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Home › Articles › Family Life › Over Land, Air and Sea

Over Land, Air and Sea

Traveling with Baby on Board

By Laura Cone

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"We offer it every day," Sierra-Caro says. "It's a playgroup where parents and their babies can go, spend some time [and] learn some great activities they can take home with them. When it's children 3 years or younger, the parents need to go with them. The only supervised programs we offer are for children 3 and older."

Road Trips with Ease

While it's less stress for parents to be on a cruise, sometimes they need to drive long distances to get to the port. Other parents make road trips to visit relatives.

Drennan says she took a five-hour road trip to Idaho with her baby. "We left at bedtime," she says. "I bathed him, gave him a sippy cup, put him in the car and he slept the whole way. The next day we left after lunch so we stopped twice on the way home at rest stops and let him walk around, have a snack, changed his pants. He enjoyed watching cars go by."

Drennan says she personally would not mind traveling by bus or train but has found it easier to get to her destination by airplane or car. In addition to traveling during naptime, she also packs a few toys for the trip and plays her son's favorite music.

If you want to make a relaxing trip last longer and keep stress to a minimum, try to think about what your baby wants and needs to be happy. You may think your baby needs constant attention, but sometimes he may be just as interested as you are in exploring toys and meeting new friends. To make things easier for you while traveling, take advantage of available baby-sitting services and, if you can, travel with your spouse, a relative or a close friend to share responsibilities.

Time-tested Travel Tips
  • Use a child restraint system for your baby. According to the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration, children weighing less than 40 pounds should have some kind of restraint system.
  • Bring enough food, diapers, formula, wipes and toys to last in the event of travel delays. At the same time, don't pack items you don't need to bring. Find out whether a cruise ship has a crib or stroller you can use.
  • On an airplane, in case of emergency, put the oxygen mask on yourself first so you can then help your child. If you pass out or become disoriented, your child will suffer.
  • Bring along soft, appropriate toys. Experts say anything in a car or airplane becomes a weapon during an accident because of the high speed of travel. Do not give your child heavy objects in car rides such as clunky toy trains or toys with sharp edges.
  • If you are taking a cruise, make sure the room is large enough to accommodate a crib.
  • Arrange for baby-sitting on cruises. Make sure to check the hours baby-sitting is offered before planning adventures without your baby.
  • Never leave your baby unsupervised while traveling. Don't leave your baby with strangers other than trained professionals.
  • When choosing seats on planes, trains or buses, don't sit your child near the aisle.
  • Make sure you give your child breaks from sitting in a car seat. Stop at rest areas while driving or use layovers at airports to let him stand, walk and play.
  • Travel with other people. If you have to travel alone, make sure you carry a passport or identification card for your child. Have a cell phone to contact friends and relatives as needed, but don't let talking on the phone distract you from your baby.


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