Changing diapers on airplanes?

[dani blaski]

How have y'all handled this? I had to do this on a flight over the weekend. They were holding our connecting flight for us and my DS (8.5 mos) gave us a surprise on the first flight! So I laid him carefully on my lap in the airplane restroom and changed him. But he was so squirmy! I look forward to your responses.

 

[happypooh]

My husband usually does this if there are any diaper changes needed - there is a small table that comes down from the wall in the Northwest planes that we usually go on that suffices although it is real difficult and we try our best to change before we get on and pray that we don't need to change the diaper while inflight!

 

[Princess Roo]

Changing on an airplane was awful with an infant! I basically did what you did the one time I had to do it. I did learn after the fact that many airplanes have one changing "table" in them and you can ask the flight attendants which one. But I don't think it can handle the weight of a toddler. Thankfully I have only needed to do that one change on the 20-something flight legs DS has been on.

 

[CastleCreations]

One time I had to change my son in the bathroom, I left the door open and laid him across the toilet seat. Another time, he really went and if I didn't change it, the smell would have killed everyone. The flight attendant, told me that I couldn't change him on the plane. uh...sure lady, whatever you say. I stood up and proceeded to change him right on my seat in the middle of everyone. Then she told me that I couldn't throw away the very stinky diaper. Uh...ok....I will just stick it in this little throw up bag, and leave it in the back of the seat for all of the passengers to enjoy. She gladly provided me a plastic bag to throw it in, and she took it away.

 

[laughinplace199]

I'm so glad you asked this question. I was wondering about this topic too. My DS is 5 months and I am dreading the thought of changing one if his stinky diapers on the plane. I am hoping he will sleep the whole flight and not give me any "surprises" - at least until we land.

My husband usually does this if there are any diaper changes needed

Can I bring your husband on the plane with me?

 

[Twingle]

Yup - lot's of times! My DS especially REALLY enjoyed giving me surprises whenever we flew! We've flown United, AirTran, and Delta - all of them had a "changing table" in the bathroom. It was about the size of a lunch tray - maybe 8x10 or so? All three of my kids are long, their head was bumping up against the wall, and their feet were pushed up against the opposite wall.

Not impossible, but not fun either! SO glad they're all potty trained now! WHOO HOO!

 

[dsneygirl]

Ask the flight attendants as soon as you board if there is a change table in the lavatory. We were able to use one on WestJet last fall but on our flight to Florida on SW there wasn't one. I took my sister with me and she balanced DS while I changed him.

 

[SummersMom]

I second asking the flight attendant. I did this once and she let me change my son on the floor behind her little curtain (where they store the carts, etc). Then she gave my a plastic bag to tie it in and told me to put it in the bathroom trash because it was hazardous waste!

 

[fishie]

Honestly, I just changed them right on my seat! I spread a small blanket down, laid them across it, and changed them. Once the kiddo was clean & buckled back into their seat, I took the stinky plastic bag to the bathroom trash. We only had to deal with diapers for 4 flights, but we never had anyone complain or look askance at us. (Or, if they did, I certainly didn't notice!)

 

[Elaine R]

There is usually a changing table in the bathroom. If your child can stand up and isn't poopy you can stand him on the toilet seat and change him standing up. This is how we change my DS most of the time once he started to use the potty, but was still frequently wetting his pull up.

 

[DisneyMommyMichelle]

I do it in the bathrooms while they are standing now that they can and before i laid them on my lap while i sat down, it's always hard, but i'm very small so it's easier for me to do it instead of DH, who i SWEAR was gone for like 1 hour of the flight! hahaah! I would NEVER do it at my seat, it's just not something i would do on a flight full of other people.

 

[labst60]

Always did it in the seat. We were lucky the times it NEEDED done becaue we were theonly ones int that aisle (on our side), since we buy her a ticket. Truthfully, the last time I think was 6 months, we were lucky on subseuqent flights - however, I must say that I was QUICK and prepared - had individual diaper changing bags set up (no digging through the big bag), complete with a gallon ziploc bag to seal in the stinky diaper. Of course, I then passed that along to the flight attendant so it could be disposed of properly, but I think she really appreciated the bag!

 

[seashoreCM]

(copied from another post)

1. I second this idea. Lay him on the closed toilet seat while you stand over him, (your) butt out the restroom door.

2. Put a blanket on the floor just inside the airplane door and kneel down and change him.

-3. You should not change him on a seat or on a tray table without covering the surface first and never so as to bring exposed filth within 12" (30.5 cm) of strangers.

Disney hints: http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/disney.htm

 

[maxiesmom]

Always did it in the seat. We were lucky the times it NEEDED done becaue we were theonly ones int that aisle (on our side), since we buy her a ticket. Truthfully, the last time I think was 6 months, we were lucky on subseuqent flights - however, I must say that I was QUICK and prepared - had individual diaper changing bags set up (no digging through the big bag), complete with a gallon ziploc bag to seal in the stinky diaper. Of course, I then passed that along to the flight attendant so it could be disposed of properly, but I think she really appreciated the bag!

But what about the poor people around you??? I know I wouldn't have wanted to be them. not take the time to go to the rest room?

 

[fishie]

But what about the poor people around you??? I know I wouldn't have wanted to be them. not take the time to go to the rest room?

Well, since the restrooms are usually full (to me, it always seems they are), I guess I figured, let's get the kid cleaned up so everyone can get some relief! Once It is sealed up in 2 or 3 layers of plastic bags, the air clears up pretty quickly. People around me actually seemed grateful that we didn't wait until the restroom was free.

 

[NotUrsula]

Unless the seat belt light is on AND there is absolutely no way you can wait a bit to do it (like a messy blowout that is leaking), *don't* change a diaper at your seat. It is considered a HUGE faux pas and a sanitary hazard, since passengers must also eat at their seats.

If the lav isn't large enough or does not have a flat surface large enough, open the lav door and put your changing pad on the floor just outside of it, with your back turned to the other passengers. That way you can get rid of the mess quickly in the lav trash, and also wash up when you are finished.
CHUX (the disposable bed pads that hospitals use) are very useful as changing pads on planes.

 

[kevschickee]

Unless the seat belt light is on AND there is absolutely no way you can wait a bit to do it (like a messy blowout that is leaking), *don't* change a diaper at your seat. It is considered a HUGE faux pas and a sanitary hazard, since passengers must also eat at their seats.

If the lav isn't large enough or does not have a flat surface large enough, open the lav door and put your changing pad on the floor just outside of it, with your back turned to the other passengers. That way you can get rid of the mess quickly in the lav trash, and also wash up when you are finished.
CHUX (the disposable bed pads that hospitals use) are very useful as changing pads on planes.

I second this. I have a 1 yearold and Im pg w/#2 and I would never change a diaper where people eat and sleep. I couldnt imagine it

 

[labst60]

But what about the poor people around you??? I know I wouldn't have wanted to be them. not take the time to go to the rest room?

On the first flight, I specifically asked the flight attendant if there was a changing table in the restroom (this was Southwest) and she informed me it would probably be best to change her in my seat- it certainly wasn't a "time" issue as I wasn't going anywhere - I was stuck on the plane for the next 2 hours!! (I can honestly say that I have never even seen the inside of an airplane restroom, so I had no idea what the set-up was - that is why I asked the attendant!!) At this time, she was 3 months old. The next (and last) time she was 6 months old and I didn't even ask (just followed the advice from last time as we were again flying SW on a similar aircraft.) Neither time was I concerned about her causing a fuss or squirming away- like I would certainly be now at 24 months and just starting to potty train (diaper changes are a whole different ball game these days- she's much bigger and much more ACTIVE!) Also, unless it was an absolutely emergency, I cannot see me changing her diaper in the seat at this age, not only for those reasons but also because of the odor factor. A 2 year old with a full diet of solid foods produces a MUCH worse diaper than a practically exclusively breastfed infant (another plus for breastfeeding!!!) So, perhaps I should have specified the age of the child and the fact that it was originally done at the direction of the flight attendant - and the fact that I think different circumstances (primarly age) can necessitate different arrangements for an on-board diaper change.

 

[patiently waiting]

We just flew JetBlue. They have changing tables in the bathrooms. They also made an announcement not to change your kids at the seats to please use the changing tables.

 

[Disneyforus]

We sometimes find it easier to use a pullup when we are going to be doing diaper changes in inconvenient places. I have used them on my children when they were little and it has always worked great for us. It's much easier to pull on a pullup and have the child standing. If they do have a poopy diaper, you can rip the sides to get it off cleanly, and then wipe them.

Just and idea, HTH!