Taking A Short Break
So you've been at home for a couple of months now, and you're
ready to take a trip. What kind of special considerations need
to be made in order to make sure that you are prepared for
parenthood on the road? Essentially, you want to make sure that
you have everything you would need at home, but in a more
compact form.
Make a check list. You want to make sure you have everything you
need for feeding the baby, and you have to remember that you may
not always have the convenience of a kitchen on hand. If you're
breast-feeding, you don't need to worry about feeding supplies
too much, since you keep them with you at all time. However, f
you're bottle-feeding, make sure you have everything you need
already prepared, just in case. Pack sterilized bottles and
nipples in zipper-close plastic bags to keep them clean.
Overestimate on everything. Bring at least as many diapers and
wipes as you go through on a daily basis for each day you will
be on your trip. Then bring an extra two days in case the baby
gets diarrhea, or you unexpectedly take a little bit longer than
planned. Don't forget changing pads or something similar to keep
the area that you use to change your baby in clean.
If you're not sure about the weather, or if it is unpredictable,
bring a large variety of clothing. Bring a couple of extra
outfits, preferably things you can layer or mix and match. Try
to pack at least one spare outfit for each day of your trip,
especially if you will not have laundry facilities. Just because
baby is away from home doesn't mean he wont mess - babies always
mess!
I don't know how often I've head parents admit they forgot to
pack a first aid kit. A first aid kit should contain pain
reliever/fever reducer, Band-Aids, teething medicine, and any
other supplies your baby may need. Toys like teething rings
should be taken into consideration, as well as baby cold
medicine, and basic baby toiletries. You don't have to take a
full chemist shop with you but bear in mind that you should be
preparing for the worst, just in case. You want to be prepared
if you're not in a place where medical supplies are on hand.
If you have the room consider a portable playpen with some toys
they will make the trip much more enjoyable for you and the
baby. Packing some small activities for travel, as well as some
other things that can be packed away and then brought out once
you arrive at your destination is probably the best way to go.
If you are traveling on a plane or bus and plan to check your
bags, make sure that any necessary baby supplies and medical
supplies are in your carry-on. Not only do you want to make sure
that you have everything you need while in transit, but there is
always the worst case scenario that bags will be lost. You can
go without an extra change of underwear, but baby can't!