Internatonal travel with 16 month old-is it worth it?

[Anonymous]

We are debating on taking a trip this summer to Europe to visit family with our daughter who will be 16/17 mos. old at the time. I can't imagine the plane ride being a pleasant experience, but would still like to hear personal stories and suggestions from those who have gone through this.

[Anonymous]

We've gone to Europe a couple time since our son was born (he is now 24 months). The trip there is usually easy b/c most flights to europe leave at night so the kids tend to sleep pretty much the whole way. The trip home can be more challenging. My son will usually still sleep for about half the trip....the other half I will entertain him in every way I can think of. Books, quiet toys, songs (sung quietly), trips to the bathroom will always a source of entertainment for him, looking out the window, sock puppets....I got desperate near the end....but it really wasn't that bad...I would do it again!!

[Anonymous]

We moved to Europe when my daughter was 12 months and have done a lot of traveling with her since to "take advantage" of our being here.

Honestly, we've been pretty successful at traveling with her but I won't lie, we wouldn't be doing it if not for our unusual circumstances.

I think if you are visiting family it will be much easier - what is tough is lots of moving around, trying to sightsee, etc. The more helping hands the easier, and a family visit might be more relaxed.

[Anonymous]

Good luck! We were unfortunate since we could not take an evening flight. Our 18 month old was the classic terror on the plane. Despite the snacks, toys and books, we just couldn't keep him entertained for a solid 6 hours. We let him run around the plane (with me or my husband right behind him), but I could sense that this was annoying some of the passengers. The flight attendants were great and would keep him occupied in their cabin area. One thing that i thought would be tough but wasn't--we did not purchase another seat for him and the plane was pretty packed. He was able to nap laying across my husband's and my lap. The flight back was better-he had his own seat, but was rarely in it. Next time, I may consider the Benadryl although I don't know much about the dosing, etc.

[Anonymous]

I travelled to visit family in europe when my DS was a year and a half, too. He was a good traveller - though as PPs said, the flight back is very challenging as it is a day flight. I was by myself, if you go with DH, it will be easier. Obviously, there is a big difference between lengh of flight to London and further in Eastern/Southern Europe (6 vs 11 hrs).

Jetlag for us is always much worse than the flight - the flight, you do it, and it is over - jetlag - you totally screw up your DC's schedule - both, for time while visiting, and after you come back. It took us good two weeks after we got back of being up at 4 am playing with DS cause he would not sleep - and having to go to work after that.

Vacation I would not do. Seeing a family is doabel - you will have a lot of helpful hands, and will be able to get away for an hour or two to get a drink, see friends.

Good luck

[jsmarkarian]

We traveled to Hungary with my (then) 10 month old daughter. The flight there was a nightmare since I was alone with her, in a very cramped seat and she refused to sleep for about 20 hours straight (even though it was a night-flight). Whenever she would finally pass out either at the airport in Amsterdam or on our second flight from Amsterdam to Budapest, something would promptly wake her up after 20 minutes. I have no idea how she did it, but I nearly died of exhaustion since I had her in a baby carrier on me the ENTIRE time-on the transatlantic flight and at the airport. Looking back, I should have just stopped trying to get her to sleep so hard, but I felt like she was going to have a meltdown wtihout sleep. Alas, I was wrong. Also, since my husband wasn't next to me, I didn't have the option of releasing her out of my lap for even a moment. When I booked my tickets months earlier, I didn't count on her getting so big by the time our trip came up.
On the flight, we were offered a bassinet that hangs on the wall in front of you in bulkhead, but there was NO room for it so I just declined to have it. Plus I seriously doubt she would have slept in that!
On the way home, she was a month older (we were in Hungary for a month) and did really well, but I also had my husband with me. The toughest part was having to entertain her the whole time. Also, she was just crawling at the time, so she would crawl up and down the isle which no one seemed to mind. I think an older kid may annoy some passengers, but so what?
I think that since your baby is older, some new toys would provide lots of entertainment. My daugther loves sticker books and puzzles. Just make sure you bring stuff that they haven't seen before. Good luck!!