Baby Travel Tips
Tiny Travelers Are Excellent Travelers
Our baby travel tips offers practical travel advice, aimed to make the travel experience as enjoyable as possible for your baby... and you.
When Can You Start Travelling With Your Baby?
Few new parents are interested in traveling immediately with their newborn. They are too busy getting to know the new arrival as well as being exhausted after the pregnancy and birth.
It Is Easy To Travel With Young Babies
If flying with infants then they should be at least one week old before flying. It is though recommended to wait few weeks before flying with infants.
The worry is the recycled air on airplanes as babies are vulnerable to germs during their first weeks.
You though can take your infant on car journeys at younger age. That is if you are up for it.
Babies are very adaptable so after three months of age they tend to be excellent travelers.
Best Time To Travel With Baby
Healthy infants sleep a lot, i.e. when properly fed and are clean and comfortable. Many parents feel this is the best time to travel with young children - that is before the “terrible twos” shows up.
Additional bonus is the cost, infants usually travel free or at nominal cost so it also cheaper than travelling with older children.
Practical Baby Travel Tips
Following few practical baby travel tips can make travelling with baby even more effortless.
Infants do not “travel light”. They might sleep most of the time, but you still need to bring amazing amount of stuff for them when travelling. Using our Packing Checklist For Babies is therefore strongly recommended. There are just so many things to forget when travelling with baby.
There are many baby travels products available, which can make travelling with your infant easier. That however can mean a bit more luggage. Staying in one place is therefore usually preferred when travelling with baby.
When flying with infants you should feed or give the child a pacifier during take-offs and landings to help alleviate the discomfort caused by the change in the cabin air pressure.
Children under the age of two are usually allowed to fly free of charge as “lap children”. Using child safety seat in airplanes is though strongly recommended if possible. Discount fares may be available but if that is not a feasible option then try to select a flight that is likely to have empty seats.
In order to avoid jet lag, adjust your child's sleep schedule 2-3 days before departure. After arrival, children should be encouraged to spend time outside or in brightly lit areas during daylight hours to promote adjustment.
On car journeys always use a child safety seat for infants. It is best to use rear-facing child safety seat as long as possible. Never put a child in a rear-facing car seat in the front seat of a vehicle that has an airbag.
Most car rental companies can arrange for a child safety seat if you are unable to bring your own.
Never leave your child alone in a car - not even for a minute as the temperature inside the car can reach deadly levels in minutes.
Different Way To Carry Your Kid Around!
Pack all your babies essentials like food, diapers, toys and medication in your hand luggage when flying with infants.
Pack enough to account for substantial delays and misplaced luggage.
If you are using borrowed cribs do inspect them carefully for any safety hazards.
Common dangers include loose hardware, insufficient mattress supports and soft or loose bedding that can be suffocation risk.
Always allow yourself and your family enough time when travelling, especially when travelling with baby. You need to have sufficient time to cater for your baby needs during each stage of your trip.
Most fellow travelers enjoy the sight of little travelers but do be considerate to those around you, especially when changing diapers or breast-feeding.
We hope these baby travel tips for parents have been useful and that you enjoy travelling with your youngest family member.
Top Baby Travel Tip
It can be difficult to heat baby food or bottles while travelling with a baby. You might save some hassle if you can get your baby used to room temperature food and bottles prior to travelling.
Ps. you can usually take your infants almost anywhere but if you have older children you might want to look for Family Friendly Travel Destination.