A baby in the back seat does not mean that your
road trips are now limited to visits to the grocery store and
the pediatrician. As a mom, grandma and experienced road tripper,
Anne Sponholtz has earned a diploma in "Traveling with Baby
101." She offers a few tips that can help make your road
trips with baby memorable in all the right ways. Parents, you
may start your engines.
When my youngest was 6 months old, my husband and
I decided it was time to take off on a 379-mile road trip to Key
West, Fla. Friends and family shuddered at the idea of such a
venture with a baby, but we were road trippers, and hitting the
road was part of our life. Since then the odometer has ticked
off plenty of miles with babies on board. Sometimes it gets crazy,
but it's always an adventure.
Here are 10 tips to smooth the way.
1. Be flexible
When baby is on board, you never know what is in
store for your travels. Sometimes baby is happy, other times fussy,
and being prepared to swing with baby's moods can make traveling
a lot easier on everyone. So don't be too ambitious and don't
set your travel plans in stone. Be as flexible as you can and
expect to stop often. My daughter and I figured a 90-mile trip
with one of my youngest grandsons would be a breeze, but on the
trip out, the baby was fussy and we had to keep stopping to pacify
him. It seemed to take forever to get to our destination, but
on the return trip, baby was perfect, and we made it home in record
time.
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2. Keep a list
Ellen Damaschino, a professional organizer featured
on Parents TV, advises making a master packing list you can use
for all your trips. Tuck it away in the baby's travel bag, preferably
one with lots of pockets, so you can check off the things you
will need on your return trip home. A master list might include
such things as diapers, wipes, lotion, changing pads, garbage
bags, formula - if you are not nursing - and juice, water, snacks,
baby food and utensils, if baby is a little older. If baby is
on any medication, include that on the list. Pack a first aid
kit, and don't forget a thermometer, flashlight and your insurance
cards. A small cooler to keep juice and formula cold should make
the list. Use travel-sized items for packing. As Damaschino suggests,
pack for travel time, not for the trip. You can make purchases
once you arrive at your destination.
3. Provide entertainment
Entertainment can be the key to keeping baby happy.
Bring along baby's favorite toys, a soothing music CD and a few
new toys. Hanging mobiles from the car ceiling is a good idea
so long as they don't obstruct your view out the windows. Blowing
bubbles can entertain baby for a long time and is a popular form
of entertainment among traveling parents. Just don't distract
the driver! It's always a good idea to travel with a designated
"baby entertainer" who can move into the back seat when
baby gets fussy. Older siblings are often good candidates for
this job.
4. Check the weather
If you have a choice of travel days, try to avoid
rain and other bad weather. Some of the toughest trips I've made
with babies have been in the rain, as getting out for pit stops
in bad weather with a baby is difficult. Our RV has a built-in
weather radio, but you can also check forecasts on several online
weather services (see listing at the end of this article). RVs
are great for bad-weather travel, as you can stop and get the
baby out of his car seat for a while without having to get out
into the elements; car drivers will have to plan rest stops at
places where they can get everyone under shelter.
5. Keep baby comfortable
Keeping baby happy in her car seat can cut down on
some of the stops. Window shades are a great help, providing some
shade when the sun is coming in the car window. Small pillows
and blankets strategically placed in car seats can provide comfort
for baby, but keep an eye on baby to make sure they don't shift
and interfere with her breathing. Changing baby's position in
the seat is also helpful. Don't give infants too much orange juice.
According to staff members at the Family Travel Forum, orange
juice causes some babies to become carsick.
6. Consider the larger items
Strollers, carriers, pack-'n-plays, high chairs -
oh my. The list of larger items needed for a baby just seems to
go on and on, and it can be daunting when planning a road trip.
But don't get discouraged. These days there are lots of options.
If you are going to be in one place for a while, you can ship
these items ahead; you can also rent many of them when you get
there. Some larger items are now built like the popular children's
toy - Transformers. For example, you can purchase a car seat that
converts to an infant carrier and transforms into a stroller.
RV travelers have the luxury of space. We once packed a full-sized
high chair for a trip that included a grandson's first birthday.
It was a great help keeping the birthday cake all over baby, instead
of all over the RV!
7. Travel safe
Even if you think you know how to install a car seat
properly, it's best to check with an expert. Local police and
firefighters will often do this for you. And once baby is strapped
into that car seat and the engine is running, never unbuckle him
without stopping first. (RVers often have heated online debates
over this issue, with some saying it is OK to let infants and
babies out of their car seats in an RV. I fall on the side of
always stopping before anyone unbuckles in my car or RV.) If you're
traveling in an RV, check to see whether you will need to secure
the car seat with a lap belt. One RoadTrip America Forum contributor
had to purchase a new car seat, compatible with a lap belt, when
he rented an RV that had this arrangement. You can check online
for individual state laws covering age and weight requirements
for children's car seats (the website is listed in the sidebar).
If traveling in an RV, be sure to baby-proof it as
you would your home, e.g. covering electrical outlets and keeping
such things as the chemicals used for the holding tanks out of
baby's reach. Above all, never leave a baby or any young child
alone in any vehicle. You would never forgive yourself if something
terrible happened while you "just stepped outside for a moment."
8. Get some exercise
Keep a lookout on your GPS for places like playgrounds
or city parks where baby can get a little exercise, fresh air
and a change of scenery. We stopped for lunch one day in the RV
and even the littlest grandson enjoyed watching a squirrel play
right outside our door. Swings at playgrounds are also excellent
ways to give baby some exercise, and an old-fashioned picnic on
a blanket provides baby a break from traveling and a chance to
move around without being so confined.
9. Think about when to travel
Many parents prefer traveling at night, when the
kids are asleep. I don't think my sister and her family ever took
a trip that her kids didn't travel in their pajamas. As a youngster,
whenever my family traveled we got up at 5 a.m., traveled several
hours, stopped for breakfast and then hit the road again. Some
experienced travelers, however, say it is best to keep baby on
her regular schedule. That is the way I prefer to travel with
baby, and it seems to work pretty well most of the time. Remember
Rule No. 1: Be flexible. If you experiment with different timetables,
you will find what fits your family's needs.
10. Say "Cheese!"
Don't forget your camera! I recently ran across a
picture taken when we went on that Key West trip long ago, when
my daughter was just 6 months old. My kids were more than a little
surprised to discover there was a time their mother did not wear
a one-piece bathing suit!
Most importantly, relax and have fun. Babies grow
up way too fast and before you know it, you will be searching
for tips on how to travel with teenagers.
Anne
Sponholtz
7/31/09
