Traveling Uk -> Bkk With 4 Month Old Child

[AndyM]

Next week my wife and I will be making our first visit to Thailand with our newborn baby girl. We're flying with Etihad from Manchester, and overall we'll have around 14 hours worth of flying.

We're a little apprehensive as our little scamp doesn't appear to require sleep; a 5 minute nap sets her up for another 3-4 hours of being awake, and expecting to be entertained. As fun as that is, I don't think it will be too great when we're mostly confined to cattle-class seats on the plane.

Does anybody have any tips on how to deal with this? We've arranged for a sleeping basket for her and are going to turn up to the airport early to request seats with improved legroom (supposedly they're not able to offer this beforehand).

Any advice would be gratefully received

[MJo]

Try posting on family and children forum or ask mods to move this there and i believe you get more response.

My understanding is that if you have reserved the basket from airline you will get "first row" seats and that is only place where the basket fits.

Good luck.

[uk2bkk]

Hi,

As the other poster said, you will get bulkhead seats so the cot can attach. Our little boy was

on his 18th flight by the time he was 4 months. Tips, well the main one I can offer is not to

stress or worry about what others may think If your baby cries. This is what babies do!

Most people won't hear anyway due to listening to some media through earphones.

To try and reduce any stress to the baby, feed her on takeoff and when coming into Land,

It's good that the baby moves it's jaws to stop pressure building up which causes discomfort.

Try to avoid the baby getting fed and sleeping just before the flight. Sleeping on the plane is really down to your babies routine.

Try and share the task of playing with her equally with your partner. Don't be shy to ask the Airline staff

to defer your meals if required.

My wife found that the window seats were not as good as the aisle seat for breastfeeding. With the aisle seats

you can retract the armrest giving more space. The window seat arm rests were fixed.

Anyways best of luck have a safe flight. Your newborn will be like a superstar in Thailand. Cherish all the

attention.

[Spartacus_m]

Hi,

As the other poster said, you will get bulkhead seats so the cot can attach. Our little boy was

on his 18th flight by the time he was 4 months. Tips, well the main one I can offer is not to

stress or worry about what others may think If your baby cries. This is what babies do!

Most people won't hear anyway due to listening to some media through earphones.

To try and reduce any stress to the baby, feed her on takeoff and when coming into Land,

It's good that the baby moves it's jaws to stop pressure building up which causes discomfort.

Try to avoid the baby getting fed and sleeping just before the flight. Sleeping on the plane is really down to your babies routine.

Try and share the task of playing with her equally with your partner. Don't be shy to ask the Airline staff

to defer your meals if required.

My wife found that the window seats were not as good as the aisle seat for breastfeeding. With the aisle seats

you can retract the armrest giving more space. The window seat arm rests were fixed.

Anyways best of luck have a safe flight. Your newborn will be like a superstar in Thailand. Cherish all the

attention.

Hi

I flew to Thailand a few years ago with my 3 year old and my wife. We had the bulk head seats with the cot and these do not give you any extra legroom but as I and my wife are not tall people we are OK in economy (lucky for us). Our daughter was fantabulous. She slept and was as good as gold there and back. She did wake but slept most of the way due to the motion of the plane although we will only fly direct and have never stopped so wouldn't know how your baby will react to be carted off the plane and onto another. Kids are kids.

[spacefruit]

Excellent advice.

We travel extensively with twins, since they were born here in BKK.

The following advice may be a little early but it has stood us well:

Inform the airline you want children's food. (The memo doesn't seem to get through just because you book children on)

When you start flying with a seat, use a car seat. It changes everything and they drop right off to sleep. Make sure when you buy the car seat it is airline certified, many are. DONT SAVE MONEY!

We now don't go to the airport TOO early.

And as other posters have said, keep something handy takeoff and landing for them to eat or drink, it stops their ears hurting.

[torrenova]

A bassinet is ok for infants but not really for much after 6 months or so, maybe a little more. Then you've got to bite the bullet and either hold the baby which I think is totally impractical or buy a child seat at a price of about 75% of the adult fare.

My understanding from the airlines is that a child does not have to be 24 months old to sit in their own seat without an approved car seat but you will have to hold it for take off and landing.

[AndyM]

Many thanks for the advice offered

Would any of you know if there is anything safe you can give your child to help them sleep?

[ClaytonSeymour]

Any advice would be gratefully received

Cancel your travel plans & stay at home. Have you ever stopped to consider the misery that young children inflict on fellow passengers? Not forgetting the trauma that you're going to inflict on your daughter; a long haul flight is no place for one of such a tender age.

I've already made it clear to the wife that if & when I decide to have children - granny & gramps can forget about seeing them until they are at least five years old. As far as I'm concerned, babies & flying are a no no.

The topic of sedating children on long haul flights was discussed here: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Kids-long-Ha...ights+sedatives

Edited April 16, 2009 by ClaytonSeymour

[snuggzzz]

See your GP or health visitor, tell them all the details etc. They should be able to advise you concerning sleep patterns of your child; remember, there are 2 take -offs and Landings with Ethiad with perhaps a lot of waiting around, get drinking water while on plane to fill bottles for wait between flights, as you may have problems getting liquids through customs......perhaps someone could advise....??

Good luck and have a lovely trip

[connel707]

See your GP or health visitor, tell them all the details etc. They should be able to advise you concerning sleep patterns of your child; remember, there are 2 take -offs and Landings with Ethiad with perhaps a lot of waiting around, get drinking water while on plane to fill bottles for wait between flights, as you may have problems getting liquids through customs......perhaps someone could advise....??

Good luck and have a lovely trip

Dress your child as a poodle and tell the airline its the family pet, they will take your "poodle " away and place it carefully in a lovely travel box, you will not see it again untill you land at the other end.When the family "pet" will be re-united with you...No Problem.

[pete_r]

I concur with the advice of not feeding the baby for a few hours before the flight (or only water if necessary), so he/she will eat during take-off. Aside from the ears hurting, ours got bored during taxiing (long wait on the runway), and angry as we couldn't walk to calm him down. On the return flight, we made sure he was hungry enough to pay attention only to his milk bottle, that made life easier for everyone. The same advice is valid for landing.

For hot water, it's ok to take a full thermos, just take it out of your hand-luggage before the x-rays.