Travelling With a Baby?

ParentingWeekly.com offers great tips on how to travel with your sweet baby while keeping your sanity.

General Travelling:

Keep extra items for your baby (change of clothes, diapers, snacks, safe toys) in the car or carry-on at all times.

Use plastic chains (safer than string) to attach toys to the car seat or stroller, so you don't lose your baby's favorite toys while travelling. Make the chain long enough for baby to reach his toys.

Put your car keys and the baby's food and bottles in the refrigerator together when visiting. When you can't find your car keys, you'll be reminded that you have to get his bottles and food too.

Only take trips where you can be relaxed, because babies will respond to tenseness, being rushed, being stressed, etc.

If you have guests visiting or staying over:

Don't force your baby to socialize with them. Explain to your guests that your baby may need more time to feel comfortable with them. If your child is uncomfortable or shy around someone, respect it and allow her to (on her own) warm up to the strangers.

Place guests' handbags up high and out of reach.

Don't leave your baby with guests, expecting them to watch your baby while you are fetching them a drink or appetizers, unless you explain to them first that your baby is active (crawls, walks, etc) and you need them to keep an eye on baby for a while. Otherwise, they may not pay attention to your child without a heads up.

Allow your toddler to select the toys they wish share with visiting children. Select shared toys ahead of time and then put all others where they are inaccessible to young guests. This keeps the room mess to a minimum, causes fewer territorial squabbles and in the end your child will feel less invaded and more willing to share during the next visit.

When visiting others:

Check for access to stairways, balconies or decks, fireplaces, windows that open at the bottom, electrical outlets and lamp cords that can be pulled. Check that medicines and cleaning products are stored out of reach.

Carry some strong rubber bands and loop them around cupboard knobs to keep your baby from opening them. Cords to blinds should be out of reach and small items such as knick-knacks should be moved out of harms way.

Pet food, water dishes and litter boxes should be out of reach. Check Pet or Doggie Doors for potential hazards like stairs on the outside.

Check for house plants that are poisonous or that can be dangerous to your baby like Poinsettias. Many common house plants can make your baby very sick if the leaves are eaten.

Watch for sharp corners on furniture and glass tables where the glass is not attached to the base.

If possible, bring a travelling playard or bed for your baby to sleep in. Borrowed cribs may be old and not follow current safety standards.

At Hotels and Resorts:

Check the room for potential hazards like curtain cords, electrical outlets, lamp, hair dryer and coffee maker cords.

Be sure sliding glass doors are locked and can't be opened.

Try to bring your own travelling crib/playard. If you need to use one from the hotel, check that it fits current safety standards with regard to slats, mattress gaps, etc. Do not use a crib that was manufactured before 1980.

Young infants can sleep comfortably in a dresser drawer that has been removed from the dresser and placed on the floor. In a pinch it can work fine.

Traveling by Car:

Provide a neck rest for your baby so that sleeping in the car seat is more comfortable.

Dress your baby comfortably. If arriving late in the evening, dress your baby in pajamas.

Stop every couple of hours for a short break - feeding, changing or walking around.

Keep a toy bag in your car to pull out toys while driving and while visiting.

Traveling by Air:

Limit carry-on items since you have the baby, diaper bag, and car seat already.

Dress your baby comfortably. If you want your baby in a special outfit to see Grandma, you can change your baby into it at the end of the flight.

When you reserve your seats try for bulkhead seats (right behind first-class) there is more leg room and it's easier to get in and out to attend to your baby.

Properly restrain your child (a flight attendant can help you).

Be sure that your child has something to suck on during take-off and landings, so the pressure doesn't build up and cause ear pain.

Happy Travelling!