Monday, November 17, 2008

Ten Tips for Your First Vacation With Your Baby

By Jen Stoddart

Your first vacation with your baby can be exciting and it also takes some advanced planning to ensure its success.

Here are ten tips to follow to help you when planning your trip.

1. Anticipate where you will get food and water for your baby. It may not be an issue if you are traveling to a popular tourist destination, but it may be if you are going to a more remote area.

2. It will be easier to treat any issues that your baby may experience when away from home if you pack the right medicines with you before leaving home. It is much easier and more effective treatment for sore tummies, low grade fevers, diaper rashes if you have the right medicines with you - rather than trying to find a drugstore after your child starts to feel under the weather.

3. Accommodations. Think about reserving a room with a balcony that you can comfortably sit on viewing the ocean, or overlooking a mountain range. You can count on spending more time in your room as your baby will need their regular nap times. If your room has a balcony you and your spouse can still enjoy your time together - sitting on the balcony - while your baby gets their needed sleep.

4. Plan for time for each parent to head off on their own to see the attractions or sites that they are interested in. During those times the other parent will be caring for the baby. Plan upfront when these times will be and work towards an equal split of time so that there is plenty of time to be together - and time for everyone to see or do what is important to them during the vacation.

5. Guard against too much time in the stroller for the baby. Taking a comfortable stroller with you on vacation is important - just make sure that your child doesn't sleep too much during the daytime. Many babies love to fall asleep in their stroller - which might cause them not to sleep well at night. Make sure there are plenty of opportunities during the day to take the baby out of the stroller and play with them.

6. Takes direct flights when flying. When possible avoid connecting air flights. Flying for babies is not always easy. The change in air pressure during take-offs and landings can be hard for babies.

7. If you plan on bringing a travel bed with you on your trip don't wait for the vacation to get the baby accustomed to sleeping in it. A couple of days prior to your trip let the baby start sleeping in it to get them used to it.

8. If possible bring your own car seat. The ones provided by car rental companies are sometimes questionable.

9. A month or so before you travel contact your baby's doctor to advise that you will be travelling with your baby. Ask the doctor if there are any required vaccinations for the places that you plan on visiting during the trip.

10. Check list. Write a list of the items that you will carry with you as you travel and a list of the items that you will pack for your baby to be used during the trip. Check the list a week before the trip and then check it again the day before the trip to make sure that you have everything.

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