Traveling tips for parents with babies under 12 months old:
- Bring a separate set of portable bag that is equipped with diapers, wet wipes, a small rectangular towel and disposable plastic(to keep soiled diapers).
- When on flight, try to breastfeed your baby on take-offs and touch-downs, so that the "ear-popping" experience is diminished greatly. They are happily sucking and this reduces the ear-ache that they may experience. Of course if you traveling with your husband, rope him in to help with other minor tasks. If alone try to get the stewardesses to help, in most cases they do so readily.
- If your baby doesn't take to breastfeeding, then encourage him to suck on a bottle, pacifier, or sippy cup. If your baby's strapped into a car seat, it's better to have him suck on something from there than to breastfeed, since it's safest for both of you to be properly restrained.
- If your baby's sleeping soundly, leave him be and he might get through the takeoff or landing without any trouble. He'll wake up and show his discomfort if he's bothered.
- Take it easy. When you are comfortable the baby will settle in nicely too.
- Essential items to bring along in a portable bag
Prescription medications
Also bring a copy of the prescriptions and your doctor's phone number, just in case, but bear in mind that some pharmacies accept only local prescriptions. Include a medicine dropper or oral syringe as well.
Thermometer
You'll probably want a digital rectal thermometer for an infant and a digital oral thermometer for an older child.
Baby acetaminophen or ibuprofen
For lowering fever and easing pain
Liquid soap
Get the gel kind that doesn't require water. Useful for cleaning up scrapes as well as messy diaper changes when your child has diarrhea.
Antibiotic ointment
To help heal cuts and scrapes and keep them from becoming infected
Sterile bandages
You may also include sterile gauze pads to clean up scrapes and staunch bleeding.
Tweezers
For removing splinters or ticks
Sunscreen and lip protection with SPF 15 or higher, with both UVA and UVB protection
For use on babies 6 months and older, and in small amounts (on the face and back of the hands) in babies under 6 months.
Insect repellent
Use 5-10% DEET for babies, 25% for adults.
Calamine lotion or hydrocortisone cream
To soothe insect bites, rashes, and sunburn.
Cold pack
To reduce swelling from bumps, bites, and minor burns. Get the kind you just squeeze to start the cooling reaction.
First aid pocket guide
These are the things to take into consideration when travelling to a country:
- Yes, babies need passport too and other travel requirements as per the destination country's immigration rule.
- Check the weather in the country you are traveling to and bring appropriate clothing.
- Check for health warnings issued in that country and from your Health Department.
- Get immunized and/or vaccinated preferably months ahead the trip.
- Keep your local doctor informed and get his/her number to call to in case of emergency.
Well, that's all i can think of based on what i experienced with Shreesthi. She has the privilege to be the first baby from our family to get passport at the age of 40 days, fly at 4 months and by 10 months to have traveled to 3 countries.
