Best Way to Travel with Your Newborn Baby
While it’s generally advisable not to travel too much with a newborn, there are times when it’s just inevitable. As such, it’s better to be well prepared than sorry for such situations!
Today, we’ll talk about the best way to travel with your newborn baby. From whether or not you need an infant car seat to what age your baby should be for a flight, we’ll go over the most important things on the subject.
Infant Car Seats and Carriers
You should get an infant car seat whether you’ll be in a car for the majority of the trip or not. It will save you so much worry and trouble that you’ll definitely be glad you brought it!
The best infant car seats for long trips are the ones that are easy to carry and that can be installed without the base — you know, in case you need to put it on a plane seat.
It may also be wise to opt for a travel-system stroller, come to it. Not only do you get an infant car seat this way, but you also get something that can give your arms a break from toting the whole seat around like a purse all day.
Just remember to read the manuals on how to use these things, by the way. For example, infant seats are typically rear-facing, whether used in a plane or car, so take care to follow instructions.
Unless you’re on a very long trip with multiple stops, you very likely won’t need a travel crib. It’s ultimately up to you.
Finally, it may be wise to bring a baby carrier with you. When you need to do something while cuddling the baby, it can save you a lot of fuss.
The Core Feeding Paraphernalia
Obviously, you need to prepare whatever your baby needs to eat. If you’re breastfeeding, this is usually easier — you don’t typically need to bring much, as it’s already all there!
But if you’re bottle-feeding your baby, you should bring pre-measured sterilised water in bottles, along with baby formula.
You can also consider bringing something like a microwave bottle steriliser on your trip if you know you’ll have access to a microwave.
Other Things to Carry
Naturally, you also want to bring other essentials like diapers, bibs, wipes, bottom cream, wet bag, and the like to keep your baby clean and healthy. But, aside from that, don’t forget things that may not have immediate use but which remain useful.
Your paediatrician’s contact details are included here. You want those readily accessible at all times.
For the same reason, it’ll also be good to pack along a thermometer and nasal aspirator.
It would also be wise to bring your baby’s certificate of birth (or at least a digital copy). There are situations when it may be necessary to prove your baby falls into a particular age group.
For instance, different airlines actually impose different rules on the minimum age for a baby boarding a plane. Some require just 7 days, others require the baby to be slightly older.
In case it becomes necessary to prove that your baby falls into the right bracket, bring the certificate as evidence.
