How To Vacation With A Baby

Juliet’s first vacation was when she was a month old. She came to the River with us for Memorial Day weekend. I would be lying if I didn’t say that I was nervous about that trip. I spent hours researching what to bring with us on vacation and what to do with a newborn in the heat on the beach. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find much information! Thankfully we learned a lot from that trip that helped us on our most recent trip to San Diego! I thought I would share a little bit about what we learned for any other moms out there hoping to bring their baby on a trip! 

1. Don’t try to pack light. Babies require a lot of stuff! Unless you have access to laundry (and actually want to do laundry on vacation) then you will want to make sure you have enough clothes and burp cloths to be prepared for accidents. On our first trip we ran out of burp cloths halfway through the trip and we needed to buy more. 

2. Pack a separate bag for baby. Don't try to fit all your baby stuff in your suitcase. You will be so much more organized if you keep your stuff packed separately. 

3. Buy necessary baby gear. If you are going to a beach, or a warmer climate, you will likely need to purchase baby gear to accommodate that climate. On our trip to the river Nick’s parents bought a little baby tent for us to put Juliet in while we were all down at the beach. This was a lifesaver! If you are going to the beach with a baby or really anywhere hot that you will be hanging out in the sun, this is a necessity! Babies aren't supposed to be in direct sunlight so this provides shade. It also has little windows that open up to let air in. 

3. Be prepared for the weather. Both our trips were extremely hot! So I needed to pack clothes that would keep her cool. But because we were staying in hotels, it was cold when we were in the room. So I still needed to pack footies for her to sleep in and blankets to keep her warm. If you are going to be traveling in the heat I would suggest packing muslin swaddle blankets to protect your baby from the sun. They are thin enough that they won't cause your baby to overheat. We would drape them over the stroller to protect her legs from sun exposure or to cover her while she was in the front pack. I would also suggest buying a battery operated fan that will clip on to your stroller. I wish that I had brought one with us. We ended up buying one of the fans attached to the squirt bottle at the zoo but it didn't last long before the motor gave out.  We also put wet burp cloths on top of her tummy to cool her down when it was really hot.

If you will be in the heat like we were for both trips, you will want to make sure your baby stays hydrated. Because you can't give a baby water for the first few months, you do this by feeding them more often. Watch the soft spot on the top of their head, if it is sunken in, then they are dehydrated. Make sure you talk to your healthcare provider more about this before traveling. 

5. Travel with people who want to help you. I can’t imagine how hard it would be to travel without family. Both trips we have taken have been with Nick’s family and everyone does a great job of helping us with Juliet. Whether it’s taking her in the morning for a little bit so we can catch some extra sleep or taking a turn pushing the stroller through the San Diego Zoo, it makes life just a little bit easier! 

6. Bring your favorite Baby Gear. We brought Juliet’s bouncy seat and her DockATot on both our trips. We loved being able to safely put Juliet on the bed with her Dockatot. Her Bouncy seat gave her a place to hangout when we needed to set her down. We also brought her stroller and baby carrier for carrying her around during the day. We brought her nightlight/sound machine with us as well so that we would be able to make a bottle in the middle of the night without needing to turn on any lights.  On our first trip we also brought her Rock 'N Play and a small portable swing. I wish we had brought the swing with us on the second trip as she normally sleeps an extra hour or two in the mornings in a swing and without it she didn’t go back to sleep.  But we didn't miss the Rock 'N Play because she was able to sleep in the DockATot.

7. Feed baby right before you leave for long car rides. I don't have experience flying with a baby so I can't speak to that. However we did have long car rides that we needed to prepare for. We fed Juliet right before we left and then found comfortable places to stop and feed her on the way. On the first trip she was eating every two hours so we stopped every two hours. We kept a bag in the back seat full of all the bottles, burp cloths, diapers and wipes we would need for the car ride, that way it was all easily accesible. It also helped to have me sitting in the back seat beside her so I could keep her calm, unlike most babies she absolutely HATES the car. 

8. Your schedule will change. We don’t have Juliet on a schedule but she has established some routines as to when she eats and sleeps. I noticed that on both trips she ate more frequently and napped less. Unfortunately, it makes the first few days back home more difficult. Juliet was extra fussy for about three days after each trip. However she did eventually settle back in to her routines. 

What have you found to be helpful in traveling with a baby? I would love to hear your experience! 

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