Apr 29 2007

Traveling with Baby

Posted by Shen-Li in Uncategorized
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My cousin who travels quite a lot with her son ever since he was two and half months old gave me some really great advice about traveling with a baby.

Things to consider when traveling with your baby:

Choose night flight if you can or a time which you know baby will sleep a lot.
Weather at destination – make sure you have the right clothing for him.
Milk – if baby is breastfed, things will be a lot easier. You just have to bring baby with you wherever and whenever. If not, then you have to prepare the necessary bottle feeding equipment such as flask, bottle warmer, adapters, lots and lots and lots of spare bottles, travel kettle, etc. If you have access to a microwave, then you’ll only need a steaming container to sterilize the bottles. Otherwise you can do it the traditional way and pour boiling hot water into the bottles while they sit in a big bucket.
Accommodation – if you are staying at a hotel, see if they can provide you the necessary feeding facilities you need (if baby is bottle fed), cot and cot sheets, blankets, and a baby bath tub if necessary. If there isn’t a cot, ask for an extra bed, push it against the wall and sleep with baby on the extra bed where there are 2 walls securing baby and you become the 3rd wall. By the time they hit four months, they tend to kick quite a bit so you need at least 3 walls to keep baby contained. Or you can request a king size bed and then you and hubby can be the walls and baby can sleep in between.
Baths – if it is a short stay and the weather is cold, you won’t really need to bathe baby – just a nice wipe down will do.
Good traveling stroller – one with sit up and sleep function. If you are going to be walking outdoors, make sure your stroller has the additional warmer cover to keep the wind out of the stroller. You will be able to use the stroller all the way to the plane and then they will take it and chuck it below with the luggage. When you arrive, depending on what airport, some of them may have already brought it up for you, but some of them will send the stroller straight to the luggage pick-up. So keep a baby carrier with you. So that you can strap baby to your body and carry baby around. Make sure your carrier has a head support so that if baby is asleep, baby’s neck is supported. You will find that with the carrier, you will have the use of both your hands. You need them to carry all baby’s stuff, eg. blankets, toys, nappies, wipes, bottle food, etc.
If baby is on solids, then you need to bring enough bottled food.
Make over allowance for nappies (disposable ones of course). Mamy Poko seem the best in terms of holding big jobs.
Make sure you carry lots of wet wipes. One with the plastic cap function so you don’t have to fumble with that stupid soft re-sealable lid. Also bring some travel tissue packs, not the small packet we use in handbags, the ones that are like regular tissue but just half a pack.
When you pack baby’s hand luggage, you will need :

At least 2 change of clothes (inner) and one jumper suit plus an additional jacket (outer) for use upon arrival. Sometimes they pee or poo and get on to their clothes, or even vomit.
You need at least 3-4 swaddling blankets. They not just function as blankets, but also as a place mat if you need to change baby in the most awkward places. Even the change table in the plane toilet is quite cold and hard.
Bring some disposable place mats as well. Your blankets will serve to soften and warm the surface, while the disposable one goes in between baby’s bottom and the blankets, to protect your blankets from getting soiled or wet.
Also bring lots of freezer bags for the soiled nappies and wet wipes.
A new toy which you know will keep baby entertained. One that has noise and lights. Don’t worry abt disturbing the other passengers. The hum from the plane’s engine will muffle any noise or music from baby’s toy. Light will keep baby focused on the toy.
Lots of water (if baby has started drinking plain water) because flying is very dehydrating. The cold weather at your travel destination can be drying too, so baby might be a bit thirsty. If baby is breastfeeding, then just give more short and frequent feeds.
Moisturizer. Flying also dries out baby’s skin quite bad and if the weather is cold, that will too.
Flask with hot water, even if he is not bottle fed. You may need it to wash or sterilize something, like the pacifier or toy or whatever.
Teething rusk (if baby is teething).
Medication – Brauer Clam is a herbal alternative that helps to prepare babies for a long flight. It keeps them calm so that they won’t scream so much and may sleep quite a bit. You need to give it to baby every 4 hours, usually before a feed. It’s quite sweet and baby should be ok taking it. You need to start baby on it a day before the flight.
Health – make sure he doesn’t have a blocked nose. Carry a bottle of nasal saline just in case. Hamilton drops work the best.
Baby panadol – you never know when they start to get a fever or pain somewhere or teething discomfort or whatever. So bring a bottle with you.