WeGottaGetOuttaThisPlace

We are heading out to Sydney on a validation trip for just over a week.
The main thing is that we have been so busy worrying about the flights, we have not really thought about what we essentially need to take with sooooo....

What are the essentials to take when you have an 18 month old.
We are staying with relatives for a couple nights then a hotel for a week and back to rellies before heading back to the UK. We are thinking of buying bulk of nappies/diapers in Sydney as well as a travel cot for little one. We will be taking as little as possible for ourselves too and buying toilettries etc when we get there. I just don't want to end up with cases and cases of stuff we don't really need that a) we might not use at all and b)we can buy in the supermarket when we get there.

Thanks for any advice - I know there will be lots of you who have been there done that and I really appreciate your words of wisdom on this one.

Satch_Boogie

We have flown a lot with our twins but usually only a 10 hour flight to my wife's family. The best investment we have made are the travel size magnadoodle. It has kept them occupied for hours. We also take plenty of snacks as my girls rarely eat airplane food.

Have a great time.

WeGottaGetOuttaThisPlace

AAAAAAAAHHHH!!!! Magnadoodle!!! Sorry - you can tell we are SUCH 1st timers. Someone was saying to get them a little drawing board thingy and I was like "what?!?" That is exactly the job! Thanks. Think it will be junk food all the way to Sydney then cos our little one only really eats crisps for sure....

Pomster

we have done the trip to UK 3 times now - at 6 months, 18 and 2.5yrs, plus some short haul (!) to Asia from Oz.

A well stocked nappy bag for the flight-normal days worth plus some extra, as flights don't always have/offer nappies. A change mat as loos are not overly clean and hand sanitizer.
Nightware and blanket/comfort toy to help your baby appreciate 'now' is sleep time..

Toys- books, paper and pens, stacking toys all quite little and light. (also bought some tat from a charity shop, which I threw away after).

Snacks- sultanas, cheese and crackers, maybe a baby meal or two from Tesco/Boots. Sometimes the over officious security at Heathrow do not allow these through but it depends how they feel. However all food will need to be binned/declared when arriving in Oz.

We were quite anti our little one watching TV, but at 18months she watched Kung Fu Panda with no sound all the way from Melb- Singapore! It kept her very quiet

quoll

Flew out and back with a 19/20 monther recently. A cheapo magnadoodle type thing was perfect for her except it was a real cheapo and it broke after 3 flights (they went to Europe). However Qantas have one in their kids backpacks so she enjoyed that on the flight back. Keep it very minimal - we didnt have a stroller for the dgd but we bought a cheap backpack for her (in John Lewis, excellent value and came with a bag you could put it in for the flight). She was toilet trained so had no problems with nappies but you can buy them here once you arrive. If you are staying in hotels then you can ask for a cot, you wouldnt need to bring a travel cot with you.

Our dgd basically slept most of both ways, she had a recliner chair on the bassinette tray on the way out on a 777 and a built in bassinette in the 747 bulkhead on the way back - she is petite but she managed to sleep quite comfortably pretty much all the way. We got the latest flights we could in both directions so she was knackered and slept beautifully. Her mum took some snacks - dried fruit, cheese and goji berries but she pretty much helped herself off the adults plates which is what she does at home (her parents and me, we got a nice variety)

Take a little "friend" that he will have for comfort but generally keep to the absolute minimum, you dont want to be bothered with too much stuff and if you find that you need stuff when you are here, you can always go out and buy it.

Good luck, the flights wont be nearly as bad as you think they will. I did it with my own kids on my own several times and now with the gd it's still much easier than you think it will be.

Family of 3

We've done a fair few flights between Singapore and the UK. (Our son is now 2.5). I agree with taking lots of snacks. Airline food is usually awful or designed to make your child hyperactive, and the timing may not be when they're hungry. And it give them something to do. It's only liquids that Heathrow has a problem with. We carry water and powder and they usually make me drink some of the water. If you take ready made milk you have to open it to taste it, so no good.

Basically, unless they're sleeping you want to occupy them as much as possible, so books and small toys. I usually have a bag with stickers, new books, play doh, drawing stuff, cars, trains etc and other assorted cheap crap. I wrap a lot of stuff up as presents, as opening them takes time (take nappy bags for rubbish). Your child may watch the films a bit. I've also downloaded a few kiddie programmes onto my ipod for emergencies.

If it's a night flight, change your child into pyjamas when you want them to sleep and read their usual stories. A sarong can be useful as you can drape and tuck it into the seats in front and behind to block out light.

Give milk/drink on take off and landing to relieve pressure in ears.

Ignore the disapproving looks of other passengers and remember that even if it's bloody awful it's just one day in your life!

And take a change of clothes for you. I used to when our son was little but have never needed them so stopped bothering. On our last flight from the UK in June it was turbulent and my son threw up a full bottle of milk over me. No change of clothes, and I couldn't even leave the seat for an hour to sponge off due to the turbulence. Nice. (THe people sitting behind complimented us on their way off on how calmly we'd handled it, but there's not a lot you can do really.)

Good luck, and enjoy your trip.

Reading fan

Individual Calpol sachets (a whole box)- sounds obvious but we didn't realise our little one had raging ear infection until it was too late ! we had a couple but they weren't enough. We have done the trip many a time successfully so this one was a one off but I never travel anywhere Calpolless.

stevemich

lots of suggestions, but to add my own -

mini chuppa chps lollies for when you are taking off/landing (sucking them can prevent ears popping...)

buy a sticker activity book with the more stickers the better - this keeps them entertained for hours...

I Spy books (see here for an example - http://www.scholastic.ca/ispy/books/school.htm ) can be a good source of entertainment too...

Good luck!!

Pomster

oh I agree about the change of clothes for you...
on our last flight my daughter dropped her cup of water (thankfully not milk) all over my jeans. They were so uncomfortable I had to take them off and wrap myself in the blanket- nice look!!!

(spare clothes are also useful in case your luggage is lost/flights are delayed etc)

Satch_Boogie

I forgot to mention the spare clothes that others have mentioned. Definitely a necessity. At least once a flight, one of the twins spills something on us or gets sick on us. It is nice to be able to change.

WeGottaGetOuttaThisPlace

Thanks for the advice. Really appreciate it. I am a natural born worrier so it is nice to hear advice like "it's only one day out of your life" and have decided to try and make the flight part of the whole adventure.

Great ideas about how to try and occupy them on the plane. LO will be sitting on our laps - we thought it wouldn't be worth paying for an extra seat as I doubt he will sit in it at all and we're not taking the car seat with us. We will just have to take turns holding him while he sleeps (if he sleeps at all). I can sleep anywhere so if he does fall asleep, I will just wrap him onto me and we can both go to sleep.

Bit worried about turbulence and stuff like that since he won't be strapped into a car seat but we've not bought him a seat so can't do anything about that now.

Well, thanks again and hopefully we'll be ok

Jan4kids

When your child is on your lap they give you a seat belt extension piece to go around your child also....so the will not come to harm if there is turbulance. We flew with three under fives the first time and they were fine as it was all a new experience for them. I'm sure you will be fine :0)

quoll

If you didnt buy a seat then try and get a bassinette - shouldnt cost any extra. Although he is at the top of the age range it still gives you a bit more space and the possibility of him sleeping somewhere else that isnt on you. They dont let you sleep kids on the floor any more which is what a lot of us used to do in the dark ages and so you would be holding him all the time and you may want a bit of respite. I dont know who you are flying with or what aircraft but BA have some really neat little recliner seats which sit on the bassinette tray and Qantas have built in bulkhead bassinettes which would be a bit tight but kids do squish in a bit

Cookster

Hey does anyone fancy doing breakfast on the bbq down the Torquay on sunday morning?
Angela

Family of 3

Which airline are you flying with? Quantas bassinets are very small and our son outgrew them at about 9 months.

I'd say throw yourself on the mercy of the check in staff and if the flight's mnot full ask if you can be seated next to an empty seat.