Our most recent airplane ride was a late one. We took off at 5:30 pm and arrived at 10:50 pm (including a 2 hour time change, only a 3 ½ hour flight total). My girls were miraculously pleasant on the flight. Sugarplum fell asleep about 15 minutes after take-off and Honeybun was about an hour into the flight. Both slept soundly until shortly before landing when we gently woke them up so they would have some relaxing time to become alert before having to walk off the plane.
However, while my sleeping beauties slept soundly, it seems the rest of the children on the plane were losing their minds. As I looked at my own sweet Sugarplum, fast asleep, I felt really bad for the other parents who were struggling with their little ones and I began to ponder how I was so lucky on this flight (trust me, we’ve had our share of lost minds on the plane, see “Baby Screaming on the Plane”). I came to a few conclusions as to how we achieved such bliss and amazingly it had nothing to do with toys, snacks or other “essentials”.
First off, my girls are no strangers to air travel. They pretty much get the routine from getting through security (Honeybun still argues with me when I tell her she doesn’t have to take her shoes off anymore) to boarding and sitting nicely on the plane. This has definitely helped though I think there are still other steps we’ve taken that have helped me to look at some other parents and say “if only they…”
1) Timing is everything. We try to fly when our girls are tired in the hopes they will sleep on the plane (it doesn’t always work out, but that is always our hope). However, this is not the best option for every child. If your child has a specific sleeping routine and is used to sleeping at the exact same time and in the same place each day, please don’t schedule your flights at that time. My girls are extremely flexible sleepers and used to sleeping wherever they are whenever they’re tired. Not all children are as flexible and those who have a strict routine will most likely not sleep on the plane, they will be the screamers who refuse to sleep and make mommy’s life miserable the whole flight.
2) Car Seats, from the beginning and as long as they can. We have always taken our car seats to the plane with us (as long as they were permitted, some European carriers do not allow child car seats of any kind). Even if we don’t have a ticket for the baby, we take the car seat to the plane. Often if the flight is not full they will allow you to use an empty seat for the baby who should be on your lap but only if you have an approved car seat. If there are no empty seats you can easily gate check it with your buggy (I recommend bringing some kind of back to put the seat in, though, to protect it from filth and rain). My girls have always flown in their car seats whenever possible and are used to it now (Honeybun even cries sometimes when she can’t use it). It also helps that they are already used to the car seats and know that in the car we cannot get out of our seat belts and we don’t on the plane either. They sit nicely with their seatbelts buckled and only get up to go potty (or when younger for diaper changes).
3) I do not allow roaming. I know some mothers swear by letting their child walk the aisles to pass the time but I am strongly against this practice for my own children for many reasons. The most important is safety. You never know when you’re going to hit sudden turbulence and I don’t want to risk my children getting tossed around the cabin in such an instance. I also don’t allow it out of respect for other passengers. It’s one thing to listen to a child playing/crying/screaming in their seat, but listening to the same child play/cry/scream as they run up and down the aisles (and of course the accompanying adult “don’t touch him,” “that’s not yours,” “this way,” “Over here,” “no, no.”) is exhausting and irritating (even as a parent myself it bothers me). And when your child gets used to the freedom, only utter chaos can ensue when you have to return to your seat due to turbulence or impending landing (many of these instances on our last flight).
4) I recommend breastfeeding, for as long as you can if you’re going to be travelling. Not only will it speed up your time at security (“No TSA dude, I amazingly do not have any bottles for my baby which you will require me to open so you can do a vapor test”), it is like magic on the plane. Have a tired or restless baby? Give him/her a boob. Nothing is better on a long (or even short) flight than soothing your baby gently to sleep without screaming or fighting. After listening to the baby in front of us on our last flight fight her mom trying to rock her to sleep for an hour and a half, I’m glad I had my magic breasts with me and working at all times when Sugarplum was a lap baby.
