Have Baby, Will Travel

I just got a tweet from the lovely @JenBanksYEG who is on her way back from a weekend of debauchery relaxation and fun in Las Vegas. She told me that one of the things that she noticed while in Sin City was all the improper babywearing. My first thought was, really people? I am pretty sure Vegas switched from the whole 'family friendly' vacation thing a few years back. And then my next thought was, OK, if you are going to be taking your baby with you to Vegas, or anywhere else on vacation than the least I could do is offer some babywearing tips for how to do this more effectively.

Tip #1

Take your baby carrier with you and skip the big ass stroller. This may seem like a no brainer, but really, DO this! Think about how many of your friends have gone on holidays with their very expensive Bugaboos and Quinny's and the like, only to have them totally wrecked during transportation. Not to mention the hassle of getting the stroller through airport security and then to a holiday location that may not be extremely stroller friendly.

(If you really do need a stroller or any other bulky baby items, check into a baby gear rental company for where you are going. They can save you the hassle of transporting bulky items and is usually not too expensive. Maui has a fabulous company called Akamai Mother that we have used in the past and highly recommend!)

Tip #2

Bring a GOOD baby carrier with you. You know how I feel about crappy carriers. No crotch-danglers please!

Tip #3

Think about where you are going and what you will be doing. A trip to a tropical location with lots of beach and pool time? Take a water sling or wrap. Going to the mountains to do some hiking or anywhere where there will be lots of walking around? A soft-structured or buckle carrier may be what you need. Florida or Anaheim to hit up the Disney's? A lightweight gauze wrap or ring sling will keep you and baby from overheating.

Tip #4

If in doubt about what you will be doing and the different places you will be visiting while on holidays, take more than one carrier with you. I have been known to pack at least three carriers on all of our vacations and invariably end up using all of them at least once.

Tip#5

Practice with any new baby carriers BEFORE you get to you holiday destination (and get help/education if you need it). The last thing you want is to buy a fabulous new carrier and get to the airport, have a 3 hour flight delay and a cranky baby and then realize that you don't really know how to use your baby carrier properly!!

Incorporating babywearing while on holidays really is the best way to travel with babies and toddlers. You will most likely be getting away from your very carefully constructed routines from home and being able to wear your babies and toddlers can really help them with the changes that happen while away.  As long as there is a nice comfy and familiar tummy or back to snuggle into at times, they are likely to enjoy their vacation a whole lot more and trust me, so will you!

Happy Travels Everyone!

Natasha~