Traveling Baby Part 2

I always get tons of questions about traveling with Kennedy and over the last 20 months, traveling with her has changed dramatically.  Because of this, I am going to break the post up by ages and method of transportation (car vs. plane) and give tips, tricks, and gadget recommendations along the way...enjoy!


Traveling with Baby Age Newborn to Crawling:

I found that traveling at this age is much, much, much easier than it is today.  Although at this age babies typically require more "gadgets," their lack of desire to move makes being on the move a little less challenging.

Traveling by Car:

When traveling by car, I feel like I am less restricted by space than I am on an airplane (suitcases can only hold so much!).  Here are the things that I typically carried at this age:

• Inflatable Bath Tub (See Traveling Baby Part 1)- It is so much easier to bath a baby in a small tub.  Inflatable options are very portable and make life easier.
• Baby Bjorn Travel Crib (See Traveling Baby Part 1)- Babies typically sleep better when they are in familiar surroundings.  If you can bring your own play pen or travel crib, it can make for an easier transition.
• Sleep Sheep On-the-Go- Portable sound machine that comes in a cute little stuffed animal!
• Folding Rocking Chair- I love to rock Kennedy before she goes to sleep (I don't rock her to sleep, but it is part of her "relaxing" nighttime routine).  You can buy a folding rocking chair (like a folding lawn chair) from Wal-Mart for $40 or so.  I bring it with me if I have room in the car!
• Medela Microwave Sterilization Bags (see Nursing Essentials)- These bags are great for on the go cleaning of pacifiers, bottles, teething rings, etcetera.  Almost all hotels have a microwave in room, which makes this a great way to keep all the feeding accessories clean.
• Englesina High Chair- Foldable and portable way to feed your baby in the hotel room (once they start eating solids).  Many hotels charge extra for delivering a high chair to the room, and many relatives don't have one!
• If nursing and traveling with another adult who is driving, I usually pumped while we we drove and fed Kennedy a bottle of the expressed milk.  Afterward we would stop to burp her and change the diaper, but this saved a lot of time, especially on a 3 day road trip to Colorado when she was 3 weeks old (yes, I was that crazy!).

Traveling by Plane:

From Newborn to approximately 8 months, I never had much of an issue traveling by plane with Kennedy.  The loud humming sound of the plane engines coupled with the fact that she was inevitably going to miss a nap when on such a lengthy trip made her fall asleep almost instantly on this method of transportation.  My advice to new parents is to relish this time and travel as much as they desire before the baby starts really moving!

• I always packed many of the things I traveled with by car excluding the travel crib and rocking chair.  
• Bring your own sheets and blankets if using a hotel crib; it can make your baby feel more at home.
• When traveling from the car to your gate, I always carried Kennedy in a baby carrier (Love my Ergobaby Carrier!).  At this age, it helped her to fall asleep and kept my hands free.  Strollers and car seats are free to check, and if your baby is in a carrier, security will let you go through without undoing the carrier.  If they are in a stroller, however, you have to take them out, fold the stroller, and send the stroller through the Xray machines... a challenging effort especially when traveling alone!  Bonus:  If you are nursing, you can nurse while they are in the carrier.
• Nurse, offer a pacifier, or give a bottle upon take off and landing.  It helps to equalize the pressure in the child's ears.
• Children under 2 years old can sit in the mother's lap for free and at this age, it is totally unnecessary to buy an extra ticket (especially if you have a family member with you).

Crawling to Toddlerhood:

I remember the exact trip where this transition took place and I became "that mom" on the airplane.  Kennedy was 8 months old and I was traveling from Houston to San Francisco solo, just me and the baby.  In her defense, our first leg was delayed and then canceled, making the day much longer, but we were luckily rebooked on a direct flight.  During this flight, I fought a screaming child that was kicking me and everyone around us for the entire duration of the 4 hour flight.  This trip felt like we were flying to Hong Kong, literally the longest 4 hours of my life.  After getting there, I realized that although she wasn't 2 yet, she was too old to be a lap baby.  I need a seat with a five point harness to restrain this crazy 8-month-old who was resembling a 2-year-old more everyday.  We survived the trip, and she started crawling that evening in the hotel room.

Traveling by Car:

• I know it isn't recommended by the APA, but TVs are a moms best friend when it comes to travel.  It isn't fool proof... they don't necessarily zone out completely without a peep, but it makes the ride much more tolerable (especially if your child doesn't sleep in the car like mine!).  You can buy a mount for an iPad for $20, which can save you a fortune in sanity.
• Put toys or snacks in the front seat and hand them to your child as they get bored.
• Try to plan travel around your nap schedule.  If your child is still taking two naps, travel after the first so that they at least get one nap.  If they are only taking one nap, try to travel after the nap.
• I still bring almost all of the same things as I did in infancy minus the inflatable bath tub.  Now I have to bring a lot more toys though!

Traveling by Plane:

• Although it is bit of a pain, I recommend traveling with your child in a carseat.  At this age, it is really difficult to hold a child still for any length of time, so having them in a 5 point harness definitely helps.  The carseat is the most secure way to keep your child still and safe in the plane.  One tip:  If you don't want to pay for a seat for your child under 2 years old, if there are still seats empty on the plane, the airline will try to seat you in a spot with an empty seat next to you.  They cannot guarantee the seat's availability, but they do try to work with you!
• To get said carseat from car to gate, I recommend buying a Go Go Babyz Travelmate.  It is the best universal seat "stroller" I have come across to date.  It is reasonably easy to attach (although I wish it were a tad bit easier) and works very well.  I will have to say that the axle bent on my last trip through Denver Airport and I had to order a replacement; which is a definite negative, however the company sent me a new one at no charge because it was still under warranty (definite gold star for customer service!).
• Once your child gets a bit bigger (and won't wiggle out of the seat without the 5th point harness), I would try a KidCares Safety Harness.  It has a belt around the chest and lap of the child, but I have heard mixed reviews from moms with smaller children.  It is something I am very interested in trying, but just haven't yet!
• Bring lots of new toys and plenty of snacks.  Seems intuitive, but it definitely helps.  
• Load new games and favorite movies on an iPad.  
• Changing diapers on a plane is difficult, so try plan changes before and after the trip.

Other interesting or non-interesting gadgets for travel:

Flyebaby Hammock- I haven't used this and Kennedy is too big for it now, but it looks like a very interesting invention to keep mom's hands free during flight.  I found that at this age, they really like to fall asleep on the plane, so the child may or may not be comfortable in this/may be more comfy being held.  ($49.95 on Amazon)

Baby B'Air Flight Vest- I purchased this thinking that it may be a good way to keep Kennedy more "contained" while lap sitting.  I tried using it, and it was pretty much worthless.  Definitely save your money on this contraption.

Snack & Play Travel Tray- Just now remembering that I have wanted to purchase this for a few months!  Looks like a great way to keep kids entertained and keep all of their stuff close at hand.  Will let you know how I like it! (19.95 on Diapers.com)

Product Pictures from Above:

iPad Headrest Mount- A lifesaver for long rides with a toddler.  Totally un-crunchy and I know kids under 2 aren't supposed to have screen time, but sometimes, it is necessary.  ($15.99-$39.99)

Go Go Babyz Travelmate

Product Rating: ♛♛♛♛

Price: $84.99

Where to Find: From Diapers.com and other online retailers

CARES Child Airplane Harness

Product Rating:  Haven't Tried Yet!

Price: $74.99

Where to Find: From Amazon.com, Diapers.com, and other online retailers

ErgoBaby Carrier

Product Rating: ♛♛♛♛♛

Price: $99.99

Where to Find: From Babies R Us, Buy Buy Baby, Diapers.com, and other baby retailers