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first time mama-traveler seeking wisdom!Submitted by mommymash on Wed, 06/11/2008 - 5:25pm.
2 weeks from now the monkeygirl and i will be in florida, woo-hoo! we'll be spending a few days with family for a small family reunion, but the really exciting part is that we'll be in disneyworld for the last 2 nights. i'm so excited thinking about how much freaking fun we're going to have, but i'm reeeaaally nervous about the flying part.... unfortunately, my uncle booked us the shittiest flights ever: we have 3-hour layovers in DC, both ways. sucks! AND...we're sharing a seat sounds like you planned really well, so i'm gonna take your advice and do the same. good idea about asking to be next to an empty seat, thanks! I do this trip about once a year...the best advice I got for stuff to keep her occupied was to wrap the toys individually keeping some hidden for towards the end of the flight, and a box of bandaids! They can unwrap them, stick them on paper, themselves, the person sitting next to you...seriously though it kept my girl occupied for a solid hour. Stickers are good and I also brought my ipod and the music helped calm her down too. In terms of getting around the airport I bring a little umbrella stroller to help move more quickly through the airport and save my back...I do the umbrella stroller and a backpack or bag with stuff for the flight and try to fit everything else in one of those rolling suitcases, then worst case scenario if no one's there to help you out at baggage you can hook the rolling suitcase onto the stroller and off you go, though people will stare it works. Good luck.... little cheapy toys. Some books. snacks. If you feel up to it you can wrap some of the toys and books in newspaper or something so they're fun to open as well. No experience with the air travel, but I hope you have a great time! Disney is only a couple of hours away from me, so yell hello when you get there! BleuRoo Handcrafted Sweetness maybe i'll see your house from the top of splash mountain! come hang out with us if you're bored that week! I don't have any advice, but I hope you two have a ton of fun! ~Seriousness is a sickness; your sense of humor makes you more human, more humble.~ Lots of yummy and interesting snacks. An empty sippie cup or water bottle that you can fill up once you're past security. Something for her to chew to keep her ears from popping - chewy candy works well if you aren't opposed to it (and it will keep her totally occupied) but maybe dried fruit if you don't want to give her candy? If she's still nursing or drinking from a bottle that works the best I think. (and sharing a seat) **Breathe** New toys or new books, specially wrapped or put in compartments of a backpack. Snacks, fluids, a change of clothes including socks and a change of shirt for you. Crayons, stickers, whatever works. My SIL is traveling with her almost 3 yo right now, and she has this cool Elmo coloring book that works with a pen you refill with water. The pages dry and revert to blank. Very cool and reusable. Sunflower the unflower we'll be starting out in Ocala and Inverness (which i guess is more on the western side and i'm really looking forward to checking out some of the gulf beaches!!), and then finishing in Orlando. the water-coloring book sounds like an awesome idea. i'll have to remember that, and i should get some of those color-wonder crayola markers, too. |
. monkeygirl's 19 months old so she doesn't really get the idea that the plane will be taking us somewhere fun; she'll probably just think i'm torturing her. so, i was hoping some of the mamas out there would have some advice, ideas, tricks, etc that would make the travelling a little smoother. we'll have a portable dvd player which i'm keeping my fingers crossed will keep her entertained for a little while, but we're looking at all-day travelling, both ways. help!
aside from the toys, snacks, and dvd player with well-charged batteries (and the cord to recharge during your layover!), my advice is check out your reservation online right now and look at the seat map to see if there are any empty seats and try to position yourself next to one. and when you get to the airport, be sure to ask them to put you or keep you next to an empty seat, if they have any, so your daughter can take it.
or cough up the dough to get her her own. because, honestly, it's going to be brutal with her stuck on your lap the whole time. sorry to sound like a pessimist, but it is.
which is why my other piece of advice is to make sure you both get plenty of sleep the night before!
bring ziplock baggies for any shitty diapers you might have to dispose of on the plane. they do not like it at all when you toss them in the bin without sealing them up.
take advantage of the pre-boarding usually offered to people traveling with youngsters. and ask the flight attendants when you're boarding which bathrooms have the changing tables.
most airports let you bring those milk drink-boxes that don't have to be refrigerated through security if you pack it with a baby bottle. bring a few if your girlie likes milk; they don't serve milk on planes anymore, just enough for adding to coffee.
and finally, good luck to you both! i was stuck on the JFK tarmac with my 3yo for 3 hours yesterday, which, when added to the hour flight before that, the hour layover between, and the 7 hour flight that followed, sucked beyond belief. my girlie did just fine and we survived relatively unscathed, coz her mama carried on a shitload of snacks, toys, and a freshly charged video iPod!