The summer of 2020 was decidedly the year where hardly anyone traveled by car or plane. Now, the summer of 2021 is rapidly approaching and looking like it might offer some opportunities for travel, thanks to the rollout of multiple COVID-19 vaccines.
If you have a newborn and you’re ready to hit the roadways, what should you know? How can you safely hit the roadways this summer, even with a little baby?
The following are some tips for your first road trip with your newborn.
Give Yourself (a lot) More Time Than You Think You’ll Need
It’s important that you’re safe when you’re on a road trip with your family. A big part of being safe is making sure that you aren’t overly stressed or rushing, so give yourself plenty of time. In fact, give yourself a lot more time than you even really think you need.
When you give yourself plenty of time, not only will you feel less stressed, but you’ll also have time to pull over for feedings and changings.
Babies, and especially newborns, tend to need your attention at the most inconvenient times, so it’s helpful if you go ahead and factor this into your plan.
Sit With Your Baby If You Can
If you’re driving with your spouse or another person, have them do the actual driving while you sit in the backseat with your baby. Your baby will be comforted by this, and you might be able to reduce some of the meltdowns that could otherwise occur.
That also makes it easier for you if you need to access your baby quickly.
Take Lots of Breaks
This somewhat ties in with what was talked about above as far as giving yourself plenty of time, but you want to make sure that you’re giving yourself a lot of breaks. That way, you can get out and stretch your legs, but you can also take your newborn out of their seat for some cuddles and a change of scenery.
You should plan to stop for a break every 45 minutes to an hour with a new baby.
Block the Sun
Babies really don’t like the sun in their eyes, although we can’t blame them—who does?
Make sure that you think about this ahead of time. You can use a sunshade over the back window and the rear window as well.
Remember, the sun doesn’t just bother babies because of their eyes—it can also cause them to overheat, which can be uncomfortable and even dangerous.
Think About Timing
If you can, time your road trip so it will coincide with your baby’s sleep time as much as possible. For example, maybe you leave with a well-rested baby who’s happy, but then you have a plan that a fairly short time after you leave, they’ll be ready for another nap.
Pack and Organize Your Car Well
You should try to pack your car and get everything ready the night before you’re set to leave on your road trip.
Consider what you’re going to need at an arm’s length versus what you can probably do without until you reach your destination or pull over.
You should have a necessity bag that you can quickly reach.
You might also want to pack a changing station that you can use in your car, which includes a changing pad, diapers, wipes, a small trash bag, and an extra set of clothes.
Consider packing a change of clothes for yourself too that you can get to easily if you need it.
If you’ve never traveled with your baby and you aren’t sure what to pack, a few days before your trip, start a list of everything you actually use in a day. This will help you get a better idea of what you need and what you don’t need.
Create Something Similar to Your Baby’s normal Sleep Environment
If your baby sleeps with a certain pacifier or they like white noise, bring along what you need to recreate their sleep environment. For example, you can use an app on your phone to make white noise, and as we already mentioned, you can create a darker, less sunny car environment with window shades.
Finally, when you’re planning your first road trip with your baby, let go of any expectations you might have. Things are not going to go as planned, and that’s the only guarantee you’ll have. Do the best you can and prepare for the unexpected as much as you can.
