If you’ve got a baby, you don’t necessarily have to put your travel dreams on hold indefinitely. Of course, things will become a little bit more complicated, but that’s no reason you shouldn’t be seeing the sights, right? You can even show the little one the world, instilling a love of travel from an early age.
When your baby is a newborn, you probably won’t want to travel much. That’s fine! Take some time out to get used to life with a baby. After a while, however, it is more than likely that you’ll feel like you want to see somewhere new.
The thought of traveling with a baby in tow can be pretty daunting, but don’t let your fears put you off – with a bit of prep and planning, you (and the little one!) can have a great time.
When You Should Go
We would recommend that you travel while your baby is still quite young. Our reasons for this are simple – toddlers (and up) can be incredibly fussy eaters, and can also be rather challenging to handle if they don’t get their way.
Smaller babies are much easier to take around with you, and tend not to mind spending half the day sleeping in the pushchair.
There’s one other advantage to this: you can travel outside of the typical school holiday times. This will save you a ton of money, and your destinations will likely be much less crowded to boot.
What to Take with You
First rule of travelling with baby club: don’t go overboard. Taking along a few bits of travel gear can really help things to run smoothly, but you don’t want to take too much.
Keep the amount of clothing as low as possible, and find out ahead of time whether you’ll be able to buy your normal supplies (nappies etc.) at your destination – you can save space and baggage weight.
You might want to take along a lightweight buggy (you can find examples of these by clicking here), to allow you to get around, and a baby carrier (like Babybjörn) can come in handy.
Pack a bag with a few of Baby’s most-loved toys, and maybe buy a new one as a reward for when you arrive. Keep a few nappies on hand in case of travlling emergencies.
How to Prepare for a Trip Abroad
There are a number of things you should endeavour to get done before jetting off on your holiday, especially if you’re going abroad. Here they are, in handy bullet point form:
· Sort out your baby’s passport (make sure you have this done well ahead of departure)
· Apply for an EHIC (European Health Insurance Card) – they’re free!
· Find out whether or not vaccinations are necessary for your destination
· Look in to getting a family travel insurance policy
· Make sure you’re well stocked up with sun cream, sun hats and sun shades – a child’s skin is especially sensitive.
Bon voyage!
