You never hesitated to hop in the car or get on a plane before you had kids, so why should you now? While traveling with a baby or young child might require a little more thought and planning, it can be done—and will likely lead to some fun family memories. If you’re thinking of taking your first “kid trip,” heed the advice of these three moms who hit the road and got by just fine.
Don’t be deterred
When Addie and Joseph Fairey told their friends and family that they planned to take their six-month-old daughter, Eleanor, with them on an anniversary trip, they encountered a laundry list of reasons why traveling with a baby was a terrible idea. But the Faireys held firm—and are glad they did. “We had a blast, but in hindsight, I can’t believe we actually did it,” Addie says, laughing. “Sometimes the less you know, the better. It didn’t occur to us to be stressed. We just packed her up and took her along.”
Addie points to Eleanor’s age as one reason the trip was successful. “At six months old, she was still small enough to be carried around in the BabyBjorn [baby carrier], so we didn’t need a stroller,” she explains. “I was nursing, so food was easy. And six-month-olds don’t require a lot of toys or their own seat on the plane. She was actually at the perfect age.”
The Faireys also found airline and train employees, and people in general, to be incredibly accommodating. “We discovered that as long as you tell everyone ahead of time that you’ll be traveling with a baby, they go out of their way to help you,” she continues.
Staying flexible helped, too. Although the couple made their lodging and train reservations in advance, knowing they were traveling with a baby, they also let each day unfold naturally, never getting too caught up in keeping to a schedule. Instead, the family made their experiences where they found them. “I looked across the table at dinner one night, and our friend was feeding Eleanor a piece of pasta and teaching her to drink water out of his glass,” says Addie. “It was her first taste of solid food, and we hadn’t even tried a sippy cup, but there she was doing both. And nothing bad happened.”
Traveling with a baby requires a little extra planning, but the memories are well worth the effort.
Take this…not that
Cat DiStasio, who took her son North on a plane for the first time when he was just seven weeks old, suggests checking heavy items and carrying on only the essentials when traveling with a baby. “Putting your child into new environments where the food is a little different and the toys aren’t quite what he or she is used to breeds much-needed adaptability,” she says. “Plus, you need to be light on your feet in case you have to run through the airport to catch a flight.”
But don’t skimp on food—for either of you—or wipes. “Let me tell you, it’s really hard to order a sandwich at the airport if your child is screaming,” she says. “Better to bring your own. And you can never, ever have too many baby wipes.”
Plan ahead
When Paige Brown set out on her first long car trip alone with her two children—2.5-year-old Ruthie and barely 3-month-old Smith, she thought she had covered all her bases for traveling with a baby. “I had food. I had wipes. I had entertainment,” she says. “I was actually feeling quite accomplished.”
What she hadn’t planned on was Ruthie, who had just turned the corner on potty training, needing to go to the bathroom so often. Badly. Her advice? Bring along lots of wipes and have a change of clothes that’s easily accessible. “Once we’d found an exit, I was able to clean her up fairly well, but I couldn’t easily grab a fresh outfit. As a mom, there’s something about getting through a challenge that gives you confidence and helps you realize you can do this.”
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