I know this isn't about parenting in the park, but it is about parenting while getting to the park.:) How can you change a diaper on a plane? We have a 3.5 hour flight, and my DD will probably be okay, if she's wet, no big deal, but if she should have a nasty diaper, where can I change her?

Crossing my fingers that this doesn't happen!

I don't have a baby...but I've seen little fold-out tables in airplane toilets so that you can change the baby. I'm not sure if all planes have them though.

How can you change a diaper on a plane? We have a 3.5 hour flight, and my DD will probably be okay, if she's wet, no big deal, but if she should have a nasty diaper, where can I change her?
Not knowing the age of the child, if she is small enough, the aircraft restroom generally will work, but I would bring something to lay her on (chuks comes to mind.) If she is over a year, you might have more of a issue with size.

Unfortunately, the airplane restroom is quite small.

On our trips, there was a fold-down changing table located in the restroom but doesn't have straps on it. If your child is fairly mobile this can be a challenge keeping him/her on the table. I don't know the age of your child, but I'm guessing the smaller the child, the easier so that they aren't fighting you in the tiny bathroom. Be prepared that with a limited number of bathrooms per plane (I think it's only like two or three single bathrooms) you might have to juggle your child while waiting in line...or stay in your seat until there is a good chance you'll get in without having to wait ten minutes standing there...holding your child. It seemed like on previous trips that everytime I tried to get up to take my son for a change, someone else beat me to the bathroom if I didn't just stand there holding him.

Between the 2 of our girls we've been on about 12 plane trips when they were in diapers and thank goodness we never had a stinky diaper to change! I was always praying they wouldn't go because I knew it would be a pain in the neck to try and change them in the teeny tiny "bathroom" on the plane. And I would never even think about changing them anywhere else on the plane and grossing out my fellow passengers! LOL
So, good luck- I pray they don't go while you're up in the air!

Not all airplanes have changing tables in the. The Airbus does have them in all their bathrooms, at least the ones that AWA has, and they are large, they have spacious bathrooms, for airplane bathrooms, and fold down right over the toilet, with no straps, so be sure to have everything organized so you can keep one hand on baby. IF you are traveling with DH, my recommendation is to have him stand in the aisle, and lay baby on both of your seats, you can kind of wedge yourself over her, to change her diaper. Whatever you chose, be sure to have something to lay her on. The airplane bathroom is so filthy, and those seats aren't all that clean either. Just think about all the people who put their nasty bums on them! EWWW!
When my oldest was just 3 months, he pooped as soon as we took off. Thankfully he was small enough, I just layed him on my lap, head toward the back of the seat in front of me, and changed him there. Then I took him back to the bathroom with me, while I washed my hands.

My husband took both kids on a plane trip to Utah over Christmas. We bought a seat for my son, luckily. Well, right on take off, our beautiful daughter got a wicked grin and then my hubby smelled it. Oh goodness - was it bad (or so he tells it.) What to do? Can't take all three of them into the bathroom! Can't leave the 2 year old unattended!

Luckily, he asked the flight attendants. One very kindly entertained our son, while the other allowed my husband to change our daughter in the back of the plane, out of traffic, on the floor. She gave him a airline blanket to put her on. The flight attendants were very kind and helpful, and the other passengers seemed pleased that he got rid of the stinky mess. ;)

He also had changed them right before they went on the plane and figured since it was only a 1 hour flight, they would be fine. Whoops!

You do get somewhat more space on the changing tables in train restrooms.

Somewhat.

We are going on our first airplane ride with our soon-to-be 9 month old. Anyone have any tips for us? We're only going from Salt Lake to Long Beach, so a 1 1/2 hour trip shouldn't be TOO bad. We've heard about feeding them when you ascend and descend. Anything else?

I think you'll like Long Beach Airport. It's appealingly old-fashioned; where other airports tear down their historic original terminal buildings, Long Beach did a museum-quality restoration on its original terminal building, and it is still in use today (albeit with additions).

And if you have a perverse fondness for boarding ladders, or a perverse dislike of Jetways (as I do in both cases), you'll love Long Beach.

My parents used Long Beach when they went down to DLR last year and loved it. Small, not too far from Anaheim, and no monster lines to pick up cars, luggage, etc. Should be perfect for us to have a low-key arrival with our little one.

We are going on our first airplane ride with our soon-to-be 9 month old. Anyone have any tips for us? We're only going from Salt Lake to Long Beach, so a 1 1/2 hour trip shouldn't be TOO bad. We've heard about feeding them when you ascend and descend. Anything else?

You don't necessarily need to "feed" him, he just needs to be sucking, for take off and landing, especially landing. This helps regulate the pressure in his ears.

So, a pacifier will work, I suppose? She isn't a huge pacifier fan, but she does love to eat, so a bottle for the takeoff or landing will be a good thing, I think.

So, a pacifier will work, I suppose? She isn't a huge pacifier fan, but she does love to eat, so a bottle for the takeoff or landing will be a good thing, I think.

Yes, a bottle will work.

But will pacifier work as well as a bottle? As long as she keeps it in her mouth, I mean. She likes to pull it out and wave it around now!

Yes, a pacifier should work fine. My son has used one during take off and landing on several flights without major problems.

-Jeff

We fly quite a bit and have always taken our (now) 5yo with us. We didn't have too many smelly accidents, but when we did I always did what someone else said, took her to the back of the plane and laid her on the floor in the little area where the stewardesses sit. plenty of room, and out of site of other passengers (It's going to stink no matter where you change it).

We fly quite a bit and have always taken our (now) 5yo with us. We didn't have too many smelly accidents, but when we did I always did what someone else said, took her to the back of the plane and laid her on the floor in the little area where the stewardesses sit. plenty of room, and out of site of other passengers (It's going to stink no matter where you change it).

Just be sure if you do this, you use a blanket or something under baby, and make sure to wash her/his hands or any body part that touches those floors. Before becoming a stay at home mom, I was a flight attendant and you do NOT want to know what is on the floors of airplanes. Picture 22 guys flying from New York to Vegas, for a bachelor party, drunk, and all the bathrooms are occupied when one of them cannot hold it any longer!

A pacifier has worked great for both my kids. It is the sucking action. Between the gradual and final decent is when you want them to start sucking, to help their ears "pop."