by 3 people |
Traveling with Babies Can Be Fun With A Little Preparation
Spontaneity has its time and place but, when considering traveling with babies, it's definitely not the time to take a chance on finding a hotel room.
Be sure to check out Vacationing with Children for ideas on places you can travel.
Contents below:
- Preparation = Entertainment
- Must - Have List for Traveling
- Required Medications
- Taking road trips
- Expect the Unexpected
- Water, Please!
- Preparing Baby Formula
- Be sure your baby/toddler is in an approved carseat
- For additional comfort of your baby...
- Snacks
- ... Offering Snacks...
- The Little Things
- Accommodations
- ....The Final Word....
- Tell me now...
- Your favorite memories
Preparation = Entertainment
Traveling with babies can be entertaining, indeed, but you must be prepared at all times for any contingency which may arise while on an airplane, in a vehicle, or on a boat.
"Consider these guidelines when planning a trip involving young children:"
Must - Have List for Traveling
- Anti-nausea medication and any other required medications
- First-Aid kit
- Comfortable car seat installed properly
- Vehicle in good condition
- Fluids for everyone
- Snacks
- Clothing
- Entertainment
- Comfort items
- Frequent stops
- Accommodations
- Activities
Required Medications
Bring enough for the duration of your trip
Asthmatics
Be sure to have ventilators/puffers with you at all times in case of an attack.
Migraine sufferers
Be sure to have Ibuprofen with you, preferably the liquid capsules which are formulated for migraine sufferers.
Antibiotics
If you are taking antibiotics for any condition, you must remember to bring them along. You don't want your body building resistance to the antibodies provided because you are not taking the medication as prescribed.
Birth control pills
Women, if you take birth control pills, be sure to bring them along - unless you change your mind and don't mind having a/another child within the year.
However, remember that if you take antibiotics, the pills may not be as effective, so prepare accordingly.
Anti-nausea medication
It's always wise to bring some form of anti-nausea medication, such as Gravol, when you travel with small babies. One dose should be administered about 30 minutes before traveling and it will last for several hours.
You won't have any worries about your baby continually feeling sick and vomiting. Granted, your baby will sleep, but sleep will be comfortable.
Other required medications
Various people have medication requirements such as Insulin, anti-depressants, hormone replacement drugs, allergy relief, and so on. Bring anything you need for the duration of your trip. If you will run out before your trip is over, be sure to have your prescription renewed before you leave.
Taking road trips
Expect the Unexpected
The First-Aid Kit
Expect the unexpected.
Headaches come, from time to time, and you don't want your trip to be a miserable experience. Be sure there is pain relief available.
Bandaged Fingers and Knees
You never know when you may need to bandage a bleeding finger or scraped knee, so bandages as well as hand sanitizer, Q-tips and peroxide are essential to have on hand.
Worse case scenarios
In the event someone suffers a burn, a few supplies are necessary: water, analgesic balm, gauze and medical tape, as well as medication to relieve the pain until medical attention can be sought.
The First Aid Kit
The First-Aid kit can also contain the various medications brought along on the trip. This way, everything is organized in one place. Also, the kit should be placed in an accessible location inside the vehicle, preferably on the floor where it's cooler and away from direct sunlight.
However, keep in mind that some medications need to be refrigerated after opening so be sure to have an insulated bag with ice packs for such medications.
In case of airline travel...
Be sure to bring ear plugs which may be required, as well as a pacifier, lollipop, and pack of gum which you may need if your ears begin to feel a lot of pressure while on an airplane.
Half the battle
Ensuring you feel good yourself is half the battle in making the trip a success for your baby. If you feel miserable, your baby will pick up on it and the trip won't be as happy as it could have been.
Water, Please!
Optimum levels of fluid intake required.
Preparing Baby Formula
Unless you have a cooler, or ice packs to keep the baby's milk fresh, it's best to use powdered formula when traveling. Appropriate amounts of sterilized water can be placed into various baby bottles and powder can be added as necessary, when necessary. The temperature of the milk may not be as warm as the baby is used to, but at least the milk is at room temperature and isn't spoiled.
"An accident may never occur; however, there are no guarantees"
Be sure your baby/toddler is in an approved carseat
Don't take your baby's safety for granted!
Safety seats should be installed according to safety regulations!
While the vehicle is moving, babies should never be held in anyone's arms. Expect the unexpected.
If your baby cries uncontrollably, it's imperative that you stop the vehicle to soothe your baby.
Plan lots of time to get to your destination. This way, if your baby does act up during your trip, you won't need to be stressed about getting to your destination.
For additional comfort of your baby...
Snacks
They are essential when traveling with older babies
Depending upon the age of your baby, you may require snacks during your trip.
Don't bring sticky snacks because it's hard to get the mess cleaned up afterward. Instead, bring finger foods a baby can comfortably hold and swallow.
Be sure to bring along extra wipes for the purpose of cleaning up your baby.
... Offering Snacks...
It's best to hold off on snacks when you know meal time is approaching.
The best time to offer snacks is half-way between meals and offer them for a limited time only. Don't let the baby snack for 45 minutes.
What the baby can eat in 15 minutes should be adequate until meal time arrives.
The Little Things
They add up to a greater experience
Clothing
Extra clothing is required when traveling with babies. A shoulder bag - within easy access - which is packed with tops and pants/shorts for the baby, as well as a top and pair of pants/shorts for each of the caregivers - is a necessity.
Babies get messed up quickly and you never know when you may get messed up trying to clean, or change, your baby. Also, you can't pinpoint when you will mess up your own clothes by spilling food or beverages.
Comfort Items
When a baby has a favorite blanket, pacifier, or other item which provides comfort, don't leave home without it or everyone will be sorry - your baby, your family, and everyone surrounding your family.
Entertainment
Just as older children need to be entertained, so do babies, unless they are too young and are only interested in sleeping most times. Bringing wooden or plastic toy blocks, board or plastic books, and a favorite doll or toy is advisable...unless you plan to make funny faces all day to entertain your baby. :)
Even colored plastic measuring cups and spoons provide entertainment for older babies as they can look at the colors and can bang cups together to make various sounds.
Of course, babies still want to play the customary peek-a-boo games which make them laugh. They still like to be talked to, both in regular and silly voices, and they love being tickled sometimes, so they can really laugh and enjoy themselves.
Frequent Stops
Even after stopping for regular meals, other rest stops are necessary for everyone to be comfortable.
Just as parents need to stretch their limbs when driving long distances, so do babies.
Rest stops help everyone to unwind and relax. Parents can take care of washroom needs comfortably and splash their faces to revive themselves.
Older babies can be held while letting them try to walk so it provides them with a little exercise, or they can be thrown up in the air and caught, which delights them.
If there is a play area, allow your baby to sit between all the balls and play for a little while before it's time to get back into the car seat.
Patience
Don't leave home without it! Babies are not always able to handle sitting in one spot for a long time, especially while not seeing anything except the back seat, and traveling backwards.
Sometimes it helps to sit in the back with your baby and allow your spouse to drive so your baby won't feel so lonely and bored. However, you don't want it to become a habit or you'll never be able to drive anywhere when it's only you and your baby in the vehicle.
Accommodations
Select comfortable accommodations when stopping overnight somewhere.
Preferably, have your hotel reservation booked in advance so you know your family will have a place to sleep. You'll also know the services you can expect at the location.
Hopefully, you can arrange to have a room with a mini refrigerator and microwave to facilitate preparing your baby's meals.
When children's entertainment is provided at the hotel, it's an added bonus in providing stimulation for your baby.
....The Final Word....
Keeping babies entertained after arriving at a destination is as important as keeping them entertained during travel.
Allow the baby adequate time to rest and eat but, otherwise, allow the baby to be active whether playing in baby play areas or swimming.
Babies are delighted by all the different things and colors they see.
The more stimulation you can provide without overtiring your baby, the more your baby will enjoy the trip, and it will be a good experience for everyone.
Tell me now...
What's your favorite way to travel when there are no time restrictions?
Fetching blurbs now... please stand byRoad trips (bus tours or driving)
Kelsey-Budden-16 says:
jumpin' on a horse's back, and running off into the distance. :) yeee doggy! you would see the wild side of me then! :D
Posted June 09, 2008
Norma_Budden says:
Ha ha! Rhey, your comment made me laugh. I see you haven't lost your sense of humor.
Posted June 03, 2008
RHEY W. HEDGES says:
I say: "Traveling WITH NORMA is my favorite way to travel with or without time restrictions; I could then take exciting color photos of Norma taking photos of whatever objects Norma wanted to stop and capture on film!"
Posted June 03, 2008
Norma_Budden says:
Driving is my preference. Otherwise, how would I be able to stop whenever I wanted to take photos of the passing scenery?
Posted June 03, 2008
Airplane
Your favorite memories
I'd love to hear about your favorite road trips as a child. Feel free to share!
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Reply
- herbie66 herbie66 Jun 15, 2008 @ 12:00 pm
- Welcome to the 'Pregnancy and Baby' Group
( http://www.squidoo.com/groups/pregnancy-baby )
5 stars for your great lens!
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Reply
- Kelsey-Budden-16 Kelsey-Budden-16 Jun 9, 2008 @ 12:10 am
- riding horses on the mountains with pop,and mama. :) that was a fun time. :D
also visiting family members. :) especially when we have good laughs :D i love it when we visit uncle jas and aunt nic, it seems like every second we are laughing, especially at supper time when we're all sitting at the table :P :D
I remember a lot of the good times, my favorite memories are the good ones. :)
by Norma_Budden
Whenever time permits, I love to rea... (more)
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