Remember the days of an impromptu getaway, where you could just decide to go someplace for the weekend, pack your bags and hit the road? For some, those days will return but for any new parent, those spontaneous adventures are now just a thing of a past.
If I’ve learned anything about traveling with a newborn, it’s that preparation is not an option – it’s a necessity.
Before Madison was even born, we decided that we would take a vacation in December. Our first family adventure. With a two month old. We knew nothing about babies before her arrival so figured we’d be pros by the time the trip rolled around. Oh, how cute naivety can be.
But we did. We packed our car to the brim and made the (should have been) 8-hour trek from Virginia to Gatlinburg, Tennessee. Here are some of the things we learned along the journey that will hopefully help some of you prepare for the travels ahead.
Create a checklist
We had a taste of what traveling with a newborn was like after making the 2.5 hour drive to my parents’ house a few times before the big road trip. Actually, the first visit was when Madison was just three weeks old and I did it by myself. I felt invincible after she slept the entire way out there. The ride home, however, snapped me quickly back into reality.
We learned from those test drives some of what we needed and more of what we didn’t. Despite what we may be inclined to think, it’s not necessary to pack up your child’s entire nursey every time you leave the house. They’re surprisingly adaptable little creatures.
To make sure we had all the bases covered, we created a check list on the phone. And it’s a living document that we still use whenever we’re spending the night away. List out the things you’ll need and delete the things you don’t end up using once it’s all said and done.
But a word of advice – just like Santa, make sure you check this list twice. We thought we had it all, only to realize an hour outside of our destination that we had forgotten the baby’s Pack-n-Play and had to stop for a new one!
I’d also recommend to start gathering any items you can about a week before. Of course the brunt of items will have to wait until the last minute, but this will at least give you a head start and help ensure you’ve got everything you – and baby – need.
Keep the expectations realistic
If Google tells you the trip will take 8 hours, be mentally prepared for it to take 10. Or more. As parents we know that in the first few months of our child’s life, we are not entitled to dictate any schedules. We are at the mercy of our tiny boss. So if they are hungry, you stop and feed. If they’ve got a dirty diaper, you stop and change it. Getting there quickly is no longer the name of the game. Now, it’s about getting there safely and with your sanity still in check.
If you think you have enough change of clothes, you don’t.
For the first time in 34 years, my habitual over-packing is finally acceptable. I’d like to think that our little one is proving to be quite the fashionista with her desire to change clothes multiple times a day, but it’s not a love of new clothes that is forcing these outfit changes. We were fortunate to have a washer and dryer at the Airbnb we rented so that would have been an option if needed, but you won’t always have this to fall back on. Make sure you’ve got backups and then backups to those backups.
Locate the nearest hospital
Our Airbnb was nestled high up in the mountains, reachable only via twists, turns and the steepest of slopes. It sounds magical until your two-month old, for the first time in her life, decides to projectile vomit in the middle of the night. The experience would have been concerning at home, where we live 5 minutes away from the nearest hospital. But here, out in the middle of nowhere, the anxiety was amplified. We looked up the details for the emergency room just in case, but better to do in advance of any such situation occurring for more peace of mind.
Though these road trips may not be as easy as they once were, they’re certainly a lot more fun with the new passenger on board. Just plan ahead, be open in your expectations and enjoy the ride.
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