Traveling With Baby – Some Good Advice
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.