Tuesday, November 2, 2010

Simple tips for making travelling with babies and young children enjoyable

Summer is here and in the next few months you’ll most likely be planning to catch up with family and friends. You might even be thinking about having a family holiday and getting away from the day to day routine of housework and family life. While we all get excited about holidays, there is also that realisation that your days of just throwing a few things in a bag and hitting the road are over.

Travelling with babies and young children can be challenging, there are hours of planning, loads of baby equipment and all those baby supplies from baby bottles to nappies, the list just goes on and on. However there are some very basic things that will make your trip enjoyable.
  • Ensure that your child doesn’t overheat by keeping cars cool.
  • Fluids and food are very important so stop frequently, every couple of hours for about 10 to 15 minutes, to top them up. This is also a great time to breastfeed.
  • Take advantage of those feeding times, make it a toilet stop too.
  • Getting the children to stretches their legs.

Toilet training while on the road

Travelling with children while they are making that transition from nappies to underpants can be stressful for both parents and children. Like most things with children being prepared is the most important thing. Ensure your nappy bag has a change of clothing, and of course a plastic bag for soiled clothes. This will save both of you the embrassment of your child remaining in wet and smelly clothes.

When on the road keep a portable potty in the car. This can be very handy at times when you might not necessarily be close to toilets. If carrying a potty make sure you have wipes and a couple of plastic bags to deal with the aftermaths.

Car sick children

While some parents are lucky and their children are born travellers, other parents have the consistent worry of travelling with a child that will get carsick. When planning a long holiday make sure you plan will. If children are in the rear of the car, take corners slower to keep stomachs settled. There are other things you can do like:

  • For those with children that get car sick allow plenty of extra time for your trip. Stop frequently, every hour if necessary and allow your child to get plenty of fresh air.
  • I use to carry a packet of Gingernut biscuits with me on long trips, ginger has a settling effect on stomachs.
  • A clean, empty ice cream tub, with lid, is a great idea for catching vomit and ideal for those parents with children that get car or motion sickness easily. Ensuring the container is in easy reach place for when you need it!

While you can't always make things perfect for a trip, these tips can help to at least prepare you for your journey. Happy travelling :)

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