Plane, train, or automobile? However you’re planning to travel, the thought of hauling baby along with you can be a daunting one. You don’t know how she will react to all the new sights, sounds and smells, and the unfamiliar motion is likely to be disorienting for a little one with no real idea of what’s going on around them. Yet, travelling is great way to stimulate a developing mind, and in many ways it is more simple to get around with a babe-in-arms than later on when there are school holidays and competing tastes and desires to be taken into consideration. With a bit of forethought and imagination, travelling with baby needn’t be the trial that nervous parents foresee. Air travel, for example, is all about comfort and stimulation. Booking ahead to ensure the family sits together and in close proximity to the bathroom, and creating a space for the little one to kick out her legs on a long trip, can go a long way to making things run smoothly. And here’s a special ‘baby cheat’: feed her on take-off and during landing so that her swallowing motion will naturally clear the discomfort of changing pressure in her ears. You may have a bit more room to move around on a train or boat ride, but this means it is essential to pack economically. Ditch the pram and use a carrier or foldable push-chair, and make sure you’ve got all the essentials in an easy to access bag – especially if you’re on a boat and planning to leave the luggage downstairs in the car. Don’t, repeat don’t, scrimp on baby wipes and motion sickness remedies. Travelling by car puts your destiny back in your own hands, to the extent that you can even plan travel times around your baby’s sleep pattern. Okay, your spouse may end up grumpy if forced out of bed to drive at 4am, but if that’s the hour that you expect to get most peace from the little one then it can be considered a net gain. Just be sure to strap them (the baby, not the spouse) into a rear-facing baby seat in the back of the car, and you should be good to go. It can be difficult to think ahead in the chaos of dealing with a newborn, but this handy new infographic puts all the best travel cheats in one place. Study carefully, and bon voyage!
