Corinne McDermott of Have Baby Will Travel shares her top 5 travel tips with wee ones.
Traveling with a baby as a first-time mom can be very daunting. I would never have believed that the younger the baby, the easier the travel companion, but it's actually true and if you are going to be sleep deprived, you may as well be sleep deprived somewhere lovely or interesting and not have the distractions of home keeping you from actually sleeping when the baby does! But seeing the world with baby in tow does have its challenges, and my five top tips for making the process a little smoother are:
1) Don't overschedule your days. Your travel pace will be a lot slower than you may be used to, but make peace with that in advance and embrace how much easier it is to connect with your surroundings and locals with a baby in your arms.
2) Small things will make your life easier. Dress baby in outfits with built-in feet, so tiny shoes are not lost and tiny toes are kept warm. If bottle feeding or already on to solids, get baby used to room temperature bottles and food, so you won't have the hassle of heating en route.
3) When you're traveling with baby, a stroller is not just a stroller, it's a high chair, a bed, a luggage cart and a baby jail. Some eschew strollers in favour of only lightweight baby carriers or slings,but I recommend bringing both. Sometimes you both can get hot and uncomfortable with a carrier, or you might both just need a bit of space.
4) Choose a destination that embraces children and families. You can't go wrong with a Spanish-speaking country, as Latin culture adores babies. Same goes for Italy. Some places will make up for not having high chairs because the restaurant staff will hold and fuss over your baby so you can actually eat your meal. Feeling that you're welcome everywhere you go with little ones goes a long way in helping you relax and enjoy yourself.
5) Just do it. Just travel with your baby. You can probably come up with a million excuses as to why you shouldn't bother, and you'll have no shortage of naysayers trying to hold you back. But I'm here to say that nothing compares to seeing the world through your baby's eyes, and experiencing new cultures and foods is beneficial for everyone - even for those who are too little to remember it. Plus, the more you travel with your baby, the easier it gets. Promise.
For more information about Corinne McDermott visit her website Have Baby Will Travel.
