Travel With Baby 101

A Baby K'tan allows you to maneuver hands free!

Summer time means vacation time! Lots of families are hitting the road or the sky this month, so we compiled some simple tips to make travel a little easier for mom, dad and baby. We'd like to thank all of our families who helped us compile this list.

Tips for Driving

• Travel at night when baby is asleep if at all possible. We used to leave at 3 in the morning or even earlier so that we'd get 4 or 5 good hours of travel time out of the way before baby woke up.
• Stop every couple of hours (unless baby is asleep) - this is a great time to nurse baby and let him more around a little bit. 
• Schedule shorter travel days if you can. Instead of trying to drive all the way in one day, break it up into 2 shorter days. Enjoy the hotel time with baby. Let him splash with you in the pool!
• Amberly suggests: "Get surprises for when the baby is restless; a brand new toy will always distract them. You can also do small snack picnics at the rest stops." 
• When you stop for meals, make sure baby has plenty of time to eat, too. If you're breastfeeding, a baby sling you can nurse in or a nursing cover is a great help.

Tips for Flying

• The TSA website offers some great information about traveling with babies.
• Amberly recommends keeping the baby awake as much as possible before a flight so that she will sleep through the flight
• Nurse or give baby a bottle when taking off and landing will help minimize the discomfort of air pressure changes.
• Jennifer suggests getting baby her own seat.  She adds, "I've seen the crash test videos and a lap baby CAN become your own personal airbag. But aside from that, a car seat will keep them properly restrained so at least if they're throwing a fit, you're not struggling to keep them on your lap, especially as they get older." 

General Travel Tips

• Have a comfortable way to wear your baby - it makes nursing on the go much easier, helps to calm a fussy baby, and frees up your hands!
• Joanna offers this wise advice: "Pack for contingencies...I've never regretted it...and ignore the people who give you a hard time about one baby requiring so much stuff...they aren't the ones who might spend the night thinking, 'if only we'd brought______!'"
• Erin suggests "Keep a little kit of meds and toiletries for baby ready to go. It's easier than remembering each bit while packing." She adds that the clear locking pencil boxes from Target's school supply section is perfect for this
• Finally, Meredith says, "Best not to be the only adult if you can avoid it! It's nice to have someone to take turns sitting next to baby!"