Tiny Traveler: 7 Baby Friendly Destinations
For new moms like me, getting out is a good idea to help with baby blues. Jumping back to what you loved doing is a great way to get over that sadness and loss of identity you may be struggling with, as I am. Yes, you’ll have to make big adjustments to accommodate traveling with a baby now, but don’t stop doing what you love. So if travel is your thing, do it!
Before having a baby I would constantly travel both for work and for leisure, nothing fancy, just liked to get out and explore new places. As soon as my baby arrived, I lost the confidence to travel because I didn’t feel prepared to travel with her. Among the my fears of traveling with my baby is that she’ll cry non-stop on a flight, or that she’ll take a massive poop and get it all over the place – because she’s already done that while eating at a restaurant – or that she will get sick and not get to a doctor soon.
Exploring new places is still a strong desire, enough to finally give it a try, so our first family trip will be to San Francisco! I’ve had a couple of weeks to think about where I’m going, how I will get there and what I will take with me. I’ve come up with a few tips I’ve put together for other moms of small children that need a little travel confidence:
When traveling with a baby or small children:
Consider going to a place where you can rent a home, like the ones you can find on Airbnb, HomeAway or Home to Go. Renting a home or an apartment gives you the convenience you need to take care for a baby while getting away from it all. Now is the time to look into visiting that town or city you’ve been meaning to visit.
Take a road trip. This option goes great with the idea above! Depending on your baby and how comfortable he is in a car seat consider taking a road trip. Make sure to schedule stops along the way, avoid being on the road during rush hours and take plenty of entertainment so the ride is not too stressful on the baby.
If you decided to go with renting a home or road trip, check Groupon before you go and see if you can find any great deals to be used along the way of at your destination.
An All-Inclusive Resort also offers a lot of services that can make traveling easy. All your meals are included, some resorts may cater to children and offer child care. A bonus is that parents with children “get you,” so no need to stress too much about young children being, well, children.
Similarly, consider a cruise designed for families with young children. There are so many activities you can do on board and if baby becomes fussy, you can always just go back to your room for that much needed nap.
Visit family – especially if it’s grandma(pa) or other family members that are just eager to spend time with your kids. Not only will it make them happy, it will give you a break from the everyday struggle of caring for a baby.
Avoid destinations that will only add stress to your trip. The beach is not for everyone because of the sand, especially if baby is at a stage that he takes everything to his mouth. I would also avoid traveling internationally because of the long flight hours and comfort. Remember that your baby does not have all vaccines yet and health and diseases in the U.S. are very different that other countries, be cautious. Maybe a staycation is the best choice for you, check out nice local hotels that offer an experience rather a destination for your family.
When it comes to packing, take the essentials – but only you know what that means to you and your baby. If budget allows it and depending how much you want to carry with you (it gets tricky depending on how you are getting there – car, train, air, etc.), consider buying supplies once you arrive to your destination. Part of the stress comes with packing, so planning on buying supplies ahead may avoid the headache of packing too much.
