How to Travel with a Baby; Nine Travel Tips for New Parents
So the past weekend my husband and I visited a historical Bed and Breakfast in Virginia with our daughter. This was the first overnight trip we have taken since having her and now having done it there are some things I would definitely recommend if you plan on traveling with a baby. We stayed at the Mayhurst Estate Bed and Breakfast in Orange County Virginia in the Constitutional Suite on the fourth floor. Just as a quick note, the Bed and Breakfast was beautiful, the food was great, and I definitely recommend the place to anyone traveling with children. But enough about that, here are nine tips for traveling with your little one.
Also, enjoy this picture from the lounge on the fourth floor. It was absolutely stunning.
1. Opt for Disposable Diapers
So for all you cloth diapering parents out there, to minimize the hassle of traveling opt for disposables during your trip. My husband and I went back and forth about what to do about diapers, and in the end, we decided that for everyone's sake that disposables would be best for our three-night trip. Not only do you not have to worry about storing dirty diapers, but you can also rest assured that you're not going to run out without having a place to wash dirty diapers. All around, I'm really glad we decided to go this route and would 100% do it again if we were traveling.
2. Get a Place with Two Rooms
Hey Shayla from the Hey Shayla podcast was a travel influencer before having children and she suggested booking a place that has at least two rooms if you're traveling with littles. I definitely recommend this as well. My husband and I booked the Constitutional Suite at the Mayhurst Estate and definitely found a HUGE benefit in having the extra room for naptimes, or even just to hang out after our daughter had gone to bed for the evening. Even if you plan on co-sleeping with your child for nighttime, which we did one of the nights, it's best to have an extra room where you and your partner can just have some alone time during nap time at the very least. This is great too if you're getting away for a bit of a rest and one of you decides to take a nap or sleep in while the other plays with the kids. Having an extra room where that person can have their own privacy is essential and definitely takes some stress out of the whole trip.
3. Go for the Crib (or Pack-N-Play)
Now I know I've sworn by the Montessori floor bed thing and I definitely still agree that it's super convenient for nursing mamas. However, when you are traveling most of the time not everything is going to be baby or toddler-proof. There may be cords lying around, uncovered outsets, decorations, things to knock over, etc. Basically, not ideal for leaving a child in unattended for any length of time. The best option then is to ask if the place you are staying has a crib or opt for bringing a pack-n-play. The Mayhurst Estate had an antique crib perfect for our needs and it definitely made naptime convenient. Again, even if you plan on co-sleeping, having it as an option to put your kid down in for a nap or even if you get need a couple of uninterrupted minutes in the bathroom is going to save you a lot of headaches. You can put some toys in the crib that are safe and anything else that will keep them entertained. Again it doesn't have to be a place for sleeping, but it definitely can be a safe place for independent play while you attend to whatever you need to do.
4. Search for Places Near Your Location
I your little one is a good traveler this might not be a necessity for you, however, if this is your first time traveling in the car for more than an hour and your little one doesn't do well in car rides already, you may want to opt for a visit somewhere within your state or only 1-3 hours away from your home. My husband and I drive out of state frequently enough for this not to be much of an issue for us, however, it is something you want to consider. I've been blown away by all the unique, cool, places I can find to visit just a few hours away! If you search historical bed and breakfasts, look up recommended AirBNBs, or try and find a travel page that focuses on some hidden gems in your state, try and opt for vacations to those places as opposed to traveling further than you and your baby are going to be comfortable. Remember, not only do you need to drive there, but you also have to drive back, and sometimes at the end of a vacation a long car ride is just one other thing to have to stress and worry about when you have a fussy little one. So opt for something nearby and get creative about where you go!
5. Find Places with On-Site Activities
So for our trip, we decided to go to the Mayhurst Estate, which I definitely recommend, but the key is, they have several on-site activities. Not only was it a beautiful place to stay, but the estate sits on 37 acres and offered a great place for a walk. If weather permitted, it would have been the perfect place for a picnic. They had a pond, goats, a beautiful deck, and games inside. Not to mention a wonderful coffee machine that made lattes. This allowed us to not have to stress about packing everything up every day to go "have an adventure." We were able to sit and relax and do some things on site some of the days we were there. Some bed and breakfasts also serve dinner and so if you're up for that, you can purchase dinner right where you're staying! I definitely recommend looking into the place you are going and asking yourself, "If I'm not able to get out and do something every day I am on vacation will I be fine staying here and just chilling?" If the answer is yes, you're golden. If not, maybe you want to reconsider your location.
6. Pack Extra Clothing
This one is probably a given with a little one, but be sure to pack extra clothing, and mama if you are a breastfeeding mama be sure to pack yourself everything from a tank top and shorts to sweats and a jacket. I know it sounds crazy, but I did not pack any pants (only a long-sleeve T-shirt) for our trip because it was supposedly one of the hottest weeks in July. And guess what? At some point, I got cold. It's those pesky hormones and there's no way to predict them. Just pack so you're comfortable and be sure not to underestimate what you will need. For the little one? We were gone three nights and I packed her seven days' worth of clothes (definitely pack variety for your little ones). I didn't end up using them all, but some of the pieces I had brought as "backups" I ended up reaching for the most, so you never know what you'll need. Just be sure that you account for at least one blowout every day of your stay and you should be good.
7. Book a Place with a Tub
So this one is more of a necessity if your child is accustomed to having a bath for their nighttime routine. Fortunately, the Constitutional Suite at the Mayhurst had a bathtub and so this wasn't an issue for us, but it definitely could have been if we didn't plan ahead. Bathtime is a huge part of her nighttime routine and it would have made going down to sleep at night even more difficult than it already was. So be sure to pay attention to the amenities of the place you're staying.
8. Know Your Limits (and Your Baby's)
I have a hard time with this one. What happens is, things are going well, we're out, either to eat or doing some activity and because our daughter is doing well I think, "Well let's just try and fit in this one last thing." This has happened so many times and every time we try to add one more thing, it ends poorly. So I've learned to not push it, and know your limits. If your baby who ordinarily should not be happy is happy by the end of whatever event or activity you just did don't take that as a sign to keep filling their schedules. They are little and get overstimulated and overtired very easily and at the end of the day, it's not worth it to them or to you when you're battling the repercussions of a tired fussy baby. This is especially hard for me when I want to stop somewhere to eat after being in town. But I have to remind myself that at the end of the day when I'm fighting putting her to bed that it's not worth it. So be realistic, know your limits (what you can handle regarding the baby), and know your baby's limits.
9. Have Minimal Expectations
This point goes along with the previous point but has minimal expectations. For our trip, our one goal was to relax and hang out as a family the way we would if our house wasn't under renovation. That was a pretty achievable expectation, and at the end of it, we felt happy, well-rested, and satisfied. It also allowed us to have to freedom to be a little bit spontaneous and stop by some of the antique stores one of the days we stayed there. It wasn't part of the place, but after going into town for dinner one evening and seeing the row of cute shops we decided to make plans to come back one of the days of our stay. We wouldn't have been able to do that if we had otherwise filled our schedules with things to do and activities for the day. So be mindful in your planning and try to keep expectations minimal. It sometimes helps if you can bring a book, something to knit, or a hobby project to work on so you don't feel pressured to go somewhere. Games are another great thing to bring, or even some puzzles if that's something you're into. Even if you don't end up using them it can take the pressure off of feeling like you need to go out and do something while you're away resting.
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