Bianca
I usually hold her off the seat and let her urinate but she just kept going until I couldn't hold her anymore. Any suggestions will be appreciated.
Answer
I am not too overly worried about the germs, as we wash our hands after using the restroom. My 4 year old is small, and is really scared of the big toilets. I bought a little fold up travel toilet seat from wal-mart that comes in a carrying bag. I keep it in the diaper bag to use when we need to. I also have disenfectant wipes that I use to wipe it after each use to keep germs from getting in my bag.
I am not too overly worried about the germs, as we wash our hands after using the restroom. My 4 year old is small, and is really scared of the big toilets. I bought a little fold up travel toilet seat from wal-mart that comes in a carrying bag. I keep it in the diaper bag to use when we need to. I also have disenfectant wipes that I use to wipe it after each use to keep germs from getting in my bag.
need advise on travel ling alone on an 8 hour day flight with my 2 year old.?
dandyl
i need some ideas of what to pack, bring with me on the flight , also any ideas on what do with regards to using the toilet on the plane , he is potty trained, but the thought of using the toilet on the plane makes me sick.also should i give him any herbal medication to make every ones flight more enjoyable.
its not his first flight, but he was a bit younger and i wasnt flying alone with him.
any help will be appreciated
Answer
I'm a former Flight Attendant and I've flown alone pregnant with a 2 year old and another time alone and pregnant with a 2 and a 4 year old both times for 11 1/2 and 10 1/2 hours.
Good work getting him potty trained so young! Please don't worry about the toilets. They aren't dangerous and bring some wipes and antibacterial gel if it makes you feel better. You may also want to buy some of those moitsened wipes they now sell in packets.
Many parents wonder about diapers vs. underware, flying and their recently-trained child. This obviously depends on the child but here are a few facts to guide you.
To start with, yes, I have put a recently-trained child back into diapers just for the trip and no, it didn't set us back ages in the process. Kids seem to understand this "special situation" as long as it's specifically for the flight and not the whole trip. Your child might resist going back to diapers when you suggest this. Take this into consideration. If his is not night trained, you would be smart to have some sort of "back-up" in case he falls asleep during the flight.
Will your child go if prompted? This means, if you can say "Let's use these toilets here because we might not be able to for awhile..." and your son cooperates, you're in good shape. If you hear "I don't need to" almost every time, you might be in trouble later. You want to avoid being in check-in, security or about to board and have your little one annouce his needs and the fact they have to be attended to "now".
It's possible to avoid diapers entirely without the "risk". You might want think about padded underware or cloth pull-ups (aka "waterproof pants") to only be used only for the trip. There are also tiny portable potties you can buy but I haven't found a great need for them. Usually when flying, if there's the time to go, you can find somewhere to do so. It's more a question of when, not where. If you do think it might help, these gizmos are also useful for other situations. It's a light and easy-to-carry item so taking one would not be an entirely bad idea...
I also never use any sort of medication to get mine to sleep, on all the long-haul trips we've done. I've seen it done many times when I worked but twice I saw it go terribly wrong. Even if it's "herbal", I would be careful. Your flight isn't that long.
Just some general flying tips for toddlers;
If you're flying within the U.S., make sure you have a noterized copy of his birth certificate (if born in the States) and if not, what you can use. Obviously for international travel, he'll need a passport.
Consider bringing his carseat. Two year olds don't fit airplane seatbelts very well and you probably need the carseat at your destination anyway. Using it onboard guarentees that it arrives that it gets there in one piece (it's iffy checking them).
Most car seats in the U.S. are FAA approved. Also, he's old enough for a CARES harness, a car seat alternative that is easier to carry. It's expensive at $75 and can only be used in airplanes. Check out this site for more info on both;
http://www.faa.gov/passengers/fly_children/crs/
To get it through the airport, there are various gizmos sold, some quite expensive and not all can be used on all carseats. These are just examples, I'm not promoting these sites;
http://www.gogobabyz.com/products/gogo_kids.html
http://www.amazon.com/Traveling-Toddler-Attach-Rolling-Carry/dp/B000JHN3AS
http://www.onestepahead.com/product/osa/363756.html
I simply strap mine, which is quite heavy, on to an all-metal luggage cart with an extra bungee cord and it worked great. Also play with the idea of strapping it to the stroller, again with a bungee cord (which can then be used to double secure your stroller before leaving it at the aircraft door).
I do recommend bringing the stroller even if your 2 year old likes to walk. Use it to carry your bags when not in use and you'll have it if he falls asleep. Ask at check-in to confirm that it *will be returned to you* when you connect flights. Usually this is the case but once they said no so double check.
I always bring 1/3 more supplies than needed. Plenty to eat and drink. Don't sweat the TSA guidelines. Here they are;
http://www.tsa.gov/311/index.shtm
Bring what you want and the worst that can happen is that they take it away, no fines, speeches, etc. I've managed to get juice through, although they say officially no. Don't risk having a thirsty, whinny child in the check-in area. Bring her favorite sippy cup and dump it right before security if needed.
Even though your son has flown before, he probably doesn't remember so talk about it and perhaps get a book at the library (there are quite a few on the subject). Even take him down to the airport if you live close enough.
The security is the scariest part for kids. They actually find the flying part fun. Let her know that she needs to put her toys on the security belt and to walk through the arch. You go first and have him follow;
http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/children/index.shtm
Bring books, let him carry a small backpack with toys he's chosen. For long flights, I have a suprise new toy that I bring out once in the air. My children loved simple things. Once I had a bag of toy cars for my son at age 2 that kept him occupied for ages.
Some might recommend a portable DVD player. I didn't buy one until my youngest was 3 1/2 but decide for yourself if he'll watch the screen and wear the headphones. Perhaps practice at home and don't let him know that the speakers work. I recommend a portable DVD player with at least 5 hours' battery life. Learn how to turn the light down dim to save batteries. I also only use ours' in the air and the children can't eat or drink while watching it.
If you do opt to take it, or any electronical gadgets, please charge them before leaving. How disappointing it is when they run out and it's rare that you can do it onboard! Bring the recharger to do the deed, if you have time, before your next flight (more if there's a delay).
You can get up and move around during the flight but please try to do so after the meal service. Always keep an eye on him. Those carts are heavy and are just above a toddler's head. We simply couldn't see them so please be careful. If turbulence hits while you're up, don't return to your seat unless it's safe and close enough to do so. If it's really rough, consider sitting on the floor! Same with the restroom (ugh! but better that than injured).
Toddlers still do best in "bulkhead" seats. These are the ones behind a wall. They're located throughout the aircraft. Request them early through reservations or through your travel agent. They're popular. You can get in and out of them better and no kicking the passengers in the row in front (toddlers are very good at this!)
I bring a change of clothes and slippers to wear once we take off.
Many flying tips say to make the child suck on something or drink during take-off and landing. This isn't accurate. ENT specialists say to have the child awake about an hour before landing (top of descent, landing or touch-down is too late).
http://www.entcda.com/AAOHNSF/earsandaltitude.htm
I can confirm that is when I saw problems at work. Take your child to the doctor in the last few days before you fly to make sure his ears are clear and infection-free. Heathy ears can handle pressurization changes.
For more information on flying with children, I wrote a totally non-commercial article about 8 years ago. I put it on a blog to share with other parents, who over the years have also contributed. I'm in the middle of re-editing it so you may want to check back if you're not flying in the next few days.
Feel free to visit; http://flyingwithchildren.blogspot.com
Good luck and have a good flight
I'm a former Flight Attendant and I've flown alone pregnant with a 2 year old and another time alone and pregnant with a 2 and a 4 year old both times for 11 1/2 and 10 1/2 hours.
Good work getting him potty trained so young! Please don't worry about the toilets. They aren't dangerous and bring some wipes and antibacterial gel if it makes you feel better. You may also want to buy some of those moitsened wipes they now sell in packets.
Many parents wonder about diapers vs. underware, flying and their recently-trained child. This obviously depends on the child but here are a few facts to guide you.
To start with, yes, I have put a recently-trained child back into diapers just for the trip and no, it didn't set us back ages in the process. Kids seem to understand this "special situation" as long as it's specifically for the flight and not the whole trip. Your child might resist going back to diapers when you suggest this. Take this into consideration. If his is not night trained, you would be smart to have some sort of "back-up" in case he falls asleep during the flight.
Will your child go if prompted? This means, if you can say "Let's use these toilets here because we might not be able to for awhile..." and your son cooperates, you're in good shape. If you hear "I don't need to" almost every time, you might be in trouble later. You want to avoid being in check-in, security or about to board and have your little one annouce his needs and the fact they have to be attended to "now".
It's possible to avoid diapers entirely without the "risk". You might want think about padded underware or cloth pull-ups (aka "waterproof pants") to only be used only for the trip. There are also tiny portable potties you can buy but I haven't found a great need for them. Usually when flying, if there's the time to go, you can find somewhere to do so. It's more a question of when, not where. If you do think it might help, these gizmos are also useful for other situations. It's a light and easy-to-carry item so taking one would not be an entirely bad idea...
I also never use any sort of medication to get mine to sleep, on all the long-haul trips we've done. I've seen it done many times when I worked but twice I saw it go terribly wrong. Even if it's "herbal", I would be careful. Your flight isn't that long.
Just some general flying tips for toddlers;
If you're flying within the U.S., make sure you have a noterized copy of his birth certificate (if born in the States) and if not, what you can use. Obviously for international travel, he'll need a passport.
Consider bringing his carseat. Two year olds don't fit airplane seatbelts very well and you probably need the carseat at your destination anyway. Using it onboard guarentees that it arrives that it gets there in one piece (it's iffy checking them).
Most car seats in the U.S. are FAA approved. Also, he's old enough for a CARES harness, a car seat alternative that is easier to carry. It's expensive at $75 and can only be used in airplanes. Check out this site for more info on both;
http://www.faa.gov/passengers/fly_children/crs/
To get it through the airport, there are various gizmos sold, some quite expensive and not all can be used on all carseats. These are just examples, I'm not promoting these sites;
http://www.gogobabyz.com/products/gogo_kids.html
http://www.amazon.com/Traveling-Toddler-Attach-Rolling-Carry/dp/B000JHN3AS
http://www.onestepahead.com/product/osa/363756.html
I simply strap mine, which is quite heavy, on to an all-metal luggage cart with an extra bungee cord and it worked great. Also play with the idea of strapping it to the stroller, again with a bungee cord (which can then be used to double secure your stroller before leaving it at the aircraft door).
I do recommend bringing the stroller even if your 2 year old likes to walk. Use it to carry your bags when not in use and you'll have it if he falls asleep. Ask at check-in to confirm that it *will be returned to you* when you connect flights. Usually this is the case but once they said no so double check.
I always bring 1/3 more supplies than needed. Plenty to eat and drink. Don't sweat the TSA guidelines. Here they are;
http://www.tsa.gov/311/index.shtm
Bring what you want and the worst that can happen is that they take it away, no fines, speeches, etc. I've managed to get juice through, although they say officially no. Don't risk having a thirsty, whinny child in the check-in area. Bring her favorite sippy cup and dump it right before security if needed.
Even though your son has flown before, he probably doesn't remember so talk about it and perhaps get a book at the library (there are quite a few on the subject). Even take him down to the airport if you live close enough.
The security is the scariest part for kids. They actually find the flying part fun. Let her know that she needs to put her toys on the security belt and to walk through the arch. You go first and have him follow;
http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/children/index.shtm
Bring books, let him carry a small backpack with toys he's chosen. For long flights, I have a suprise new toy that I bring out once in the air. My children loved simple things. Once I had a bag of toy cars for my son at age 2 that kept him occupied for ages.
Some might recommend a portable DVD player. I didn't buy one until my youngest was 3 1/2 but decide for yourself if he'll watch the screen and wear the headphones. Perhaps practice at home and don't let him know that the speakers work. I recommend a portable DVD player with at least 5 hours' battery life. Learn how to turn the light down dim to save batteries. I also only use ours' in the air and the children can't eat or drink while watching it.
If you do opt to take it, or any electronical gadgets, please charge them before leaving. How disappointing it is when they run out and it's rare that you can do it onboard! Bring the recharger to do the deed, if you have time, before your next flight (more if there's a delay).
You can get up and move around during the flight but please try to do so after the meal service. Always keep an eye on him. Those carts are heavy and are just above a toddler's head. We simply couldn't see them so please be careful. If turbulence hits while you're up, don't return to your seat unless it's safe and close enough to do so. If it's really rough, consider sitting on the floor! Same with the restroom (ugh! but better that than injured).
Toddlers still do best in "bulkhead" seats. These are the ones behind a wall. They're located throughout the aircraft. Request them early through reservations or through your travel agent. They're popular. You can get in and out of them better and no kicking the passengers in the row in front (toddlers are very good at this!)
I bring a change of clothes and slippers to wear once we take off.
Many flying tips say to make the child suck on something or drink during take-off and landing. This isn't accurate. ENT specialists say to have the child awake about an hour before landing (top of descent, landing or touch-down is too late).
http://www.entcda.com/AAOHNSF/earsandaltitude.htm
I can confirm that is when I saw problems at work. Take your child to the doctor in the last few days before you fly to make sure his ears are clear and infection-free. Heathy ears can handle pressurization changes.
For more information on flying with children, I wrote a totally non-commercial article about 8 years ago. I put it on a blog to share with other parents, who over the years have also contributed. I'm in the middle of re-editing it so you may want to check back if you're not flying in the next few days.
Feel free to visit; http://flyingwithchildren.blogspot.com
Good luck and have a good flight
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