Babies, Planes & Valium

[Tia Maria]

Well it was bound to happen, it’s not long till I fly back to the UK with my 6 month old all by myself, and I’m starting to panic. So any answers/tips/links to old threads would be appreciated!

I’m flying Auckland to London (return), via Singapore, with Singapore Airlines

Current regulations/Recent experiences:

1) Do they still ask you test baby milk/food? If so, do they want you to test it if it’s sealed?

2) Is this the case going both ways, or only flying from London?

Baby etiquette:

1) What does a bassinet look like? Do you use it for take off and landing?

2) Can you change a baby in bassinet, or would that be frowned on? Are the changing areas in the toilet adequate?

3) Can you leave a baby in a bassinet if, for instance, you needed the toilet and they were asleep?

Time difference

1) My son feeds and sleeps at pretty regular times and as a result sleeps through the night, how do you account for time differences? Did you have a plan or just plenty of milk/food and made it up as you went along?

2) Did you give your baby anything for ear pain? What can you get in NZ for this?

3) Any good stuff for me to take for jet lag that I can buy in NZ?
(I’m not a fan of homeopathy after seeing a BBC programme about it with James Randi’s Million dollar Challenge
www.randi.org/jr/200509/090905these.html
www.randi.org/encyclopedia/homeopathy.html
But any other suggestions would be good!)

Feeding

1) For those that travel with Singapore do they have spare milks, just in case I spill his?

2) How did you deal with milks/sterilising? Anybody seen the ready made cartons in NZ?

I’ll probably think of some more questions, but that’s probably more than enough for now!

Cheers

Tia

[Milliemoo]

Hiya,

As you well know, I'm not really experienced to answer your questions, but I can tell you what I've seen on flights in the past

If you have the bulk head seats (just thought, I bet they don't gaurantee the seats, so best be prepared just in case) with the bassinet, you'll be right next to the toilets, so it should be easy to just nip in for a minute if sproglet is in the bassinet. I guess you could buzz one of the attendants to watch for a couple of minutes if you were worried. There's a tray that folds down above the toilet for changing nappies. I have to say, if someone changed their baby's nappy in the seat next to me, I wouldn't be very amused. The basinet (from memory) looks a bit like a flat version of a car seat (if you see what I mean). They strap them to the fold down tables in the bulk heads. I'm sure heaps of peeps on here have used them.

I'm sure I read somewhere that it's a good idea to give them a bottle on take off & landing to help with the ears (a bit like us sucking sweets).

Did you say you've asked for assistance from the airline? I'll be very jealous if you get to have a ride on one of those golf buggy things

Try not to stress too much (say's me ) I'm sure everything will be fine.

Milliemoo

[veronica]

I can't answer the milk questions as we used the home made sort. There are usually a couple of bassinets on the bulkhead and when you need to use the loo then its likely someone will just keep an eye out for your little one. Its a very long time since I travelled with babes but I have done that flight by myself with a small babe and a toddler a couple of times and found theres usually a few helpful people about.
Re the adjusting to the time difference, babies are much closer to "nature" than us and will adjust themselves very quickly. I personally wouldn't give the babe anything to help them sleep, tried that once with our youngest and it backfired as she had a reverse effect to the medicine and became hyperactive.

[jubjub]

Hi Tia



Don’t know about regulations, your airline is prob best bet for that bit…



Bassinets, depends on airline how big they are…. Air NZ are huge, the ones on Virgin were tiny… they look a bit normal baby bassinet, but way smaller, prob about 60cm by 30 at a guess… They will have a liner in them on top of the plastic mattress, so you may want to pop an extra sheet in your bag (if you have space). They hang off the wall in front of you, which can make it impossible for your table to work…..



We changed bub in the bassinet, mainly cos the change tables are small and the loos are small too! But stinky poos were best done in private….



If baby is flat out asleep, I don’t see a prob with running to the loo… you have got to go after all, if the stewards/essess seem nice, tell them what you are doing, they may well keep an eye out for you.



Food, we planned to feed bubs every three hours, so took enough for that, but I was b/f so it was easier…



Pamol for pain relief for baby, ask you dr for some, its free on prescription. We gave it half hour before take off and landing to help his ears, he was not remotely interested in feeding, in fact he fell asleep!



You cant get cartons, but you can get sachets of formula, so its all sealed, and smaller than taking a tin! Cleaning bottles, take some of those sterlising tablets, you can get… and a brush, not sure how much help you would get with this… but you could always wait until Singapore, sterlise the lot, then start again on flight 2.



Routine, we just treated it like one very long day, and fed him like we would during the day with naps etc, and just let him go to sleep proper at normal bedtime at destination, worked a treat one way, took a couple of days to adjust on the way back.


Good luck, get some valium for yourself, and if anyone says, “can I help?” say YES…



I don’t envy you doing it alone, but its not impossible, my friend managed it with her baby at this age…

Sure there was an old thread with some of this stuff in, but cant find it at the mo...

[nippa&pippa]

Can help you on that Tia!

For regulations, you need to ring airline direct for up to date information as they know the rules. If you can, get milk in vaccum packed and water in the bottle, so this way you don't need to taste milk as i have seen other mums doing this way. If no liquid allowed, bring empty bottle, then flight attention will fill hot water (do it long way before feeding time to allow bottle cool down!!) Food, check with airline, most provide baby foods, but bring your own if you wish. Our daughter got food allergies so i have to bring my own and all jars was opened by customs for taste by my husband!

Bassient, fantastic! It is small portable cot that stick onto wall after take-off. Your son will have baby seatbelt attach to your seltbelt (will be given by flight attention) for take off and landing. Then flight attendent will get bassinet out in midair. Suggest to bring your own baby blanket for his comfort rather use airline's. If seatbelt warning come on like during turbulence, your son will be asked to go back to you and attached to your seat belt even he is asleep for his safety.
I changed my daughter's nappy in the cot as i did find it diffcuilt to use changing table as it is very flat and easy to roll off!!! nobody bother about me changing her in cot! More like 'awwww, sweet baby, how old is she' etc!! beware! even flight attendents can't leave you alone!! Now this came helpful when your son is asleep and you want to have sleep or toliet, they will keep eye on him as they walk pasts and will wake you up if necessary! (my husband was four row behind me, so i asked passenger next to me and flight attendants to help out)

Food, leave to your son tell you when he is hungry! or if you know the meal time is coming soon (by smell it!) feed him before your dinner arrive! otherwise you will juggling feed yourself and baby! like i did as didn't realise it coming! But flight attendents is too busy during meal handout so they unable to warm food till they finish....tip: so plan ahead, get meal warm up before meal hand out!

Ear pain, baby are good on this, they seem to cope it well as never heard any babies cry during landing!! I breastfed my daughter during landing, i have seen other mums using dummy. If your son don't use dummy like i don't, then think about have one for flight only then bin it! or use your finger or toy to suck.

Milk powder, you better to look in chemist/supermarket as can't help you on this, try get vacuum packet milk or cartons..my daughter use hypoallergic formula milk from dr. I took two bottles been sterlised at home with me. If your child is over 6months, don't worry about sterlising the bottle if it will be empty and you will make it up on the plane with boiling water...only for 30hours

Yourself, can't help with jet lag, just try sleep when your son is asleep. You may find that passenger next to you happy to look after the baby to allow you sleep. When you get to UK, hand baby over to your family! and off to bed!

hth

[Park City Partner]

I flew with Blythe when she was about 5 months and she was great. I think it will be harder next time as she is moving so much now. Can't speak for Singapore but Air NZ was fantastic. The flight attendants were fantastic, very helpful. They do have extra formula, nappies, bibs and nappie rash cream on board should you need it and I am sure Singapore is the same. Make sure you tell the airline that you are flying with bubs and they will put you in the bulk head with the sky cot. Everyone else has told you about those the only thing I can add is that it has a flap that goes over the top to hold them in case of hitting an air pocket so they don't fly out!

As for sterilzing etc., I stopped all that around 4 months to be honest along with the cooled boiled water. The water issue came from back in the day when the water supply wasn't safe, not the case anymore. And we think that washing with hot soapy water is sufficient for bottles...kids need some bacteria and everything else goes in her mouth so....plus once you take the bottles out of the sterilzer they aren't sterile any more. Blythe has never had a problem and frankly, we re-use bottles often and no problems. I am sure some mothers are shuddering right now and I may get back lash but this was our choice.

I brought powder formula and got water from the flight attendants..no problems there. Blythe doesn't like her bottle warm so I didn't have to deal with that. She slept most of the way and I was quite comfortable popping to the loo if need be. On a couple of occassions (I go to the loo a lot as try to drink a lot of water!) and just asked the flight attendant to watch her...but as mentioned be careful as on one occassion I fould Blythe up front (in front of Business class) playing with all the stewards!

As for nappy changes, I did all of those in the loo. As the flight attendant which is the biggest one and use that one. I had plenty of space.

Everybody told me I was crazy to travel alone but I told them that I was going with the attitude that everything was going to be fine until I was given a reason to believe otherwise. My best piece of is to have a postive attitude and relax! Bubs will pick up on that and take his clues from you.

You will be fine. Have fun!

[nippa&pippa]

Just thought more....
Not sure what is like with air singapore but we flew with emirates, the family with young children are allow go into plane first before rest of passengers allow you have more time to organise baby's stuff and the flight attendent are free to hold your son for you while you put baggage etc away. During that time, they give you baby seatbelt and free baby toy (that what we get in emirates). Listen for it at boarding gate or ask if you can go in first with baby if they don't have that system as does help! Also at change over, we were allow to jump queues at dubai/syndey's customs as we got baby! even we didn't feel comfortable to do it!
I find that baby carrier/rusksack baby carrier is great help in airports to give you free hand to get passports out, carry baggages etc. If you haven't got one, buy or borrow one!

Got a picture of Romilly in bassinet to show you of bassinet but don't know how to post it!

[Park City Partner]

I have a baby bjorn you can borrow if you need it...

[Carol]

All I can say is the Airline staff are usually fantastic when it comes to helping with babies...... they really want to make a long trip as easy as possible for the baby for you and your surrounding passengers....
I flew with my little girl when she was 3 months. It all went amazingly well.
I think she actually slept better in the bassinette than she had up until that point. Maybe it was that "airliner" hum that kept her dozing....

Fingers crossed for you!

[Tia Maria]

Milliemoo wrote:

I have to say, if someone changed their baby's nappy in the seat next to me, I wouldn't be very amused.

Don't worry I wouldn't change a pooh nappy, but you really can't smell anything with wet nappies. So unless people are offended by a little naked bum and willy, I'm hoping it won't be a problem

I have been offered a 'meet and assist', but have no idea what this will entail, but I really hope I get to travel on one of those little cars!

Veronica wrote:

Re the adjusting to the time difference, babies are much closer to "nature" than us and will adjust themselves very quickly.

I hope so, I don't think I could go back to having to do nights again. Although as I plan to do plenty of socialising when I get back it will probably be his Gran doing the nights!

Jub Jub wrote:

so you may want to pop an extra sheet in your bag

Thanks I wouldn't have thought of that. I'll probably take him in one of those sleeping bag thingies. I read somewhere that its a good idea to attach something over the top in case you are under the movie screen and its too light. Anyone done this?

Nippa & Pippa wrote:

I have seen other mums using dummy

I'll probably use this on take off, as he suffers from reflux and can't be fed too often. I did contact the transit hotel to see if they had laundry facilities as both of us will be covered in sick from the reflux and I didn't fancy the idea of carrying a bag of sicky clothes/bibs/muslin squares, but they don't.

So a friend has suggested I just get some cheap tops for me and vests for him and just throw them away as I go along. So I might try that.

Park City Partner wrote:

Make sure you tell the airline that you are flying with bubs and they will put you in the bulk head with the sky cot.

I emailed them about this, then they rang back to discuss various aspects, although I forgot to ask if they had baby milk. That's when I was offered a 'meet and assist'. I then asked them to email me confirmation of the details as I've learnt to always get everything in writing!

Nippa & Pippa wrote:

Got a picture of Romilly in bassinet to show you of bassinet but don't know how to post it!

Ha ha! Would love to see it if you can work out how, but I did just do Google - Images - airplane bassinets, so I have an idea of how they look now.

Park City Partner wrote:

I have a baby bjorn you can borrow if you need it...

Thanks! We do already have one, but its currently adjusted to the OH's size. I find they don't have enough back support for me but as Nippa & Pippa said, I think it will be vital to have 2 hands free.

Carol wrote:

Maybe it was that "airliner" hum that kept her dozing....

I'm counting on this! He does seem to sleep better when the dehumidifier is on. But then he's also very social and likes to grab for people - hope there is either nobody next to me or they lurrrve babies!

Thanks for all your answers, its good to hear from people who've done it and survived!

Cheers

Tia