Traveling With the Kiddos

Doesn't an exotic family vacation in to an island in the Pacific sound like a blast?  I love daydreaming about taking my kiddos back to Hawaii--one of my favorite places in the world.  But all it takes is a simple trip to the grocery store for me to have second thoughts about placing my little guys on an airplane for hours and then spending a week shuttling them around an island.  I very clearly remember taking my oldest to Hawaii when he was a year old.  It was an amazing trip, but there were plenty diaper blow-outs, a few screaming fits, and even an episode of projectile vomiting on the airplane.  Traveling with my precious little boy was not as easy as we anticipated. 

I read an article today that contained a flight attendant's recommendations for flying with children.  Her recommendations seem spot-on.  And since I love when mommy "specialists" share their insight and wisdom with the rest of the world, I wanted to share some of her recommendations.

Top Five Carry-on Essentials for an infant/baby 
 

1. Diapers and wipes: My rule of thumb is one for every hour of travel plus five. You need to plan for mechanicals and other delays. 

2. An adequate food supply: If you're breast feeding then you're all set. If not, bring enough formula with extra for delays. You are not restricted to the 3.4oz rule when you are traveling with a baby. Check with TSA.gov for more information. 

3. Extra clothes: Not just for baby! A shirt for mom and/or dad is advisable in case of spit ups. Also, a small blanket. 

4. Ziploc bags: Great for soiled clothes, soiled diapers and even leftover snacks. 

5. Ear plugs: Bring enough for your neighbors, as handouts like this will take some stress off potentially tense situations with a screaming or crying child. 

 

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/travel/2011/10/15/flight-attendants-top-recommended-carry-on-essentials-for-traveling-with/#ixzz1atzAzhf4

I'm definitely not arguing with any of these points. You can never be over-prepared for a family adventure.  And I know first-hand what happens when you don't follow points 1 and 3. 

 

I was the mommy who didn't have enough outfits and diapers on our flight across the Pacific.  Thanks (in part) to an unexpected hurricane delay, my son managed to soil all of his clothes by the time we landed in Honolulu.  He was literally wrapped in a blanket and diaper when we got off the plane.  Although my attempt at a baby toga was pretty lame, he did manage to survive until we retrieved his suitcase.  Thankfully, I remembered to pack lots of extra clothes on the way home--just not any for Daddy.  (Oops! He was the victim of the projectile vomiting.)

 

Anyway, as I'm contemplating planning a spring adventure for my young family, I'm looking for the best advice that mommies can offer.  So if you have any great advice, please share.  And if I find any more essential rules I will continue to include them in my posts. In the mean time, here are some essential rules that I've learned the hard way:

1) Check to see if all tourist attractions are baby friendly.  FYI--You can't carry any type of bag into the Pearl Harbor memorial/tour.  This rule applies to diaper bags too.

2) Take extra clothes with you even if you're just walking to breakfast.  Baby blowouts happen at the worst times.

3) Bring a sturdy stroller.  I bought a Graco umbrella stroller at Target for that trip and it took a beating.  

4) Sunscreen is essential.  Put it on the baby.  Put it on you.  Put it on the stroller wheels when they squeak.  It works on everything!

5) Be flexible in planning your schedule.  If the baby is screaming too loud for you to go visit your favorite historical site, get out a map and move on to the next tourist attraction. 

6) Bring a sippy cup and Teddy Grahams.  Hungry toddlers are NOT fun.

7) Include a family nap time in your daily schedule.  There's nothing like a siesta to make your baby a pleasant dinner companion!

8) Do take your child on vacation!  You can create amazing memories.