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I know it’s a daunting task. Travelling with a baby within the city itself to spend a day somewhere or an outing to a nearby park, requires mommies to make a big list or prep stuff a day prior. Stuff like food to eat on the go, diaper essentials, clothing, medicines etc.
So to say, travelling with a baby, no matter if she/he is 2 months or 2 years, we need to be prepared with stuff.
In a recent edition of child magazine, I read a statement which is so apt to this scenario, it said “Travelling with a baby is like travelling with a Rock Band...They need a Lot of stuff and you have to be ready for their beck and call“.
I have travelled with my baby girl twice for a short haul, both times by flight with a duration of 1 to 1.5 hours and many times on road for distances ranging from 2 -4 hours. First trip she was 6 months old and 2nd one she was 1.4 years old.
Here are 6 important tips for travelling with your little one: ( There are many more but i feel these are as important)
1. Your luggage is not the only thing you will be carrying :
Babies and toddlers will want to be carried 70 percent of the times, even if you have a place to lay them down or have them sit down. So, if you are already weighed down by luggage, you need to think about how you can keep them comfy when not in your arms or lap. THINK Baby carriers or lightweight travel strollers. These are great help, because if you want to enjoy your travel and your holiday, arranging for one of these gears will be helpful.
Baby Carriers help you to keep your hands free and the baby held well. There is a variety of baby carriers available in the market and for age of up to 1.5 years. Make sure you buy baby carriers with back support as the baby weight will pull at your spine otherwise. This way you can carry something in your hand and have one hand support the baby without much effort.
Another genius is a lightweight stroller or buggy. There are many types of strollers available but if your child is 6 months to 2 years, I would recommend stroller which is lightweight and has a compact fold, so you can practically carry it anywhere, be it in your car or bus or airplane. Chicco, Graco, MeeMee and many other brands have these types of strollers.
2. Your diaper bag is small so make it easier to carry around by packing or stuffing less :
Diaper bags are diaper bags; do not mistake it to pack baby clothes and towels. I know a few mommies whose diaper bags are always bursting at the seams. It has all the baby snack items, water, diapers, medicines and clothes along with baby blankets and towels.
When you are travelling, u need a diaper bag handy, like with you, in the car or if in an airplane. Do not pack it so much that it weighs down your shoulder or is a bulky item to place beside you in the car or plane.
Only carry stuff which is absolutely necessary in it like diapers and wipes, water bottles and sipper, milk bottles and formula feed pack, snacks and nit bits, one or 2 change of clothes ( light), a towel and face wipes, a toy or 2, a trash bag and plastic pouch, important medications, a pair of slipper or baby shoes, baby dishes and toiletries in travel size.
The upside of carrying clothing, towels and blankets for the baby in another bag is that you can use it only when you want to, so that bag can remain in the bonnet of the car you are travelling or in the airplane cabinet or you can check in that bag.
3. Airplane woes:
I cannot describe how embarrassing it is when a ton of eyebrows are raised when your baby is howling and crying in the airplane. Let’s face it, people pay a big amount of money to travel well and in comfort, and if we have our baby crying to them every 10 minutes of their flight time, they are not going to find it CUTE. So how do you get your baby to be well behaved? Well, there is no saying that it may happen but Toys, puzzles, an ipad with nursery rhymes or their favourite cartoons will be a welcome distraction for them. Carry some of their favourite toys and some toys which are very new to get them interested.
4. On plane or on Road, make sure your baby is comfortable:
If you know it’s going to be a long road trip, get the baby to rest and sleep well the day prior to the trip, sleeping in the car seat is also tiring for some babies as against sleeping in the bed. So to avoid crankiness during the trip, make sure they are well fed and sleeping well a day prior.
If going by airplane, the same as above applies, because airplane travel is a little more taxing due to the long walks inside the airport terminal and finishing formalities like security check, boarding etc and it can make an adult cranky and a baby just a little more.
Also, if your baby is less than 1.5 yrs old, it’s a good idea to nurse her/him or give a feeding bottle during takeoff and landing as the sucking movement helps in normalizing air pressure and reduces ear popping.
5. Do a check of the accommodation or hotel you will be staying in:
If you are travelling to a relative’s house, residence or a Hotel, it’s a good idea to call them and check if they have necessary items related to the baby stay. Stuff like Crib, Baby bed or extra mattress should be informed prior to your stay.
If your baby has any dietary requirements as in cow’s milk only , or allergic to any food, do inform the cook or hotel concierge to make sure that the food served to the baby or milk can be done as per the baby’s liking.
We stayed at a Hyatt Hotel and I am very grateful to Room service there, as they made sure milk as we like it was delivered for the baby every early morning and night, and they were kind to waive off the charges for that too.
6. Mommies, Carry a change of clothes for yourself and keep cool :
Mommies are always excited to take that long awaited vacation with their little ones, in all that excitement, things may not always go as planned. Keep a cool demeanour and mind.
There will be babies who will howl, cry, vomit or just won’t let you sit, read or enjoy your vacation, but don’t loose your cool at any point in time. Keep a change of clothes in your purse too, because if the baby soils it or vomits, you can quickly change. Keep a lookout for baby changing rooms at malls if on road trip or in the airport and feed the baby whenever you can, because kids also tend to get hunger pangs when travelling which make them cranky. Pack your snacks well.
In all, remember, your little one will give you more joy then a hundred vacations, so keep these little tips handy and HAVE A GOOD VACATION! I did on my last one :)
I have included a packing list picture from Pinterest because I found it handy during my travel.
