How to Travel with a Baby Without Losing Your Mind

If you have ever been stuck on a long flight with an upset baby anywhere in the same cabin, you have thought and possibly said some uncharitable things about babies and mothers that don’t stand up to scrutiny and don’t bear repeating. Also, you didn’t mean them. But in the heat of the moment, you were at your wit’s end. There was not enough aspirin in the bottle to make that airplane headache go away. And that was you in the role of a passenger. Imagine how the mother felt.

Now, you’re the mother and that screaming baby is yours. She is not a few seats away. She is in your lap. And not for the first time you are wondering if it was really a good idea for you to bring the baby on the trip. If you happen to be bringing the baby across the country to meet grandma for the first time, then yes, it was absolutely necessary. If you are anticipating this trip in the near future, or just wondering if as a new mother, you will ever be able to go on vacation again, you can, Here’s how:

Don’t Forget the Health and Medical Supplies

You have been making great progress getting your 4 year old to stop biting her nails with Mavala Stop. You have already defeated thumb sucking with the other effective products on which you have come to rely. Now is not the time to ease up. You are almost across the finish line. So it is vitally important that you don’t forget the health and medical supplies that brought you and you little one this far.

You also want to be sure to pack the bandage products you and your child have come to trust. One of the more awkward moments is when your child scrapes her knee and you find yourself frantically looking around and asking strangers if they have any bandages? While they likely have some, it is not the airline’s responsibility to have bandages. Don’t count on them having any sterilizing cleanser on board, either. These days, you are lucky if you get peanuts for lunch. First-aid supplies were not a part of the airfare. At home, your child’s life is surrounded by these small, medical conveniences. Don’t travel without them and reverse some of that progress you worked so hard to make.

Bring the Fun

Even if you are going on a vacation that promises to be loads of fun, that fun is not going to start until you get there. The act of getting there tends to be anything but fun. It is tedious and stressful for you and everyone else. Your little one will easily pick up on the stressful vibe. You will be stressed going through the security check. Then, you will want something from the coffee shop while you wait. Of course, you will also have to get something for your child. The only thing you see is the yellow curve of the Golden Arches. Not good.

Paving the way for a better experience are the simplest things. The best advice is don’t wait for the fun to come to you. Bring the fun and be the fun you want your child to have. If you do it right, they will not remember any details from the overpriced, theme vacation. The only thing that will stick with them for a lifetime is the unforgettable time they spent with you. That is the time when you were the center of everything that made them happy. And that is what makes it all worthwhile.

Become a Professional Unpacker

According to the experts, how you pack is less important than how you unpack when arriving at your destination. What your baby needs are all the comforts of home, especially if it is baby’s first trip away from home. Get that suitcase on the bed, open, and emptied as quickly as possible. Start your little one on the favorite toy. Get that formula in the fridge. Get those diapers ready to go. Be ready for anything so you don’t have to dig through a bag to find essentials. By unpacking immediately, you set yourself up for a much better stay.

From their impossible infancy to their fabulous 4s, it is okay to travel with your little one. Make it work by bringing health supplies, bringing the fun, and bringing the feeling of home and familiarity.

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