Many parents with a newborn are reluctant to travel with the baby. The baby would need a lot of care and attention, plus frequent feed. Moreover, the mother is quite likely to feel exhausted. Sometimes you don’t have any other option but to travel with the baby. While it could be a very exhausting experience, there are a couple of things you can do to make your journey more comfortable:
Safety comes first
While travelling with your baby, his or her safety comes first. You may be wondering how to ensure the safety of the baby while traveling. Here are few tips for you:
*Install detachable window shades on your car for protecting the baby’s delicate eyes and skin from the harsh sunlight.
*Make sure that the car seat for the baby is correctly installed and secured properly with the seatbelts in. You should know that a baby seat is never installed on the front seat,and it is always fixed on car’s back seat.
*Keep the first aid kit handy. The first aid kit should include Paracetamol for fever, saline nose drops for relieving a blocked nose, teething gel and some colic treatment.
*If possible, book a flight seat for your baby and use child safety restraint system when on board.How to feed the baby while traveling by air?
The first step would be to feed your baby before boarding your flight. You may also do it after take-off or landing to avoid any inconvenience to other passengers.
Well, breast-feeding is the easiest, as it requires no equipment, and if the baby is on formula feeding, it’s very convenient to purchase ready to use, travel-sized packets of the formula feed you may be using for the baby. Otherwise, you’ll need to carry boiled water in a thermos flask, sterilized bottles and the formula feed so that you can prepare the feed as and when the baby needs it. Getting the bottles sterilized requires a bit of management. Thankfully, you can get pre-sterilized bottle liners and bottle sterilizers for travel from many stores. Ready to use formula feeds however are hassle-free and recommended.
It may come as a relief to learn that there is no restriction on carrying baby food and milk as cabin baggage, as you are permitted to take along substantial quantities for your baby, yet you may check with the airlines’ website before you start your journey.
The timing of your journey should be such that it matches your baby’s sleep time, so that your baby sleeps most of the time when you are travelling.
How soon your baby could travel?
Usually, airlines recommend your baby to be at least two days old before they can start travelling. Since newborns are more delicate, it is advisable to wait till the baby is at least three months old before he or she can start travelling. But you can wait longer if you think that it would be better for the baby, or if you think that the frequent changing of nappies and feeding the baby will hardly leave you with any time for yourself. At the end of the day, it is your decision to make. Have a safe journey!
