Top Travel Tips on how to Transition From Travelling as a Couple to Travel as a New Family.
So, you have finally decided to take the plunge and take your little one on his/her first big trip. Whilst you and your partner are seasoned travellers and travelled well together prior to having a family, it is a completely different ball game when you’re lugging a young child with you and travel as a new family. Travelling with a newborn for the first time can be a bist scary!
All the normal packing routines, adventure packed itineraries and late night outings are now things of the past. In order to be well prepared for this transition and to avoid disappointment, here are some tips on how you can enjoy your first holiday as a family:
TRAVEL TIPS YOU WILL FIND:
#01 – BE PREPARED WHEN TRAVELLING WITH A NEWBORN
Do as much research as you can about travelling with a young child. This includes what you may need to know on their first flight, the best types of accommodation, what to pack in both carry on and check in luggage and modes of transportation that would be most convenient and comfortable for the whole family.
If you’re going a a big trip involving travelling on a plane, you are no doubt researching about baby bassinets. This article on how to get a baby airplane bassinet on any flight will be super helpful for you.
Travelling with a newborn doesn’t have be daunting. If you are well equipped with the basic requirements, you will be better prepared for any unforeseen curveballs.
#02 – LOWER YOUR TRAVEL EXPECTATIONS
Travelling with a newborn means you can no longer start at dawn and end at….dawn! Late nights or trekking through difficult terrain may just have to wait until the kids are older. Don’t go on your first holiday with the same expectations as you would when it was just the two of you. For the consummate travel planners and control freaks, you are just going to have to learn to let go and take it as it comes.
#03 – REDUCE THE ITINERARY
It is not prudent to embark on a holiday as a new family with a relentless itinerary as you won’t be able to keep up the pace. To avoid disappointment, aim to do less than half of what you are used to. Allow for some time with no plans just in case the kids are just not up for another day out or are exhausted. Should you wish to cover the same amount as you would have normally, think about extending the number of days to try and fit it all in.
#04 – NEW EXPECTATIONS
One of the greatest things about travelling with children is exploring attractions and doing activities you otherwise would have never thought to do. Children force you to see things through their eyes and you would be surprised how a once familiar holiday destination can suddenly be so different.
Make sure you have an equal number of things to do for the kids to balance out your time away. After all, it’s a family holiday, not an adult holiday with a couple of kids who just happen to be tagging along!
If your child is a toddler now and you generally practise a device free home, but feel you may need one during your trip, it is perfectly ok! So many parents are worried they will be judged but moderate screen time is fine. Travelling with a good tablet is a great option for everyone in the family as it’s sophisticated enough for you to use as well as entertain the kids. Here are some of the best tablets for travelling.
#05 – INVEST IN QUALITY BABY TRAVEL ESSENTIALS
If travel is going to be a big part of your new family life, invest in good, durable equipment to make the holidays easier. Get a good baby carrier with strong back support, a pram that is versatile for most environments and/or appropriate travel apparel for optimum comfort. Even a good portable car seat for travel would make those road trips so much more enjoyable. Ensure you are well supported in all facets of your travel from the time you leave home until you return.
#06 – EASY AND FAMILIAR DESTINATIONS
If you are feeling tentative about your first holiday, select a destination that is either easy to navigate such as a beach holiday or return to a city you have been before. This will help to eliminate any unnecessary surprises as you can prepare for what that destination will require of you from a travel perspective. You can become more adventurous after you test the waters. All children are different so it’s hard to tell how well they will travel so it’s no harm in picking easier journeys.
Are you about to take your baby or child for their first holiday? Are you about to travel as a new family for the first time? Here are some useful tips! #familytravel #newborntravel Click To Tweet#07 – DO A TRIAL RUN
If you’re thinking of embarking on a big adventure with your newborn, perhaps you might like to try out a small road trip as a pseudo trial run. Have a go at packing, using all the equipment you may need to juggle on your big trip and do up a small itinerary so you can get a feel for how much longer it takes to do something. That way you can also gauge of how your child will cope with a strange environment and how a break in routine may affect the holiday.
#08 – HOW TO DEAL WITH BABY JET LAG
If you are all creatures of routine, understanding time zones and planning sleep times will be crucial in getting your holiday off to a good start. Baby jet lag can take days to regulate, by which time it may be time for you to head home! It would be wise to plan out the sleep and nap times and select suitable travel times to coincide with your baby’s sleep time if possible.
The first family holiday with a newborn is always the hardest as you are charting unfamiliar territory. But armed with good planning and a positive attitude, it will be one of the most beautiful new family journeys you will make. Create and cherish the memories and may you have the best first holiday with your kid/s!
BONUS TIP #1 – RELATED ARTICLES
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19 comments
I guess that it’s more complicated at the beginning when the little one needs more rest but later probably you’ll have to fasten the pace of traveling. I don’t have children so I can’t speak from my experience but I think that it’s so rewarding to travel with the whole family. These are the memories that last and that will stick. Congratulations for doing this!
I completely agree! I love travelling with my daughter and as she gets older, our family travel adventures change.
You are a beautiful family; it is so great to show children the world. Traveling with a baby must be more challenging. My friend has a big fear of traveling by plane with a small child, so I send her this article—beneficial tips for young parents.
Awww…. thanks Agnes! Everything changes when we have babies. What was once easy is suddenly so challenging!
I totally agree with you that it’s imperative that we lower our travel expectations and be flexible whenever we travel with kids especially newborns. When we learn to let go, we give ourselves an opportunity to even experience better things with our family. 🙂
Absolutely. I see things so differently when I travel with my daughter. And slow travel is so much more fulfilling.
Ha ha ha! I relate to all of those!!! My gal is now 2yrs old and I have fond memories of traveling with her as a newborn.
The easiest period was 6 months to 2 yrs – I got used to traveling with her by 6 months and till 2 yrs she was just a baby!
Now, as a toddler, she has her own mind, her preferences, her moods and more that its become a bit more difficult now!
Jam-packed itineraries are out of the window and baby-wearing is indeed a blessing!
Hahaha! Yes! It really harder when they are toddlers. When mine turned 2, it was not easy! They say it’s the terrible twos but actually it’s the terrible 2 YEARS!
I am sure that although you need to shorten your trip while traveling with a kid and as a family, the experience of having a little one with you makes the trip a completely new experience all together. It reminded me of our own experience many years back when we first traveled with our little one. Nostalgic memories rushed back.
Oh I couldn’t agree more! I LOVE travelling with my daughter. I just remember the first trip when she was 3 months old was a little stressful!
Great tips on traveling with a baby! It’s definitely difficult to travel with the little one, so reducing the itinerary and lowering your expectation is highly recommended. I didn’t think about doing a trial run, but it seems great to prepare yourself. Thanks for the write up. You have consider everything thoroughly 🙂
Thanks so much! All leassons learnt from experience!
I always think that travelling with a baby to be more challenging, and I always wonder how they can do it. You shared so many helpful tips here, and hope many parent travellers would make these as their guide. It sounds simple but for me, I think I couldn’t make it work. Kudos for your dedication!
Thank you! Well it was very daunting when I first had to do it. I travelled when my daughter was 3 months old on an 8 hour flight and I was super stressed before I left! Hopefully this posts helps all new families.
I remember the days when we started to travel with the kids. It was quite a transition. Your point about setting new expectations and reducing the itinerary are great ones. And also having the flexibility to change plans. As you said, kids can always add some variability into your day. So much of the baby gear has come a long way since mine were young – lighter but stronger. But traveling with kids as they aged was always a new discovery.
Gosh yes! I remember taking that first trip with my daughter when she was 3 months old and I was so anxious. I just wanted to make sure she was ok. Letting go of my travel planning was somewhat of a challenge but even then I knew it would be silly to try and stick to a plan. But I’m super lucky, I have a wanderlust child. Travelling with her as she gets older is pure joy. And you’re right about baby gear…. the things you can get now are amazing!
Great tips here! I think the one that made a lot of sense to me was to take a trail run. Best to see how the baby handles a short trip before a long, drawn out excursion. Investing in quality essentials is something I do traveling now, so it would be an easy transition. Thank you for the great write up and remember to Never Stop Exploring!
Thanks Joe! Well you never know what it’s like travelling as a new family. I have heard so many horror stories of a big trip gone wrong because the travelling with a baby is just so different and nothing can be set on a straight plan. Take it slow and build up the excursions.
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