So, you want to go on vacation. Of course, you do. It’s slimy. It’s cold. We just got pelted with 25 cm of snow and then 24 hours of freezing rain. Get packed and get out of here. Or maybe you just want to hole up at your parents, a couple hours away, instead of in your own baseboard-heated apartment. Or maybe you’re embracing the winter and you have all the dollars and skiing is on your list. Great. What’s stopping you?
Oh, that? The baby? Fair enough. Bringing a baby on any sort of vacation isn’t obviously the most stress-free of ventures. But you want a tan. And so venture you shall.
Regardless of how far your trip is, you still need to make it. You need to pack. You need to make sure you didn’t forget anything. You need to account for surprises along the way. And traveling with a baby brings up lots of those. And so, here is my list that is totally full of holes and in no way exhaustive, but that will hopefully give you a bit of peace of mind when you head out with infant and 75 bags of diapers in tow.
1. Make sure your infant can travel the way you plan to travel
Double check that babies are allowed in the various means of transportation you plan to take. If you’re flying, you typically don’t need a car seat as babe can just sit in your lap the whole time. But if you do want baby in a car seat, you’ll need to book a separate plane or train ticket. Are you heading to a fly-in-only community? Check the rules on those tiny planes in case there are weight or seat restrictions. Once you get where you’re going, will you need a car seat there? If public transit comes right to the front door of the airport or train station you may be in the clear.
If you might need to taxi or Uber somewhere, you’ll need to double check the bylaws in the new city to see if lap-riding is cool or not, and question your own comfort on the subject. Lots of taxi companies have car seats, but wait times tend to be long for the coveted safety items.
Are you planning a road trip? As great as it sounds, because you’re in control of your timeline, road trips with babies can be super tricky. These youngsters still want to be attached to you most of the time. So even though babe always falls asleep in the car on the way to the grocery store, a 3 day trip at 7 hours a day is a different story. That little human is likely to want some serious smooshy-parent-body time after the first few hours and possibly resist going back in that car seat after one or two feedings.
2. Know your feeding rights
I’m talking about on the plane or train or cruise, in the country you’re traveling to, in restaurants, in parks, know your rights! Are there bottle warming facilities on your plane or train? Will you be able to sterilize them somewhere at your hotel? Are you going to be protected by laws if you breast or chestfeed in public? Do you need to bring a scarf or wrap to limit exposure? Will you be able to purchase formula that suits your needs or are you going to have to bring it all with you? Knowing about all this in advance can limit your frustration or anxiety when it comes time to feed so you don’t find yourself in a jam.
3. What can you carry on?
You know when you’re sitting on a plane with your tiny little carry-on and you get thonked in the head by someone carrying 6 giant cases, and you watch them try to find little spots in all the overhead compartments to shove all their stuff and you’re thinking “Oh my God that’s really inconsiderate, how did they even get on with all that?”… They probably had a baby. When you have no infant, this seems like overkill to the nth degree. But once you leave the house with your little poo-bomb, packing light is an Olympic sport. Extra diapers, extra clothes (because you KNOW there’s going to be a poo-splosion right up the back of that onsie today), toys or books or whatever to keep babe entertained, a book of your own you’re never going to actually read, bottles of pumped milk or premade formula or formula concocting supplies… how do you compress all that? Well, you generally don’t. And airlines (trains, busses, cruise companies, etc) know this, and tend to have extra allowance for all the baby stuff, ie. diaper bag, formula and bottle supplies, carry-on for the baby, umbrella stroller, plus a purse or handbag and carry-ons for the parents or caregivers. Just check, don’t assume, and you’re good to go.
4. What will baby do in transit?
So, new new babies don’t do anything. Except eat. If you’re breast or chestfeeding this can be an absolute blessing. Pop that baby on your nipple and call it a day. Seriously. It helps with pressure changes and baby anxiety about being in a different place (all those lines and waiting and noisy airports and new smells and people touching your freaking cheeks….). If suckling isn’t your poison, do whatever you do at home to comfort your infant. Now is the place to pull out all the punches. Soothers, snuggles, shushy noises, Baby Einstein, do it all. Older babies are a little harder to travel with, because they tend to want to move more. Long haul flights normally have wider aisles that are easy to walk, bathrooms to explore, other kids to meet. And with a baby under one, you can often use virtually any object (a shoe?) or any cartoon on the in-flight movies to keep them busy. Actually, my favourite thing for a baby around the one-year mark is a little bag of busy things you would never give them at home: post-it notes, cotton balls, tape, crayons or washable markers, velcro, small balls of yarn, carabiners, big clothes pins… it’s all noiseless, safe, squishable stuff that’s easy enough to clean up and keeps their fingers busy for ages.
5. Where are you going, and can babies go there?
Are you planning a horseback ride somewhere? Parasailing? Rock climbing? This is a real question. Is there babysitting where you’re going? Is your baby old enough that you feel ready to leave them with someone while you adventure? Are you leaving them with your partner? Traveling with your parents? Even if you’re a new (or new-ish) parent, you may have options for a little thrill you didn’t know you’d have. Check the facilities for activities you want to do, and see if there’s a baby drop-off or babysitting service available.
6. What do you actually need to bring?
Packing light for yourself is possible, if you remember that there’s a good chance you’ll be wearing the same pair of pants or shorts for 5 days in a row (be honest…. you do it at home). Packing light for baby is much harder. A good place to start is figuring out what you can buy or rent when you get where you’re going. Also, what will you actually use on your trip? You need diapers en route, but you don’t need 150 of them. So pack a bunch, then buy them as you need them. Same goes for toys. Or even strollers. Or wheelchairs. Or hair dryers. Lots of cities, airports, hotels have rentals for these things, or if it won’t break the bank you can buy duplicates and donate them before you head back home.
from lactation « WordPress.com Tag Feed http://bit.ly/2E0aDhm
article sponsered by Northern Michigan certified lactation consulting and Mother Hubbards Country Cupboard
No comments:
Post a Comment