5 Hacks to Travel With Your Baby Like a Boss
Our aim at FlyDad is to make you realize that you can preserve your identity while being a dad. Not only do you get to keep your fly look with the right dad gear, but you can also maintain the way you live.
Traveling is an integral part of the human experience because it opens you up to a new way of living and being. You experience new connections with people and places and immerse in different cultures, which can help widen your perspective. So much learning and personal growth can come from traveling.
There is no question that having a baby changes your life and puts your needs second, but it doesn’t have to completely eliminate them. You can still travel. The key is to learn to be a minimalist and to remember that your baby’s schedule revolves around your lifestyle, not vice versa.
When I took my daughter on her first big trip to Eastern Europe at 1-year old I had no idea how I was going to schedule naps, feedings, etc. To my surprise, she just fell asleep in the stroller/carrier while we walked around museums. I fed her when we went to restaurants, and at night when we fell asleep she did too. She definitely went off schedule for a couple of weeks, but it was well worth the experience.
Here are a few hacks to make things manageable:
- Babywearing is everything when you are traveling! It keeps you hands-free and light. Lugging a stroller around when you don’t know whether there will be steps, stroller entrances, or space is not the move. Babywearing also keeps your baby calm since they feel safe being close to you. Choose a baby carrier that can be worn forwards or backward so you can choose the most comfortable position for you and your baby. We like this one from Ergobaby.
- Don’t lug a car seat around! Most rental car companies and ride-sharing services have them and it’s worth the few extra bucks for the convenience of not having to lug your own around the world.
- Give them screen time. We know, we know, it’s bad for them. However, they will not become slothful, screen-addicted zombies from a week of intermittent screen time. A screen is actually a magical object that keeps babies fascinated for hours on end on long fights. It also eliminates the need for you to pack a backpack full of toys.
- Stay in Airbnbs with washing machines. This is not only cheaper but also eliminates the need for you to bring mountains of clothes and spit-up clothes. Bring enough for 1-2 days and throw them in the wash.
- Buy local. Unless you are going to the Amazon forest with your baby chances are there will be a store with diapers. It’s ok if they are not your favorite, reliable brand. Your baby will make it for a week. Similar to clothes, bring enough for a day and buy local when you arrive at your destination.
Ideally, you should be ok going on a week-long trip with a baby carrier and a FlyDad bag. Everything else can be modified or bought locally.
Happy travels!!