Traveling with Children: Tips from the Field

There have been several reality checks since I became a mom, such as “wow, I really am never going to sleep eight hours again,” and “children’s toys with multiple pieces are designed to create permanent back pain and mental instability.” One of the most difficult reality checks, however, occurred the first time I traveled with Mac. I mean, I knew it would be different and difficult, but no one can really prepare you for the complete absence of relaxation on a supposed vacation.

Take Paris, for instance. We had a lovely time over Valentine’s weekend. We rented a small apartment two blocks from the Eiffel Tower and spent our days strolling the Seine, touring the Louvre, eating at cafés and generally enjoying Paris during it’s off-season. Ben and I were able to go out for a Valentine’s dinner sans Mac (more on that in the next post), making it one of our most memorable Valentine’s days ever.

Family photo op

HOWEVER, lest you be beguiled by a picture of familial, cosmopolitan bliss, let me let you in on a few things. As lovely as my son is, he is a toddler. Toddlers enjoy routine and naps. When said toddler does not nap, he is, at times, quite fussy. Imagine our cute little family touring the Louvre, inhaling the timeless art. Then imagine a nasal, vociferous little voice eloquently cutting through the expectant hush surrounding a David masterpiece. So cute, right?

Now, cut to the classic Parisian café. This is my LEAST FAVORITE part of traveling. Eating out with Mac, while necessary, induces stomach clenching and no end of spousal friction as Ben admonishes me to “relax.” I CAN’T RELAX BECAUSE I’M IN A PARISIAN CAFÉ WITH MY TODDLER. I mean, there are *real* people around! I’m perched on the edge of my seat, shoving food towards M at any sign of discontentment and at any noise save laughter. In Mac’s defense, we eat out with him a lot and he rarely really “loses his trousers,” as my mom would say. This does not prevent me from running exit strategies through my head whilst I try to both enjoy and shovel my food. 

Montmartre

And last but not least, a story that, in retrospect, sends Ben and I into gales of laughter. So we have this old mobile phone (that still has battery power) that our landlady gave Mac as a toy. I, unwitting idiot that I am, brought it along to Paris. At 5:15 AM on Saturday morning, the phone alarm goes off. LOUDLY. I have no idea what the sound is, and once I figure it out, I have NO idea where the (insert adjective) phone is. In a stuporous panic, I hiss at Ben to go find the phone, because god forbid Mac wakes up. We find the phone, only to realize that everything is in German. It is very difficult to translate things to English  while asleep and panicking, by the way. OH. And although I turned the phone off, it was possessed and this whole scenario was reenacted the next morning. Lesson learned: Never bring along electronic devices that possess unknown demonic powers. 

Champs-Élysées hot cocoa

I know I am not alone in my feelings about traveling with children. It’s not easy. I have found many tips about traveling with kids online, but often people give advice on one subject (i.e., traveling with children on a plane). I've had a hard time finding a more comprehensive approach. In light of this, I’m going to share some tips that have helped us in our travels and that cover a broad range of topics. Keep in mind that I have one child who is a year old, so not everything will be applicable to all families. I am no expert and most of these tips are probably obvious, but it can’t hurt to share a few things that have helped us along the way. (I am not being compensated in any way to endorse any product I mention below).

Transportation

I swear by purchasing seats in the bulkhead if you are flying internationally and your child is less than two and in your lap. If your child is under the weight limit (usually between 20-25 pounds), you can ask for a bassinet that clips into the wall of the bulkhead. Make sure to call the airline to confirm the weight limit and the availability of the bassinet. If the fasten seatbelt light comes on, you will have to pick your baby up, sleeping or not. Now, if your child is heavier than the bassinet weight limit (like mine currently is), the bulkhead is great because you can put your baby on the ground at your feet without sacrificing the ability to move or accidentally kicking the little one. It’s a miraculous thing to watch your sleeping child at your feet while sipping a gin and tonic and selecting your next movie.

In the past, when we've needed M's car seat at our destination, we've taken his infant seat without the base. While traveling, it snaps into our stroller, we gate check the combo for our flight (unless by some miracle there is an empty seat available for Mac), and upon arrival, we just use a seatbelt to fasten it in the car. Now that he has outgrown the infant seat (and will soon require his own seat on flights), we plan on purchasing an inexpensive, lightweight, airplane-friendly car seat like this one just for travel. 

Gotta break up the prose

I always bring something for Mac to drink and have it easily accessible on ascent and descent. He has never had a problem with pressure in his ears, but there is a first time for everything.

If we are crossing time zones, I wear a watch and keep it on our original time zone. During the flight, I am easily able to see what time Mac thinks it is and I try to keep him as close to his schedule as possible, especially mealtimes and bedtime (thanks for this tip, Leah!).

I purchase an inexpensive toy (think consignment or thrift stores) and surprise Mac with it on the flight. This provides precious minutes of fascination and occupation. (Again, thanks Leah!).

I have three contingency plans in the event of total meltdown: string cheese, the iPad, and a warm bottle. I pack ten or so string cheese sticks and slowly tear them into bite size pieces. If done correctly, one stick can last 20 bites and, well, Mac loves cheese. I also pre-load a game or video (or two) onto the iPad and use it as a fallback. And the ace up my sleeve is a bottle of formula. I know M is over a year now and shouldn’t be receiving formula often. However, when we are traveling, obtaining milk isn’t exactly easy, so I’ve started using these packets as a temporary solution (I've also seen these at Target). They are easy to pack, are premeasured, and reduce the chance of a powdery accident. Flight attendants are happy to pour warm water into a bottle and if Mac is near delirium, it induces a lovely coma.

Layovers can be tricky. I cannot speak highly enough of our travel cot, the Guava Lotus. It is extremely lightweight at 13 pounds, takes 15 seconds to set up and take down, and can be worn as a backpack. It is a bit pricey, but this cot has saved us so many times. We take it as a carry-on and if we have a layover, we set the cot up in the terminal and Mac can either play or sleep. This is our favorite baby purchase to date.

If we are traveling by car, we try to break the trip up as much as possible. We drove seven hours to Provence, but divided it up into two days of driving. Mac can last about three hours before the nuclear option is exercised.

If we travel to a place without public transportation, we take a stroller that is relatively lightweight but can handle most kinds of terrain (cobblestones, rough roads, easy hiking trails, etc.). We have been very pleased with our Baby Jogger City Mini GT. It weighs 21 pounds, is incredibly easy to maneuver, and boasts a one-hand fold.

Obligatory Eiffel Tower selfie 

HOWEVER. If you are going to a city and plan to use public transportation at any time, skip the larger stroller and buy a lightweight, compact umbrella stroller that collapses easily and has a shoulder carrying strap. We bought the Maclaren Triumph for our trip to Paris and oh my gosh, was it worth it. It saved Ben from wearing Mac all day every day, allowed Mac the chance to fall asleep in a semi-recumbent position, and was easy to fold and carry. There is no way we would EVER have been able to use the metro or trains in Paris without it. Don’t even try a city with your heavy-but-awesome stroller. You will rue the day.

Last but not least, a good baby or backpack carrier goes a long way. We often bring a soft carrier and then just stuff it in the bottom of the stroller in case Mac needs a change of scenery. If we are in a place where a stroller would be ridiculous (like the Swiss Alps), the backpack carrier is a wonderful alternative and doubles as a high chair.

Next post I’ll chat about tips on eating out, where to stay, how to pack, and parental survival. 

Have you been worrying about the tiny details of your next trip? Let me know. I bet I've worried about the same thing. Even better, if you have a tried-and-true travel tip or gear recommendation, post below and make my future travels easier!

‘til next time.