Traveling with an infant can be intimidating. Many new parents, afraid of what exactly is involved in the process, try to stick close to home for the first six months or maybe even a year of their baby’s life. While long-distance travel can be frustrating with a baby at times, if you have the right equipment there’s no reason you can’t go where you want to go.
Here are 5 items you must have when traveling with your infant:
- Medical necessities. Anytime you travel with baby, you want to make sure and have a thermometer to take your babies temperature, and you want to make sure you have some acetaminophen in case of a fever or pain.
- Plenty of bibs and burping cloths. While there may be laundry facilities at your destination, chances are pretty good you’re not going to be able to wash these items on the way. Make sure you have extras so that you don’t run out while traveling.
- An appropriate car seat. You should already have one of these in your car, if baby travels with you anywhere at all. Make sure your car seat is appropriate to your baby’s size and age, and make sure that your car seat isn’t on any recall lists.
- An extra diaper bag. If you’re going to visit family or friends, you never know when you or your partner might be out with baby. Keep one in your car, and keep one inside the hotel room or house where you are staying.
- Toys. Your infant is likely to get bored with travel as you are. Make sure and bring some of baby’s toys, and rotate between them as you travel. If your child is teething, make sure you bring teething rings and other appropriate teething toys.
Traveling with your baby can either be a pleasurable experience, or can be a bit of a nightmare. If you’re lucky, your baby is the kind that likes to sleep on a car ride. If not, make sure to provide plenty of distractions, and stop from time to time to take an extended break so that baby can rest.