I just flew with my 8 month old last month and it was a disaster. She loves crawling and pulling up on everything so she did NOT want to stay confined to a seat. She wasn't old enough to care about watching anything on the iPad. In the next 3 months we are taking two flights with her and they are each more than 4 hours. How do I entertain her? I'm actually considering cancelling one of the trips because I am dreading the flight THAT much.
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No tips, but following, as we have a trip planned when DS is 9 months old and I have no idea what to do in this situation.
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Did you have her in her own seat or as a lap baby? We've always gotten my kids their own seats because I'm too claustrophobic to hold them the entire time. I've found my kids are so used to being in their carseats that they mostly sit there are fall asleep. We also try to time things around when they'll be tired.
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I flew solo with DD when she was 8 months and again at 11 months. My best tips are to keep awake for a couple hours prior to the flight and to feed her on takeoff so she'll nap. I also board the plane last even though they offer to let families on first. The less time spent confining baby the better IMO. I also keep DD out of her stroller and basically chase her around the gate and let her burn off as much energy as possible. All of that has worked for me. Expect now my 19 month old won't nap on the plane, but she's old enough to be engaged in screen time.
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At that age it was necessary to get him his own seat and bring the car seat on the plane. If he was in the car seat from the get go it was like he didn't realize there was another option/freedom. For a 4 hour flight he also def napped. I draped a blanket over and sort of held his hand under the blanket with white noise. He slept for a good 2 hours.
Also, puffs! -
I agree with @ShootingStar: , we have always had our LOs in their own seats, which helps a lot (if they like staying in their carseat). They are too wriggly otherwise!
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Starting around 11 months we started to get her a seat. I can tell you, on every flight after that we both looked at each other and said (or I whispered to the glass on wine on my tray if I was flying solo) "this is the best decision ever". I mean, I was flying by myself and actually was able to read a chapter of a book and drink a glass of wine. She was so content in her car seat. We didn't get her out until it was red alert panic mode. Because once she was out, she wasn't going back in.
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Man, this thread is making me regret not buying a seat for DS our upcoming flight. We always did for DD but we didn't take our first flight with her until she was 16 months. I will have to keep reminding myself about how much money we are saving if it gets tough this time around.
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We took DD to australia at 9 months and back (by myself) at 10.5 months. I just let her stand on me and play peekaboo with the people sitting behind me. We let her crawl around the airport and just wiped her hands down when we got on the plane. She spent a lot of time playing with the plastic cups. Lots of snacks (puffs, mum mums), nursing. If she got fussy I'd walk her around in the carrier or let her stand on my seat while I stood in the isle.
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@catlady: It's making me nervous too. DD will only be six months and probably not crawling, but we don't need the car seat to get to/from the airport and at our destination. We will just have to deal.
The other problem is that DS is only used to being in his car seat and he is only 2.5.
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No advice, I agree with other people that if buying a seat is an option, it is worth all the $$$$.
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We've tried to time it with naps and had some success with dd not so much with ds. We've also got the front row extra space seats and put a blanket down and wiped off the walls in that area and put some toys on the ground. More than a regular seat but cheaper than their own seat. It's just not a fabulous age for flying. ETA, and snacks, lots of snacking.
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Pay the extra to get bulkhead seating. Then there is a little room on the floor for her to move around.
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I got stuck on a plane for 4 hours waiting to take of when LO1 was 10 months... it was HELL he crawled up and down the aisle playing with peoples shoes.
SO MANY SNACKS
I was just thinking about this with LO2 who is not as into snacks as LO1 is.
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We just booked flights when she would be sleeping. So night time or red eye flights.
At that age she loved watching videos of herself on my iPhone so that was a back up plan. Otherwise snacks, lots of books and new toys.
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@Mrs.Pinecone316: If you book the red eye flight, does your LO stay sleeping while you are travelling to the airport and in the airport waiting for the flight?
@2littlepumpkins: @mrs.shinerbock: Great idea about the first row of seats! I'm flying southwest in a couple of weeks and praying I can somehow get that row!!!
@catlady: I'm flying with a 9 month old soon, too!!
I'm also just going to have to be reminding myself how much money I'm saving. 
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Just wanted to follow up to say buying her a seat was the BEST DECISION EVER. Thank you! Also, lots and lots of snacks. We also bought a couple of small new toys that provided maybe 30-45 minutes total of entertainment.
My daughter just started walking the week of the second flight and she LOVED walking backwards on the moving sidewalk. She did that for a good half hour while waiting to board (just like a treadmill!) and it really tired her out. Luckily there was no one else around trying to actually use the moving sidewalk
I'm also just going to have to be reminding myself how much money I'm saving. 
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