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Travelling before you have children - when there isn’t a pandemic of course - is one of life’s privileges. After you have had a baby however, travelling quickly becomes a whole different ball game, especially with new COVID related considerations.
Travelling with a baby is something that many new parents dread as the logistics of carrying everything the new baby needs as well as dealing with them when they are crying, can amount to a very stressful exercise.
There are a number of things that you can do to ease any difficulties. Here is our list of recommendations to make sure that travelling with a baby is as painless as it possibly can be - leaving you with time to actually enjoy your trip or holiday.
Tips for travelling with a baby
Looking at this list may be slightly overwhelming at first - but remember to only take on board and use the tips that will really work for you and your baby.
Plan ahead
Planning for a trip or holiday is something that can help you no end on the actual day. Before you start packing, start making a list of what you and your baby needs while on holiday as well as while you are travelling.
While making that list, think about when and where your baby will need any of those items. Doing so will mean you can pack as much as you can in hold luggage, leaving on the essentials in your hand luggage making it easier to locate what you need when you need it.
While making a list for your travels, write that list down somewhere that you can store it. The ideal place in our modern day and age is on your phone. Doing so means you can refer back to it time and time again, so that you do not have to keep making a new list every time you travel.
Having a reference checklist each and every time you travel with a baby means you will grow more and more confident that you have all that you need and that you will not overlook a vital or helpful item.
Take multi-functional items
Travelling with a baby often means you feel like you are packing a huge bag of things for them and very little for you - despite their diminutive size.
Babies do tend to need a fair amount of ‘stuff’, no matter how much you try not to pack the kitchen sink. One way you can minimise what you take however is by making use of multi-functional items. Doing so means you save a lot of space, and therefore hassle when it comes to packing, unpacking and transporting everything your baby needs while on holiday.
Muslins
Items that are easy to double up on uses are things like muslins. Muslins are great as they have so many different purposes. You can put it on the ground as a picnic blanket or simply use it as a blanket to keep your baby warm on a flight. They’re great for clearing up spit up or mess as well as being perfect to cover you and baby if you are breastfeeding and feel the need for more privacy.
Multi-functional cribs
A common worry for parents is about the quality and cleanliness of the cots or cribs provided by hotels or rented accommodation. Luckily, there are a variety of innovative multi-functional cribs that are an excellent way to save on space and remove the worry of what the crib will be like at your destination.
If the thought of taking yet something else is a concern, the added benefit of taking your own crib is that you can use it for a few nights at home first to ensure your baby is used to it. If baby sleeps well, you can relax!
Our recommendation is the Angel Babybox. It can be used in a variety of ways, making it the ultimate space and stress saver. Not only can it be used as a place for your baby to sleep safely, it can also double up as a play-mat and changing mat. It wins our vote because it’s beautifully designed, is incredibly light and folds up to a small size.
Angel Babybox is designed to be used at home as well as when travelling, it means you are taking your baby’s normal bed wherever you go. That means they are far more likely to settle quickly as they have their own sleeping space when it comes to naps or bedtime.
READ: Lots more travel focused baby products
Do not feel pressured!
Finally, a good tip for when travelling with a baby is not to feel pressurised in any way. You can minimise that pressure by leaving yourself enough time to get from A to B without feeling the need to rush.
Airports are a place, for instance, where we often feel harassed - trying to get through passport control, check in and through security - and this is likely to be worse as airports get used to dealing with extra COVID travel protocols. They are all places where there are a lot of people and a lot for you to concentrate on - even without a baby.
Bearing that in mind, aim to travel at a time when airports are quieter but also when you have left yourself more than enough time to get through all those obstacles. If you feel flustered, you are likely to make mistakes or feel more stressed than you need. Your baby will undoubtedly pick up on this, making the situation worse. By leaving yourself enough time to travel, and then a little bit extra too, you will hopefully negate any problems that arise from feeling short of time.
Plus, try not to care what other people think of you and your baby.
Many new families worry too much that their baby is fussing, disturbing other passengers or travellers. For the most part, people who have had children will simply sympathise with any parent travelling with a baby - as they will know how hard it is. Have confidence in your abilities as a parent instead. That will put you at ease and make travelling that little bit easier on everyone.
Travelling with a baby - key takeaways
Taking a baby on their first holiday or first trip is a big step for new parents to make. It can be daunting and nerve wracking. However, by taking things slowly, planning well ahead and leaving yourself plenty of time to get from A to B, the whole process does not need to be a horrendous experience.
Cut yourself some slack and enjoy your time away with your baby and family.
Getting necessary items like Angel Babybox is one of the easiest, most effective ways that you can ensure your trip is a success. Not only does it mean you have to pack less, but you are also taking your baby’s bed with you wherever you go. That is a key sign or signal for them when it comes to bedtime and they will love being in their safe, known sleep space wherever you are in the world. You won’t ever regret buying one.
Planning ahead to ensure you’ve ordered, tested and gotten your baby used to any new products - such as Angel Babybox - is going to make travelling a lot easier.
Finally, ask advice from friends and family who have done it before
Happy travels!
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