With lockdown easing up a little more each month, travelling is on the cards once again. Be it a short drive to meet the grandparents or a flight across the world to find some more sunshine, travelling with a baby has its own special kind of challenge.
But fear not, there are thousands of travelling parents out there and we’ve collected the best tips for making travelling with a baby just that little bit easier. We’ve jotted down quite a few so feel free to take your pick of the ones you think will be most helpful to your holiday needs.
Here we go…
TRANSPORT
- If you’re flying, get an aisle seat at the front of the plane on shorter trips and the bassinet on long haul flights.
- On the same note, book a direct flight whenever you can, and if you can’t allow extra time between flights.
- Use priority boarding, security and border control every time you can.
- Sometimes there’s a fee even if you’re travelling with the baby in your arms so make sure to check this before travelling.
- Most airlines will check in your stroller at the gate, so feel free to use it all the way there.
- Wear your baby when you can and save on extra baby gear you won’t need.
WHAT TO TAKE (and most importantly, what NOT to take)
- Don’t travel with an endless supply of nappies. Unless you’re going to explore the Amazon forest (or similar) there will be plenty of nappies to purchase.
- Rent a car with a car seat included to avoid having to take yours.
- Ask for a cot at the hotel or AirBnb. Most accommodations have them available.
- Download a white noise app on your phone. No need for noise machine.
- Skip taking a lot of toys and be creative with what can actually be a toy. A man’s rubbish is another man’s treasure.
- Bring extra clothes for everyone. Blow outs. They happen!
GENERAL TIPS
- Eat dinner early. You can still go to your favourite places and skip the stress of rush hour.
- Be relaxed about the nap schedule.
- Actually, be relaxed about any schedule. Visiting the all of the Louvre is less important than having a good time with your loved ones. Sometimes, all you need is a delicious croissant eaten on the stairs of said Louvre...
- You can change a nappy anywhere!
- Ignore the haters. Can’t stress this one enough. If your baby decides to cry on the flight/restaurant/museum, people will deal with it. You’re doing your best and they know it.
- Some hotels have great babysitting services. If you want to go out for a romantic dinner, they can be super helpful.
- Don’t stress about what you might’ve forgotten to bring. Most travel destinations have pretty decent shops/supermarkets/pharmacies and you’ll be able to most probably find a good substitute for your forgotten item. Sometimes even a bit better than the original.
- Try to relax. Travelling comes with its set of stressors and adding a baby is no joke so give yourself some grace. Some days are going to be better than others and even the not so good ones are usually great for learning some valuable lessons!