Flying to Detroit W/ 10 Mth Old

Hi H.,
I've flown nearly 10 times with my now 16-month-old and it's all gone pretty well. Sometimes I go it alone and sometimes I go with my husband. In any case, we usually manage with one suitcase (when it's just my son and I), the pack-and-play for him to sleep in and his stroller/car seat. Fortunately this trip home my parents kindly bought a car seat so I wouldn't have to cart the large one home, too.
You'll need to bring extra diapers in case of layovers and delays. Extra food (if she's eating finger foods). If she will take formula, it might be good to have a little on hand for back-up. I've always been lucky at airports and they've let me bring bottles of milk or breast-milk or made-up formula through as long as I bring them out and show them to security. Also, hand sanitizer is good to have, along with a couple of small toys to occupy your little one and maybe a blanket. One of the most invaluable things I've brought along is a carrier or some sort (the baby bjorn when he was younger, the ergo now). It allows me to be hands free when I'm getting onto the plane (you can bring the stroller right to the plane, by the way) and also when my son falls asleep it allows me to read my book, watch movies, eat, etc. in comfort.
I think when you fly really depends on your daughter's schedule. We take early flights when I go home, which means he'll nap on me for most of the way (still! Thankfully!). Evening flights near bedtime are also good as he tends to fall asleep on me as well. He almost sleeps better on the plane than at home! A red-eye should be fine, but might be looong just to go to Detroit. I fly to Toronto regularly and try to go direct as it is four and a half hours and that's been fine so far. (Detroit's just south of Toronto, Canada, so should be the same length of time).
Anyway, happy travels!

Hi H.! I am a former flight attendant, and a mother of a 15th month old who has flown about 7 times. First thing is, as hard as it may be, pay the extra money and buy your daughter a seat. She will be so much more comfortable in her own carseat, and she will sleep better! My son has always had his own seat, and he sleeps the entire time. He even slept the entire way from NY to SEA. Plus you will be soooo much more comfortable then trying to juggle a busy 10 month old, who is kicking the person sitting next to you!! If you are planning to go at Thanksgiving time there probably wont be any extra seats if you dont buy one. Yes, a red eye is the best choice, that way it is her natural sleeping time. Yes, bring your pump, you can always sit in the bathroom and pump your milk...sounds gross, but it will be a lot more private then in your seat. Make sure you feed your daughter a bottle on take off and landing, this way her ears will equalize. Even if she is asleep on landing, wake her up and feed her. If you dont she may wake up screaming on the ground because her ears never cleared. Bring her favorite toys, blanket, books to keep her occupied until she falls asleep. As far as sending things ahead of time, I wouldn't worry about it. If you are going to visit family, see if they can ask around to neighbor's or co-workers who have had children and maybe they can borrow a pack-n-play or a high chair for you. That way you wont have to worry about those big items. When you check in for the flight, check all your bags except for the stuff you need on the plane, it is so much easier to have as many free hands as you can. You will already be pretty loaded down walking to the gate with the stroller, carseat and whatever else you need on the plane!! I am sorry this is so long, I am just trying to think of everything for you. Bottom line, dont stress, everything will be fine. Have fun and Good Luck!!!

My daughter went to Hawaii, WashDC, Nebraska, Houston and Mexico before she was 2. Here's a few ideas...

PACKING
Have a few toys to play with on the plane.
Don’t bring anything round or roll-y. If it falls to the floor you’ll never see it again.
Bring snacks for yourself and buy a drink with a screw cap once you get thru security - you'll have to eat and drink while you can, not necessarily when the drink cart comes around. And you don't want any open cups that could be grabbed and spilled.
Purell. Nuff said.
Bring extra clothes for everyone – including shirt for you and your husband. If anyone throws up, spills a drink, leaks thru a diaper, etc you don’t want to sit for 5 hrs in a wet/smelly shirt. Bring 3 changes of clothes for your daughter.
Assume the plane will be stuck on tarmac for an extra 2 hrs – bring enough food and diapers to cover you. Bring screw top glass jar baby food and a spoon.
Assume you’re going to lose your luggage and bring any personal things (that you can’t buy) to survive the first night.

AIRPORT
Arrive early, boredom is better than stress. SeaTac has a fun toddler playroom (once thru security) to get the wiggles out - even for 10 month old.
Everyone in the family wear slip-on shoes for security. Much faster. Remember all the liquid and gel bottle rules so you don’t lose anything going thru. Bring your sippy cups empty and fill them on the other side of security. I think they do allow bottles with formula or breast milk.
Go potty right before getting on so you can make it as long as possible before needing to go on the plane.
Have your husband go on the plane with all the stuff and install the car seat (unless you're holding her on your lap). Then you bring your daughter on as the very last person on the plane. You won’t have to sit long before takeoff. (Keep the stroller and/or car seat with you thru security and "gate check" it as you walk on). This was HUGE for us…

PLANE
Choose the window seat for yourself especially if you'll be pumping. There's no power of course so you'll be using battery or manual - your HD sitting next to you could block the view. Or you can go to the bathroom to do it.
Get some pillows and blankets from the flight attendant. Helps get comfortable and they are fun to play games with (peek a boo, pillow fight, make a tent, etc). Just bring a pillow case from home if you're afraid of germs.
Be prepared for painful ears on decent – she needs to be awake to drink for keeping her ears open. Play games like “roaring lion” or whatever to get her mouth open. Swallowing was the #1 help.

As far as flight time, I have heard people doing the red eye so the child slept the whole time. I think this works if you're buying a seat for her. It would be difficult if she's on your lap. Personally, I wanted to have a good night sleep myself so I had energy to deal with my daughter the next day. So we always fly mid morning - not so early that you're waking at 4am to get to the airport but early enough that planes are still on time and kids don't have that end-of-day crankiness.

Best of luck!!

I would try and pump ahead and pack your pump, as planes are cramped and not very private! Pack bunches of finger foods, toys, drinks and the normal diaper bag stuff. My son loved sitting on my lap and he actually slept most of the time on all of our flights. When i put him in his carseat, he fussed and so i just prefter to save the money on the seat and hold him, that worked best for us.
Also id pack extra blankets, as the planes are usally a bit cold and having the familaiar things from home helped.
gate check his stroller, so that way its waiting for you when your plane lands.
Pack lots of patience too...hehe.

Well you are getting some great advice. I have a 5 1/2 year old and a 6 week old and well our family travels all the time. We have traveled with our son since he was little. Flight or car or just a long day out just pack your diaper bag like you are going to be gone all day plus just a few extras (like diapers, wipes, and maybe one extra outfit). You are usually ready with what you have with you and well you will be already carring so much with you that getting to the gate and boarding you dont want to load the kitchen sink too. I do agree that having the extra seat is a great thing if you can do it. You get extra space to reach around, move, get into your diaper bag, etc. Plus your little one has a place to sleep in their seat. Make sure that you take with you light weight things (stroller, car seat, carriers). On the web or maybe at a local baby store they have products like Go Go Kidz Travelmate by Go Go Babyz. This attaches to your car seat so you can push it down the airport with your child in it like a stroller. There are also these little things called "earplanes" that I have carried with me for years. You put them in your childs ears like ear plugs but it helps regulate the air pressure during take off and landing. So when other kids dont want to suck on the bottle or whatever at that time cause it hurts or is unusual to them well we havent been in that possition as the stressed parent trying to calm our son down since I have used these. I dont worry about paking diapers, food and such except to get on the plane and a litte after cause you will pass a store and you can just pick it up there if you want to or have your family have them ready for you. You will have to take your little one out of the stroller or carseat when going through security but then after you get through that it is on to the gate and then the plane. You can gate check the stroller and the carseat if you arent taking them on the plane. They will be right there for you when you get off the plane. Don't worry about the trip it will all go well and you will be happy to get back and spend time with family. Good luch and have fun!

I personally would stick to just nursing it is such a hassle to have any amount of extras when you are cramped on a plane. I wasn't nursing when I took my one year old daughter alone on a plane to St.Paul and had to make sure I had warm water at all times bottles clean... Just make sure you have a blanket to cover up real well so you don't get any complaints about indecent exposure. Also another hint is if they have open seats you can always bring your carseat with and if they have extra room most airlines will let you use a seat for free so the child can just be in the carseat for the flight (it is more familiar for them) we have done that a few times. Best of luck! Have fun!

Just flew to Hawaii with an 18 month old, so it is pretty fresh in my mind.
If you can afford to get the extra seat, do it. It gives you extra room and you don't have to deal with another person next to you. We took the car seat and it worked perfect.
You can take breast milk in bottles on the plane, you just have to make sure you show them to security. Check out TSA website if you want more clarification. Pack the pump into your checked luggage. Plan one/two extra bottles than you would normally feed in the time period of your flight just in case of delays.
Take extra diapers and a change of clothes for you and the baby.
Toys, toys, toys....
Your 10month old will probably sleep a good portion of the flight.
We did both a day flight and a redeye flight. The redeye was nice because daughter slept the whole time, but the day flight was fine too. Just try to get your routine as close to schedule upon your arrival. The babies usually adjust well.