Road Travel with Baby
Bringing baby along for family vacations is a challenge, especially for new parents. In order to minimize stress and to teach baby that vacation time is safe and fun, it's important to plan ahead and schedule time for baby's comfort. This is especially true during road trips, where your child will be required to stay in his or her car seat for an extended period of time.
The good news is that teaching family vacation time doesn't have to add stress onto your own vacation experience. Here, we've collected a few helpful ideas for you to keep in mind while you're preparing baby for his or her first road trip.
Keep Your Baby Comfortable
Without sacrificing the proper facing of the car seat, make sure baby is always comfortable to keep him or her calm and content. Consider investing in a window shade to keep direct sunlight off of your baby's face, and bring several changes of clothes in case he or she gets too warm or too cold. A familiar blanket is an excellent way to provide a little more security here, too.
Be Flexible
Your baby is going to want to stop more frequently and for longer durations than a typical road trip passenger. He or she will become restless quickly, even if well entertained. In addition, accidents that require a diaper change or a change of clothing will also require emergency stops and delays. It's a good idea to keep your arrival time flexible for these sorts of stops, as becoming pressed for time will cause unnecessary stress for both you and your baby.
Interact with Your Baby
If your partner is driving, you may elect to sit in the back seat next to your baby so that he or she can see and interact with you. Road trips present excellent opportunities for playing, reading books, and singing songs. These activities will also encourage your baby to associate long periods in the car with positive parent time.
We hope that you will use these tips to ensure a positive road trip for your whole family. If you'd like additional tips for traveling with baby, you may want to review our Air Travel with Baby page for suggestions on how to make baby's first flight stress-free, safe, and fun.