Jetlag theories 101

I wrote a blog early on about jetlag and how I go about dealing with it with my little bubs. Mostly I went on about how I don't actually believe in jetlag. What may have become clear from reading it was that I simply choose to ignore it and hope it goes away. What I need to make clear is that in said blog I was really only talking about long haul flights (ie London to Melbourne).

But recently we went from LA to New York (3 hours ahead) and then 4 days later we went from NY to London (5 hours ahead). Neither of these flights should be that bad.


Should be...

In NY we simply all went to bed later. Easy. On the flight to London bubs slept the entire way (we left at 9pm and it was a 6 hour flight). But as we landed in London at 9am Bebe didn't get to sleep her normal 12 hours straight so I let her sleep lots during the day. But we had to go to a wedding the next day so I then made some decisions purely to personally get through the day when I should have stuck to my rules. So although she was great during the day we had two pretty full on nights (see my 3am blog). But on the third night I broke it by sitting with Bebe on and off for two hours between 10pm and midnight as she fussed and whinged and generally tried to not go to sleep. I shushed and patted (see The Baby Whisperer), I rocked and I sang but I never left the bedroom and I didn't relent and go and sit with her on the couch and watch The Daily Show on catch up tv for an hour until she fell asleep through metaphor overload (we did that the first night I must admit).

Now we are on a 4 hour eating day starting at 9am which is actually awesome - why can't we always be on that! I get to sleep in and we can take her out to dinner with us. I love it! Bebe and I are flying back to Australia in a week so I am not going to fuss too much at all with the extra feed in the night and I am certainly not going to get her to wake any earlier anytime soon!

So here are my new theories:

Length of flight versus time difference.


When the flight is only 6 hours and the time difference is 5 there are going to be problems getting our brains around it all. A 24 hour flight with a 10 hour difference is much better in a way because you can make up sleep and just get to your destination a bit tired or wired instead of wrecked.

and 

Why sometimes the easiest flight = the hardest recovery.

Bebe slept for 5 1/2 hours of the 6 on the last flight. Easiest. Flight. Ever. 

Horrid for two nights afterwards....

I have no real theory about this. Just an observation.

So next week is the last big flight for Bebe & I for 6 MONTHS!! (Well, there is a bit of around Australia action but the worst that will be is one to Perth and that is months away - yay!)

I will let you know how much more difficult flying long haul with a 5 1/12 month old is in comparison to a 3 month old. I am told it just keeps getting more difficult - joy!


Keep the feedback coming - I would love another guest blogger so if you or someone you know is a traveller with babies then please send them my way.


x Ali
ps I tried the ear pressure thing again and it worked again - all you need is a boob or bottle, olbas oil on a tissue and a distracting lullaby - easy!

1st Guest Blog!

Hello all,

I have had some great responses to this blog and I have asked a few people to write down their tips &/or experiences so I can make then a guest blogger for the day.

So, here is our very first guest and it is none other than the lovely Fahey Younger who is a comedienne and fellow arty/carnie traveller. She has two beautiful boys Mo & Spike (here they are looking awesome):

and travels a lot with them so here goes:

Travelling w/ kids is a lot of fun - fun that dissipates somewhat as they get older. heh!

You pretty much hit all my tips especially - get a bassinet seat on the plane.  Covering an  "I don't want to miss out" baby w/ a muslin so they can sleep!   And I couldn't agree more.  The better the class the easier the travel - plus it's fantastic to hit the pointy end of the plane w/ a baby in your arms as the looks on the faces of the other passengers is priceless!  heh

Just a hint (mainly for flying within the US) if you're formula feeding, you'll generally take the water and the powder separately.  Some baggage checkers are morons and wont want to let you take cooled water in a bottle.  Even while you're holding a new baby.  Be prepared you'll have to pre-mix it or ditch it or fight.  Guess which one I chose?  heh

Some airlines are better with kids, Air New Zealand and Singapore Airlines are the BEST. Hands down.  United and Qantas, awful.

For pressurising little ears.  I always try to reserve some bottle for take-offs and landings - cause babies are crap at chewing gum.

Bigger kids - this is my absolute number one tip for a long haul flight.  Before you leave, hit the Toy Aisle at KMart and buy up a bunch of little toys.  The biggest hits are always tiny containers with ATTACHED lids, little battery powered fans that light up, toy cars, stretchy frogs (don't ask me what they're made of I have NO clue but they're stretchy and stick to windows) - really anything cheap and small.  Then, you wrap each one.  Lots of tiny presents.  Then you just dish them out as the flight goes on and the kids get bored.  We tend to buy 1 toy per 2 hours.  FAIL SAFE!  They're small enough to cram in your handbag/carry on just remember, don't buy anything that makes a noise!!  That has worked for us since Spike was 10 months old.

This is a fantastic site, we use a lot http://www.travelswithbaby.com/planning/baby_gear_rentals.htm

Those hire companies are extra fabulous, not just for cots and car seats but for things like the beloved Jumperoo.  Certainly too big to travel with but essential for Mumma's mental health. :-)

We have always travelled w/ the fullsize pram too (A hulking big Zekiwa and now a sleeker Love n Care) and have never had a problem.  I don't check the pram, I wheel it up to the gate and the hosties will take it from you there and 99% of airlines will have it at the gate when you get OFF the plane.  Voila I say.  VWAH-LAH!

So there you are - a great few flying tips from the excellent Fahey - feel free to leave your comments and if anyone else wants to write a guest blog email me at info@alimcgregor.com

Next up 'traveling strollers' so feel free to send me your favourites to go into the mix.

x

Squealing across America...

Yesterday we flew from LA to NYC. After all my preaching of an efficient suitcase and clever packing we still looked a little like refugees escaping with all of our belongings strapped to an overpriced luggage trolley. We have been away for over a month though and if you took away all my stuff and the clothes I bought her in LA (love the aussie dollar at the moment!) it wouldn't actually be that bad. You get away with a lot when you can stuff that stroller bag full of other stuff. It never counts as one of your bags so it is like free bag!

Virgin America doesn't have bassinet seats, well certainly not on the plane that we took. My husband and I disagree a bit about Virgin - he thought it was good service, I thought it was a bit average. We forked out for 'upper' class also so I expected a bit more to be honest. Nice seats and the food was pretty good but I can really do without Virgin stewards talking to us all like we are on a 18 to 30's cruise ship.

"...and if you see someone you like the look of on the plane you can always send them a seat to seat message through our entertainment center..." 

Really? If I am flying in a metal box a few miles above the earth with my life in someone's hands I want them to be serious and efficient not be busy helping me 'hook up'. Anyway there was no children's tv or movies on said entertainment 'center'. They did have live tv which has nickelodeon but for most of the flight it was playing a sitcom starring both Miley & Billy Ray Cyrus and no baby needs to be inflicted with that..

I am pretty against tv for babies at the best of times but yesterday, for some reason Bebe decided that squealing at the top of her lungs was both fun and entertaining for all. Having no bassinet or any place to play she got pretty bored of our laps, her toys and walking up and down the aisle pretty quickly. It actually wasn't all that bad but I could have done with some pretty spongebob style colours to distract now and then. Onya Virgin.

I may do a bit of research into the different airlines and what they offer for babies & kids. I suspect they differ greatly. If anyone has a story I'd love to hear it.

Oh, and I seem to have found a way to not have her screaming in ear pain as we land. I had a bottle of sterilised water that she sort of sucked on a little as soon as we started to descend and then the dummy and getting her to look into my eyes as I sang her favourite songs to her to distract. I also had a tissue with a little Olbas oil (eucalyplus would also work) that I waved under her nose. Not sure which worked or if it was just a fluke. I will tell you next week after the next flight!

We also used our new second hand car seat to carry her around the airport (sits on the luggage trolley pretty sweetly) and checked it on at the gate. We then could pop her straight into the taxi and she was as happy as can be. I will be doing that again...

Keep sending me your comments and stories - I am loving all the feedback!

x

Things I can't live without # 2

Thrupenny Bits

booby feeding cushion

This is far better than any other feeding cushion I have seen. Not only does it work (it ties around your waist so baby doesn't slip off like with some of the others) but it is small, light, washable, comes in lots of beautiful fabrics and can be used as a handbag when you have finished feeding - result! It is especially good for a very small baby when flying as they happily sleep on your lap safely and you can clip the special seatbelt around them easily as they sleep. You can just tie it around the top of your wheely, on-board case so you don't have to look like one of those embarrassing tourists carrying some neck pillow the size of a small car

Anyone who has traveled near a baby will know that their ears hurt when landing. The best way to get over this is to feed baby as you start to descend and this pillow made that so easy for me.

The other good thing is that these are made by a gorgeous mum Melissa in London who saw a gap in the market and started her own little business and I think that is totally ace.

If you think you would like one and think you know other who would I may consider getting a bulk load sent out to Australia so do let me know.

This is also featured on my 'Equipment' Page