Baby Travel Tips – Things You Must Know Before You Go

Welcome to Ben’s Chronicles

Hello! I’m Ben from EINSURANCE. Trust me, I know there are plenty of things we’d both probably rather be doing than discussing insurance. But although insurance gets a bad rap, it does have its benefits; especially when you find the right coverage and carrier.

Unfortunately, throughout my life I have had a knack for being at the wrong place, at the right time. Given my gravitational pull toward bad luck, I wanted to share a few of my life experiences with you in hopes that my bad luck could benefit you. So, bear with me over the upcoming weeks, because I’ll be sharing little nuggets I’ve learned through navigating the insurance world. If my mishaps and theories don’t directly help answer any of your insurance related questions, I promise they’ll make you laugh, albeit at my expense…

If you would like me to discuss a specific topic, feel free to email me at askben@einsure.com.

Today our topic is:

Baby Travel Tips – Things You Must Know Before You Go

There is certainly an influx of several kind of emotions when you bring a little person into this world. As the joy, fear, and anxiety begin to subside, and you have successfully incorporated your new infant into the family, you find that life continues to move on. As such, there’s one small piece of daily life that families typically forget to think about, which could potentially lead to a painful experience, if not planned for appropriately.Our little daughter is approaching becoming a one year old, and we’ve traveled over a handful of times with her, both outside and inside the country. Since traveling with an infant is different each time, our family tactfully sets time aside prior to every trip, to prepare some baby travel tips.

Our first test came when our daughter was circa three months old. As a family, we were getting a bit stir crazy and feeling as though the walls of our home were closing in on us. In efforts to provide a bit of reprieve, we decided to go to Mexico. Afterall, the sun, a beach, and great food should be able to brighten any situation, right? Although we were headed to paradise, we knew getting there would be much different now that we’d be traveling with an infant. In addition, travel only represented half of the battle. Given we were going to a different country, we also had to think about what we needed while we were there. Needless to say, we read all the material we could get our hands on, to prepare. What follows is a distilled version of baby travel tips you need to know when preparing to travel with your small bundle of joy!

1. Pack! Pack! Pack!

Your infant, although miniature in size, is a legitimate person, and should have a bag packed for them just like every other member of your family.

2. Teamwork!

No one person has enough hands, energy, or creativity to tend to your baby’s needs, make a bottle, push the stroller, carry the diaper bag, and get everyone ready to go through security check and ultimately board the flight. Enlist help where you can and assign tasks where possible. For example, my wife handles the diaper bag, I handle the stroller and we both tag team our daughter for nap time during the flight.

3. Pony up for the extras.

Airline companies are all about ancillary fees nowadays, thus, they make you pay for virtually everything between a checked bag, to additional leg room. Typically, I’d say add-ons should be considered on a flight by flight basis, as there are some short flights whereby you may not need additional seat space, or a checked bag. However, when flying with an infant, it doesn’t matter if your flight is 30 minutes long or 30 hours, your convenience is paramount. As such, pay for the checked bags, to have everyone sit in the same row, and any bassinet or extra services the airline offers for infants. Trust me, its worth it.

4. Take your stroller all the way to the gate!

My wife and I love carriers just as much as the next family. But while whizzing through the airport, you’ll want and need the maneuverability of everyone. Thus, although you’re allowed to have your carrier on while going through airport security, you’ll still need to navigate hordes of hasty travelers to get there, and then afterwards, get to the plane. Besides, airlines check strollers and car seats right before boarding the plane for free.

5. Breath; you’re going on vacation!

Although traveling with an infant takes preparation, once you’ve gone through the exercise once, it’s like second nature. Also, you hardly wait in any lines due to the new addition to the family.

You’ll find that you can never prepare for everything, and often times you may not even use a good portion of what you’ve packed for the little one. When these feelings arise, remember it’s better to be prepared and not need something than be ill-prepared, need something, and not have access to it.

Traveling with an infant changes everything regarding how you travel. It surely is a lot of work preparing, being attentive, and cautious. However, you’ll be rewarded with experiences that will blow your mind. Your infant will make something as mundane as waiting at the gate for your flight to board, fun. It’ll be as if you’re traveling for the first time, every time. Keep those baby travel tips above in mind when you’re slated to go on your next trip. Travel safely, and remember, breath and enjoy the experience!