Travel Baby

Getting ready for a trip with your baby can be made a lot easier with some pre-planning. Here are some ideas…

1. Don’t wait for the last minute. Start preparing to pack a few weeks before you travel. Keep an ongoing list of items to bring, or put items out on a table or chest of drawers as you think of them. Get a free ebook Packing Lists for Baby Travel Here are some item to consider.
   • Diapers- One for each hour you’ll be in transit, plus extras in case of emergencies or delays.
   • Baby blanket- Bring at least one for comfort, shade and warmth.
   • Plastic bags that can be resealed- Pack some medium-sized ones for stashing dirty diapers, clothes and bibs.
   • Diaper rash cream.
   • Baby wipes.
   • Baby bath and lotion.
   • Tissues.
   • Extra soothers.
   • Clothes- One to two outfits per day. Pack cotton layers for traveling.
   • Washable bibs.
   • Bottles.
   • Sun hat and sun screen.
   • Food, formula, water and/or juice- Bring more than you think you’ll need for the trip, as you can’t predict travel delays.
   • Breast pump- For expressing breast milk.
   • Baby carriers- Easy to pack and a great way to reduce the amount that your baby cries during the trip. Studies have shown that babies who were carried in a sling or in their parents’ arms cried less than other babies. It also frees your hands up for other items.
   • Travel bed to keep baby safe and comfy.
   • Baby car seat for safe travel by car, plane, train, or bus.
   • Portable baby stroller.
   • Portable high chair.
2. Use a baby diaper bag with a waterproof lining and a shoulder strap. Make sure that your diaper bag has lots of compartments for organizing your items.
3. Pack an extra shirt or top for yourself in your hand luggage in case of accidents.
4. Prevent leaks by packing medicines and toiletries in re-sealable plastic bags
5. Bring a changing mat to put under your baby during diaper changes. Better yet use a diaper bag that has a built in changing mat.
6. Pack an energy-boosting snack handy for yourself.
7. Bring your camera and plenty of film or digital memory cards.
8. Pack a clip-on reading light so you can read without disturbing your baby.

Getting ready for a trip with your baby can be made a lot easier with some pre-planning. Here are some ideas…

1. Don’t wait for the last minute. Start preparing to pack a few weeks before you travel. Keep an ongoing list of items to bring, or put items out on a table or chest of drawers as you think of them. Get a free ebook Packing Lists for Baby Travel Here are some item to consider.
   • Diapers- One for each hour you’ll be in transit, plus extras in case of emergencies or delays.
   • Baby blanket- Bring at least one for comfort, shade and warmth.
   • Plastic bags that can be resealed- Pack some medium-sized ones for stashing dirty diapers, clothes and bibs.
   • Diaper rash cream.
   • Baby wipes.
   • Baby bath and lotion.
   • Tissues.
   • Extra soothers.
   • Clothes- One to two outfits per day. Pack cotton layers for traveling.
   • Washable bibs.
   • Bottles.
   • Sun hat and sun screen.
   • Food, formula, water and/or juice- Bring more than you think you’ll need for the trip, as you can’t predict travel delays.
   • Breast pump- For expressing breast milk.
   • Baby carriers- Easy to pack and a great way to reduce the amount that your baby cries during the trip. Studies have shown that babies who were carried in a sling or in their parents’ arms cried less than other babies. It also frees your hands up for other items.
   • Travel bed to keep baby safe and comfy.
   • Baby car seat for safe travel by car, plane, train, or bus.
   • Portable baby stroller.
   • Portable high chair.
2. Use a baby diaper bag with a waterproof lining and a shoulder strap. Make sure that your diaper bag has lots of compartments for organizing your items.
3. Pack an extra shirt or top for yourself in your hand luggage in case of accidents.
4. Prevent leaks by packing medicines and toiletries in re-sealable plastic bags
5. Bring a changing mat to put under your baby during diaper changes. Better yet use a diaper bag that has a built in changing mat.
6. Pack an energy-boosting snack handy for yourself.
7. Bring your camera and plenty of film or digital memory cards.
8. Pack a clip-on reading light so you can read without disturbing your baby.

If you are a new parent or a soon to be parent there is no doubt that you have started to notice the massive variety of strollers available. They all have different looks, different uses and most noticeably, different price tags. It is enough to leave you wondering how to judge which is the best value.

The stroller that is the best value for you is one that will meet your needs and last until you no longer need it. Many parents have made the mistake of choosing the cheapest stroller thinking that it was the best value only to have to replace it several times. Many low end strollers are made of plastic or have plastic joints that can wear out, warp and twist in a surprisingly short time. It is best to invest a little bit of money up front in a higher quality stroller in order to save you the money of replacing it in a year.

You know you don’t want to buy two strollers because one breaks but do you want to buy two strollers for different activities? For some the answer is yes but for most of us it is not. If you are an avid runner and you are going to put in a lot of miles with your jogging stroller, you will need to invest in a high quality jogger that can stand up to the abuse. The stroller that is perfect for jogging is rarely perfect for anything else. Joggers are big and a non-swivel front wheel is necessary for jogging but very difficult to steer any other time.

If you are not an avid jogger you will probably want to find a stroller that you can take for a walk around the neighborhood, a trip to the park or a trip to the mall. There are so many strollers that will fit the bill for all of these activities as well as anything else you can think of. Bugaboo makes great strollers that are easy to push and will hold up through multiple children. The Stokke Xplory has a unique design that many parents and babies love. Orbit baby has created an easy to use and incredibly safe travel system for parents who spend a lot of time traveling.

One thing these strollers have in common is a hefty price tag and yet they are all good value. If you are planning on having more than one child any of these strollers will remain in good condition after years of use. You must also remember that each child will need the stroller for about three years and if you have to replace a cheap $200 stroller three times per child that can really add up fast. For value it is better to spend $500 or $600 once than to spend $200 over and over again and deal with the hassle of a low quality stroller.

By: Andrea Marchant