8 Tips for Travelling by Car with a Baby

Today’s post is all about tips for travelling safely by car with your baby. When Luke was born, I remember the panic of making sure that he was as safe as safe could be. As a new parent, you become inundated with information about safety when it comes to your children. This great post comes from Veronica at My Parenting Journey – check out her bio and blog at the end of this post.

When you have a little one it doesn’t mean you have to give up travelling by car and enjoying a relaxing drive. It simply means you will have to consider some things ahead of time to ensure it is a pleasurable ride for both you and your baby. These helpful tips for travelling by car with a baby will help you get out there and enjoy the open road or even simply get from point A to point B without issue.

1. Plan Stops/Breaks

Before you head out on your journey, have a look at your planned route and plot out where you could make stops if needed for feeding, diaper changes, snacks or just to get out and move around. This is especially helpful if travelling with a baby and other children as well. This is a great opportunity for children to get out of the car and stretch their legs! Some children love watching the world go by from their stroller, so it’s a great idea to pack a lightweight, foldable stroller such as the triv to make these stops a little more entertaining for the children. By planning these stops, you will also be able to budget out meals if you are going to be travelling a far distance.

2. Pack Toys

Be prepared with visually stimulating toys or mirrors for your baby to focus on and be entertained by. They are just like big kids and will get bored sitting staring at the car upholstery. This will save you many crying spells for your attention.

3. Find a Good Bottle Warmer

You can purchase a bottle warmer that will connect to your car’s lighter socket or even by USB port. This saves you stopping unnecessarily and trying to find a restaurant or drive thru that will heat a bottle exactly as you need or want. You will have a bottle ready to feed as needed regardless of your location.

4. Ride in Comfort

You should make sure your baby is as comfortable as possible. This means finding the best car seat to meet your needs, whether your baby is newborn or close to toddler age. You should look for a car seat that offers good head support when possible, since your little one will likely fall asleep at some point while driving. If there are little cup holders these will be helpful for older babies and their sippy cups. The padding should be on the thicker side and memory foam would be superior in comfort.

5. Invest in a Garbage Container

It is inevitable that you will have garbage to throw out while you are travelling. You could have anything from kleenex to soiled diapers to dispose of but nowhere to throw them out at the time. A garbage container will keep your garbage together and tidy until you get to a place where you can empty it.

6. Try to Stay on Baby’s Schedule

If you are travelling short distance, try to plan your outings around your wee one’s schedule. So if you have grocery shopping to do, aim to head out right after a feeding. Baby will be satisfied and very likely have a nap while driving. If you don’t want baby to nap during your outing, it is a good idea to wait until baby wakens from nap time to head out the door.

7. Use a Back-of-the-Seat Mirror

Since it is recommended babies are in a rear-facing position until they are much bigger, you will want to buy a mirror for the back of the rear seat. This will allow you to look in your rearview mirror safely to see your little one in that mirror. Baby may even see you looking back and feel less alone if alone in the backseat. You will have peace of mind when Baby is quiet since you will be able to see if they are in distress, sleeping soundly or just quietly enjoying the ride.

8. Never Feed While Driving

It is never a good idea to prop up Baby’s bottle with a blanket to allow him or her to drink while you drive. This is a serious safety concern because if you little one begins choking, you won’t be able to help from the driver’s seat or front passenger seat. The baby should also never be taken from the car seat to be held and fed with the car in motion. Find a place to pull over safely and feed your little one before heading back out.

Travelling with a baby in the car shouldn’t be overwhelming or troublesome. With these helpful tips for travelling by car with a baby, you should experience safer, more enjoyable road trips with baby in tow. As time goes by, you will find little things that might work for your particular needs and family when out and about but these are great starting points.

Hopefully these tips have inspired you with ideas and ways to get out more in the car along with your little one. Please leave us a comment or your feedback because we enjoy hearing from our readers.

——————————–

About the Author

Hi! My name is Veronica Mitchell. I am a mother to two adorable little girls and a handsome little boy. I spend my days caring from my children, packing lunches, reading aloud, kissing boo-boos, and working as the Chief Editor for Myparentingjourney.com.