On the Plane: Eating and Diapers

Keywords: Flying

By Stacy DeBroff

• Not only will the snacks you bring keep your child occupied, they may be a lifesaver when your child refuses to eat airline food, or if the meal is delayed.

• Bring juice boxes or non-spill containers with drinks that won’t stain.

• Many airlines do not carry milk on their flights, so bring your own. You can fill a thermos and bring along your child’s favorite drinking cup, or buy nonperishable milk.

• Ask flight attendants for an extra carton of milk or a bottle of juice that your child can drink while you wait for your luggage, your rental car, or the hotel limousine service.

DIAPER CHANGES

• Do not expect flight attendants who handle food and drinks during the flight to take your used diapers, even those that have been well-wrapped.

• Find two empty seats next to one another, or have your partner get up for the change to free up an extra seat.

• Use a diaper liner so you will not have to change your baby’s diaper as often and lessen the chance of an accident on the plane.

• The pull-down food tray will hold a baby who weighs up to twenty-five pounds, though it’s not particularly sanitary for the next passenger, who may eat a meal there.

• If you cannot find empty seats and the bathroom does not have changing space, ask if you can use the floor space at the back of the plane where the flight attendants’ jump seats are located.

Stacy, heralded as a “parenting guru” by the Wall Street Journal, authored four best-selling parenting books (Simon & Schuster) and launched Mom Central, Inc. (www.MomCentral.com), a company devoted to providing savvy advice to simplify and enrich the lives of busy Moms and their families. Stacy appears as a regular parenting expert on national TV show, including NBC’s Today Show, CNN, The View, Tyra Banks Show, CBS’ Early Show, The Daily Buzz, Mike And Juliet, Fox & Friends, and the Rachael Ray Show. Stacy also serves as a corporate spokesperson, trendspotting for the media on behalf of over 30 national brands.

In the 1990’s, Stacy founded and ran as an attorney the Public Interest Office at Harvard Law School. Stacy lives with her husband, Ron, and happily engages in imperfect parenting of their two teens, Kyle and Brooks, in Boston, Massachusetts.