15 Useful Tips To Travel Smart With Your Baby

1. Always Make Your Plans and Booking Much Before Time

• Planning well ahead of time and getting your travel and accommodation booking confirmed will give you a good heas start.
• This will reduce your stress and give reassurance as you begin your travel with your little baby. 
• Prepare your itinerary keeping in mind your baby’s schedule, like their nap time, their playtime, etc

2. Pick Ideal Baby Destinations

• When you plan to travel with a baby, look for places like a lazy beach retreat, family and scenic resorts, or similar baby-friendly places. 
• Avoid crowded, noisy tourist destinations as they may pose a challenge when you have a baby in tow. 
• Calm and peaceful surroundings help soothe babies. After all, your baby is on vacation too.

3. Make a Point of Feeding Your little one during landing and takeoff

• If you are planning to fly with your baby, feeding during landing and take-off is one important tip that you need to follow (1).
• This helps the little one’s jaws keep working and helps their ears adjust to the pressure and elevation changes while flying.
• It also helps you to keep them calm and relaxed rather than cranky, irritable, and disturbed during take-off and landing.

4. Be Flexible With Your Schedules

• While you must plan well, you still do not know how your baby will take to the new surroundings during your journey.
• So there are chances that you might have to change your schedules keeping in mind the new schedule of your baby.
• Your baby might get bored having to sit still for long periods so keep your itinerary simple.
• Keep your plans flexible so that it is much easier to make last-minute adjustments if your baby gets tired

5. Stick To Your Baby’s Routine

•  Babies get cranky when exposed to a new environment.
•  So make sure you stick to your little one’s routine. 
• If your little one’s schedule includes to a bath, a soft lullaby, and a bottle to snuggle with, never deviate from this routine. 
• This will help them calm down and make them feel more at home.

6. Carry A  Few Of Their Favorite Toys And Pack Some New Ones Too

• Babies can sense they are away from their familiar environment and may become quite irritable to changes while traveling.
• Carrying a couple of their favorite toys is a great support in helping them come to terms with their new environment and this certainly will habe a calming effect on them (2). 
• Also, it would be a good idea to shop for some new and innovative toys that your little one has not played with till now. 
• Packing them for your trip is an excellent idea as a new toy automatically grabs the attention of your little one and is guaranteed to keep him occupied for some time till the newness wears off.

7. Carry First Aid And Required Medications 

• It is important to keep a first aid kit handy (3).
•  Your first aid kit can contain saline solution or saline based nasal drops in case your baby catches a cold .
• Getting a proper check-up of the baby before traveling can be extremely helpful.
• Consult your pediatrician and carry a few medicines prescribed by him that your baby may need.

 8. Carry the Breastfeeding Gear

• Breastfeeding is a challenge while on travel so best to keep the necessary stuff ready. 
• A nursing cover is ideal for a breastfeeding mother to feed the baby comfortably at any place without hesitating.
• Sometimes when the baby burps, spitting up of is common, so carrying small towels, napkins or clothes is a big help.
• Babies are unpredictable and moody as well so can create challenges while being fed in front of people so a mother should be ready to make feeding a smooth phase.
• Mothers should wear nursing bras or use nursing pads so the milk doesn’t show in case of a leakage.
• It is also good to find pillows that can be taken on a journey that gives a comfortable position to feed the baby.

9. Keep Baby Meals Handy

• You can keep the baby formula ready so that the baby can be fed at the right time.
• For babies older than six months of age, you can carry baby foods, small finger or bite-size foods.
• Simple cereals or fruits can be carried as well.
• If the baby is on formula feed, you can have an insulated bottle filled with hot water. This will let you prepare formula instantly as and when needed
• It is also a good idea to express milk and carry it as this is permitted by aviation.

10. Clothes And More Clothes

• Always have extra clothes handy when traveling with a baby.
• It is easier to remove or add layers on the go according to changes in the temperature. 
• With babies on board, you may need to be ready for emergencies, such as vomiting, soiling diapers, etc.
• Carry an extra bag or backpack with you with all the baby’s essential items. 
• Also, make sure that you dress your little one in clothes that facilitate easy changing of diapers.

11. Make Sure You Have a Full Bottle

• Whenever you set on a journey, even if it is a short one, you must have with you a full bottle to feed your little one when needed.
• Babies tend to relax when the bottle is popped into their mouth immediately rather than to wait for you to prepare the formula.
• So always ensure you have a full bottle handy with you while traveling.

12. Unpack As Soon As You Reach Your Destination

• Unpacking is something most people put off till later. 
• However, it would be a good move to send your hubby away with your little one or keep the mite engaged in some activity, till you unpack your belongings and create a home-like atmosphere as soon as possible. 
• Seeing familiar things around will help settle your baby and make him less cranky and irritable.

13. Create a Play Niche in Your Hotel Room 

• Once you check into your room, you need to find a play niche for your little baby and also stack up whatever toys you have carried along in that niche in a low drawer or shelf. 
• This helps to keep the room more organized and also makes the little one feel quite at home with his toys and favorite teddies

14. Make Use of Technology

• Keeping your little one entertained with his favorite cartoon or some interesting app is surely a good idea during travelling.
• This is a good option but one needs to keep a tab on the time as this is not good for the baby’s development.

15. Hire a Play Crib

• Most hotels have play cribs for hire and it would be a good idea to take one on hire while you are staying in the hotel. 
• This way, you get the much-needed rest while relaxing in your room as your little one is quite safe playing in the crib and will be quite occupied examining her new surroundings

Before planning a vacation it is good to consult a doctor and make him aware of the travel plans. This way they can advise the needful in terms of the weather conditions and the medications suitable for the baby. It is important to have a proper plan in place for the trip to be a memorable and pleasurable one. It is obvious that the baby becomes cranky due to the new set of surroundings. Parents should be well prepared for to let things go smoothly and have plan Bs in place for things that may go wrong. 

FAQs

1. When Can I Start Traveling With My Baby?

 It is best to travel with a baby once they are at least a month old as the chances of infection are less. You can also talk to your pediatrician and get their advice on whether your baby is ready for travel.

2. How To Travel With My Baby For the First Time?

It is important to keep the baby products readily available, travel to a place where the temperature is neither too hot nor cold, a place that has baby-friendly stuff, prepare well for food to keep the baby hydrated, keep the baby comfortable, and stick to the sleep schedule. Keep extra clothes and have lots of patience.

3. What Should Baby Wear While Traveling?

The baby must be dressed as per the climate. It is advisable to go for light cotton clothes if its summer and woolens if its winter. Making the baby wear dark-colored clothes to avoid stains is also a good thought.

References

1. Travel Recommendations for Nursing Families | Nutrition | CDC – [https://www.cdc.gov/nutrition/infantandtoddlernutrition/breastfeeding/travel-recommendations.html]
2. Children’s use of transitional objects during daily separations from significant caregivers – [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8451155/]
3. Traveler’s First-Aid Kit | Johns Hopkins Medicine – [https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/travelers-firstaid-kit]