Let me first say that we do not do much in the way of traveling. Therefore, you won’t find tips in this post on how to fly with a baby or how to travel across the country with a baby. What you will find are a few tips that have worked for us over the years.
Some of my babies have been better car riders than others. My newborns all love to snuggle, so strapping them into a car seat sometimes doesn’t make them extremely happy. The older they get, the easier traveling becomes.
When we travel for any length of time, I try to make sure that my babies have been fed, burped, and have on a fresh diaper. Those are pretty common sense things to do, but car rides with a baby are so much better if their basic needs have been met.
Below is a list of other things I do to make sure that make traveling with a baby easier for me.
- Pack plenty of extra diapers, wipes and changes of clothing.
- Use an age/size appropriate car seat which is rear-facing.
- Having a few toys, mirrors, etc. to keep baby engaged while awake.
- Keep baby company if possible.
- Plan frequent stops.
When we were traveling this summer I sat beside Janna quite a bit of the way in order to keep her company and comfort her if she became upset. However, this isn’t always possible.
I am not afraid to stop somewhere and attend to my babies if they are crying and won’t self-soothe. Driving while a baby is crying is not only a distraction, but I like to make sure that there isn’t something truly wrong with the baby.
No matter what the circumstance is, it is never safe to take baby out of his or her car seat while a vehicle is in motion. I remember watching a video in driver’s education that showed a crash test dummy holding a “baby” in its arms during a crash. The “baby” went flying through the windshield. The narrator of that video likened an adults arms to wet noodles during a crash.
You won’t catch me holding my babies with my “wet noodles”, even for just a quick trip somewhere. The safest place for a baby is in the back seat, rear-facing.
What things have made traveling with a baby easier for you?
- A Brand New Baby
- Cord Care
- Newborn Skin Conditions
- Tummy Time
- Clothing a Newborn
- When You Suspect a Problem
- Essential Gear
- Knowing Your Baby
- Trimming Nails & Suctioning Noses
- Baby Learning
- Jaundice
- Attachment Parenting
- Sleeping Like a Baby
