A lot of new moms have told me that traveling with a small baby or a toddler has been nightmarish and have asked me in astonishment that how do I manage such frequent outings with my little one.
Both me and my husband have been avid travellers ever since, so a constant taunt we were exposed to while I got pregnant was...ab ghoomna shoomna bhool jao...2 saal ki chutti!!!
So here we are, my daughter is not even 2 years old and we have had a beach, a mountain and an overseas holiday already with her. Yes, a week long trip to Goa, a trip to the North East mountains and a US trip, all in less than 2 years, so its pretty evident that we did not compromise on our wanderlust soul, we did not compromise on our baby’s comfort either.
So let me first burst the myth that traveling with a baby harms them in any way, and bring up to you some stark advantages of the same that many are oblivious of:
1. It builds up the child’s immunity: To take your child to as many diverse places as possible when he/she is in the initial stages of building immunity actually helps your baby.
2. It helps you bond well with tour baby: Moving out of the comfort zone with your baby actually make you bond with him/her at a different level all together. As daunting as it may sound, it makes things more predictable and prepares you to handle a lot of stuff.
3.Socialization and learning: Traveling actually makes the young ones learn how to socialize and they learn many new things when they travel.
I wouldn’t deny the fact that traveling with little ones may be tedious if you have not done meticulous planning to mitigate any contingencies that may arise during your entire stay outside home. So I will share a few quick pointers on how you could do that:
1. Baby Wearing: Yes a good sling to carry your baby around yourself is a must. Your hands are free and you can go anywhere if you are wearing your baby. I personally feel that strollers cant be taken everywhere like if you are going on the beach, you cant take stroller but can wear your baby, if you are traveling in 2 wheelers, you can wear your baby. So my personal preference is always a baby sling over strollers which are bulky and difficult to carry. Of course you need to up your fitness level a bit before planning vacation with your Little one.
Some of the major advantages of baby-wearing in general are:
It helps her be calm even outside comfort zone
Help reduce the colic crying. Builds an amazing bond between parents and bub
Keeps your hands free so that You could do other things while having your baby close to your heart
Sleep schedules are not compromised as the bub can doze off comfortably even when on the go
Last but not the least breastfeeding, its no issue at all even when not at home...
The baby sling we are seen wearing in the pics is Boba sling made of spandex fabric. You need a little practice for draping it initially.
2. Medicines: A must on your checklist while planning a trip with your bub should be a visit to the Ped. Get a prescription of all common ailments and also tell him that you are traveling amwitb your bub and may need to contact the Doctor in case of need.
3. Instant Food/ On the go food: So if you are planning a trip abroad or if the trip requires alot of planning you will have to make your baby accustomed with some instant organic food mixes that you can feed your baby during the travel time. Like I normally give my LO fresh home made food and avoid any packed food, but when we are close to a trip I start giving her some good organic instant food ( Raagi, wheat and apple, dal and rice etc.) so that during the long flight hours and layovers I can feed her on that. Also, banana, boiled potato, french fries and scrambled eggs are things that you can easily get hold of during traveling, so its better to make your baby have the above things before your trip starts. Also carrying a bowl with cover is advisable as you can comfortably close and keep it in the bag if washing it immediately is not possible.
4. Take off and landing: During a flight these two are the tricky times where managing your baby a bit difficult as the pressure becomes low. So if your baby is feeding its best to discretely breastfeed or if your baby is a little grown up, its best to distract them with a chocolate or some juice which they can sip during that time.
5. A soft blanket, sweater and socks in the hand baggage during flight: The in-flight temperatures may be quite low at times so its advisable to keep this stuff handy, although blankets are available in the cabin also, but a soft snuggly blanket will surely be soothing for the bub.
6. If your baby is still bottle Feeding, carry atleast two bottles for water and milk as it wont be possible to was it every time you use it. Also keep alot of napkins and small towels handy when travelled with LOs.
7. Other essentials: never ever forget a sanitizer, a sun screen and a mosquito repellent when traveling with babies. It’s advisable to carry a good night or all out along when travelled in India.
8. Toys: Keep your baby’s favorite toys and books along while packing as it help them be comfortable and has a soo
So peeps, keep the above pointers in mind head on to planning that much awaited family vacation.
