traveling baby !?! need advice?
i аm going tο bе traveling wіtһ mу son іח аbουt a month ( wе travel quite οftеח mу family іѕ іח tx i аm іח WI ) wһеח һе wаѕ 4 month wе traveled аחԁ іt wаѕ sorta unorganized b/c babys need ѕο much !!
well i wаѕ wondering wһаt i саח υѕе tο חοt һаνе tο υѕе a stroller BUT ѕο i саח аƖѕο still υѕе mу hands
ԁο уου tһіחk those baby carriers tһаt look Ɩіkе back packs wіƖƖ work??
oh mу son іѕ аƖmοѕt 20lbs
You can get a carrier that will allow the baby to be in your front, facing outward. At twenty pounds, I think that’s about the best thing to do. However, you do have to keep in mind that if you aren’t used to it, you could have a little 8-month-pregnancy deja vu.
Honestly, I would suggest having an umbrella stroller in the trunk at all times. They take up hardly any space, and if you go somewhere where you don’t want to wear your baby, they only take a second to unfold.
Other suggestions, coming from a mom who has driven from Texas to Tennessee at least twice a year since her kids (3 and 5) were born:
1. Bring several carseat toys and small, entertaining toys that will not be overly distracting to you while you’re driving.
2. I’m not sure how people did it before DVDs were in the car, but I would honestly suggest bringing some DVDs that will entertain the baby, but that will not drive you completely bonkers (on our road trips, SpongeBob has to stay home, but other videos are allowed). Even if you have a no-tv policy at home, if your kid is going to be strapped into a carseat for hours on end, having a movie or Barney video is not going to harm him.
3. Use one of those mats that are sold around picnic supplies this time of year, and put the baby’s carseat on that. Offer snacks that will not totally trash your car (Gerber Puffs and the banana squares worked well for the 9-18 month set).
4. Unless the people you’re visiting have accommodations for the baby, bring a Pack ‘n’ Play. If you dont’ have one, and someone at the destination is able to buy one cheap or borrow one, do it. Bring along a bag with a favorite toy, blanket, and a sheet from home. It doesn’t take much time, effort, or space to pack these things, and babies are even more out of sorts when they have to try to sleep in a strange environment than adults are. Bringing a little bit of home can help him feel better, and having his own space can help him calm down when he’s been passed around to grandparents, old friends, aunts & uncles, etc.
5. Depending on how long your trip is going to be, see if someone at that end can go buy diapers, formula, wipes, etc., and you reimburse them. REALLY helped to not have to pack all that stuff and take it with us, and just have it there when we arrived. Then, we only had to pack all we needed for the drive.
6. Add at least an hour, sometimes two, to your normal travelling time. My husband had a habit of figuring up how long the drive would be without figuring in time for more than one fill-up stop. What actually happened, of course, was the baby had to be changed about three times while we were on the road, had to be fed twice, and was just in a foul mood from being in the carseat and needed some stretch time. This does not get much better, by the way, until they are well into preschool-age. When we traveled to Tennessee for Thanksgiving, my three-year-old was in the middle of potty-training, and we pulled over at least eight times for him to get into the gas station, into the bathroom, strip down, climb on the potty, sit there for four seconds and claim he was done.
I know, I put more than you asked for. Simple question, yeah, you can try the carrier, but I think you should keep an umbrella stroller in the trunk, just in case. $16 dollars at Walmart, takes up hardly any room.
Happy traveling!
The baby carriers are pretty good but you have to check the weight limit on them to be sure. I can’t remember what the weight limit on mine was.
Yes they work quite well. You will still have full use of your arms. Remember though, you have the weight of the pack as well as your son.
why not use a stroller . you can store it at the front ofthe plane. don’t they let you do that? the backpacks work. just have it so it can fit in the cargo above. i think its a wonderful idea. but if your traveling alone, they are hard to get ON and OFF alone. unless you ask a passenger to help you. I had one and it was awkward doing it solo.
do you use your own car seat or does your baby sit with you on your lap? either way, its kinda challenging traveling with babies. they need soemthing to suck on for their ears, and bottles work and binkies. also have benedryl on hand, get the dosing from the doctor and give it to him 30 mins before flying. it will NOT ONLY help him be calm and he will sleep during the flight, it will keep his ears clear so he has no pain.
good luck! I think the earlier you start the better for the child.
Hi I am Ginger I have used one and I think they are good you can up it in a bag and when you stop to shop or get out to wolk or anything you can put him right on your back . He will love it to . I hope you do if you get one your new freind Ginger.
Baby back packs are the best! MUCH better than the front carriers because it doesn’t take long with those for your shoulders and upper back to get really sore from fighting to stay straight. If they’re on your back it’s much easier to carry the weight. It’s the only way to go and 20lbs on your back isn’t that much. I had one that was very lightweight and had a bar that pulled out so it became a chair on the ground. Great if you’re having a coffee or just want to put the baby down for a while – they can’t go anywhere! A stroller is just awkward, bulky and annoying when you’re travelling.