Whether you’re taking a cross-country girls trip or traveling on a family vacation, parenthood brings a new set of challenges when it comes to hitting the open road. You’ll have to worry about more than when to stop for gas or what hotel to book for the night — think time for breastfeeding and changing diapers. Here are a few things to keep in mind with baby on board.
Bring Soft Swaddles
Keeping baby quiet and pacified in the car isn’t difficult. With the help of a few accessories such as mirrors, toys and mobiles, you can turn his car seat into a playground of sorts. Bring along a few extra pacifiers for the car ride, too. Keep one binky on you at all times and bring a backup bag of extras, just in case any get lost.
The change in routine may make baby fussy and not want to sleep. Once you’ve stopped for the night, if baby won’t drift off — or if he startles himself awake once he does — swaddling can help. Swaddling helps babies sleep better and controls their Moro reflex. Seattle-based SwaddleDesigns sells swaddles in pairs, called SwaddleDuos, that include a warm swaddle for cold nights and trips and a lightweight swaddle for warm, sunny destinations.
Plan Diaper Duty
One of the challenges that parents face while on road trips is finding the right time and a place to change baby’s diaper. Many rest stops are not equipped with diaper-changing stations, and even some fast-food restaurants and gas stations don’t have them. But, if you come prepared, you can avoid a diaper-related disaster.
Stash all the diapering basics in your glove box, including extra diapers, wipes and hand sanitizer, so you can change the baby in the car. Have a changing mat handy to protect the seat of your vehicle. If there’s no sign of a rest stop or if you’re traveling desolate roads, simply change the baby’s diaper in the car on the side of the road and use a gallon-sized zip-closure bag to store the dirty diaper until you can properly dispose of it.
If you use cloth diapers, use a doubler to improve absorbency and prevent leaks. With cloth diapers, you’ll have to properly dispose of the solid waste and wash the diapers once you’ve reached the hotel or your final destination, so make sure to bring along a few wet bags to stash dirty diapers along the way.
Keep a Bottle at Your Fingertips
Keep a bottle of pumped breast milk or formula on hand at all times. If breastfeeding, bring along a car adapter for your electric breast pump or use a manual breast pump. You can feed your baby fresh milk without having to stop as frequently to nurse.
While you’re outside of the car, make sure to hold baby as much as possible. During the ride he’s stuck in a car seat, but he needs your comforting touch. If the seating arrangements are such that you can sit beside him for the trip, tuck your hand underneath his and read a favorite book to him as you travel. This can strengthen your bond and help him feel comforted on the trip.
