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Perhaps you are planning a major road trip which would last several hours, but you don’t know how to go about it because you have a newborn. Or you, a nursing mother, have a situation where a close relative is getting married some thousand miles away and ditching the wedding ceremony is not an option. Either way, you need to get your baby to the destination safe and sound.
Here is a concise and straightforward list to guide you while considering taking a trip with your newborn.
Babies That Can Go On a Trip
There is a traditional 40-day confinement period that is advised after childbirth which is aimed at ensuring you and your baby are strong enough for travels. However, if you are not following the confinement, you can go on a short-distance car trip with your baby a few days after its birth. For air travels, you would do yourself a lot of good to allow your baby be 2-3 weeks old before you make any trip.
Proper Trip Planning
Make proactive decisions while planning your trip to avoid future problems. Think of possible issues and solve them right before you get on the road.
Ask yourself questions like ‘Is my baby an in-transit sleeper?’ If yes, schedule the travel time to coincide with bedtime so that you’ll have a sleeping baby most of the journey. If not, it is best to take off in the morning after the night rest or after a nap.
Another contemplating question to answer is ‘is it a marathon trip; the type with no stops?’ Typically, intermittent stops work if you are traveling by road. But when you are journeying by air, it is rare except on special occasions where the need arises. Either way, taking a few breaks helps your baby to be less fussy.
One last thing in planning your trip is factoring plenty of extra time to help you crush unplanned surprises.
Preparing the Car/ Booking the Flight
You might need a checklist to be sure you have everything to make the journey a pleasant one. You would need items like window shades, pillows or head support, a cooler, a bottle warmer, toys, baby-friendly music, children books, empty plastic bags, first aid kits and change of clothes, amongst many others.
Babies under two years old are allowed to fly for free if they sit on an adult’s lap. Sitting on your lap all through the journey obviously wouldn’t be so comfortable, it would be worth it to buy your baby her seat. That allows you to bring a stroller car seat on board. Cool, isn’t it. However, some airlines offer select-seats which attract a little more money for extra space.
In Transit
Be flexible with your plans as they may not work out as laid out. Try to put safety first; proper use of seat belts is important. Don’t breastfeed in a moving car; it is dangerous for your bub even when you’re both belted. Lastly, never leave your baby alone in the car. Don’t, and please don’t.
On your Way Back Home
It is easy to assume it is all over because you are now heading home. Nah, going back home is just another trip as well. You should take all the necessary safety measures on your trip back home.