My husband truly is the most rude early riser. I can laugh about it today because I wanted to get up anyway and finish packing for our trip today, but on a normal day I am cursing his name all the way out the door. He talks loud, turns on lights, tries to interact with me when I'm obviously STILL trying to sleep etc. GRRRR He says it's because when he was growing up it was his job to wake up his 4 brothers and sisters each day, and he's just a morning person. I am NOT. Although I must say having a kid does kind of force you to be a better morning person...
I always get so anxious right before a trip. Travelling with a toddler is like gearing up to compete in the olympics. You have to be lean, exact, trained, prepared. My advice so far after travelling with Mimi on 5 or so flights (both alone and with help) over the last two years....
1. Pack as light as possible. Obviously you need the essentials for baby, but forget carrying on your baggage. Save yourself the grief and fork over the $25 to check that carryon suitcase. Do you really want to lug that AND your baby AND your stroller AND your essentials bag? and forget bringing stuff for you to do on the plane, you're going to have your hands full do you really need to bring your macbook or pride and prejudice to read for the 20th time?
2. Hand sanitizer. Hand sanitizer. Hand sanitizer. Mimi gets the stomach bug almost EVERY time we travel. Obviously I'm not following my own rule enough...
3. Snacks. Pack snacks, more than you know your kid will eat. Snacks save me in clinch situations of tantrems. "Mimi stop clawing me and you can have frosted animal crackers." Who cares if they eat too many snacks on this one day if they're happy and not crying?
4. Remember that you paid for your tickets too. When you board the plane, people will be eyeing you saying to themselves "Please don't be next to me. Please don't be next to me...." You know what!? Suck it up gerkface, kids are people too and I paid for my ticket too. I'll do my best to keep my kid content, quite, and under control, and you do your best to act like a polite human being.
5. Now this one is going to piss off some of you, but that's okay, because I'm being honest and it's muy kid. Infant Benedryl. Yes. I said it. I have in the past resorted to sedating my child. I know I'm evil right? My approach is to not sedate my child with allergy medicine except as a last resort. I flew once with Mimi by myself a few months after I stopped nursing (so after year 1). Before that time, flying with her was a breeze as long as I had my boobs handy....anyway...so I"m alone on a flight cramped as hell, and Mimi isn't one of those kids that will fall asleep on your lap being rocked. She pretty much will ONLY fall asleep in her bed or in a car. No stroller naps, no holding her walking naps, NOTHING. So she was screaming, thrashing, not responding to any toys or snacks and so overtired. I tried to rock her, rub her back, anything. NOTHING worked. I caved. Benedryl adminstered midflight at 1/2 the recommended dose, 10 minutes later she was zonked out.
Well, now I'm off to the grocery store with my last minute list. Then it showers and airport time. I'll report on how it went when we return from Michigan!
Have a great weekend (I know it's Thrusday, but I"m headed out peeps!)
3 comments:
haha, i'm totally an early riser!
i hate morning people.
i've avoided traveling w/ carter as much as possible. it's so hard.
i love your benadryl tip! carter is impossible to get to sleep in those situations too, i think he's slept in his stroller maybe twice - i had that exact scenario happen to me when i took him on a train at 10 months old and would have loved to have known your solution back then, it was humiliating & my arm muscles burned from battling with him.
I totally understand the benadryl. We have never been on any huge trips like that but I will definitely be taking your advice!
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