[YTV]

Hi,
I'm travelling with my 4 months old son in two weeks time from Hong Kong to Denmark a 6 hour time difference. I'm a bit worried about how the time different will effect his schedule.
What are your experience?

I was wondering what happens and what to do with his schedule when we get there?
How do we get him to sleep during the night? in Denmark
and how do we get him back to his schedule when we get come back?

He's on the Gina Ford schedule. which goes like this:

wake up at 7am feed.
sleep at 9am for 45m
feed at 11am
sleep at 12 till 2.15pm
feed at 2.15pm
15m nap at 5pm
bath at 5.45pm
feed at 6pm
sleep around 7pm
feed at 10.30pm
sleep at 11pm till 7am

more question not regarding schedule.

Do airline provide seat belt for babies? or do I have to get one of those flight belt?

How much breast milk can I bring on the flight?
If I bring frozen breast milk how do I prove it is breast milk?
I heard you have to taste it in front of the guards. My breast milk will be stored in a sealed frozen bag. Do I have to get some out to taste it?

[carang]

your baby will suffer jet lag, just like you do.

a rule of thumb is one day for each hour change. 6 hours shouldn't be too bad. i took my two kids to canada, a 14 hour change.

as for breastmilk....ummmm.... why would you need to bring any? you will be travelling with your breasts, right? you will be MUCH less stressed just feeding directly.

as for seatbelts, airlines do not provide them. i bought a baby b'air vest and found it completely useless.

[YTV]

Hi Carang,
Yes I will be travelling with my boobs, I want to bring some milk just in case. I get quite sore boobs if I feed directly all day.

Thanks for the advise.

any tips and tricks to get better service from the airlines?

[Shenzhennifer]

I just travelled to Canada (12 hrs time difference) with my then 4.5 month old. He was extremely jetlagged and disoriented for nearly a week. We just travelled back here after three weeks. Again, very jetlagged, though not disoriented.
On the Canadian side I tried to fight it with him. he wanted to sleep all day, but I woke him up every couple of hours. At night he woke up and just cried and cried for 2-3 hrs. This went on for a few more days. When we got back, since I was totally exhausted too, we just both slept whenever we wanted and for the first few nights if he wanted to be awake, I let him and we went out into the living room and played (well, I watched tv) for a couple of hours until he got sleepy again. It`s been a week and he`s totally over it now.
I breastfed on the plane directly so I don`t know about the breastmilk questions you have though. How long is the flight? I wouldn`t recommend bringing frozen milk either since it`s just such a hassle to do anything on the plane - so much easier just to open your shirt.
Do you have a bassinette? I didn`t on the way there, and though I was with my husband, I will never have a lap baby again. It was not nice and I didn`t sleep a wink for 15 hrs. Coming back I was alone, though with a bassinette. When he actually slept in it, it was heaven.
I found ALL the plane staff the be really helpful and even adoring of my little one. I got extra water(they gave me a big bottle to keep at my seat) since I was breastfeeding. When I was alone, eating was a bit tricky. I had one attendent offer to hold my baby while I ate if I was able to wait until after the service was over and eat late. Luckily, before long my baby fell asleep and I could eat. A lot of the attendents are mothers themselves so they are quite willing to lend an extra hand if you need it. I was really pleased with the `special` service I got, and it was readily given to me. I don`t think you will have to worry.
As for seatbelt, there are no special ones. You wear yours and just hold your baby in over the shoulder position for take off and landing. I nursed my baby instead and nobody said anything.
Good luck! I feel for you!

[LeahH]

Going to Europe should fine IF you are on a night flight, when you arrive early morning just put him straight onto his normal morning schedule - you may have to add in an extra daytime nap to make sure he goes to bed at 7pm European time.

We've never had any jet lag going there or problem getting our daughter onto her GF schedule, but coming back is the killer. Each time it took around 4-5 days for her to acclimatize back to HK time. they tend to wake up at 2am for a few hours and want to play!

I took frozen EBM on board once and kept it in ice provided by the airline staff, I didn't have to taste it going through customs at all. However, if you are going via LHR they can be pretty strict.

No seatbelt required, they will give you a lap belt for take off and landing and hopefully you have reserved the basinette seat? Otherwise take a baby bjorn or sling.

[LeahH]

BTW, I've pumped on board also with no problem. Feeding direct with my son was fine too, I used a nursing cover until the lights went out and after that no-one can see anyway.

Our most recent flight was practically empty so I would move to a spare two-seater as it was really private and comfortable to sit and feed in the window seat.

[YTV]

We have an midnight direct flight so no need for nasty LHR (I hate that airport try to avoid it every time we travel) it's a 12 hour flight.
There's a bassinet on the flight so we want have to bring one. unless all the seat with a bassinets are taken.

Thanks all for your helpful advise!! cheers :)

[Shenzhennifer]

Do you mean that you didn`t book the bassinette seat ahead of time? If not, I would call them asap and book it. I tried to book mine 10 weeks ahead and it was booked already.