Tips For Travelling With A Baby
Travelling with a baby between the ages of 2 weeks and 2 years can be quite the daunting task. However, it can be a lot easier than you think and all of you can have an amazing holiday – if you prepare for the adventure properly and make sure you pack the essentials (and only the essentials). These three tips should make the journey a breeze, even if you’re completely new to parenting.
Make Sure You Know What You Can Take On The Plane
The good news is, baby formula, breast milk and baby food are all exempt from the liquids restrictions for air travel. This means that you can take exactly what your child likes and needs to eat, no matter where you are going. You just need to remember that you will still have to get it through check in and security in the airport, meaning it will all have to be in zip lock bags that are easy to get out and show to airport personnel.
Travelling with an infant or a toddler also means that you can usually bring on extra hand luggage. Just check on the restrictions with your particular airline before you head off to the airport.
Pack Light For You And Your Child
The fewer things you have when travelling, the better. It may seem difficult to cut down on toys and wipes and nappies and steriliser and all the other things you know you’re going to need (probably from experience of just trying to go out to the shops with your child). However, it’s essential to only take the absolute necessities, and this applies to your own suitcase too, so swap that laptop for a mobile phone so you can still access the internet and election betting sites. It’s not great to travel with a lot of things and have to worry about carrying your child at the same time.
If your child is still an infant or a small toddler, consider taking a carrier rather than a pram. Wearing your baby will free up your hands for dealing with paperwork, pulling along suitcases and taking photos of the sights. Your child may also be a lot happier because they are close to mom or dad when in a new place with plenty of sounds, smells and sights that they aren’t used to.
Bring The Toy Or Item Associated With Sleep
If you only bring one toy or blanket with you on the trip, make sure that it’s the one that your child associates with going to sleep. This will make your life a lot easier because you will be able to comfort them and encourage sleep in unfamiliar places. It’s an especially useful item during the actual journey to get where you’re going and then back home again. You’ll hopefully be able to promote sleep in your child naturally by giving them this toy or specific item, rather than resorting to some kind of medication to calm them.
