Traveling on a plane with a 1 year old child. Help please?

He will sit on your lap. This is the rule for all children under two years old who have not paid for their own seat.

Make sure he is failry tired before arrival at the airport. You don't want hm fizzing round in circles or yelling or poking his nose into everybody else's bags. Control your own tension (meditation, yoga, whatever you do) to avoid transmitting it to him. Talk to him, tell stories during the wait for the plane, so he does not fall asleep but is still a bit tired.

Check in early and ask for a suitable seat. Probably best to have an aisle seat so you can go to take him to the toilet easily if he needs cleaning up.

Get to the gate early and make yourself known to the gate staff. They will board you first. Feed him the moment you have boarded and are seated - you want him to fall asleep once the plane is in the air and sleep through most (all, if poss) of the flight. So once the plane is in the air, you go all boring, no stories, no entertainment.

General rule - you need to be one step ahead, working out when he will be tired, hungry, sleepy, and fit those into good moments. A flight can be stress-free for both of you if you just get the timing right or nearly right.

I agree with Graywolf as we just flew with a 16 month from Malaysia to the U.S. Best thing to do is to tire your son out. So if he can walk, let him walk as much as possible so he can sleep on part of the flight. Since he is under 2, he can be a lap-child. You still need to tell the airline that you will be having a lap-child though.

Bring extra diapers, change of clothes, pacifier, snacks and toys or iPad to keep him occupied. You are allowed to bring formula through security. The liquid rule does not apply to baby formula.

As for the stroller, you can wheel that right through the jetway and leave it there. The stroller will then go under the belly of the plane and when you get off the plane at your next destination, wait in the jetway and they will bring the stroller there.

Just get to the airport a little earlier than you normally would because you want to give yourself some extra time.

I have always found it easier to buy a seat for my children, even at this age when it wasn't necessary. They are less likely to fuss and cry about getting down when they are strapped in to a car seat. If you don't buy a seat, then he will sit in your lap.

You can take your stroller right up to the door of the plane. They will take it and store it under the plane during the flight, and it will be waiting for you when you leave the plane. That makes it easy to get through the airport with your child and all of your things.

The security rules don't apply for baby milk/formula/juice - so you can take that through with no concern. They may inspect it, but you are not limited. All of your belongings will have to be scanned, including the stroller, and you will carry your baby through the metal detector.

I recommend changing him before you get on the plane, as it can be very difficult on the plane. You may have no choice but to do it on the plane as well though.

You could always Gaffer Tape him into his seat.

What a nightmare..

I just hope I'm not on that flight.