My Tips for Traveling with a Baby
Since moving over four hours away from family and friends, my family and I have become quite the seasoned veterans with travel. When we initially moved, my then newborn was not happy to be in the car. It was always a gamble how long we could go before we hit a meltdown. Since then, a year has passed and we have learned much (with practice!) Here are some of the things that worked for us - with both travel by car and plane.
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For flying, pricing and timing for the trip will always come first. However, we do our best to time bottles and feeding for takeoff. The sucking feeling helps the babies with their ear pop due to the air pressure. We keep the bottle handy until the very last second to takeoff. I have flown while breastfeeding and formula, and both times I would time the feed like so. TSA is very understanding with your diaper bag (this doesn’t count as a carry-on bag) and I would purchase distilled water at the airport for the formula mix.
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One of my favorite baby products is the Doona stroller. While some parents don’t like the short height of the stroller, the flexibility and ease of use worked for me. I personally love it for a newborn, (sad - he grew out of it by 12 months as expected). It was not our main stroller, but we used the Doona for travel, errands, and on the go. Not for long walks and exercise. Anyway, this was integral for airline travel. We would use it until we boarded, check it at the gate and then use it as our baseless car seat once we retrieved the car rental. When we most recently flew to Quebec City, we gate checked our Baby Jogger. This is easily collapsible and perfect for long walks. We walked most of QC, I couldn’t imagine doing 8 miles a day without it!
Unfortunately, we are at the stage where I don’t think he will last more than two hours by flight. So for now, we will accept our limits for leisure travel. When they hit the exploratory toddler phase, sitting still on a lap during the flight becomes a battle. We loaded up with food, snacks and toys. After a brief nap, much of our last flight was spent trying to wrangle a squirmy toddler. Unfortunately, sometimes you are at their will and beg for no meltdown. Fortunately, the passengers near us were very understanding and we made it the whole flight. As he gets older, I will be sure to pack even more activities and toys for the flight. Plus, sometimes even if the flight time is two hours, this doesn’t account for taxiing, de-boarding and the time spent in security and waiting to board.
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We have made the track from Ohio to Ontario so many times, the practice + time has evolved our travel woes. My family and I can perfectly time bathroom breaks, food stops and gas trips. With a baby, we have tried to travel during the early morning for naps or right before bed to keep the sleep routine. If despite the food, bathroom and naps, we still aren’t happy traveling - I am sure to play the Cocomelon soundtrack. If despite all of this, they still aren’t having it - mom (me) goes to sit in the back!
No matter how or where you choose to travel.. with some modifications to your day - you will be fine. Yes, it is easier to travel alone but having your family with you at your destination will be worth it! Just be sure to budget extra time for both packing and travel. Enjoy!