Our baby gets all zoomy on the Benadryl instead of sleepy, so a pre-flight test run is absolutely in order to see if Emme is one of those.  If she is, I suggest you get a personal loan before you go.  Airplane booze prices are crazy, and Emme seems like she could drink us all under the table.

If you child doesn't get hyped up on baby benedryl, (as mine, mercifully doesn't), then it is a godsend.  Talk to your pediatrician about dosing.  I gave it to my large 3 month old for a 5 hour flight, and found that 1/4  to 1/2 of a teaspoon knocked him out for about 4 hours.  I woke him up every 2 hours to drink a bottle, and had him drink from the bottle during takeoff and landing.  I actually had a passenger ask me if he was a 'real' baby, because he had been so quiet.  I gave him the benedryl for his comfort, because it's not fair to ask him to sit still and be quiet for 5 hours.

Absolutely.  We took our 13 month old (at the time) to France, and it was WONDERFUL.  We left at 4 pm local time and got in at 7 am local time, and since she'd slept the whole way, she was already on local time!  No jet lag!  

We accidentally packed it in our checked luggage on the way home, and we were all miserable for days.

Look, my doctor (who also has small kids) told me that he uses it with his own children when they fly.  In addition, my father, who is a nurse and has worked swing shifts for 20+ years, uses it to acclimate himself to a new shift.  It is not habit forming, it doesn't make you feel lokey the next day, and it will make your fellow passengers thank you.

I recommend giving it to them immediately before you board the plane.  That gives them time to get good and sleepy before take off.  Just be sure to do the test drive first, because it does hype some kids up.

What does it do for adults?  I've been having insomnia lately.

Lil E is what the nurses in his peds office call "one of *those* kids" who gets totally wired on the stuff. Alas, he is also uber-motion sick, so we've relied upon Dramamine. Not only does it stop the urpiness, it knocks the kid ouuuuuut.

I am personally not the biggest fan of Benadryl unless it is for an emergency allergic reaction. But that's just me. I always found nursing to be a great relaxer on the airplane. FOR THE KID, silly.

If Benadryl gives the opposite effect, you can always try other antihistamines.

Also, Herbs for Kids makes a great tincture called Super Baby Calm. I've been using it successfully for years.

Get some surprise activities for the plane ride. How old is your girl? Can she handle Polly Pockets?

Karen: sometimes I take a Benadryl when I can't sleep. Knocks you out, but can be addictive so don't do it regularly. Source Naturals makes a really good sleep formula called Night Rest. That'll knock you out within 30 minutes. Take it, bring a book to bed and you'll be out in no time and it's not physically addictive-- although you might just come to rely on it since it works so well ;-)

I just flew from ATL to NY last week with my 16 month old boy.  My dad came with us on the flight up.  I had given the little fella some Tylenol since Bendadryl doesnt knock him out.  We were delayed leaving the airport and sat on the tarmac for an hour.  He was fidgety and whining.  But as soon as we got in the air he lay his head on my chest and slept.  Halleluja!  Except, he awoke just 35 minutes later to my dismay.  I had all sorts of new toys, portable dvd player, snacks trying to keep him occupied.  It was rough, to be honest.

The flight home it was just me and him.  We ran him ragged in the airport and our flight was delayed 2 hours, of course.  again, i tried the tylenol,  it was 6 pm when we boarded.  he finished his milk before we left the gate.  I was all, uh oh.  So i stuck a boob in his mouth, and he drifted off.  again, only slept for about 35 minutes.  

I seriously wouldn't wish traveling solo with a toddler alone on my enemy.  I had been hoping someone sitting closeby would find him charming and entertain him?  Noone sitting around us made eyecontact with us!  And he never shrieked as I feared.

I wish you luck!

There was a story recently about a baby who died after its mother dosed it with Benadryl for a trip.  So double check the dosage and then check it again.

My kid gets hopped up on Benadryl, and having him in that state at 30 thousand feet is my idea of hell.

I don't know about Benadryl per se, but a decongestant helps some kids -- and adults, too.  Both my son and I have ear problems on flights.  When the plane gets up to a certain altitude, ouch!  Your ears kill you.  No, not just minor pain -- it is fierce.  Decongestants let the pressure out.  I still marvel at all the times I sat there, writhing in pain, while looking at other travelers, just reading or chatting.  I finally figured it out.

We just did the flight from Australia to the US and back with a three year old and a fifteen month old. Yes, it was hell. Yes, I tried Benadryl. It knocked them right out. And then an hour later, they woke right back up again and were tired, cranky, and miserable for the six hours that it took the stuff to wear off. Not worth it for me!

I say, do whatever it takes. I once asked my pediatrician about tranquilizers for the kids. I was totally serious. She said they don't do that anymore. Bummer.

Sorry, peeps. Cryitout Mike's on a plane right now, headed for a well-deserved vacation with a sixteen-month-old who has some peculiar sleep habits . Have a wonderful week, Mike, all of you. So I'm filling the void here, so to speak, though I