Long haul daytime flight

Hi! I flew to Japan with my 9/10mo earlier in the year.

We did do the night flight on the way out, but day flight on the way back. Basically for the leg she would just nap every 2-3 hours, we'd cap it at an hour or two and then rinse and repeat.

It was quite a challenge to keep her entertained when awake, and that was with two of us. And she's got far more Opinions™ now she's 1!!

So I think prepare yourself for a slog (and a sleepless flight yourself), bring LOADS of snacks and toys (if you're flying JAL, call to request an infant meal and bassinet seat). And a disturbed few days when you get there thanks to jetlag... Hopefully by which time your fiancé can help out!

Japan is so incredible though it will be so worth it!

I definitely prefer day flight... Toddler won't necessarily be willing to sleep in the night flight and it can get harder. Day flight allows more noises. Yes it's tiring because you have to walk on the aisle a lot and keep them fed and entertained but to me it's way easier. (I did both several times and day flight remains my fav). Lots of snacks, his favorite toys, be ready to be exhausted and keep calm all the way. Good luck

I think a day flight is a great idea personally!! It depends on your baby though as they are all so different.

I booked a night flight thinking the same thing when our baby was 1 and it was horrible!! He refused to sleep more than 15 minutes at a time on it as he was uncomfortable and it was so difficult entertaining him the whole time outside of that as he was exhausted and sooky but refusing to sleep. We didn’t book him his own seat though which in hindsight could have possibly made that situation better if I had of put him in a car seat. It was even worse as every single person around us was trying to sleep and we were disturbing them.

I think in future I’ll definitely always get him his own seat and also do a day flight so I don’t feel so much pressure to keep him quiet for the other passengers. It was the most stressful situation!! I didn’t get any sleep until the next night because of it so spent 48 hours awake.