The Most Useful Tips for Traveling with a Baby You Will Read This Year

Traveling with your child and your family can be one of the best things. With these experiences you are creating memories that you will cherish for life, and ones you can eventually share with your child when they are a bit older. However, it is only realistic to remember that traveling with a baby is not always easy. There is a lot more to remember and look out for when traveling with a child then when traveling alone or with only adults. However, that shouldn’t convince you to not do it! Instead, with a little planning, you can make your next vacation just as relaxing as you would hope it to be.

If you are planning a trip this year, keep these 5 tips in mind for traveling with a baby. Follow these simple ideas to ensure your trip will go smoothly and be super enjoyable for everyone involved!

Create a List of What You Need

First off: make a list! This may seem like a simple tip, but we promise it will make a huge difference. You may think that you can remember everything, but the truth is that there is a lot you have to remember and keep track of last minute before traveling. Don’t risk forgetting something important, go ahead and write it down. From your items, to your child’s, list out everything you need to remember so that no one ends up unhappy when reaching your final destination.

Additionally, your list will come in major handy when it comes time to head home. You can handle forgetting one toy at home for the trip, but what would be much more inconvenient is to leave your child’s favorite toy at the hotel. Keep your list with you so you know everything you brought, and make sure you’ve got it all packed before heading home. You might keep things nice and organized, but your child might stick a toy somewhere you don’t notice. Checking the list takes away the worry that you will leave something behind.

Bring Whatever Makes Your Child Most Comfortable

In terms of what to actually bring, you should always remember to bring whatever your child feels most comfortable with. Unfortunately, children often get fussy on long trips. One of the best ways to keep them calm is to make sure you have their favorite stuffed animal or blanket to help calm them down. Babies do not always adjust easily to a new environment (especially on vacation where it is a limited amount of time). Don’t make their time harder by not giving them something that is a source of comfort for them. Trust us: a happy baby makes for happy parents and a happy vacation! It might seem like a pain to have to pack more than you wanted, but don’t give up special toys or blankets just to try and save space.

Pack Clean Snacks

The last thing you want or need when traveling is to have a huge mess you have to clean up. However, snacks are a must when traveling a long distance. Try to only pack snacks that are not messy and are easy to keep contained. Anything that produces crumbs can spell a huge mess for you. Instead, think of pureed foods that are stored neatly in pouches, or something clean to eat such as all natural fruit snacks.

Try to Stick to Your Routine

This is a big one. It is easy to throw your regular routine out the window when on vacation, but this can spell a big disaster. You’ve worked hard to get your child on a routine at home, and hasn’t that made a huge difference? The same goes for vacation. If at all possible, try to keep your child on the same basic schedule they have at home. This goes for naps, eating, and sleeping at night. This might seem inconvenient at first, but in actuality this will allow you to have a much nicer time while away.

If you have to be out of your hotel during a usual feeding or napping time, try to either give your child a snack or try to get them to fall asleep while out. Consider going out with either a stroller or a baby bjorn in order to give your child the chance to relax and hopefully fall asleep. In the long run, you’ll see you’ll have a much more enjoyable time if your child is able to stick to their usual routine. They are already having to adjust to a new location, so just like with packing their favorite toys, you want to keep as much other stuff the same as possible for them.

Research Airline Procedures

Finally, if you are flying to head to your vacation destination, it is in your best interest to do some research ahead of time. All airlines will have their own set of procedures for how to handle traveling with a baby. This includes things like when you can board the plane, what you can bring on the plane, what you must put in checked baggage, and more. The last thing you want is a surprise when showing up at the airport.

Be sure you are aware of everything you need to do before showing up on the day of travel. Also, plan to leave for the airport with plenty of time before your plane is leaving. Getting through security can be a hassle for anyone, and this can only be intensified when traveling with a baby. Give yourself plenty of time so that you don’t have to stress or worry about missing your flight.

We hope you will keep all of these tips in mind when you are planning your next trip. Plan ahead and be prepared so that you have the best opportunity to truly enjoy the time you have with family. Happy travels!