smelly toddler flying ?

[mumzie2three]

For those of you who fly with tots in diapers, what do you do when they poop in mid-air? Change them on board or wait to land?

 

[Mickey527]

I jsut read an article in our paper yesterday about this. they suggest you change the baby in the bathroom. They said most bathrooms have a pull down tray to change the baby but if not stand them on the toilet and change them. They said not to change them in the seat because it is not fair for others to see or smell.
I know I won't be able to stand my grandson up so I will change him in his father and my seat and hope passengers are not offended. I plan on bringing some plastic bags to put the odor in. The article suggested bringing some smell spray but I have been collecting those perfume samples that come from stores like Macy's or Filenes and will put one in each bag. I hope he will poop when we are in the terminal though.
They also said make sure to bring something for the child to suck on so they don't scream with pain. I will bring a sippy cup and some lollipops and some wipes.
Don't let your child kick the seat of the person in front of them. This is just common sense, I don't know how people can let their kids do it.
Try for bulkhead seat so the child has some run around room during the flight.
Pay for the extra seat if the child is under 2. I didn't and if they have no seats I will hold my grandson. I have the first flight out at 6 am and the last flight at 9 pm so I don't think they will be full. The airline (Air Tran)has those listed as very low price right now so I think they have many seats available. I will bring the carseat and put it in the overhead bin if the seats are full.
Your child is not the most adorable kid in the world. Don't let them get away with being rude or noisy just because you think they are. Well I have to disagree on this one, my grandson is!
there were more but I tossed the paper yesterday.

 

[Junebugwv]

Please consider NOT changing a dirty diaper in the seat of an airplane. I have 5 kids and have never considered offending others in such a way. Go to the restroom, put the lid of the seat down, place the child on your lap and change them. A bathroom function belongs in the bathroom for sanitary reasons.

 

[BCV23]

Of course a toddler should be changed right away and in the bathroom. Imagine how uncomfortable it would be otherwise for the child and unpleasant for everyone.

Dispose of the diaper in the proper receptacle. If unsure, ask the attendants but don't hand the diaper to them. I've seen an idiot do that.

 

[bavaria]

I have seen toddlers with full diapers dripping feces on the floor. I have seen people change full diapers on airline seats. Neither is appropriate.

Many airplane bathrooms do have change tables in them

I am sure that your fellow travellers would also appreciate it as smells can be strongly intensified on an aircraft.

 

[rlrx]

When you're changing diapers all the time, I think you can get used to the smell but the smell is offensive to others. I would always do whatever I had to to change the diaper right away and out of other people's view-for their sake and the sake of my child who would be exposed to complete strangers if changed in a seat.

 

[Anjelica]

I believe the bathroom is the appropriate place. Not out in front of folks where they are confined to the same space as you.

I will suggest, however, to go say up to your local babies r us, etc. and purchase "scented" bags made specifically for dirty diapers. They are not strong smelling at all but yet have a suttle "nice" smell. You place the diapers in those, tie them up shut so no air gets in/out and throw them away in the proper trash (just ask the flight attendants where that is and do it yourself unless they insist otherwise.).

I would NOT suggest masking scents such as dirty diapers with perfume samples as one poster suggested. Although their heart is in the right place, for some, those perfume samplers may be more offensive then the other smell. And sometimes, you end up with a perfume scented dirty diaper (i.e. there is still the smell from the dirty diaper and all you have done is slightly masked it - sometimes that combo smell alone is enough to cause folks sickness.)

 

[Anjelica]

I know I won't be able to stand my grandson up so I will change him in his father and my seat and hope passengers are not offended.

Why not let the father take him to the bathroom to change his diaper? That way you won't have to worry about what others "smell" and plus it will give father and son some "bonding" experience....

 

[gigi1313]

another suggestion... instead of diapers, try pullups... they are much easier to get a toddler into standing on the lid of the bowl in the restroom! they also rip down the sides for easy stand up removal! we found them to be much more convenient than diapers when traveling

 

[seashoreCM]

I know I won't be able to stand my grandson up so I will change him in his father and my seat and hope passengers are not offended..

Bad idea.

It is better to change the child lying on the floor (such as just inside the airplane door) in full view rather than in the seats somewhat hidden from view.

The other idea I suggest is to lay the child on the closed toilet seat and you stand over him even if your body sticks out the rest room door.

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

 

[2manypets]

For heavens sake, please don't change a dirty diaper on the seats. This is not only gross, but if I saw it, I would leave a protien spill to add to the mixture.

 

[CrzyforPiglet]

We changed our son in the bathroom - not easy but doable. As for the waste - we flush that here at home (better for the environment) so that's what we did on the plane. Not to be graphic but usually we can just flip the diaper over and it will fall off (so no touching necessary) - if its messy then we throw the whole diaper away.

 

[tikkipoo]

As for me...I'd be a little p'd off (no pun intended) if someone changed their kids dirty diaper in the seat next to me.

 

[TheLittleRoo]

First, to answer your question: lots of good ideas already posted! Of course, change the baby. The bathroom is the only option, really.... and pull-ups are a GREAT idea for any age. They rip off the sides for disposal, and the child steps into the fresh one. Absolutely no need to lay the toddler down to take care of business.

Some other tips for travel-preparedness:

Dress your little girls in a skirt, dress a boy in elastic waisted pants (track pants, sweatpants) - - something EASY to pull up/down, on/off.

Use pull-ups, not diapers (see above)

Be prepared! Some kids have a pattern - - if you know they "go" 30 mins. after a meal, then feed them an hour before the flight if you can!

Good luck!

 

[Lilysmom]

I would definitely change the child right away. I've been traveling with my two daughters since they were 6 months old (several flights to FL and a flight to Italy) and I never gave it a second thought.

Also, do it in the bathroom. I've not been on a plane yet that didn't have a changing table in the restroom. Changing them on the airline seats is gross and unsanitary.

The idea of using pull ups is a good one too. I also second the little blue bags from BRU. They come with a dispenser with a clip so you can clip it right to the diaper bag/carry on.

 

[mumzie2three]

It seems like most reasonable people here would change a diaper as soon as they are able. I sat behind a smelly diapered tot for two hours the other day on Jetblue to Tampa. The Mom waited until we deplaned to hit the bathroom and she knew he pooped because she told us not to get too close to him when we were getting off the flight. Too late! We had already dealt with it!
I just wanted to make sure it wasn't some new trend or that there was no way to change a child in the airplane loo.