How to Travel With a Baby

Traveling with a child unprepared can be a huge challenge. However, if you plan ahead, it can be one of the best times you have as a family. This time, we at 5-Minute Crafts have tips that could help you enjoy a relaxed and stress-free trip with your little one.

Plan the trip.

Choose the right time to travel:

• If your little one takes regular naps, plan your drive or flight during their sleep time.
• You can also plan an overnight drive or flight when your baby is asleep.

Make sure your baby has a place to sleep.

• If you won’t be staying with friends or family, then be sure to make a reservation in a hotel with a crib request so that it’s in your room when you arrive.
• Inspect the crib to make sure it’s safe.
• Another option is to bring a portable bed, play yard, or porta-crib. You can also rent them.

Research more about the airline’s rules.

• Baggage rules are always changing, so check which airlines will allow you to bring a stroller and a car seat. These usually are checked at the gate, and they’re free of charge.
• You have 2 options to choose from when it comes to seating your baby. You can get them a separate seat (which means you’ll need a car seat), or you can keep them on your lap. Decide by considering how comfortable your little one is in their car seat, how wiggly they are, your budget, and how long the flight is.

Let your baby adjust.

• Avoid overscheduling your first days of the trip. Give your baby some time to adjust to the different time zone and environment. They might need to recover and rest from travel sickness.

Example: Instead of going to the beach, visiting a museum, or grabbing dinner with family and friends within your first 2 days, stagger them throughout your stay.

Pack for the trip.

There is nothing wrong with writing down everything you need and slowly making sure you have everything, checking things off, one by one. Use a checklist like this:

✅ Food

✅ Diaper bag

✅ Baby equipment

✅ Clothes

✅ First aid kit

Keep your baby comfortable.

• If you’re flying, give your baby something to suck on, like a pacifier. This will help with the air pressure and soothe your baby.
• If your baby is older than 9 months, you can prepare a few snacks for the trip, like freeze-dried fruits, cereal puffs, fruit, etc.
• If your baby is bottle-fed, make sure you have enough formula at hand. But if you have to breastfeed them, wait until you can stop. In the meantime, let him suck on a pacifier. It’s not a good idea to breastfeed them while they are strapped in the car seat.
• Don’t forget to get your baby’s comfort items, like a special toy or a blanket.

Settle in once you arrive.

• If your baby has been strapped in a car seat or a stroller for hours, they should have time to stretch out. Give your little one a chance to wiggle around and move and roll, even though they’re still not walking.
• If your baby is still sleeping a lot, then it’ll be okay to let them nap in a stroller while you take a walk.
• If your kid is exhausted, don’t keep them awake in hopes that they’ll fall asleep immediately when nighttime comes. It’s better to give them 30 minutes to an hour of nap time. This will actually help them adjust to the new time zone.

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