Traveling with a baby/kid

[ducatiz]

The best way to avoid shit debacles on planes is to monitor their eating (for the little-little ones).  Make sure they get a big meal right as the plane is taking off.  For a 2-4 hour flight that is great.  They usually drop a deuce within 30 minutes of eating (which means milk).  This timing mechanism lasts until they are about 8-9 months then they get enough intestines to hold for a while.

You have to schedule flight times and such around them a bit.  The last thing you need is a freaking out baby who hasn't slept.

We always try to fly with an aisle and a window seat and take the chance no one wants the middle seat (which usually works).  On a less-than full flight, they will usually happily move and we get a 3-seat setup and baby slept in the middle (cramped but when they go, they go).

Kids are all different about flying too . Some seem to love it.  Bring all the favorites, toys, pacifiers etc and bring extra and bring some way to wash them off when they drop to the nasty ass floor (wet handtowel in a ziploc works great).

Do you have a younger cousin or sibling who'll travel with you and help wit hthe baby?  We have a cousin who is 14 and she'll be going with us to Italy next year -- she gets a free trip to Italy and has to take care of the baby for a few afternoons and nights, and we get some free time together.  We are not sure it is worth it compared to hiring a local grandma, but at least she is family (and has infant CPR cert).. 

[herm]

when i was 4 1/2, my hippy parents tossed my bro and i in the VW bus and headed for Mexico.
the trip lasted about 6 months.

AFAIK, my parents got divorced when i was 5, but they both claimed it had nothing to do with the trip.

[IZ]

when i was 4 1/2, my hippy parents tossed my bro and i in the VW bus and headed for Mexico.
the trip lasted about 6 months.

AFAIK, my parents got divorced when i was 5, but they both claimed it had nothing to do with the trip.

Herm, 

You were just a kid. 

You can't blame yourself for your parents divorce.   

Maybe this will help?

[cyrus buelton]

Maybe your lifestyle isn't conducive to having a child.

That is why my wife and I are choosing not to have children.

We have nieces and nephews to spoil.



I think it would be very hard for the child if you were to move every 1-2 years when he/she starts school.

[herm]

Herm, 

You were just a kid. 

You can't blame yourself for your parents divorce.   

Maybe this will help?

dont worry, i never thought is was my fault for a second.
stupid hippies

[lethe]

Maybe your lifestyle isn't conducive to having a child.

That is why my wife and I are choosing not to have children.

We have nieces and nephews to spoil.



I think it would be very hard for the child if you were to move every 1-2 years when he/she starts school.

+1
I'm far happier being a bad influence to other people's kids.

[cyrus buelton]

+1
I'm far happier being a bad influence to other people's kids.

I agree.

Everyone seems to frown upon that decision we have made, but I am not sure why.

"You will regret having kids, you are supposed to have them, etc"

Having children is a personal choice, there is no written code stating you have to have them. Even if we did choose to have a kid, we would most likely adopt verse having our own.

[lethe]

I agree.

Everyone seems to frown upon that decision we have made, but I am not sure why.

"You will regret having kids, you are supposed to have them, etc"

Having children is a personal choice, there is no written code stating you have to have them. Even if we did choose to have a kid, we would most likely adopt verse having our own.

I have many genetic traits, some that skipped me and some that hit me hard, that I have no desire to potentially burden a kid or society for that matter with.

[IZ]

Maybe your lifestyle isn't conducive to having a child.
That is why my wife and I are choosing not to have children.
We have nieces and nephews to spoil.
I think it would be very hard for the child if you were to move every 1-2 years when he/she starts school.

Yeah, I've thought about that.  

We only want one kid.  The plan we agreed on is to stay in one place for awhile (>1-2 years) after they start elementary school.

I wish we had nieces & nephews around here but the closest ones are in FL and the rest are in MI.  They really don't even know us.  The thought of that gets to me sometimes but have to live my life and try to visit as often as possible.    

[NAKID]

I think it would be very hard for the child if you were to move every 1-2 years when he/she starts school.

Thousands and thousands of people in the military do it all the time...

[dolci]

I made a conscious decision to only have one and I love it.  Traveled with her to Europe when she was 3 (3 week trip).  Prior to that point, lots of extended car trips, long weekends, etc.

She now LOVES traveling and is always asking when we are going to go somewhere.

Traveling has opened her eyes (now that she is almost 10) to lots of different things that she would never have had the opportunity to experience if we had just stayed in Maryland the entire time.

A kid WILL change your life but it doesn't end it.  It will take a little more planning. It does give you a chance to see places you've been before in an entirely new (and often humorous) way.

[lethe]

Yeah, I've thought about that.  

We only want one kid.  The plan we agreed on is to stay in one place for awhile (>1-2 years) after they start elementary school.

I wish we had nieces & nephews around here but the closest ones are in FL and the rest are in MI.  They really don't even know us.  The thought of that gets to me sometimes but have to live my life and try to visit as often as possible.    

Just think it would be awesome to have another person in the house that's taller than you within 3 years or so.  

[ducpainter]

Thousands and thousands of people in the military do it all the time...

That doesn't make it any less difficult for the kid.

[rgramjet]

Any of you parents out there do much?  How often?  Long vacations?  Stories??  Anyone grow up with this type of lifestyle??

The s/o and I want to have a baby soon (yes, I know. It scares me too!) but we don't want this to hold us back.  Part of me (and my wife) wants to be rooted in a house..if not just partially planted in one spot..but the other part wants the freedom to continue the "nomadic" way of life we've grown accustomed to.

Come on in, the waters Fine....

My oldest son crossed the Atlantic twice before he was two, Italy and the UK.  Separate trips. No problemo.

My 2.5 year old twins are a little more "spirited" shall we say.  I wouldnt dare expose 200 innocent strangers to their menacing ways.  Evil I tell ya!

When flying with kids, bring a spare set of clothes in a carry on.  My friend took his son and daughter to the UK.  Just after take off, the 4 year old boy threw up all over dads shirt and pants.....didnt have a spare.

If you child tends to be high spirited/ a PIA, while traveling, Benadryl is your friend.

[rgramjet]

That doesn't make it any less difficult for the kid.

Oh whatever, the kid will be fine.  Kids these days need an occasional "challenge".  It builds character, look what it did for me??