Tips for Traveling with a Newborn

When Caleb was 2 weeks old we went on a road trip.  Caleb and I packed up a suitcase and drove with my mom from California to Colorado.  We left on a Sunday morning and arrived in Colorado Monday evening.  It was a long drive and I wouldn't want to do it again, but we survived.

That's right, an 18 hour drive and over 1000 miles with a newborn.  We stopped the first night in Salt Lake City and then drove the second half on Monday.  Caleb was amazing but it was long and tiring.

After a wonderful week in Colorado and getting joined by his daddy, Caleb and I flew home.  Yes, a flight and road trip all within a week and while he was 2 weeks old!  Call us crazy, but we were all off work and when else would we all be able to do it?  Here is how we survived it.

Tips for traveling with a newborn:

1. Pack plenty of diapers and wipes
   My little guy is a pooping machine!  I had brought a pack of 200 wipes with us on our drive and an entire pack of diapers.  I know this was overboard, but since we would be gone for 9 days, I knew he would go through all of the diapers plus some.  
2. Make sure your roadtrip partners know that you will need to stop to feed the babes
   I made sure that my mom understood that if I drove out there with her that I would have to stop and nurse the babes whenever he woke up and that it would take up to an hour.  We got super lucky that he only woke up every 4 hours!  I think we only stopped twice on the first day and twice on the second day.
3. Bring a pillow to nurse on while in the car
   Nursing takes a million things it seems like, but the most coveted item to us is a pillow.  I can hold him while he nurses but after 20 minutes your arms get tired.  A regular bed pillow is good enough plus my mom was able to drive it home with her after we left.
4. Wear your baby
   I wear Caleb anytime we are out and about and it is awesome.  When we flew home we did the same.  Wearing him made it so easy to board the plane and he slept the entire flight.  People are so much nicer also when they see a sleeping babes on your chest!
5. Pack bottles and milk - formula or breast
   I always had at least one bottle ready for him to eat on the drive and flight.  I nursed him whenever he wanted, but in the off chance that i didn't have anything to give him - because at the time I still had a good milk supply - I had a bottle as back up.
6. Schedule your feedings and naps as well as possible for traveling
   Caleb is a very scheduled boy.  Give or take an hour he usually eats and sleeps at the same times every day.  Flying home I was nervous, but luckily we planned it all just right.  When we arrived at the airport we got through security and to our gate before he fussed.  I nursed him and followed up with a bottle to get him nice and happy full.  I then got him in his carrier on my chest and rocked him to sleep.  He slept the entire flight and didn't fuss once!  

I know that we got super lucky on our traveling but I don't think people should be afraid to travel with an infant.  I think the less mobile they are the easier it would be.  I guess I will let you know if that is true once we travel again when he is older :)