MOVING!!!
 

So as I'm sure you've all gathered from previous posts, yours truly and the inchling are moving back to Hawaii. If any Cellarites or Dwellars live there, LET ME KNOW! Also, anyone with "moving with a small child" tips, moving tips in general, or anyone just wishing to comment... Please do!


Also, anyone who's had to do the custody thing with an ex-spouse or knows anything about military divorces... :neutral:

We were stationed at Tripler where we had our first child. Traveling with little ones that far is a real challenge. Besure you bring everything you need for the long trip as well as layovers and plane changes. You will need lots of distracting things. We use to give ours benadryl or diamatapp and they would fall asleep. I don't know if you can do that anymore as they have withdrawn most of those kinds of OTC cold meds.

You can still get benadryl, at least in adult doses, I believe. You could cut it into child size portions if you are so inclined. My grandmother told me that she once gave me a small shot of bourbon on a long train trip when I would not stop crying. Worked like a charm, she said, but I wouldn't personally recommend it, myself. :eek:

My mom tried to give me hot toddys when I got ear aches. I hated them so much they made me cry more.

A large crate, well lined with bubble-wrap, with a water bowl and a few air-holes, should do the job very nicely.

For you, not the bub. Let the flight attendants deal with that.

Yea, I could never condone giving them alcohol, although we all have parents or grandparents who probably did. It would not be safe. Most of the OTC meds for kids have measured dosing guideline that were used for normal treatments. Like I said I am not sure if you can even get something like that anymore or if it is approved. Ask your pediatrician. Or do like most and suck it up. I promise you it is not fun.

Yes, they have Children's Benadryl. Should be stocked in the same section as all the other cold medicines for kids and adults. I've had to fly with a baby twice and it SUCKS. Some tips:

1.) You don't have to check your stroller. Keep the kid in it, all the way to the gate. As you are getting on the plane, you just collapse it and leave it with the flight attendants at the end of the walkway. They'll store it below, and then when you get off the plane it will already be unloaded, right there in the walkway for you.

2.) Kids have smaller ear tubes than adults, and often can't pop them when the pressure changes like we can. This can cause them severe pain (and thus, screaming will follow.) Have her drink from a bottle during takeoff and landing, the swallowing will help. Also, I know you can get numbing ear drops for ear infections in adults, your pediatrician might be able to prescribe you some for a baby too, I don't know.

3.) Pray to all that is holy that your connecting flight is not delayed for, say, 8 hours.

Pack a separate, small knapsack with a variety of snacks. Lots of them. And juice boxes.

And listen to Clodfobble. I hear s/he gives good advice. :p
(Sorry, Clod, I'm new and don't know your gender yet.)

<==female, btw.

Welcome to the Cellar, hamadryad. :D

Oh, and Clod is most definitely a she.

Thanks Bruce. :D

In answer to your questions.... the answer is "yes, but not when you're 74." :p

That's OK, I'll be bored with ya in 10 years anyway. :lol2:

Thanks so much, guys for all the pointers. We're leaving the 19th... me, the inchling, and the dog. I've got all your tips written down in my little notebook and will be swinging by the pediatrician's the day before to see about what she can hook us up with :)

Will the dog have to go into quarantine?

yes, unfortunately. She'll be in for four months, because I don't have the time to get the bloodwork done to qualify her for the five day quarantine program. But the runs for the quarantined animals are decent sized, and she'll get yummy food, and I can go visit her whenever I have a couple hours to spare, so we'll make do. I'm looking at a small house for rent with a fenced backyard for her (yes, on O'ahu, no less...)

Study the security rules as much as possible before you go. Don't want to be counting on something only to have them take it away from you at the gate. Pretty sure juice boxes are banned. Not sure about formula.

There is so much crap to carry with you when you have kids, it's really a challenge in the airport. You simply can't travel light. Shoulder straps are key.

Good luck.