Parents of a young baby can be overwhelmed at the prospect of travelling with their little one for the first time – whether this is just a trip to visit friends and relatives or a family holiday.
The reality is there really is no need to feel anxious about the experience – with some sensible preparation and packing a few useful accessories, there’s every reason for your trip to go smoothly.
Here are a few useful tips to ensure your trip gets off to a good start.
- Feed your baby just before you leave – the last thing you want is a crying, hungry baby when you set off in your car or other form of travel.
- Get your baby changing bag stocked up with all the essentials you will need to tend your little one. For lengthy trips plan ahead for extra stops to feed, change, and exercise your baby.
- Shade your baby from sun exposure in the car as a child’s delicate skin can be easily damaged.
- If you are travelling in the winter, make sure you bring suitable warm clothing for your child.
- The motion and noise of a car can comfort and sooth newborns and young babies. This can result in them having lengthy sleeps, so you should be careful not to let your child go too long between feeds, otherwise you may end up having to feed your baby more frequently during the night.
- When travelling with your baby by plane, it is a good idea to feed him or her during ascent and descent to help with air pressure changes. Theses changes can cause unpleasant ear pain.
Car Seats
Make sure you observe all infant car seat safety instructions. Read the manufacturer’s instructions and have your car seat inspected by a technician certified in proper car seat installation.
You also need to be aware of the child car seat laws if you plan to drive in another country. It is your responsibility to ensure you abide by each country’s rules and regulations.
Keep Your Baby Warm
If you will be travelling with your baby in cooler temperatures or somewhere with a colder climate, you will want to plan for how to keep your little one suitably warm. This involves bringing the correct clothing and baby blankets with you.
Strollers
A foldable stroller can come in really handy when you arrive at your destination and need to travel around with your baby. There’s a huge range of products available these days when it comes to baby buggies and strollers. Some companies make infant-only car seats which attach to their own brand of stroller main frame when removed from the car.
Baby Play Mat
If you are travelling in your car, it can be a good idea to bring your baby play mat or activity gym with you – these will fit easily in the boot of most cars and will enable your little one to have some fun and entertainment while visiting grandparents or other members of your family and friends.
Slings and Carriers
Newborns love to be held close to a parent’s body, so a baby sling (worn over one shoulder) or a baby front carrier are perfect for keeping your baby close to you, while still having both hands free. These can be used in place of a stroller when you are out and about while away from home.
Changing Bags
No parent should be without a changing bag when away from home. These are ideal for holding all your essential accessories including nappies, soothers, feeding bottles, creams and baby food. Some have a useful changing mat built into them.
Travel Cot
You will naturally need to consider where your newborn will sleep if you are leaving home for an overnight stay. A portable travel cot or crib is a great option for this. If you will be staying in a hotel, check out the sleeping facilities in advance – many hotels will let you use a portable cot for little or no charge. Make sure you mention the need for a cot when making your booking as hotels usually have a limited number available.
Travelling by Air with a Baby
Airlines allow babies under two years of age to sit on a parent’s lap during a flight. You will be provided with an infant seat belt which attached to the parent’s adult belt. There is also the option to buy a separate seat for your baby – then it is just a case of safely attaching your own baby seat to the aircraft seat. Before flying you should always read your airline’s policy documents relating to travelling with a baby.
As you can see, the key to travelling with your baby is to plan ahead and ensure you have the right accessories with you to make the whole experience as enjoyable and stress-free as possible.
Here’s an excellent article at babycentre.co.uk which includes plenty of great advice and a checklist for travelling with a baby.