Quick tips when you travel with your baby for holiday trip
This article has been featured in flyme360.com Jan 2016 issue
check out page 33-35 for my article at :http://www.flyme360.com/magazines/FlyMe360_jan_16_mobile.pdf
Here are some quick tips if you are preparing a checklist on what to bring if you are bringing your baby for a long flight or long holiday.
1) Basic milk bottle stuff: hot flask, water bottle probably around 750ml, milk bottle, formula milk powder. If you direct breastfeed yoour baby, of course you won't have to worry about all this. However, I always still prepare the milk bottles and necessary things just in case anything happpen.
2) Bottles Liquid cleanser and sterilization tablet - you might be wondering how will you sterilize your baby bottles and pacifier as you travel. I bought this sterilization tablet from pigeon brand.
http://www.babycentre.co.uk/a562825/buying-a-steriliser
It is written not to soak the bottles in metallic container. However, I think purposely bringing a big container is not convenient. I end up buying those sealable zipper bags that is strong against water leaking and soak the baby bottles and pacifiers in the bag. Try not to use back the same bag or the water after 24 hours. For me, I wash and sterilize the bottles only once a day.
3) Travel stroller - Last time, I tried to take the 'kangaroo' baby carrier and ended up having back pain like an old woman, especially when you are plan to travel, you will have to walk a lot while sightseeing. It would be good if you can consider to buy a light, portable, quick foldable travel stroller, similar to those strollers in the airport.
how light is light? anything less than 6kg should be fine. No need to buy fancy or multicompartment, you just need the baby to be on wheels, while you are hands-free, and minus off the heavy weight, imagine baby need to sleep all the way on your shoulder....However, some of the airlines do not allow us to hand-carry the stroller, as the airport provide their own stroller, they will help you to direct transfer the stroller to your destination.
However, try not to take the stroller to the beach. Hard to walk your stroller through the sand, and your stroller will be full of sand! Read more at here:
http://community.babycenter.com/post/a33992656/stroller_to_the_beach
4) Baby food - if your baby is ready for solid food especially when he/ she is 6 months old and above, you can buy more those ready-made puree like Heinz, and some baby biscuits snacks. I have experiences where some airlines prepare baby food for you while some didn't prepare anything at all.
5) Baby clothes, lotions/baby oil, baby bath products, pampers, wet tissue - For clothes, always bring something light and also something warm. Try to buy travel sizes. If it is not available in travel sizes, try to search for small bottles and fill up the liquid relate items, such as baby shampoo, baby bath, lotion, etc. If it is winter time, probably you need to bring lots of winter clothes for baby. My baby face was very dry during autumn and winter time, and I apply baby oil on his face and body, I apply some on my body as well!
6) Baby sunblock and mosquito repellent sticker - i bought a baby sunblock, as we will be enjoying the seaside in our trip. Try to get one! mosquito repellent sticker is good to standby as well.
7) Upon landing and take-off in the plane - Make baby suck on your breast, drink water, or simply just swallow some liquid drinks to allow him to swallow his saliva, and in order to reduce the ear pressure that caused by the air pressure in the flight.
8) Try to get the front row seat in the airplane - so that you got bigger space and if you need airplane baby bassinet so that baby can sleep in the airplane. If you are unable to get the front row seat during your booking, try to reach earlier to the airport and try your luck and see if the airlines staff can help you to switch the seats for you.
9) Supplements that calm/ soothe baby to sleep if he/she is jetlag - We found a baby liquid product in Italy pharmacy that can help baby to calm / soothe him/her to sleep after jetlag. Last time, my baby cried uncontrollably for few days after we come back to Malaysia. This time, we buy this chamomile baby liquid products to calm him to sleep, you can ask for it in the pharmacy, but if the pharmacy does not sell such stuff, probably you can calm your baby by letting him drink some chamomile tea. Chamomile tea is decaffeinated tea, so not to worry; and just let baby get warm bath, and simply sleep in cool dark room, to make sure baby get enough rest, adjusting to the timing when he/she is back from holiday.
10) Buy ibuprofen or paracetamol in case baby is sick - In case your baby is sick with mild flu, cough, or fever, try to buy the ibuprofen or paracetamol and prescribe the baby the right amount of medicine. However, if your baby did not recovered or there's no improvement on his condition within 1 day treatment, please seek doctor advice immediately.
11) If your baby normal routine injection is near to your travel dates, my paed doctor advised us better wait till baby is back from holiday, settle down, minus off the jetlag, only then try to go for the injection.
so this is the basic checklist for baby when traveling. If you want a full checklist:
http://www.babycenter.com/packing-checklist-for-traveling-with-baby
check out page 33-35 for my article at :http://www.flyme360.com/magazines/FlyMe360_jan_16_mobile.pdf
We only bring stroller, and stuff all baby things into a backpack. No need to buy any fancy backpack, or those who sold in baby shop, just a normal big backpack will do.
Here are some quick tips if you are preparing a checklist on what to bring if you are bringing your baby for a long flight or long holiday.
1) Basic milk bottle stuff: hot flask, water bottle probably around 750ml, milk bottle, formula milk powder. If you direct breastfeed yoour baby, of course you won't have to worry about all this. However, I always still prepare the milk bottles and necessary things just in case anything happpen.
2) Bottles Liquid cleanser and sterilization tablet - you might be wondering how will you sterilize your baby bottles and pacifier as you travel. I bought this sterilization tablet from pigeon brand.
http://www.babycentre.co.uk/a562825/buying-a-steriliser
3) Travel stroller - Last time, I tried to take the 'kangaroo' baby carrier and ended up having back pain like an old woman, especially when you are plan to travel, you will have to walk a lot while sightseeing. It would be good if you can consider to buy a light, portable, quick foldable travel stroller, similar to those strollers in the airport.
how light is light? anything less than 6kg should be fine. No need to buy fancy or multicompartment, you just need the baby to be on wheels, while you are hands-free, and minus off the heavy weight, imagine baby need to sleep all the way on your shoulder....However, some of the airlines do not allow us to hand-carry the stroller, as the airport provide their own stroller, they will help you to direct transfer the stroller to your destination.
However, try not to take the stroller to the beach. Hard to walk your stroller through the sand, and your stroller will be full of sand! Read more at here:
http://community.babycenter.com/post/a33992656/stroller_to_the_beach
4) Baby food - if your baby is ready for solid food especially when he/ she is 6 months old and above, you can buy more those ready-made puree like Heinz, and some baby biscuits snacks. I have experiences where some airlines prepare baby food for you while some didn't prepare anything at all.
5) Baby clothes, lotions/baby oil, baby bath products, pampers, wet tissue - For clothes, always bring something light and also something warm. Try to buy travel sizes. If it is not available in travel sizes, try to search for small bottles and fill up the liquid relate items, such as baby shampoo, baby bath, lotion, etc. If it is winter time, probably you need to bring lots of winter clothes for baby. My baby face was very dry during autumn and winter time, and I apply baby oil on his face and body, I apply some on my body as well!
6) Baby sunblock and mosquito repellent sticker - i bought a baby sunblock, as we will be enjoying the seaside in our trip. Try to get one! mosquito repellent sticker is good to standby as well.
7) Upon landing and take-off in the plane - Make baby suck on your breast, drink water, or simply just swallow some liquid drinks to allow him to swallow his saliva, and in order to reduce the ear pressure that caused by the air pressure in the flight.
8) Try to get the front row seat in the airplane - so that you got bigger space and if you need airplane baby bassinet so that baby can sleep in the airplane. If you are unable to get the front row seat during your booking, try to reach earlier to the airport and try your luck and see if the airlines staff can help you to switch the seats for you.
9) Supplements that calm/ soothe baby to sleep if he/she is jetlag - We found a baby liquid product in Italy pharmacy that can help baby to calm / soothe him/her to sleep after jetlag. Last time, my baby cried uncontrollably for few days after we come back to Malaysia. This time, we buy this chamomile baby liquid products to calm him to sleep, you can ask for it in the pharmacy, but if the pharmacy does not sell such stuff, probably you can calm your baby by letting him drink some chamomile tea. Chamomile tea is decaffeinated tea, so not to worry; and just let baby get warm bath, and simply sleep in cool dark room, to make sure baby get enough rest, adjusting to the timing when he/she is back from holiday.
10) Buy ibuprofen or paracetamol in case baby is sick - In case your baby is sick with mild flu, cough, or fever, try to buy the ibuprofen or paracetamol and prescribe the baby the right amount of medicine. However, if your baby did not recovered or there's no improvement on his condition within 1 day treatment, please seek doctor advice immediately.
11) If your baby normal routine injection is near to your travel dates, my paed doctor advised us better wait till baby is back from holiday, settle down, minus off the jetlag, only then try to go for the injection.
so this is the basic checklist for baby when traveling. If you want a full checklist:
http://www.babycenter.com/packing-checklist-for-traveling-with-baby
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