Seven top tips for travelling with a baby on board

Remember the days when you could go from airport to aperitifs before you could even say bon voyage? Things are different now that you’ve got a baby on board.

But travelling with your baby doesn’t have to be an overwhelming experience. With a bit of planning, you may find you’re on that banana lounge quicker than expected!

Here are seven simple tips to make travelling with a baby a bit less daunting:

1. Plan your holiday with baby in mind

Taking a bit of time to prepare for travelling with your baby will pay off. If you’re travelling by plane, book flight times that work with your baby’s sleep schedule. Many babies are less grumpy in the morning – this can be an easier time to fly than late at night. If you’re driving to your holiday destination, leave early and plan lots of food and plan breaks along the way.

Be sure to book an apartment or hotel room with enough extra space for your baby, and remember to request a cot in advance.

2. Consider self-catering accommodation

Depending on your baby’s temperament, eating out every night can be more trouble than it’s worth. Booking self-catering accommodation means you can prepare some of your own meals or order from the local take away. Accommodation with kitchen facilities also makes it easier to prepare baby food (depending on your baby’s age), sterilise bottles and store breast milk or formula.

3. Baby’s travel bag: more is more

Creating a comprehensive packing list will give you a head start on a successful trip with your baby. And while ‘less is more’ is a popular catch-cry for adult travellers, the opposite is almost always true for the under-twos.

Your baby’s travel bag – the one you carry onto the plane or have readily accessible in the car – is like a soldier’s kit. Stock it well and you can go into travel battle confidently! Remember wet wipes (x 1000!), bottles, nappies, nappy bags, baby’s medications (if any) and spare clothes – for yourself as well as your baby.

Upon arrival, make sure you locate the nearest hospital or doctor’s surgery in the event of random illnesses (hello, travel insurance!)

4. Purchase travel insurance early

Travel is (excitingly) unpredictable. From medical emergencies to lost baggage to stolen possessions, travel insurance offers both protection and peace of mind. If travelling with a baby is on your agenda, let iSelect help you find the right travel insurance policy for your family’s travel needs. Tell us what you’re looking for here and we’ll make it easy to compare policies.

5. Get the unpacking out of the way

Once you’ve arrived at your destination, the obvious temptation is to leave your cases unpacked and just hit the pool. You may regret this later however, when baby needs an urgent change, the bath starts to overflow and your room service arrives – all at the same time!

Get your new home in order (including pumping some milk in readiness for your partner’s feeding duty during your spa commitment!) and you’ll reap the benefits later.

Don’t forget to designate a nappy change zone and set it up with everything you have at home (wipes, nappies, nappy bags, creams, clean clothes etc). You’ll thank yourself during the inevitable emergency nappy changes in the dead of night.

6. Free up some extra holiday cash

From extra checked baggage to larger accommodation, travelling with a baby can be expensive. Free up some extra cash for your trip by reviewing your health insurance policy. Is it the best option for your family or are you paying fees for unwanted services? Discovering the ideal fund for your needs is simple and could free up some more much needed holiday cash!

See what you could be saving with our simple online health insurance comparison tool.

7. Roll with new routines

Perhaps the most important tip for travelling with bubs is to try and stay positive. It may take baby and family a few days to unwind and get into the holiday mode. Just roll with the new routines – good and bad (oh, those killer time-zone wake-ups!) – and enjoy the change of scene (and the aperitifs!)

Bon voyage!