We are planning a trip to Prague and Vienna with our 14 month old. My husband and I are debating whether we should buy a separate seat for the baby. We will be taking a day time flight and she will probably only use the seat for a 1-2 hour nap. She's normally a really easy going kid. Any advice??
Also, any advice on how to help the little one adjust to the time difference?? Those 2 things are my biggest concerns.
Posted by
Olympia, WA, USA
251 posts
We travelled to Europe with our son when he was 8months old, big for his age and also a real mellow kid. We didn't buy a seat. It was hard, he was too big for the little cribs, and between my husband and I it was long and tiring to hold him on our lap for 10 hours. Saying that with the price of airfare these days I would probably go the same route.
Expect him/her to sleep more. Even on a daytime flight the place will force the cycle into evening to be in sync with Europe. Your kid will be wound up and nervous and the lull of the engines will help him sleep.
If you are comfortable with it, take a blanket or coat and lay it at your feet. Your son can lay on the ground and nap. (Provided it is smooth flying, our flight attendents all said this would be safe as long as we picked him up during turbulance.)
Don't forget to check to see if there are any empty seats, you might not be able to sit with your husband but you might get an extra seat for you kid.
At 8months we found our son adjusted better to the time change than we did. He slept erratically for a few days but since he was still nursing he matched my rythym pretty well. Recently at 3 though I found he had the same problems I did adjusting.
Posted by
West Sacramento, California, USA
281 posts
We took our daughter when she was 3 months old, so she was smaller than a 14 month old, and we did not book a seat for her. We flew on Lufthansa, and would highly recommend them for traveling with kids. The placed us in bulkhead seats and as soon as we were in the air they hung a basinette on the wall for her to sleep in. They had all of the things necessary for a baby, and the flight attendents even assisted when they could. We also had our son, who was just 4 at the time. When he was asleep during a meal, I started to wake him so he would get fed and not wakeup hungry later. The flight attendent told me not to wake him, she assured me they would make him sausages and apples when he awoke. Not only that, they gave him toys and other things to entertain him--even though we brought plenty. I see you are in Fremont, Lufthansa has a non-stop to Munich from San Francisco, I would check it out, and confirm the age limits for the basinette.
Good Luck, Kevin
Posted by
victoria, Canada
11507 posts
Do not compare a three month old baby on a plane with a 14 month old baby ,there is a HUGE difference and it isn't size I am talking about here.
A 14 month old baby is NOT going to like sitting on your lap for a 10 hour flight.They cannot use the bassinets provided (they are too big)and they are awake much more. Don't believe me, go in your living room and hold her on your lap for 4 or 5 hours.. see how that goes..
She needs a seat to wiggle around on , to be able to stand up on the floor, hold onto the seat and jump around( note,I did not advocate her jumping ON seat) to sit on floor and play with toys etc.
We flew to Hawaii ( 5-6 hours) with our 10 month old and our friends came with us, with their 18 month old.We bought a seat, they did not. Gosh, they were most unhappy,and eating for them was a nightmare, passing the little guy back and forth etc.
For a short flight, no sweat, but you are talking a very very long day(or night) with a child in your lap, think about it.