Travel
For the first 3 months, you don't want to go anywhere with your newborn except straight home. They require almost nonstop attention, feedings, diaper changes, and the risk of infection from a stranger is too great. By age 3 months or so, babies are pretty good candidates for travel, as long as the trip's fairly mellow. Infants aren't as fragile as parents sometimes fear.
Tips
- Pack pacifiers and bottles, or plan on breastfeeding during airline flights to ease ear pain.
- Bring diaper-rash lotion, bags for dirty diapers, enough diapers for the trip, and baby-appropriate pain medication such as infant's acetaminophen for fever and infant gas relief drops.
- Bring hats and sunscreen for your baby.
- Get removable car-shade screens for the car's side windows to shield your baby's skin and eyes from the sun.
- If you're traveling by car, infants should always ride in the back seat, in a rear-facing car seat — never in a front seat with a passenger air bag.
- Bring only as much baby food as you'll need for the ride. You can always buy what you need at your destination.
- Bring a molded plastic bib for your baby.
- Bring a blanket so you can stop in a park to let the baby stretch.
If your baby sleeps in a crib, reserve one when you make your room reservation or you may be out of luck when you arrive. Bringing along your own portable bed is another option.
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