Traveling is fun and enriching.
But, traveling with infants and young children can be very overwhelming.
What to carry, how to carry, what’s the right time, and what should be the course of action in case of an accident. Boy! That’s a lot to think about!
I have been traveling with my baby since she was 21 days old. Traveling with her at such a young age has taught me many things.
I shall share some groovy tips and tricks so you can travel, leaving behind the stress and soaring with happy moments.
So let us dive into the nitty-gritty of the situation called ‘traveling with infants’. A little planning can go a long way.
Benefits of traveling with infants
When my baby traveled with me for the first time after 21 days of being born, I was very excited as well as terrified.
Traveling to my dad’s place with my baby was an easy journey. They can barely move. They just have to be fed by the clock or by demand.
Since my baby was exclusively breastfed, I just had to feed her occasionally.
Changed her diapers every 4 hours. Gave her a change of clothes every eight hours.
When booking a flight, you would get an option for the bassinet seat. Just feed, change, and tuck your baby in the bassinet seat, and you can relax.
But yes, your infant might want to be on your lap the whole time. In that case, traveling with a partner is a good decision. One can take a break if and when needed.
Prep-work before traveling with infants
Traveling in itself is sometimes overwhelming!
When you have a new kid, and your body is adjusting to your month-old roommate, planning for a journey seems like a far-fetched dream.
I’ll help you break your preparations into small bits so they don’t feel overwhelming.
Prepare a checklist before traveling with an infant or a young kid
Now that all the prep work is done, you’ll have to concentrate on what to carry and what to leave behind. Most of the things you think you’ll need are things you’ll definitely not need during your travel.
‘What ifs’ are the list of things that sit in your luggage and are never put to use. They take up unnecessary space and add on weight.
This comes from the mouth of the most ‘What if’ packer.
I missed taking most of the things I needed to take ‘what ifs’ later to find that they were the ones I should have never packed.
In case we are traveling by flight, here’s a list of activities for your kid so that you can focus on your coffee or that quick shut-eye.
Here’s a list of Essentials For Traveling With A Baby that you should follow to make your travel hassle-free.
When is it safe to travel with an infant?
If that’s what you are asking, I would say that the proper age for traveling with infants is when they are cleared by your pediatrician for travel.
If you have a full-term healthy infant, you can travel by car when they are discharged from their birth facility.
As did I, because I had to when my baby was 21 days old.
If you want to travel by air or plan a road trip with your infant, get a nod from your pediatrician and get set go.
After three months, your baby usually becomes travel-ready.
Dr. Mark Waltzman is an assistant professor in pediatrics at Harvard Medical School and a pediatric emergency room physician at Boston Children’s Hospital. He says,
“Unless it’s an emergency, I would wait until a baby has had its first set of immunizations, so they should be at least two months. “The reason is that the air in airplanes is recirculated in a confined space, so there’s a greater chance of contracting an illness when flying. A newborn’s immune system isn’t as robust, and if they catch a cold or get a fever, it could be much more serious.”
I would suggest you travel once when they turn three months old. With time their immunity grows much stronger than what they are born with.
Once you are done preparing yourself, planning rightly for everything, and packing things according to the list, you are ready to conquer the world with your little one.
Making memories along the way is what I would suggest rather than focusing on reaching your destination.
Carry your camera or phone and wear your smiles always, even when you find a few frowns scattered here and there.
Everything shall be fine. Even if a little thing goes wrong, don’t beat yourself up for it, and never blame the little fellas who always give you back their smiles no matter what!
Just enjoy! Bon voyage!
