Sleeping with small children on a plane

Believe it or not, children sleep real well on planes. Mikayla slept for 6 hours of our 7.5 hour flight to Munich. Nicholas slept for 5. Mikayla also napped on the flight to Dulles and on the flight from Munich to Warsaw. Planes are equipped for good albeit uncomfortable sleep due to the white noise produced by the engine and the cabin pressure. It knocks them out.

Some people swear by Benadryl, but not all kids respond the same way to Benadryl. If you try it, make sure you test it out before flying. A doctor can give you the adequate dose by weight.

Sleeping is generally not a problem for the kids, but it can be for us parents. Let's face it, the seat itself is uncomfortable. There is barely any legroom to stretch your legs and on some flights, if the person in front of you reclines their chair, you may end up with someone's head on your lap.

With all of that, I ask you to heed this warning: Do not opt to carry your under 2 year old on your lap for no charge. This is a lose-lose situation. With an infant/toddler on your lap, forget about sleeping, even eating. The only time I opted for a lap instead of a seat were on commuter flight around Europe. Long haul flights beckon a seat for your child and despite the expense you will be glad you bought it once you take off. If you buy the seat and your child is under 2, bring a car seat. Yes, it's yet another thing to carry, but car seats have harnesses to keep your child seated and kids are generally more comfortable in their familiar seat.