They say that moving can be one of the most stressful things you can do. However, anyone that thinks that moving is the most stressful thing on earth clearly has never traveled with a baby.
Yes, it’s true, traveling with a baby can be one of the most nerve-wracking experiences of your life. It’s normal for most parents to feel uneasy about the process, even if they have several children already.
One of the biggest concerns is keeping up with your routine in a new environment. Trying to get your baby to sleep in a new place on a different schedule can be extremely stressful. However, it’s still possible to have an enjoyable vacation when traveling with your baby. It’s all about knowing the right tips.
Take a look at some of the best pointers for traveling with a baby.
Create a Packing List
One of the most nerve-wracking parts of traveling with the baby is worrying you’re going to forget a critical item. All it takes is getting to your destination and realizing you forgot something important to throw your whole trip for a loop. Don’t let this happen to you. Try to plan ahead and create a packing list well ahead of time. Write down everything from toothpaste to your baby monitor. Make sure that as you pack, you check off each item as you go. It will be much less likely to forget something critical.
Bring Plenty of Clothes
In addition to the essentials, you should bring several changes of clothes per day. You never know when your baby could have a blowout or vomit on you. It’s best to be over-prepared rather than under prepared. In addition to packing plenty of clothes for your checked luggage, you should also consider packing for the cabin. When traveling with a baby, it’s essential to be prepared for anything. Pack several changes of clothes per day, as blowouts or spit-ups can happen unexpectedly. It’s always better to be over-prepared than underprepared. Along with packing plenty of clothes in your checked luggage, ensure you have some essentials in your carry-on for convenience during the flight. Additionally, proper sleep and rest are also crucial, especially on long flights. If you’re wondering how to get quality sleep on a long flight, consider wearing comfortable clothes made from breathable fabrics like cotton. You can also bring a travel pillow for neck support and noise-canceling headphones to block out disturbances.
You can never be too sure whether an airplane ride is going to be too hot or too cold. You’re better off preparing for both. In addition to packing a warm set of pajamas for your baby, you should also bring a warm sweater for yourself. It’s important that you’re comfortable for the length of the flight.
Avoid Ear Aches
One of the reasons why babies often cry when flying is because their little ears can’t handle the cabin pressure. Since you can’t exactly explain to a baby how to pop their ears, the next best thing is to breastfeed them. Breastfeeding means encouraging them to make a sucking gesture, which will prevent their ears from getting plugged.
Stay Calm
Above all, just try to stay calm. Don’t worry about anything other than you and your baby. Even if your baby cries, the other passengers will survive. Babies cry from time to time, and that’s just the way it is. You shouldn’t stress.