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0“Not I – Not Anyone can travel the road for you, you have to travel it yourself.” I think it was Walt Whitman who said something like that.
And when you have a baby – everyone, and I mean everyone, tries to tell you that you can’t do it. “Do you really think you are going to be able to go off on one of your wild treks when your baby is born?” I constantly heard the doomsday report.
Problem was that my husband and I loved to travel, and when I was pregnant and living on a sailboat in the Bahamas, my friends kept saying, “Have fun while you still can.” It scared me a little I must admit because we had no intention of giving up our travel lifestyle. I thought of having to wait a decade or more before my next adventure and I got sick just from thinking about it. We loved to hike, to camp to explore the world, “Was all of that just going to stop?”
Nope, I Was A Travelin’ With Baby and All
I was determined it wouldn’t. My son had been conceived on a small tropical island, and I believed he would benefit from our adventures just as much as we did. We moved to Montana during the last trimester of my pregnancy, determined that if we had to become sedentary, we would do so in a state that had a lot of outdoor adventure options nearby (just in case we had to stick to day trips).
Babies Travel Well
Jackson, now 10 months old, has been sailing, camping, backpacking, biking, and skiing. Some of our trips are single day trips but we have also made several long weekend adventures. So is it impossible to travel with a baby? I always say it is easier than staying home for a decade. And Jackson thrives on these trips. Jackson stares at the trees, watches the ocean, and tastes and feels it all. And I am lovin it all.
What About Sleep and Dealing With a Fussy Baby?
You would think that traveling, hiking, and exploring would make for a very tired baby. Most people picture traveling with a baby as something harrowing. They can mentally picture a tired Mom trying to deal with an endlessly crying baby. But nothing could be further from the truth. When traveling, your child is bombarded with information, and he thrives on it.
But getting this much input and entertainment is tiring. Small babies love to camp, hike, and go on adventures. They get to bang on camp gear, play with tent zippers and guess what? Babies sleep like – well babies when they sleep near the sound of a babbling creek.
Still aren’t sure about baby sleep patterns when traveling or on an outdoor adventure? Just try a few of these tips and everything will be – Ohh, so right.
That Special Toy
Babies have a spectacular sense of smell. Bring something that is very familiar. It can be a blanket, a sleep sack, or a swaddle you always use. You might even pack a good story book. When bedtime comes around use this item to help baby fall asleep as if it were his normal sleep environment.
A Baltic Wonder Teething Necklace
Babies can be fussy during the months they are teething, which is generally somewhere from 3 months to one year of age. If you go hiking or traveling when your child is in this stage of his life, you might want to purchase a Baltic wonder teething necklace. These are baby necklaces that soothe your baby and diminish or eliminate teething pain. I swear by this necklace as the amber has special healing and pain reducing qualities that calm and relax babies and toddlers. I’ve found that the Baltic wonder teething necklace works best because it is made from Baltic amber, known for its succinic acid content.
It is thought that, when Baltic amber is worn on the skin, body heat causes the amber to release the succinic acid which is then absorbed into the skin, acting like a natural ibuprofen.
Stick to Bedtime Hours
Ok so here you do have to plan your trip a little. Be sure you are in a safe and secure place when it gets close to baby’s bedtime, whether that is in your hotel or tent. So, if you are used to putting your little one to bed at around 7 p.m. stick to that routine. Find a place to stop and put the little one to bed for the night.
Travel When Alert
This tip may not seem logical but it really works for me. Plan your flights and drives so that they happen during the times when baby is up, has energy, and is happy rather than sleepy. It is easier to be on an airplane with a happy baby rather than a tired one.
And finally, here is one last tip, bring extra plastic bags to get rid of the disposables, and try to pack less. You really don’t need as much as you think you do.
So get out there and enjoy, and remember, the best thing you can do is be prepared and take that baby traveling!
