Flying w/baby & benadryl

So we're flying tomorrow with our 8 month old and people keep telling us to give him benadryl so he sleeps.

I don't want to do this, but it is tempting because i have a feeling i'm going to be that lady with the screaming kid the whole time.

Just curious how many have done this.

Re: Flying w/baby & benadryl

when i was little my mom geave it to me and it had the opposite reaction, i went HYPER and stole everyones pillows, it was a 7 hour flight!!!

Re: Flying w/baby & benadryl

I'm probably a big dweeb but I would never do this. I thought kids under 2 couldn't take Benadryl unless they were having an allergy.

Re: Flying w/baby & benadryl

Posted by shellybean

when i was little my mom geave it to me and it had the opposite reaction, i went HYPER and stole everyones pillows, it was a 7 hour flight!!!

Re: Flying w/baby & benadryl

Re: Flying w/baby & benadryl

I am sure he will be fine without it....I personally wouldn't do it....

Re: Flying w/baby & benadryl

I have done this everytime we've flown, except when he was 4 months old. My pediatrician RECOMMENDED it. It also combats air sickness.

Re: Flying w/baby & benadryl

I have not done it but I would. I think it is fine, it's not like you are giving the baby a illicit drug

Re: Flying w/baby & benadryl

I never have...I have given tylenol to help with pain in the ears and things like that... (our last trip- I skipped tylenol thinking he's ears would be fine since he was older and it was a nightmare- he def. was uncomfortable!)

I had to give DS benadryl 2x's for an allergic reaction and it made my child hyper...

So I def. dont suggest giving it for the 1st time on the plane... Unless of course you are prepare to walk the isles the entire flight...

Sometimes meds like that have an opposite reaction on people...

Re: Flying w/baby & benadryl

i personally havent had to and i've flown with my 4 month old twice already. she slept during take off and landing and in between benadryl makes me hyper too, so my luck i would end up with an overexcited baby! lol..... go with your gut, if your dc does good in the car, the motion of the plane should sooth him, just keep a bottle/binky on hand for takeoff/landing in case it bothers his ears! safe trip!

Re: Flying w/baby & benadryl

We've travelled A LOT with Alex, even to Israel, which is a 12 hour flight, a few times, and I never used it. My pediatrician strongly recommended that we don't, and I"ve heard horror stories where kids have had the opposite reaction (hyperactivity)

Re: Flying w/baby & benadryl

If you have never used it before I would not try it for the first time on a plane. The first time my we tried it with DS he had a bad reaction to it and threw up all over the place.

Re: Flying w/baby & benadryl

Re: Flying w/baby & benadryl

Re: Flying w/baby & benadryl

I asked my ped about this ages ago and he said not to do it.

I also wouldn't try it for the first time tomorrow god forbid he is allergic to it.

We've flown tons of times with Jack (including Italy) and have never had a problem. I have given him Tylenol a few of those times when he was teething badly.

Re: Flying w/baby & benadryl

I've thought about it but not seriously considered it. Thought about it in the sense of "how great would it be if they slept that soundly..."

Benadryl has the opposite on my usually calm daughter. Makes her unable to sleep & much more hyper.

They were pre-schoolers when they flew for the first time. I wanted them to be conscious & excited for their trip.

Re: Flying w/baby & benadryl

Re: Flying w/baby & benadryl

We've flown with DD several times and she has been pretty good, sleeps most of the time.

On one of the flights the guys seated behind us asked us in a joking manner if we gave her benadryl. We didn't and we laughed it off. I think it is one of those tricks that people used to do, etc. The guy who said it was actually really good with DD (making faces, getting her to laugh, etc), so I don't think they really mean any harm but for reasons stated above it might not be a good idea.

Re: Flying w/baby & benadryl

We flew with Ryan in January (we landed back in NY on his 7 month bday).

We had a well visit the week before. I asked the ped about benadryl. And he said no way.

He said bring a binky or bottle to help during landing and take off. I BFed Ryan during both; both ways. Worked like a charm. He dozed in and out as he wanted. But, overeall he was really great on the plane. Didn't cry at all.

Re: Flying w/baby & benadryl

josh had an allergic reation to a bug bite prior to flying, so I knew benadryl knocks him out.

Was appauled when people suggested giving it to him to fly.

on flight, I would have paid 50.00 for a dose of it!

on the way home, he had a dose of it.

when we fly charlotte to NY I don't bother....but Charlotte to CA a nightmare for the both of us.

He is suppose to take allergy meds twice a day now. I can't do it to him...he can't function he gets so tired.

But...the 2 of us are driving up to NY, he will have it before we go.

Re: Flying w/baby & benadryl

I wouldn't -- my DD slept the whole flight after take-off. Have a bottle and some snacks ready and I bet that's all you'll need.

Re: Flying w/baby & benadryl

Re: Flying w/baby & benadryl

We've flown 4 times with my DD (she is 9 months old) and have never done this. She has been great everytime! We try our best to time her bottles so that she needs one during take off and/or landing and have a pacifier handy in the event a bottle then is not possible. We've never had any issues. If we did, I'd want to try tylenol to combat the ear pain before I'd try benadryl though.

Re: Flying w/baby & benadryl

My ped recommended that we NOT give it and that it can make some children hyper so you could end up with the opposite reaction to what you hoped for.

Re: Flying w/baby & benadryl