Managing a trip with small children is one thing, but traveling with a newborn, whether by plane, train, or automobile, requires some extra careful planning!
Nearly half of the families in BabyQuip’s annual customer survey feel the most stressful aspect of family travel is that very first leg—that is, simply getting yourselves, your babies, and your stuff through busy airports and then enduring a long, crowded flight with (sometimes cranky) little ones.
It’s enough to make you want to spend $9 on a tiny little bottle of wine…six times! Then comes the arrival, accompanied by the anxiety about not having the right gear for your children, which a whopping 33% say is what gets them the most flustered. Another 10% are stressed about baby safety at their accommodations…will there be a gate for the stairs or outlet covers in the sockets? What happened to those relaxing trips you used to experience pre-baby, when your biggest worry was if the hotel hot tub would be in order?
Needless to say, vacations are where family memories are made, so don’t throw in the beach towel just yet! We’ve put together some family travel tips for each leg of the trip to help reduce stress and travel anxiety so that traveling with a newborn isn’t so scary and you can start making memories as soon as you leave home!
Our first expert tip is to plan, plan and then plan some more. There are several additional considerations when traveling with a newborn, especially by plane. Read on for more tips.
1. Before You Travel: Health and Safety Considerations
It’s a good idea to start a discussion with your pediatrician, regarding any travel concerns you have and to hear what the doctor recommends to ensure a healthy and safe newborn throughout your travels. If you’re planning to travel to an international destination, additional vaccinations may be required for baby (and even other family members), so it is best to have this conversation early.
According to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), the risks that children and infants face while traveling are similar to adults. However, children are less likely to receive pre-travel advice. Set yourself up for success by discussing preventions and interventions tailored to the specific risks of your destination prior to departure. Consider bringing baby-safe medications/treatments for the following illnesses: gastrointestinal illness, dermatologic conditions ( including bites), systemic febrile illnesses, and respiratory disorders. The CDC and AAP (American Academy of Pediatrics) have recommendations regarding water safety and food preparation for travel in developing countries so all family members stay as healthy as possible.
2. Documentation for Travel
Check with your airline(s) directly and early to ensure you are aware of all requirements for each of your family members, even the youngest ones. Be sure to check your flight itinerary to ensure you have reached out to all airlines you’ll be traveling with.
Domestic
Some airlines have minimum age requirements, so your infant’s birth certificate will be required for name verification and proof of age. Some airlines may also require a document from your pediatrician indicating it is safe for baby to travel.
International
Your newborn will need the same documentation as other family members for any international travel. A valid passport with a photo on a white background will be required. This is quite a process; making an appointment with a local embassy will be the fastest way to get your newborn’s passport in order.
3. Make the Airport a Cinch
Don’t Drive Yourself
If possible, get a ride to the airport from a friend, Uber, etc. so that you can get the whole squad dropped off right at the check-in area. Long-term parking garages add another leg to your trip, and that’s just what we are trying to avoid when traveling with a newborn!
Hands-free is Key
Arrive at the airport with as little gear as possible (more tips on achieving this to follow!) and have your baby strapped up tight to your chest in a baby carrier so that you can be hands-free. This will allow you to manage your carry-on, root through your purse 20 times to find your ID and boarding pass, and pick up the baby’s pacifier every time it falls. Head over to this BabyQuip post for more great ideas to keep your hands free while flying with baby.
Cut in Line
When heading through security or boarding the plane, don’t be afraid to cut the line! Most checkpoints and airlines have family lines, which means someone in the industry at one point recognized how utterly impossible it is to get a baby through the gate and made magic happen. Take advantage, especially during busy travel times when these lines can be super long. Elbow yourself right to the front of the line and don’t look back; you won’t always have the baby excuse, so use it while you can!
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4. Optimize Your Flight when Traveling With a Newborn
Time It Right
When it comes to choosing your flights, timing is everything! Consider your baby’s schedule; when is he or she happiest? Book a flight with this sweet spot in mind. Nothing beats a well-planned trip where the baby passed out the entire time because it’s either naptime or a red-eye flight.
Our current travel climate and pilot shortages may ruin these well-laid plans, but this BabyQuip post also includes activity ideas and ways to keep little ones entertained in the event of any flight delays.
Choose Your Seats Thoughtfully
When traveling with a newborn it’s good to book seats as close to the front of the plane as possible. This makes it so much easier to board as well as exit, especially with a baby in your arms. The front also tends to be quieter.
Choose at least one window seat for your group. No one wants baby’s head bonked by the beverage cart barreling down the aisle. Window seats provide privacy for breastfeeding, some support for your own head and arm, and even a little entertainment for babies and toddlers.
This leads us to our next suggestion: While it’s true you can hold your lap baby until age 2 on most airlines, booking an extra seat and placing your baby in an FAA-approved car seat can make for a much more relaxing flight for everyone. If you can swing it money-wise, you won’t regret this purchase.
Pro Tip: For a family of three with a lap infant, when you are choosing your seats pre-flight, look for a row where all three seats are empty and book the window and the aisle. This sets you up to possibly have the whole row to yourselves, and the extra space to spread out is a godsend when traveling with a newborn.
Worst case scenario you’ll just have to ask the middle person to switch with one of you—and it’s 100% guaranteed they will agree rather than have to deal with you passing the diaper bag back and forth over them 7,000 times!
Keep ‘Em Happy
It can’t be overstated that nursing your baby (or otherwise feeding/using a pacifier) during takeoff and landing, or the whole flight really, is a great strategy. Not only does it help their little ears adjust to the change of cabin pressure, but it also provides comfort and therefore less fussing.
Critical Carry-Ons
Don’t forget to dress for success, and pack lots of extra clothes for success as well! Comfortable clothing makes you and your baby happy. Extra outfits in your carry-on are essential for the unexpected diaper blowout all over your lap. Dressing your newborn in a jumpsuit or romper will allow for easy diaper changes and one less thing to fuss with during your flight.
Don’t be afraid to pack too many swaddle blankets, which have all kinds of handy uses including privacy during breastfeeding, covering germy seats, creating a clean spot on the floor for some tummy time or side-lying play, and hiding under while your baby screams (just kidding!).
5. Schlep Less
Rent Gear and Have It Delivered
As the BabyQuip motto goes, “Pack light, travel happy!” If you’re traveling with a newborn you should always consider renting gear for your vacation rather than bringing your own. BabyQuip Quality Providers (QPs), now in over 600 cities across the US, Canada & beyond, can outfit you with pretty much everything you need (or want)! You can have a car seat delivered to the airport, and a crib assembled in your Airbnb… you can even rent items like a bottle warmer, sound machine, and blackout curtains!
In addition to renting items, many QPs sell and deliver consumable items like diapers and wipes, and also may offer personal shopping services for your grocery needs. Imagine arriving to find your accommodations completely ready for you and your baby and fully stocked with food and other necessities!
As if that weren’t enough, you can also think outside of the baby gear rental box for other items you may need. QPs in beach areas often rent umbrellas, beach tents, and wagons, while those who are nearby ski resorts carry things like winter snowsuits. If you don’t see what you’re looking for, we recommend reaching out to the QP to see if they’d be willing to add it to their inventory. Oftentimes they will accommodate your request!
Ship Gifts
If you’re traveling specifically for the holidays and are able to pony up for shipping charges, don’t travel with your Christmas or other holiday gifts. Instead, have them shipped (already wrapped) to your destination. Then mail them to yourself before returning home. That way you won’t look like Santa carrying his giant sack of toys as you make your way through the airport!
6. Chugga Chugga Choo Choo
While not often considered, train travel is a safe and reliable option. It’s definitely something to consider with all the flight cancellations and delays of late. Many of the tips included for flying will also apply to train travel. It’s always best to check with your pediatrician before traveling as newborns do not have robust immune systems yet.
When in doubt, wear your baby. This not only keeps your newborn close to you for snuggles and some germ protection, but it also keeps you hands-free. It will also make it easier to roam through the train cars, a unique highlight of train travel.
There are plenty of places to store your luggage and baby items on the train; so many that the writers over at Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection recommend taking pictures of where all of your items are stored. This will allow you to refer back so nothing is forgotten.
These same writers also recommend doing a little research before your train travels. Many trains have different types of cars, with the possibility of there being family cars onboard. The potential perks include changing stations in the restrooms and play areas within the car.
7. Vroom Vroom
Road trips will not be like they used to be when you didn’t have children. For one, they are going to take much longer. Nevertheless, great family memories can still be made! Road trips will allow you more flexibility in your schedule than air or train travel. The only schedule you will need to work around is your newborn’s emerging routine. If there’s a baby sleep schedule you’d like to follow, try to plan car travel for when baby is sleeping. This could mean starting your road trip before the sun is up to complete a big chunk of driving while baby is sleeping.
The littlest of newborns may do best with a family member traveling in the back seat with them, if possible. It will allow for a close eye to be kept on baby and for easy entertainment and soothing while on the road. If you’re traveling solo, a soft-sided car mirror that attaches to the headrest is a great option. It will allow the driver to glance back quickly to check on baby.
Pro Tip: Practice. Practice. Practice. Plan day trips leading up to your big adventure with your newborn to better understand how baby is going to tolerate being in the car. Is there a sweet spot in the time of day or length of ride that keeps your newborn the happiest? What about a particular type of music or sound that really soothes your baby? You’ll want to do your best to have some of these answers prior to the big trip.
Traveling with a newborn can be stressful, but don’t let that stop you from going where you want to go and doing what you want to do. With a little careful planning and following the steps outlined above, you’ll make it through the trip, and you’ll no doubt look back someday and cherish the memories. You got this!
Happy travels!
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