Travel is full of pitfalls and travelling with an infant doesn’t make life any easier. What if your baby gets fussy on the plane? What if he/she won’t sleep in a train? And you don’t even want to think about changing a diaper at a germy roadside bathroom on a road trip. But there are ways to make travelling with your baby easy.
You don’t have to waste your well-earned chutti and travel plans if you take note of these five simple tips, as compiled from nbcnews.com and babycenter.com.
Pack smart: New parents tend to over-pack. Don’t take more than a three-day supply of baby clothes. You can always do laundry at your destination. Whether you’re going by train, plane or automobile, allot one diaper per hour of travel time. Bring a solid supply of baby wipes or cleansing cloths for quick head-to-toe clean-ups in case a bath is impossible. To avoid ear pain from cabin pressure on a plane, offer a pacifier or bottle during takeoff and initial descent.
Car seat is your best friend: Keep your baby as safe as possible when you take public transport, such as a bus, train or taxi, by carrying a car seat. It will provide some protection to your baby even when there are no seat belts to strap it in.
Be patient with fellow passengers: Babies aren’t always the most welcome passengers on planes, trains or cars. A little friendliness and consideration goes a long way in making sure other people are comfortable. Having a crying baby could make you irritable, so try to stay calm and be extra nice to flight attendants, fellow attendees, friends and family (they could be easy targets of your irritability).
Adjust your mindset: Know that road trips will take twice as long with a baby. You need to build in lots of little breaks, stopping every two to four hours. Allow the baby to stretch and wiggle, maybe roll on a blanket even if he/she is not crawling yet. If possible, break your trip into a couple of days. It’s helpful to arrive at your destination early enough for baby to adjust to a new setting before it’s time for bed.
Only pack soft toys: Bring along soft, people-friendly toys. Anything in a car or a train becomes a weapon during an accident because of the high speed of travel. Do not give your child heavy objects in car rides, such as clunky toy trains or toys with sharp edges.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 29th, 2014.
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