1. Take advantage of the “fly free under 2″ rule for as long as you can.
2. Buy enough diapers for the plane ride plus one day and buy more on arrival. Ditto for formula, unless traveling abroad where formula is sometimes unavailable.
3. Use a good lightweight stroller (eg. Maclaren Triumph Stroller) inside the airport and gate-check it as you board.
4. Eat out early so you can still enjoy good restaurants.
5. Dial down your expectations for a day out with baby since you’ll still have to plan around naps and breaks.
My wife and I have always loved to travel. We have both lived abroad and had a long-distance romance that spanned four countries and five states before we finally tied the knot. We never considered ending our travel with the arrival of baby #1, nor then with baby #2. We knew the kids would slow us down somewhat, perhaps force us to Strollerpostpone more rugged adventures, but giving up on one of our life loves was never part of our life plan. In fact, I’ve always said that if you are looking for an excuse to stay home and on the couch, never go out again, never do anything adventurous, then having a baby is a perfect solution. On the other hand, having a baby (and eventually a child or teenager) travel with you is a new experience, and one that is part and parcel of being in a family. Sure, my wife and I have taken short breaks away from the kids – that’s very important too – but we’ve always felt very strongly that a family does things together, including travel. Families, where each individual member splits to be alone in their corner may as well change their designation to roommates. If you want a family that hangs together long after they no longer need you to fill up the sippee cup, you have to spend what people refer to as “quality time” with them. And, for dads, that often means sharing with them things that you love to do, to instill in them that same love, but also so you can have fun too.
The Wall Street Journal did a story last week on traveling with a baby. In classic WSJ fashion, the article reviewed all the services you can hire to do the work. There are actually services that will buy the diapers and formula in your destination city so that they are waiting for you when you arrive at your hotel (BabiesTravellite.com, JetSetBabies.com). While attractive to some, especially if you’re traveling alone with extra kids, these services seem harder to manage than the actual work they are trying to replace.
Packing for baby
We always found that it was easy to pack extra diapers in our suitcase (6-8 per day), as well as extra cans of formula that disappeared and left extra room in our suitcase by trip’s end, but you can also plan on buying these items when you touch down (an exception is overseas travel, where we found some cultures where formula is basically unavailable). This helps us cut down on our own over-packing and even with two kids, we’ve never taken more than three suitcases, and I think that is still too much. Despite our worst fears, we’ve always found that almost all American hotels and most European hotels are well-stocked on baby supplies like cribs and high chairs. On the other hand, you may have to bring along a stroller, and consider a car seat if you don’t want to pop for the extra $8 a day the rental car companies charge for seats. For this reason, make sure any carry-on bags have a good strap you can hang on the stroller, so you have your hands free. The MacKenzie Kids series of bags is a good choice for this. They seem to be designed with how you’ll use them in mind, and while expensive, our one bag has lasted through two kids and many, many trips both across town and across the country.
I’d recommend the Maclaren Triumph Stroller ($139.99). It comes in a variety of colors, it only weighs 11 pounds, it has a shoulder harness for hands-free carrying (not for long distances though) and it comes with an easy-to-pack clear rain cover to protect against wind and water. For an additional $150, the 2006 Techno XT Stroller also looks pretty cool and comes with a few extras, including more reclining positons and a UV protection clear rain cover (oxymoronically).
You might also want to pack a Bundle Me ($49.92), which is a fleece-lined insert for the stroller. It’s perfect for cold days and could double as an extra blanket if needed.
By: P. Banas
Traveling with baby in tow need not be a nightmare. Although, we have
all been on aircraft where there is a fractious baby howling for hours
on end, much to it’s parents embarrassment. Remember most of the people
around you are either parents or grand parents so they are probably
sympathising with you. You can try to minimise the possibility of
problems and help your baby to be happy and comfortable. This will make
the flight better for baby, parents and all others in the vicinity.
Of course there really is not much you can do if a baby is ill, teething or
just plain grumpy other than use whatever product your family
practitioner has prescribed or recommended. But you can try to
minimize the tears. A late flight could mean baby sleeps through the
whole process. Make sure junior is clean, comfortable and well fed
before boarding. Get baby well settled before take off and give him
something to chew so the change in pressure does not hurt his/her ears.
Settle yourself down and relax. Babies pick up on tension. If possible
before your meal see baby has a bottle of milk or juice whatever is
usual before sleep and then get him settled down. Remember to take
plenty of diapers/nappies, wet wipes and something to put the rubbish
in. You don’t want to hand the stewardess a wet diaper or worse!!
Remember favourite toys, teddies or comfort blankets. If your baby
will be quiet sucking a dummy/pacifier then for goodness sake and
everyone else’s let him have one. Now is not the time to worry about
his misshapen teeth. Remember just because you think letting a child
cry is good for him, it is not good for the other passengers nerves or
the happy spirit of the crew. Pick him up or rock him don’t let him
howl, ward off the truly terrible screams early.
At your destination remember babies don’t know where they are or that
this is the happy holiday Daddy has worked and saved for all year. Pack
some familiar things. His own pillow and blanket, familiar toys and
familiar food just in case you can’t buy the usual wherever you end up.
Also this next advice is particularly needed by babies from northern
countries. Sunshine may be a rather unfamiliar thing to junior
especially if you are from the UK. Hats with a neck and eye shade are
practical, plenty of sun screen applied frequently not once a day, and
even when being jiggled up and down in the sea keep at least a t shirt
on him. Babies soon burn and also have trouble with extremes of heat.
They don’t like to lie in the sun baking. A nice shady spot, cotton t
and diapers/nappies and frequent drinks of water. Someone beautiful
waving a fan would be nice too or is that for Daddy?
So you see traveling with baby is not so difficult. Relax and enjoy
the holiday with your little tyrant and have a great time.
By: Sunny Jones
Traveling can be a great idea and a first step towards introducing your children to the world outside. It can also be the beginning for your toddlers’ formative memories.
Compared to adults and teens, infants and young toddlers are the easiest to travel with, given any mode of transportation-be it on the road or by plane. Babies at this age are perfectly happy provided they are given their ‘basic’ comforts-healthy food, clean diapers, and pacifiers or their favorite cuddle toy (Bring on Barney!). The younger they are, the more they will sleep.
However, parents also need to be prepared for the fusses and the emergencies. Here’s how you can make your journey a fun family adventure:
Flying High
It is essential that parents be properly prepared and have the right information if they are traveling with their toddlers by plane:
• Bring your children’s car seat: It will keep them safe from air turbulence.
• Pre book tickets: It will favor your odds of getting the right (preferred) seats.
• Keep drinks close at hand: Flying is known to be dehydrating for children. Make sure to remember the sippee cup. Not only does it help avoid spills, but also helps with ear pressure if your child is no longer using a pacifier.
• Anticipate ear pain: Change in air pressure can cause ear pain. Sipping on a drink usually takes care of this problem.
• Change diapers in the rear: If there are no changing tables, use the empty back seats.
• Dress your children in easily removable layers: Fluctuations in temperature are to be anticipated at airports as well as inside the plane.
On the Road
At the outset, car travel with toddlers is easier than flying. However, that doesn’t mean your children won’t get cranky, overtired, or carsick. Follow these tips to make your road trip go as smoothly as possible:
• Time it right: It is advisable to start out close to your children’s regular naptime so they’ll sleep for the better half of the journey.
• Bring the entertainment: Get along their books and toys to keep them busy during the ride.
• Shield them: Apply a sunscreen of SPF 15 or higher, and keep the windows shaded.
• Don’t forget the food: Bring their favorite snacks to help relieve their boredom or anxiety.
• Get the Kit: Pack a small first aid kit along, including pain reliever/fever reducer, allergy medication (if necessary), band-aids and any other medications your children might need.
• Diapers and wipes: If your children haven’t been potty trained, bring along plenty of diapers; don’t forget the wipes.
One of the major concerns a Dad has when traveling during Christmas is the luggage, of which Christmas gifts and presents make up a major portion. Here are a few simple tips to beat Christmas stress.
By: P. Banas