Flight advice: what would you do?

P

plumtree

Registered User
Hi!

Looking for some advice from all those experienced mummies out there. It's my first time with two kids on a 13 hour flight (to France), and would appreciate some advice. The flight leaves at around 11pm next week and we have 4 seats in a row. I have two little ones, one a very active 2.5 yo boy and the other a baby of 9 months. I have a Sit N Stroll which I've used on short haul flights (and which is great!). I've checked and the airline does allow this to be used.

I'll need to bring it as I'll need it as a car seat where I'm going (while I remember, I must check that I can use it in France).
Question: should I bring it for baby, but that means that baby will have to sleep sitting up? Or should I check it in and baby can then lie across the seats. But that way, he'll be disturbed whenever they put on the seatbelt signs etc..

What would you guys do in this situation? I'm not really looking forward to the flight, but needs must!
Thanks in advance!
 
i would take it for the baby... otherwise, someone is carrying the baby ALL THE TIME! that is not fun! i did it when my daughter was 18 months and it was a nightmare.
 
Good point, thanks! I am just so hoping baby will be able to fall asleep for at least a few hours while seated. Of course, how we deal with toddler is another matter! Both are very active boys...sigh.
 
I believe you can reserve a bassinet on most of these long-haul flights. If you have the 4-person row, they would put you in the first row so you are facing the wall. The wall has a drop-down shelf and the bassinet (belonging to the airline) is secured to the shelf. But I think you need to call ahead to make sure you reserve it for yourself.

If you can do this, then you can bring the Sit-N-Stroll and also let the baby sleep lying down.

(I am assuming a 9-month old can fit in an airline bassinet...I haven't hit the 9-month mark yet with ours so am not sure...). :)
 
Thanks for the reply. Baby is probably over the bassinet weight limit and can sit up unaided, which makes it a bit unsafe. I'm guessing that he's a bit too long for the bassinet anyways...sigh. Wish they could just sleep on the floor (if hygiene wasn't an issue)...
 
i HATED the bassinet seats as the arm rests wouldn't go up...meant that the older child couldn't stretch out at all! was AWFUL! actually the sleepin gon the floor is a great idea, except for safety... nothing to do with hygiene...i had my older one sleep on the floor for much of our last flight, luckily (1) there was no turbulence and (2) they didnt notice him down there until the end of the flight.
 
Gosh I also am about to take my 10 month old on a 10 hour over night flight. So not looking forward to it! I'm just hoping the plane is quite empty and he can lie down on the seats. I think sleeping on the floor with a blanket underneath sounds like a good idea too. But probably not allowed. I'll probably have to hold him the entire time. Eek! Good luck. :)
 
definitely don't go for bassinet row, seat arms not raising are a nightmare and your 9 month old is unlikely to fit comfortably

Check if the flight is full now and again a day before you leave.

If it's not full, you can relax as you can take the sit and stroll but also use a spare seat if need be. just get them to block a few spares off for you on check in.

If it is a full flight, then I would prob still take the sit and stroll if the baby is used to sleeping in it or a car seat. You are on a night flight so hopefully possible for a stretch of sleep.
 
Unless your baby is used to sleeping in the Sit n Stroll, I think I might check it in given that you are on a night flight and the baby might want to lie down to sleep. I know mine certainly prefers to lie down. When we took our car seat, the baby sat in it to play as we were on a mid-afternoon flight, but preferred to sleep lying down so he didn't sleep in the car seat, but only in our arms!
 
Just did a stressful long-haul returned flight with my 13 month old. It was not nice. I hope it was better for you plumtree. He only wanted to hang onto me although there were three other adults with us. (My husband and my parents).

On the way to Frankfurt, he slept only 3 hours on the plane, 1 hour in the bassient and 2 hours in my arms. Coming back to HongKong, one hour on the floor and 4 hours on me. I did not even dare to move him and hand him for my huaband becuase he would startle and wake up then scream for about 10 minutes when I tried to move my position a bit to get comfortable.

We flew lufthansa and had the bassinet seats (bulk head). We bought a seat for our bud. so we had three seats in a row. At the bulk head seat, the armrest for Seat E and F is movable. But not between D and E, F and G. This is a bit to my relieve. Also, the extra leg room was a life saver. Our bud was able to sit and play there and also lie flat sleeping for a while. So, if we flight again with Lufthansa, we would still try to get the bulk head.

Best of luck and let us know how it went with you.
 
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