im quite nervous as i dont really know where to go at the airports and im super stressed about the actual flight. any tips on how to make this a smooth flight? thank so much guys!Any advice? im flying alone with my 18 month old baby on lufthansa airline from the uk to south africa. help!?
I'm a former Flight Attendant and I fly a lot with my three children. I just flew Lufthansa long haul a couple of weeks ago and have flown them many times in the past.
I do recommend that he have her own seat and that you bring her carseat along. Try to get an extra seat next to you if the flight isn't full.
This is the only way to fly safely with any baby. Lap children are allowed because statistically, flying is so safe, there's very little chance of anything going wrong. If it does though, a lap child has no protection.
It's also much, much more comfortable, especially at this tricky age for flying. My children were calmer and slept better in their familiar seat.
Lufthansa's website gives no information I can find on car seats. You may want to contact them. All times but once was my seat allowed onboard (all have been American). The F/A's told me that the seat has to have UN approval. Find out if your's does so you can use it onboard.
http://www.lufthansa.com/online/portal/l鈥?/a>
If you haven't booked a seat for her, call Lufthansa and see if the flight is full. Then, at check in, ask nicely if you can have an empty seat next to you to place your carseat in. They often do this for families.
I will admit that I've strapped down an unhappy little one more than once. Toddlers hate to be confined and simply don't understand that they have to be seated sometimes. Firmly anchored in, I could then consol them while we landed.
To get through the airport, they sell all sorts of gizmos like these;
http://www.gogobabyz.com/products/gogo_k鈥?/a>
http://www.amazon.com/Traveling-Toddler-鈥?/a>
http://www.onestepahead.com/product/osa/鈥?/a>
Go to whatever local travel site and see what they have.
I simply use a small metal luggage cart with an extra bungee cord and it works great. I skip on the stroller and my little one can even ride in it. She usually prefers to walk and then I load the carry-ons abord to save my back. Some parents also manage to bungee cord their seats to their strollers, keeping both with them.
Besides, taking your car seat onboard virtually guarentees that it'll be there at your destination. Checking them risks damage and loss. Wont you need it when you get there?
Take the seat to the gate, even if they're unsure if you can use it. That way, it will be ';gate-checked';, going down with the wheelchairs and strollers. Checking a car seat risks it being lost and/or damaged.
If you do not succeed, make sure your child is loose in your lap. In Germany, like in the U.S., those ';belly belts'; that attach to your seat belt are banned because they're dangerous. You will not be offered one on Lufthansa. These contraptions don't protect the child and could be deadly in forward impact. She's safer with nothing attached to you.
For entertainment, get her a new toy, anything and it doesn't have to be expensive. Keep it and give it to her once you're on the plane. My son at that age liked anything with wheels. Once, I simply had a package of plastic animals. Kept him busy for ages!
I actually don't recommend a portable DVD player *unless* she can watch it without sound. I doubt she'll wear the headphones but try it at home. I'm sure she'll be fine without.
I found that stickers, coloring stuff and books were better at occupying them at this age. No one will mind if you read to her.
Hopefully you have a good baby carrier. I swore by my sling. A good one should go to at least 2 years of age and I found it mega-useful at this age. It's great to have your hands free and they're magic at getting babies to sleep and for calming them down during the flight. This was especially helpful since I'm almost always by myself with three closely spaced children. They also doubled as a blanket, a baby changer, a suncover and you can descretely breastfeed in it. Definitely bring yours'! I can't stress it enough.
Just some other small tips;
-Bring a change of clothes for both of you (just a T and shorts for you if it's too much). That way, you have at least something if you suffer a spill or mess.
-Bring way more diapers than you think you'll need. Wrap them in plastic bags and bind them with rubber bands to reduce the bulk.
-Learn to change her standing up (don't try to fit her on those tiny babychangers and toddlers hate to lie down in strange places). Practice at home first (yes, possible with girls!)
-Bring an empty sippy cup to fill during the services. This will prevent spills in the air.
-If you still use bottles, get the kind with disposable liners. Make sure she's used to room temperature and doesn't need it warmed (a pain when traveling). Airplane bathrooms are bad for washing bottles so with these kind, you only need to wash the top portion.
-Get up and move around with her but keep an eye out. Those carts the F/A's use are the perfect height for hiding little ones
-Bring snacks. Don't fret security. I've never had anything taken away (yes, water but not snacks) and that's the only risk. If you have something not allowed, they simply remove the item. No scenes, no speeches, no arrests!
-Try to sit in a bulkhead seat so that there's no one in front of you. Lufthansa does have mounted bassinets but your child is too big (my year old ds was at the limit).
-Bring slippers, especially if you're not in the bulkhead!
Order a children's or other special meal for her. Some parents complained that the ';children's meals'; were too greasy.
It's actually a myth that children need to suck on something for take-off and landing. I rarely saw it in my 13 years as a Flight Attendant and with all the flights I've made with my children, none have had a problem. I have never, ever done anything special with them for take-offs and landings.
ENT specialists simply recommend that the child is awake for landing;
http://www.entcda.com/AAOHNSF/earsandalt鈥?/a>
The delicate time is not during take-off or landing/touchdown but at the *top of descent*. This is usually 40 minutes to an hour before landing and everyone's ears have to reverse the pressurization. I can confirm that when I worked, if any passengers had ear problems, this was the time. Not just children either! They actualy felt *better* as we got closer to landing.
The BEST way to avoid ear issues is to take your little girl to the doctor a few days before flying. My son was good at getting symptomless ear infections. The doctor will look in her ears and make sure they're clear and infection-free. Healthy ears can handle pressurization changes.
My son was 20 months old and slept just 20 minutes of an 11 1/2 hour flight. It was just so fun for him! Not so fun for mom but I survived... Even the calmest, most placid children are not good on planes at this age. Take heart. You're not alone.
No, I never use any sort of medication to get my children to sleep. If you opt for this, talk to the doctor and try it at home first. Most are antihistimines and they can have the opposite effect, making the child wired (saw this twice at work) as are allergic reactions common (hand goes up here-I was in the ER at age 7 from Benedryl). These are not harmless drugs and remember, you're a long way from a hospital up there!
For more information, I wrote an article on this subject. It's based on both my personal and professional experience of flying with kids, mine and other people's! It's totally non-commercial and other parents have contributed;
http://flyingwithchildren.blogspot.com
S.A. is a beautiful country so enjoy. Both of you get plenty of sleep the night before and good luck!Any advice? im flying alone with my 18 month old baby on lufthansa airline from the uk to south africa. help!?
There is a standby doctor at the airport. Better you ask while doing tickets check in, for sure. Do not be nervous, since the baby will feel your emotions.
Ask the seat that next to alley so it would be easy for your move to go to the toilet and taking things from cabin baggage.
Bring something to read for you; prepare some milk, milk bottle; baby clothes and extra diapers in a baby bag. hot water is available. the most important thing is keep the baby always warm...and feel comfort. Hope you both will have a good flight and do not hesitate to ask helps from flight attendant while you need it.
Request a childs meal a few days before your flight and for anything that might make your journey more comfortable.
During landing and take off make sure to give your child something to drink because there is a great chance its ears will hurt.Swallowing helps.
Use the infant seat belt to secure your baby on you during take off and landing.It is a special seat belt that you put through yours.
Have patience and enjoy your flight!! : )
Here is a great article about flying with babies. http://spiffybaby.com/resources/2007/11/08/flying-with-baby
check it out.
Good luck
Just put the kid in your checked baggage. (sorry I just couldn't help myself) The above answers are pretty right on. Don't worry to much about this. the flight attendants deal with it every day so just ask for tips and help. Like most women they love babies.
make sure u turn the air vent about u off or at least away
u dont want ur baby breatheing recycled air
someone could be sick the baby get it and lose its life
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