Did you love to travel and are now worried you can’t get through that adventure with your baby? Join me and learn tricks of the trade that have served parents well to conveniently get them to their destinations. What to put in your diaper bag, how to get through the airport and more!
Episode Transcript:
Hi, I’m welcome back. This is Bev Garrison with first breaths to first steps. I thought today, I would talk a little bit about traveling with your baby. I just recently returned back to Denver where I live, been traveling to Nebraska and Kansas City and really brought back some memories of traveling with my boys.
At one point in time, I had three children under the age of four. And so traveling to me, I always thought of man, this is a nightmare. But as I got further, along in that process, I got pretty streamlined. On the things that the kids needed and things that made my life easier, traveling with them.
So I think today really in traveling it. It brought home to me that there are just so many great tips and tricks that can really help you get through the airport with ease, get through your travel with ease and actually enjoy traveling with your kids. I thought I’d start out with some easy concepts things to go by initially. And then I thought I would count down and go through my top 10. List with you guys. Of things that I found most helpful.
I think probably the number one theme to think about is have everything with you. That you could need during that trip. In your carry on diaper bag. I do recommend that this diaper bag is a backpack only because when you can wear it, your hands are free. Makes it so much easier. If you’re trying to hold your baby. If you’re trying to dig for something and carry another bag or working with other children – siblings that are coming along as well. That backpack capacity just makes your hands free, which makes life so much easier. So afraid that you’re going to miss anything. I just came up with a quick kind of checklist of things that you probably should have in your diaper bag.
Backpack that would be helpful. Obviously diapers. You do want to make sure that you have plenty of them. You never know if you’re going to get delayed, stuck somewhere. Your lay over becomes a place where you’re staying. You don’t have your luggage. And a lot of times in the airport, they don’t always have.
Diapers readily available. Make sure you have plenty of diapers and wipes. A lot of backpacks that you’re using as your carry on diaper bag. We’ll have a changing pad, but I do recommend that just because there may be airports that have bathrooms that don’t have changing tables. You may be laying that child down.
On the floor or on a bench. On a chair, something on your own suitcase to get them changed. And so a changing pad is nice. Definitely a change of clothes for yourself and for your baby. It doesn’t have to be anything bulky or heavy baby clothes, kind of small. So they’re pretty convenient to pack in your bag.
But I would recommend at least an extra t-shirt or tank top for yourself. Most of the time when we’re traveling as adults, we have some sort of jacket or something we can throw on top, but I think that’s super helpful for you. I recommend taking filled bottles as well as empty bottles. Filled bottles. You can have your formula, breast milk already prepared. It does make the bag a little bit heavy, but sometimes especially with breast milk, you may not have a very convenient place to pump in the airport. So something to think about TSA actually does allow you to bring as much breast milk or formula that you need. So you’re not confined to that 3.7 ounce restriction is what I believe it is. Keep that in mind. Maybe to your spouse or partner who’s traveling with you guys can help to carry some of that stuff for you as well.
Always a good idea to put in Ziploc bags loves Ziploc bags. Any sort of sealable closable bag. If child has a blowout. Spits up on you is sick, whatnot. You can tuck those clothes away. You can even tuck a dirty diaper away. If you can’t get up out of your seat and seal it off, which is super important. Plus it doesn’t take a lot of space in your bag.
I also always recommend some sort of pacify or a teether, some sort of. Toy that can go in the mouth. while you’re traveling. Food for sure. I’ll get a little bit more into that in my top 10 list. Toys favorites -of course, but always good idea to maybe pack something new or something that the child is not seen before, because it makes it exciting and may engage them a little bit longer.
Good idea also to think about including Tylenol or acetaminophen. Ibuprofen or Advil Motrin. If your baby’s old enough for that. Also review with your healthcare provider or your pediatrician dosing on that. But, you know, kids get sick at the most inopportune times. If you feel like your baby’s coming down with a fever.
Is fussy doesn’t feel good. Or is teething, even before you leave. You’ll have these things readily available along with some sort of measuring. Device, a lot of those medications, the lids have a dropper or some sort of measuring syringe that you can take with you, but just make sure you have that.
Last thing that I try to include in your backpack is some antibacterial wipes, especially traveling now in light of pandemic conditions. Everybody’s wiping stuff down. They do tend to give you some wipes on the airlines, but not always. And you may be in the airport. In which case you may want to wipe some surfaces that your child may come in contact there.
The other thing that I usually say, try to include into that backpack is your baby’s birth certificate or passport. If you’re traveling internationally. But especially if that child’s lap child. They are really more into checking age, especially if you have not purchased a seat. So you want to make sure you have those documents with you.
Sometimes on your phone is not good enough. They may not accept it. I would just make sure that you have a copy of the birth certificate. And or passport with traveling. Just anything that can prove their age as a document for the airlines. So my top 10 list. For. Travel tips. Include first thing, think about protecting their ears. Some sort of pacifiers I’d mentioned before or toy that you suck on. Consider feeding that child with a bottle or even nursing during takeoff and
landing. A lot of times, that’s when the pressure. Difference. We feel the most in our ears and can make us uncomfortable. So just like adults are drinking fluids or chewing gum. Using a pacifier or feeding may help. You will read. There are some people that suggest bringing earmuffs to kind of dampen sounds. The airport is a loud place. An airplane is a loud place. That can just make kids a little bit more comfortable. It doesn’t do anything for the pressure, but it may drowned out other noises if they’re trying to rest.
Second recommendation that I would make is wear your baby. And I mean that wear are your baby on your body? It’s just so much easier to get around, even if you’re taking. Your car seat and your stroller. It’s nice to have that option. When kids are close to their parents. On their chest feel you right there. It can easily soothe them.
But again, it’s very convenient and keeps your hands free so that you’re able to pull a bag, push the stroller. Help another child, things like that. Third thing that I do recommend is to gate check your car seat and your stroller. If you don’t have a car seat or stroller on the other end of your trip.
I really do recommend. Taking a stroller. And a car seat all the way down to the gate. Reason being is you may have some sort of delays. A lot of times kids will sleep in their car seat. You can also. Put them in there to sit and play. If you don’t want to put them down on the floor. You can also stroll around if you have time to kill.
And, or you’re maneuvering a new airport. You don’t exactly know where you’re going and you’re having to walk a pretty far distance. It’s nice to have those items with you. So when they gate check them, you get a tag right before you’re going to board. Onto your flight. They take those items for you on the jetway. And they’re also the first things to come off.
Before, you even enter the airport. Or right there inside the terminal. So I love gate checking the car seat or the stroller.
Another concept that I really am getting more to be a fan of is. Equipment that’s too bulky, either checking into what the hotel. Or where you’re staying has available for your child. Including a crib, a pack and play someplace to sleep. As well as a highchair or some sort of chair where they can eat.
Those things are just so bulky. It’s hard to get. That to be a very convenient item to take with you. There are also some really great companies. One that in particular that comes to mind is a company called baby Quip, B a B Y Q U I P. And basically it’s an online service where you go on and they have certain cities where they provide.
Certain tools that you may use or things that you would have had at home highchair, cribs, strollers, even car seats. It’s nice if you don’t have to carry all of that stuff with you, especially if you’re thinking about. An international flight or you’re going someplace where they don’t have kids, or you’re not staying in a hotel. You’re staying with family that doesn’t have kids.
If your kids are older. I do also recommend, think about screen time, maybe download some more educational, friendly sort of apps or programs for your kids, but it can buy you some time. I know, we’re always saying limit the screen time. But especially when you’re traveling, if it’s something that may get that child through the flight, easier for you.
It might be a helpful tool. Next thing consider naps or when your child will be sleeping, it travel is so hectic. You can’t always make it work or coordinate it, but it is kind of nice to think about that. I’ll be honest. I feel like kids are usually pretty excited, even babies. If you’re going somewhere new or doing something different that they may just not sleep anyway, but it might be helpful to kind of consider.
When they would be sleeping. Next thing that I. Labeled on my top 10 list. Was prepared for leaky boobs. If you’re breastfeeding, sounds kind of funny, but stranger things have happened. Sometimes you get delayed sometimes. You know, you’re hearing other babies cry and so you may let down, but consider extra nursing pads. I did mention a change of clothes in your diaper bag. I think that that’s always something to think about. The other thing too, would be adding a manual. Pumps since your regular pump is sometimes kind of bulky. Your manual pumps are usually a little bit more succinct and can fit into that diaper backpack that you’re having. And you also wouldn’t need to plug it in. Sometimes when we’re in the airplane or in the airport, we don’t always have readily.
Plug and, or the airport may not necessarily have a nursing room or an area where you can conveniently pump.
Next I would say to consider when you’re traveling is if you can do it with somebody, don’t go alone. Right. It’s easy and makes it a little bit more convenient when you can pass your baby back and forth. Allows you to trade off. Your partner spouse can really help you to maybe find things for the baby, get the baby settled, put things away when you’re in the airplane.
Snacks. We mentioned that before. I love pouches with the tops that can screw on and off. You don’t always have to have a spoon with that. So it’s one less thing you have to carry. Bars that are soft. Like Nutrigrain bars or some sort of cereal bar puffs. All of those are very convenient, but I also tell parents, don’t forget to pack maybe a little snack for yourself.
Protein bar meat sticks, cheese sticks. Sometimes. You can be in airports that don’t necessarily have a lot of food options. And especially if you’re nursing and breastfeeding, you need to make sure that you’re keeping your nutrition up. It’s good idea to think about packing things for yourself.
My top. Number one tip for traveling with your kids is give yourself more time. Everything takes a little bit longer than you think it’s going to. You need to prepare for the unexpected. Oh, I’ve got to do a last minute. Change in the trunk of the car or the backseat of the car. I need to find the last shoe in the car and get this child packed back up. Giving yourself more time. Is definitely a good consideration, especially with traveling. Okay. So hopefully you found these tips and tricks helpful on travel with your child. I think the name of the game is a being hands-free backpack, sorta diaper bag, go through that checkoff list and also to wear your baby again, helps to make you a little bit more hands-free and makes it a little bit easier for you to reach things and carry things with you.
Hopefully you guys found this podcast helpful. If you’re interested in the notes from this podcast, you can click on the link below and download a transcript . If you’re interested in working with me one-on-one and helping to coach your baby from first breasts to first steps, you can also reach out to me at bevgarrison.com until next time… Be well.
