Travel Insurance

Stop! Before Vacationing With Baby Read These 10 Tips

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. Food and water. If you are going to a popular, well-developed location like Cancun, or a major European city easy access to water and food for your baby will not likely be a problem. If your vacation entails travel to remote areas, or even on a cruise make sure that you know how and where you will get water and food for your baby during the trip.

2. Be self-sufficient when it comes to medications. Bring the medications that your baby may need for fevers, upset stomach, rashes, ear infections and diarrhea.

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. Don’t plan on being as busy as you were on trips before baby. You can’t just go-go-go. Take time to stop periodically, and play with the baby. If there are some sites or adventures that one of you just has to see - agree up front that there will be times when one parent heads off on their own to see or do what is important to them while the other parent tends to the baby.

5. Our babies love to sleep in the stroller. That is great when we are at home - but not always so great on a vacation. If your baby is in their stroller too much during the day they may end up having too much daytime sleep making it difficult for them to sleep at night. During the day plan for regular breaks to get the baby out of their stroller and play with them at a park, or place a blanket on the ground and spend some time playing with them outside of their stroller.

6. If your trip involves flying - when possible try to take direct flights. Connecting flights are more difficult on babies.

7. Travel bed. Bringing your own compact travel bed with you ensures that your baby will be sleeping in a comfortable and safe environment. There is no guarantee about the quality of the crib that the hotel will provide to you when you arrive.

8. Car seat. If your vacation plans include renting a vehicle then think about bringing your child’s car seat with you. Having your on car seat means that your baby will be comfortable in it and you will be comfortable knowing how to put it into the rental car and knowing that your child is as safe as they would be at home.

9. Make sure your child has the necessary vaccinations. See your child’s doctor six to eight weeks before you intend to travel, especially if visiting developing countries.

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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