After you have spent enough time with your baby, you can put traveling with them in your agenda. This will give you experience guiding you on how to handle the long hours involved in car trips. Let us warn you beforehand though that it can be quite a tedious experience – but only if you are not prepared.
To make your baby’s first road trip successful, we have a couple of tips up our sleeves. These can help to make the overall trip comfortable and easy. So, let’s get started!
Buy necessary baby gear to smoothen your car trip
Before you set out on your car trip with your baby, start planning. An important part of your planning process should be purchasing necessary items to ensure the complete comfort of your baby. This includes gear such as booster seats, food products, baby-friendly music CDs, and toys.
Try to buy “new“ toys that your baby hasn’t seen before. Their curious little minds will be completely engrossed in testing out the new toys which will give you more peacetime.
Basically, anything you feel could help in pacifying your baby and keeping them content – take them. However, don’t stuff your car with unnecessary things. Even in the case of road trips, traveling light is more practical.
Start packing the night before
Babies have their own gear. This includes food, clothing, entertainment options, and other comfort items. If you are careful to pack all the necessary items that your baby might throw a tantrum for, you will be successful in mitigating any stress in such situations.
You can also store some of these items in your car to save yourself from departure-time stress. This way, you will also be more organized and have time to add any potential item that you may have forgotten to take.
Schedule your departure time when your baby is asleep
Whenever possible, start your road trip at the time when you are sure your baby will be asleep. While there is nothing wrong to start the trip when your baby is awake, it would definitely be easier to drive when they are in Snoozeland.
Indulge your child in a lot of activities before you start your car trip. This way, they will be tired and, hence, fall asleep faster. In fact, if you want, you can start your road trip when it’s bedtime as well.
Incorporate downtimes into your road trip duration
As adults, we generally try to reach our destination as fast as humanly possible for us. But, after having a baby, you need to change this specific outlook. Your main focus should now change to make the car journey as comfortable as possible for your baby.
Things like feeding times, etc should take precedence over reaching your destination at lightening fast speed. Try to stop for 20 to 30 minutes for every two hours of driving time.
Use this downtime to feed your baby or casually walk them about. A bit of fresh air will be a welcome change from being restricted in a small space. If you have a toddler and an infant, we would suggest investing in useful gear such as a double stroller is to give them a quick stroll around the property.
Also, make use of nearby bathrooms to change your baby’s diaper or make the toddlers use the restroom.
Keep your snack arsenal well-equipped
Every experienced parent will advise you to always have snacks and food items on you – lots of them, too!
You see, sometimes babies start to cry when they are hungry. While other times, they tend to cry out of sheer boredom.
Now, snacks such as pretzels, finger foods, and puffs can be a lifesaver in such cases. Not only do they help fill their stomachs, but it also gives them something to do. If you are carrying homemade snacks, make sure you have the right containers and boxes to keep them airtight and easily store them after consumption.
Make your tech products more baby-friendly
When we say this, we are not asking for you to make any physical changes to your electronic devices – just digital additions.
Download your baby’s favorite movies, music, and videos that you feel could be useful in keeping them occupied. You also don’t have to feel guilty that you are using tech products to pacify your baby. Sometimes a little bit of screen time can be good for your baby’s entertainment and your peace of mind.
Keep your baby safe and buckled in
Accidents are anything but predictable. After all, if one could predict an accident, the entire concept would be unheard of. This is precisely why you need to take every possible preventive measure to ensure the safety of your baby and you.
Your baby should be safely strapped in his or her car seat before you start your trip. If you are a nursing mother, make sure that even then both, you and your baby are buckled in. Stop the car whenever you plan to nurse. This way, any sudden movement will not lead to you losing grip or control.
The other thing that is equally important is never leaving your baby unattended in the car. Whether you are stepping out to refill your tank or buying some snacks, always take your baby with you.
Be prepared for unprepared situations
Whenever you travel with a baby, you always have to be very flexible. The unpredictable nature of babies can cause a dent even in the most foolproof plans. Always go with the flow and enjoy while you are doing so. After all, it is just a matter of some time and they’ll soon be big enough.
These are a few tips using which you can make your baby’s first road trip successful. As you can see, most of these tips are precautious in nature. Proper planning is something that is key to ensuring a smooth journey. Once you figure out the planning process, any future car trips can be a cakewalk for you.
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