Planning on travelling solo with your baby this year? It doesn’t have to be as daunting or as stressful as you might think.
While travelling anywhere with a baby typically involves a lot of logistical planning, when you’re doing it alone, it can make the experience even more challenging. However, there are ways to reduce the stress and make travelling solo with your little one that little bit easier. Here, you’ll discover some essential tips you’ll want to follow when travelling alone with a baby.
It’s All In The Planning
The key to reducing the stress of travelling alone with baby is preparation. Adequate planning is required for all trips out with an infant, but it becomes especially important if you’re travelling solo.
So, before you head off on your travels, you’ll want to start by making a comprehensive list of everything you’ll need for you and baby. You’ll also want to figure out when the best day and time to travel is. For example, if you’re taking a flight, midweek flights which take place in the middle of the day do tend to be the quietest. If you’re driving on the other hand, you may find it easier to travel during the night when baby is usually sleeping. Or, you could time it for when baby is due a nap in the afternoon.
You’ll want to plan what route you’ll be taking in advance. If you are travelling by plane, be sure to add extra travel time into your schedule to account for any potential delays or problems you might face on the day. Check restrictions on baggage too and consider taking a backpack so that you can comfortably store all of baby’s feeding and changing equipment in your hand luggage.
The earlier you start planning, the less stressful the journey will be.
Don’t Overpack
It might not be an easy task but making sure you don’t overpack is another great tip. You’ll want to travel as light as possible so that all you really need to worry about is transporting baby.
Do a little research to see what you could potentially buy once you reach your travel destination. For example, could you buy some of baby’s essentials you’ll need throughout the trip at your destination? If so, you’ll only need to pack enough essentials to last throughout the drive or flight.
Consider Booking An Extra Seat
While children under two years old don’t need to have their own seat on a plane, it can make the flight much easier if you book that extra seat. It gives you more room to work with, and you won’t need to worry about your child potentially annoying another passenger next to you.
If you want to place your baby in the separate seat, you’ll need to ask the airline if they have either a carry cot or child seat. You should never simply place them in the seat unsupported. Even if your baby isn’t going to be using it, booking that extra seat ensures you have somewhere to store your hand luggage within easy reach. So, it may cost a little more, but booking that extra seat is definitely worthwhile.
Ensure You Know How To Use Your Baby Equipment
If you’ll be travelling with new baby equipment, you’ll want to make sure you know exactly how to operate it before heading off on your travels. This is especially true when it comes to strollers.
If you don’t know how to use it correctly, you could find yourself really struggling with it at the airport. If you do experience issues putting it up or folding it down, it could potentially cause you to miss your flight. At the very least it will cause you great frustration! So, always do at least two practice runs before you head off with any new equipment.
If Flying, Check In Online
Another great tip for flying solo with baby, is to check in online. Most airports allow you to check in online, saving you a lot of hassle in the process. You can check in before you’ve even left home, then once you arrive at the airport, you’ll be able to skip right past the long queues.
Book Seats At The Back Of The Plane
It’s a good idea when booking flights, to try and get a seat towards the rear of the plane. These seats are typically the last to get filled. So, if you’re taking a quieter flight during the week, there’s a possibility you could end up with a lot of empty seats around you. This really gives you peace of mind that if baby does play up during the flight, they aren’t going to annoy as many people.
Another benefit of booking a seat towards the back of the plane, is that they are closer to the changing facilities and toilets. It’s also closer to where you need to get off when you reach your final destination.
Take Plenty Of Distractions
If you expect your baby will be quite active at some point throughout the journey, you’ll want to give them plenty of distractions. Snacks and toys can make excellent distractions, particularly if the toys you take with you are new. Of course, if baby has a particular comfort toy or blanket, you’ll want to take that too.
If you’re going on a long-haul flight, you’ll want to walk up and down the aisle with baby every now and again. This lets them move their legs a little bit more, as well as gives them a change of scenery if they’re becoming a little unsettled.
Check Your Stroller Into Your Final Destination
Finally, another clever tip to make travelling with baby on your own that little bit easier, is to check your stroller into your final destination. This is something many parents don’t realize they can do.
After taking the stroller through security and to your gate, you have the option to check it into your final destination. This means, if you have connecting flights, you won’t need to go through the check-in process again, enabling you to catch your connecting flight in plenty of time.
Conclusion
Travelling with a baby on your own is always going to be daunting. However, the tips above can help to make it that little bit easier. Have you got any additional tips for travelling alone with baby? Share them in the comments below.
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