traveling going to visit family
Mom Vlog Transcription - My name is Sara B Boykan, I'm a license mental health counselor, certified personal trainer, I teach nutrition, I have my own business called project potential in which we focus on all three of those areas, and I'm the newest vlogger for MomsPumpHere. It is a community, it's also an app that allow moms to find places that is safe to express milk in public as well as breastfeed their babies.
If you guys also did not know, I am 13 weeks post-partum, so I have a 3 month old now, it's shocking to say that time is going so quickly.
It is the holidays, everybody travels during this time of year, at least it seems everybody travels this time of year, and so I wanted to give you guys some tips if you are traveling with a baby. We actually were able just last month to travel with our then 2 month old for Thanksgiving, we went to Minnesota to visit my husband's in-laws, and these are some tips and tricks I've picked up while we were traveling with the baby from California to Minnesota for the first time.
My 1st tip is to organize ahead.
So, one of the things that was beneficial to us because we were gonna be staying with family was we got our stroller, our um car seat, the Pack-n-Play, those were all things that we were able to actually borrow from our family where we were going to visit.
So maybe you're not traveling going to visit family, maybe you're going to visit friends, maybe your friends don't have kids. Can maybe they post on Facebook, ask if anybody has a car seat, Pack-n-play, um if the hotel for example have those things. If um you can rent a car seat to take to the airport in the taxi that you're going to be traveling in, and that way when you go to fly you have less that you're traveling with.
My 2nd tip is, pack extra clothes for baby
That's obvious, in our diaper bag we have extra clothes, but and for you because lord knows, sometimes baby has an accident, and if baby has an accident, and that's an accident on you, you will be wearing your soiled clothes for the duration of the travel, so remember that and pack something for yourself as well.
Something I actually like to do is, I pack baby's clothes in a ziploc bag so that if there are soiled clothes, or even diapers and they can't throw the diapers say right then, I can put them in the ziploc bag and it won't get all over the rest of the bag, which is really nice.
Plan extra time is my 3rd tip
Plan extra time to go through security. If you have expressed milk they will want to check that milk, so it's good if you have extra time to go through security so that they can check your liquids.
My 4th tip is travel on a weekday if possible.
There is less line then, and there will be less people on the plane which we'll go into some of my next tips, but expect when you go on the plane that you will get looks. It's very funny to me because everywhere you go people oogle all over your baby except when you're at an airport going on a plane. Then people give you death stares because they're sure that you are going to ruin their flight.
Actually at our last flight we turned around and said to the people behind us, um he's going to be the quietest one on the flight, and he was. It really helps to know your baby, which I'm sure you all do.
The 5th tip is, if it's your first trip, see if you can travel not by yourself...
but with a significant other, a friend, or family if possible. so if at all possible, make that first trip one that you do not have to do by yourself. Have somebody with you just so you know what to expect.
My 6th Tip is Request a Window Seat for Privacy, and an extra seat next to you if open.
Um, you can change the baby there, you can have space to put their things, you do get a carry-on for the as well, um and it's just really nice to have a window spot because...
Tip number 7 - Your're gonna want to feed your baby on the way up, and on the way down.
Just like we as adults get a lot of pressure that really hurts our ears, it helps the baby to feel more comfortable, and keep their ears popped if they're able to nurse on the way up and the way down. If they're already fed, go ahead and give them a pacifier or put your finger in their mouth so that they're able to get that sucking sensation, and it encourages their eardrum to stay open.
Tip Number 8 - Bring a Stuffed Toy or Something Your Baby is Familiar WIth.
So, it can be a really scary thing, the noise of the plane, um the sounds, the smell, the people, so having something that they're familiar with will help to transition them as they're going through any new situation in life.
Tip Number 9 - Changing Table on the Plane
Yes there is one, it is over the toilet in the lavatory. So one of the airline stewardesses, excuse me, flight attendants I think they're saying these days, Ah was saying that she knew of moms who would sit on the table and change their babies' laps on the toilet, but for sanitary purposes those babies, there is actually a changing table. It is behind the toilet seat, you can fold it down, you can put baby on, and you can change baby appropriately in the bathroom if you don't have that empty seat next to you to do so.
And tip number 10 is, before you're leaving the house if you have an early morning flight, wake the baby last thing.
So have the car already loaded, have everything packed, have everything set so that when it's time to go, all you have to do is wake the baby and take him with.
Often times, if it's really early, you can wake baby, put the baby in the car seat, and the baby will fall asleep on the way to the airport, but Um, this is a bonus tip, I actually wore my baby on our last flight, and I plan to do it now every single flight.
Baby is very comfortable to hear mommy's voice, mommy's heartbeat, and have that warmth. It also helps just like with the stuffed toy to help them feel secure and snuggly. So um, we did not bring a car seat, we had a friend actually who drives for Uber that drove my vehicle to the airport, and we were able to compensate her for helping us, and then we had family meeting us on the other side, so I wore baby all the way through the airport, both when we arrived at the airport and when we were flying home as well.
So I hope those tips were really helpful for you guys as you're traveling during the holidays. I appreciate you being here. Once again, this is Sara B. Boykan, the founder of Project Potential and the vlogger of MomsPumpHere.
[Hand gesture kiss from mouth to camera] Take care guys...Happy Holidays.
