The Travel With Children - Jet Lag Concerns Thread [Combined Threads]
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: Georgetown, TX
Posts: 326
The Travel With Children - Jet Lag Concerns Thread [Combined Threads]
We'll be making a family trip to Hawaii before my husband deploys to Iraq for a year. With a 4 hour time difference from Texas I'm concerned that we could spend a week getting up at 3am and dragging ourselves through the day. It took about 2 months for my son (6 months old) to adjust to the one hour change with daylight savings time. I'm looking for tips on helping him adjust at least a little to HI time during our trip. The only thing I've come up with so far is to keep him up as late as possible when we arrive mid-afternoon and making sure he is exposed to daylight. This may not work, since when he is tired enough he just poops out and falls asleep (even sitting up, being carried and bounced, etc.).
Last edited by FlyinHawaiian; Jul 9, 2007 at 6:25 pm
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: west of DFW airport
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Put a few clothes pins or safety pins in your bag so that you can completely close the drapes in your hotel room. That will help to let you all sleep a little later in the mornings. You don't want baby waking you up at the first light of dawn!
#6
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Denver, CO, USA
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I took my then twelve-month-old to Hawaii, and after a 14+ hours of travel (including a 7 hour mechanical delay), we all got to bed very late (around midnight Hawaiian time). The next morning, we slept in a little, and everything was fine after that. I suspect they are more adaptable than the parents.
Go have a good time and sleep whenever you are tired--getting up early and going to bed early are OK too!
Go have a good time and sleep whenever you are tired--getting up early and going to bed early are OK too!
#8
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: louisville,ky usa
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Posts: 619
Ask your pediatrician if a small dose of Benadryl would help him to sleep a bit more the first morning and "reset" his clock. He may be too young at 6 months, but my pediatrician ok'd this technique at a year old. We just gave her a teaspoon (dose is based on weight, so be sure to consult pediatrician!) to induce a morning "nap". Within an hour she was back to sleep until around 9 am.
#9
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: CAE
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be careful of the benadryl path. it sometimes has the complete opposite effect and makes them hyper. test it a week before just in case you have to hit the specialty toystore in your town, to get toys he has never seen before.
#10
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: Georgetown, TX
Posts: 326
I just wanted to thank everyone who took time to reply. My son did OK with jetlag. The first night in Hawaii he woke up at about 2am and screamed for 90 minutes, fell back asleep until 7:00. After that he woke for shorter periods during the night. The biggest challenge we faced was getting him to nap. By the end of the trip he was pretty exhausted. We took quite a few road trips just driving around because he would nap well only in his car seat.
#11
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: NYC
Posts: 620
How do you manage time zone changes with an infant?
My son is currently 8 months and we have been fortunate that he has been an excellent flyer including three NYC-California trips. All three trips have been only a few days so we have stayed on eastern time but we were hoping to take some longer trips to Europe this winter and I was wondering if any more experienced parents have strategies that they have used.
Thanks
Keba
Thanks
Keba
#12
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Dallas, TX
Programs: AAPlat
Posts: 22
I am also interested in this, my son will be 6 months to the day and will be our first trip. He is quite a chilled chap especially if he is strapped in. Unfortunately I couldn't afford an extra $800 for a seat for him as well so he will be lap.
Also how does travelling with a baby work? We got a cheapish stroller that is more lightweight than our 2 ton pram. The carseat fits into this also. I have seen strollers at the gate so I presume we can keep it up to we get into the plane? How does it come out, on the regular baggage claim point or can we get it when we deboard? He is a damm heavy 6 month old!
Also how does travelling with a baby work? We got a cheapish stroller that is more lightweight than our 2 ton pram. The carseat fits into this also. I have seen strollers at the gate so I presume we can keep it up to we get into the plane? How does it come out, on the regular baggage claim point or can we get it when we deboard? He is a damm heavy 6 month old!
Originally Posted by KebaNYC
My son is currently 8 months and we have been fortunate that he has been an excellent flyer including three NYC-California trips. All three trips have been only a few days so we have stayed on eastern time but we were hoping to take some longer trips to Europe this winter and I was wondering if any more experienced parents have strategies that they have used.
Thanks
Keba
Thanks
Keba
#13
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: oakland, nj, usa
Posts: 96
We have travel across the united states as well as to europe w/both our children from the time they were 6 months. Now they are 3 & 6 years old. The trick we have found that worked very well, is when you get into the new time zone, you try and have they & yourself adjust immediately from the 1st day. If you land in europe and it is 8am (but home is 2am) gentle wake them get them going on breakfast, milk, ceral etc. naps work fine during the day. Make sure you wake them and play with them, feed they dinner in the 6-8pm time range and tire them out with play in the even. If they are good sleepers they will sleep through most of the 1st night and then be on the right time.
As for the stroller. Find a good travel, light weight one, not expensive. Bring it all the way to the gate, They will tag as you get on the plane in the jetway. When you get off wait for it right at the jetway and they bring it out of the cargo hold first and right up to you at the gate, so you can use it as you are going through the airport.
As for the stroller. Find a good travel, light weight one, not expensive. Bring it all the way to the gate, They will tag as you get on the plane in the jetway. When you get off wait for it right at the jetway and they bring it out of the cargo hold first and right up to you at the gate, so you can use it as you are going through the airport.
#14
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: YUL
Programs: Aeroplan Prestige, Starwood, Fairmont President Club, Hilton Honours
Posts: 94
We have found the best solution is to adopt the local time upon arrival with meals, naps, etc. If you can resist having a sleep when you arrive and stay up as late as you and your baby can the first night, you will find yourself with very little jet lag and your child will be content, the next morning.
We made a big mistake of doing the sleep upon arrival in Paris and my son was cranky all afternoon...don't do it!
We made a big mistake of doing the sleep upon arrival in Paris and my son was cranky all afternoon...don't do it!