. I agree about the suggestion to check the bulkhead seating. Also, see if they can put you on an aisle and your husband on a window. Chances are, the person in the middle seat will gladly try to find another empty seat and if that doesn't work, will just switch the aisle or window with you.

And if all else fails....repeat to yourself that this is just 2 (3?) hours of your entire life and you will likely never see any of these people ever again.

I just investigated a little further with JetBlue. The plane has one aisle with two seats on either side. On the way down it will just be me and DD...I am seriously contemplating buying her a seat, but I don't think my car seat (Marathon) will fit. I could buy a smaller car seat just for the trip, or I could just have the additional seat for extra room for us. Pity the person who might get stuck there otherwise! It's only $89, which is pretty amazing. On the way back, I will be with DH (he's just coming for one of the two weeks) so I think she'll be fine between the two of us dealing with her. So that makes buying a special car seat sort of stupid.

Hmmmmmm.........

Oh and the flight is about 3.5 hours. Direct, thank goodness!

IMO, $89 is worth it for the space if nothing else. You can put your bag on the seat to rummage through it, set toys or books there, change a diaper.

3.5 hours is long but you're right -- thank goodness it is direct!

[fluffhead]

We just completed a LONG (10 hours there, 12 hours back) round trip with our (very active) 14-month old and our almost-4 YO.
After much contemplation, we bought the baby a seat ($850 deserves some contemplation), and we brought his carseat. He slept a few hours (both flights left around midnight), and when he woke the first time we gave him benadryl and he slept a few more hours. He then proceeded to make all the flight attendants crazy by running up and down the aisles when they were trying to serve food.
If you buy the seat, you'll be guaranteed that the flight will be half empty and you could have had a row to yourselves.
If you don't buy the seat, the flight will be 100% full and you'll have to hold a screaming baby the whole way.
Kind of like bringing an umbrella, huh?

[DCJenn]

Jill- check the side of the carseat, if it's FAA approved it'll say so and I think they HAVE to fit in the seats. (All you do is raise the arm in between and hook it in with a seat belt extender.)

Jenn

[Sheherezade]

A friend of mine just flew to London with her 2 year old, and the flight attendants wouldn't allow the seat even though it was FAA approved. I'd check before I lugged the thing - or ask the airline if they know what works. I'm sure my friend could have argued with the attendant, but who wants to add that stress when you're travelling solo with 2 small kids?