Traveling with Your Baby

Here are my top tips:

• Keep daytime sleep in a consistent sleep space as soon as you arrive at your new destination. This will help your little one settle back into their daytime routine more quickly.
• Keep the ‘awake times’ between 6 am and 6 pm appropriate for your little one’s age, regardless of time zone changes (see February 2013).
• When flying with your baby or toddler, ensure they have something to suck on (for babies under six months: breast milk, formula, or water; for older babies: a sippy cup or bottle with diluted juice). Always keep a bottle of clean water on hand.
• If you are driving, allow extra time for stops. Do not breastfeed while driving, so plan time for feeds, nappy changes, and potty stops. A useful tip is to leave either at 3 am, so your little one sleeps for the first three hours of the trip, or just before dusk, allowing some driving time while they are asleep in the evening.
• If you are flying overnight, request a bulkhead seat with a crib and choose a flight scheduled around bedtime (7 pm, if possible). Settle your child to sleep as soon as you can, as an overtired baby is harder to settle on a flight.
• Pack an entertainment kit. Small plastic suitcases work well. Include one item per sense and one cognitive activity. For example, a toddler’s kit might include:
  • Touch: Playdough
  • Visual: Book, DVD, or iPad with games
  • Imaginative play: Toy car or doll
  • Auditory: Music on an iPod
  • Taste: Biltong or dried mango
  • Cognitive: Simple puzzle
• Pack two changes of clothes per trip and double the number of nappies you think you will need—you will almost certainly use them.
• Keep your baby’s bedtime routine the same every night, even if you are going out. Your baby is likely to fall asleep in the pram or car on the way, and you are more likely to enjoy a relaxed dinner.
• Bear in mind your baby’s sensory personality. Settled babies tend to cope well on holiday; sensitive babies may find it just as challenging as being at home; social butterflies and slow-to-warm-up babies usually manage better if their routine is maintained and outings after dark are avoided.