Life doesn’t stop just because you have children and summer travel vacations and holiday escapes shouldn’t either! You can still enjoy a robust traveling lifestyle after childbirth – even if it is just a weekender – and no matter how young your family may be, these 10 top childcare essentials are here to support you every step of the way.
Start your holiday plans by prepping early and packing in the essentials and as you go you will gain holiday travel experience, tips and habits to last a lifetime. By staying flexible, parenting on the go will soon become your second nature.
Check out our top ten secrets for success below when traveling this festive season with your newborn, infant, or toddler in tow.
On the Road….
Half the stress of travelling is getting there. Road tripping with a baby is easier than traveling with a toddler or older child, since babies are not yet mobile and your won’t have worry about your infant climbing out their car seat or throwing items, such as your expensive sunglasses, out the open window. Babies also sleep for longer stretches than older children, saying that however your child should not use a car seat for more than two hours in one go; for babies of all ages but especially newborns. This is because their heavy head can fall forward causing difficulties with breathing and even suffocation, according to Dr Harvey Karp, making baby travel seats unsafe for overnight sleeps whether in or out the car.
You will want to make regular stops and take roadside breaks. Remember, your child will be out of their normal routine, so expect a few toilet accidents and mishaps. Even if your toddler is toilet trained, you may want to take along a pack of soft disposable diapers with adhesive waist strips and elasticated edges to keep your little one comfortable and dry. Baby’s Naturally offers an affordable and disposable answer to baby and toddler toilet moments with the Large 20 pack size ideal for 7kg-18kg babies retailing at just R56.10, which won’t break your holiday travel budget. Best of all, the moisture indicator changes colour so that you know when to change your baby’s diaper, and with a cut-out for the umbilical cord you won’t have to worry about irritating that sensitive area.
Mealtimes on the go…
Full tummies make for happy faces but feeding your young family while traveling or sightseeing in a new environment can be challenging, especially if you don’t want to resort to sugary snacks and fast-food fillers to fill the gap.
This is where the ease and breeze of Happy Family meals for babies and toddlers come in handy. With only 30% of 1-year-olds eating their required portions of vegetables each day, the Happy Baby organic baby food is not only packed into handy travel pouches, their unsalted Savoury Blends delivers 1½ servings of veggies in delicious recipes made with flavourful fats, spices and herbs such as their Happy Baby Squash, Chickpeas & Spinach with Avocado Oil + Sage R55.00 which helps busy moms to introduce a variety of vegetables and fruit to little ones taste buds. To make it a travel no-brainer, their Happy Tot Super Smart range has choline and DHA included, the most abundant fatty acid in the adult brain and essential for baby’s brain health.
Organic and containing no artificial food colorants or flavourants, Happy Family offers a full range of savoury and dessert flavours for all stages of life with all natural ingredients. Try the delicious baby dessert Happy Baby Bananas & Peanut Butter dessert at R67.40… yummy!
Snack Attacks…
Long hours of traveling for infants can be boring and for baby’s with developing gums, the Happy Family Teethers provide easily dissolving, organic teething wafers to soothe and entertain them. Made with ancient grains, they support self-feeding habits and dissolve easily, leaving no mess! Try the latest flavour with the Mango and Pumpkin Strawberry and Beet flavoured Teether Crackers.
Happy Baby Creamies is a dairy-free melt-in-their-mouth organic snack made of delicious drops featuring at least 40% veggies, Happy Baby Puffs are a fortified organic snack with choline for eye and brain health which are irresistible in taste and texture and Happy Baby Yogis are scrumptious, freeze-dried organic yogurt drops made with wholesome yogurt and organic fruit, offering your baby or toddler a snack on the road that you can feel good about!
Play away the hours…
Traveling with your young family (when you are not the driver) provides surprising amounts of down time for you and your little one and can be the perfect opportunity to spend some one-on-one sharing and learning time together. For activities in the car, in the plane, on the bus or after snack time, the Infantino Piano & Numbers Learning Toucan R381.10 introduces little learners to music and numbers. With 9 songs, 18 spoken words and phrases plus 13 fun sound effects, you can switch the Toucan’s head feather to mode two for older toddlers to unlock playful quizzes. Its easy to grip handles and sounds and colours help your baby to focus, listen, learn, and hear while giving their little fingers added dexterity.
Hydrate right…
Hydration is vital for your toddler when traveling but avoid sugary pops and juices which can make little ones hyper. Try to stick to milk and water while travelling and for a sweet healthy treat pack some cut fruits such as watermelon, orange and pineapple which also aids in hydration. Parents can help advance baby’s drinking skills with the Vital Baby Easy Sipper HYDRATE™ drinking cup R158.00 which features a non-spill, easy-clean, 100% silicone valve and durable spout with a hygienic cover and removeable handles, which is both dishwasher and microwave safe for road travel convenience.
Keep them close…
The safest place for your baby to be when you are preparing a day for at the beach or meandering around the local markets is when you are wearing them! The Infantino Flip 4 -in -1 Light & Airy Carrier R1239.95 is the convertible of baby carriers and the perfect carrier for Summer with its extra airflow thanks to its breather mesh design. Wear your baby comfortably and in four different positions without sweaty stickiness when you flip it to a facing-in folded seat, facing-in expanded seat, facing out carrier and a back carry position, providing a superior hands-free experience for both mom and dad while keeping you heart to heart and in touch with your little one no matter what may be going on in the environment around you. With a smart and straightforward design that’s perfect for quick trips and on-the-go families, it’s light and compact so it’s easy to stash or pack in a stroller. Your little one (from 3.6-11.3 kgs) can be placed facing inward or outwards and it includes a handy pocket for your essentials and a detachable Wonder Cover™ bib to protect the carrier and your clothes while adding a fun element of style.
Nap on the Go
Traveling to new places and spaces can make your baby overstimulated or hyperactive making it a chore to settle your child when it is time for a nap. This is when a Philips Avent Soother provides the solution you need most. Offering a wide variation of soother sizes, shapes and colours suitable for various stages of your baby’s development, Philips Avent soothers are orthodontic approved and feature a unique teat that is specifically designed to minimise pressure on gums and developing teeth and to let baby’s tongue remain in a natural position.
Philips Avent Soother
The soothers come with a snap on hygienic cap to keep the teat clean and a ring handle for additional safety. From newborn to toddler, glow-in-the-dark to extra airflow, and endless cute designs, Philips Avent has a little bit of comfort for every one of your baby’s needs.
Movie Time on the Move
Tame your toddlers with a pre-bedtime movie night to settle them down even if you are camping in the middle of the most desolate bushveld. The Philips GoPix 1 Mobile Projector is a pocket size device which connects to your smart phone or tablet to produce images up to 75-inch/ 190.5 cm wide and comes with a built in speaker and a battery which can last for up to two hours between charges. The perfect alliance between design and functionality, this modern take on the projector, makes it uber portable and convenient to entertain kids in the moment.
Water Fun for Little Ones…
There is nothing more heart-warming to a mother’s ear than the sound of her child’s delight-filled laughter. Water is especially fascinating for little ones and be sure to take your child’s favourite bath toys along with you on your holiday travels to give them a sense of routine and familiarity at their usual bath time.
Be sure to choose a set of practical play toys which are versatile and can travel as well as you while away from home. Water fun is always a winner for kids and parents, whether it is in the bathtub, in a kiddie pool, at the beach or lake or playing with a slow-running hosepipe on the summer grass. With over 63 products to choose from, Infantino has the perfect fascinator for your unique baby’s needs. When staying over in new places the temperature of the geyser can reach dangerous levels. The Infantino Duck Bath Temp Tester R114.95) doubles as a delightful duck play toy while keeping you aware of the temperature of the water on baby’s sensitive skin. For older children, the Bath Squirters (R139.95) and the 8-piece Stack and Nest Cups (R117.60) all play well with water while supporting your child with a vibrant and engaging activity to promote logical thinking, strengthen hands and fingers when they squeeze, squirt and play, and all sure to keep them occupied for hours while you keep a vigilant eye on them while engrossed in play!
Emergency Savers…
Keeping clean and hygienic while on holiday can be a day-to-day challenge. A handy rescue essential to keep at hand and in the car for those moments of mishaps and emergencies are the Vital Baby Hygiene Wipes R33.59
specially formulated for use on baby’s hands and face and containing zero fragrance, zero alcohol and are hypoallergenic, making them gentle for even the most sensitive skin, leaving them fresh and clean.
When you need to be your own pharmacy in moments of emergency, the portable me4kidz Medibag Family First Aid Kit R470.00 should be first on your packing and prepping travel list filled with your family and baby first aid favourites and basic medical needs. Designed as a one-of-a-kind collectable Doctor’s bag first aid kit, it also makes a great gift for expectant mom’s and first-time parents, for camping trips and keeping handy in the car. This 117-piece award winning product is paediatrician recommended and comes with an assortment of first aid care for the whole family including kid friendly bandages, gauze pads, antiseptic wipes, burn and sting relief creams, antibiotic ointment, hand sanitizers, tweezers and cotton tips, instant ice pack and kid-friendly fun stickers to help take the surprise of pain away from your little one. It has a special spot-on the front to personalize with your family or child’s name and is made of durable, recycled plastic so after it’s all empty it can be used for all kinds of fun things.
Protect & Sterilise…
Sterilising is essential for protecting your baby from harmful bacteria and poor cleaning of feeding equipment can lead to tummy upsets and diarrhoea which can end up being your worst nightmare if you are holidaying in the bushveld or without easy access to a medical professional or hospital facilities.
To help you protect your child’s health, Philips AVENT recommends steam sterilisation in the microwave, which is quick and effective, killing 99.9% of harmful germs. The Philips Avent Microwave Bags R224.00 provide an easy and fast sterilisation anywhere, any time. With each bag, bottles can be sterilised in the microwave in just 90 seconds. The five reuseable bags come with up to one hundred uses per pack.
If you are traveling with more than one infant, then the Philips Avent Microwave Steam Steriliser R1,040.50 will be the shining star of hygiene in your family travel arsenal. An excellent choice for fast, effective sterilizing at home or away, this microwave steam sterilizer means up to 4 Philips Avent bottles or products can be sterilized at once, with 99.9% of germs killed in just 2 minutes. Its lightweight design means you can enjoy sterile baby bottles on the go, including pumps, soothers, and cutlery for happy, safe and hygienic feeding wherever you go.
As the days dwindle towards the end of the year, it is nearly time to wave goodbye on your next family travel adventure, so make sure you have prepped your personal travel essentials so you can enjoy a relaxed, organised and safe traveling experience for the whole family from the very littlest person and counting up!
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