By the time your baby is eight to 15 months old, she's become used to her surroundings and familiar faces. Travel can disrupt her sense of security and routine, especially when visiting an unfamiliar place or meeting lots of strangers. If your baby has to eat, sleep, and play in a way she's not used to, she may get grizzly and difficult and who can blame her?
Here are some tips to help make your trip safe and painless:
Health and safety
• Before you travel, find out if your hotel will childproof your room before you arrive. If they won't, bring your own childproofing kit, including things like electric socket covers (but bear in mind some holiday destinations have different sockets to us) and electrical cord holders. Ask your holiday company or travel agent if you need to bring along a stairgate and, if there is a balcony, do ask if it's safe for babies and toddlers.
• Don t forget to pack all the things your baby would normally need at home (see our packing checklists for a baby or a toddler).
• Bring a sun hat and sunscreen with a sun protection factor of at least 20 for your baby.
• If you're travelling by car, make sure you have removable window shades for the car's windows to shield your baby's skin and eyes from the sun.
• See our First-Aid Kit Checklist to make sure you have the supplies you need for dealing with minor medical problems while travelling with your baby.
• If you're travelling by car, your baby should ideally travel in a rear-facing car seat installed on the back seat of your car. Never place your baby s car seat on the front seat of a car with a passenger air bag. Spend some time before you leave to make sure the car seat is properly installed and that the seatbelts are correctly threaded. Make sure the harness fits your baby snugly and securely.
• If you are travelling by air, the safest way for your baby to travel is secured in a car seat strapped into the airline seat. Bear in mind you may have to pay for an extra seat to do this. Alternatively, your baby will sit on your lap with an extra seatbelt around her.
Food and comfort
If you aren't breastfeeding, bring formula and add cooled boiled water as needed. You can buy convenient travel-sized packs of ready-made formula at many chemist shops. You may want to bring along some tins, jars and packets of baby food but, unless you are going somewhere very exotic, you should be able to buy baby food at your holiday destination. Don't forget to pack spoons, bowls and bibs, too. Stash some medium resealable plastic bags in your hand luggage. They're handy for holding messy items, such as dirty nappies, bibs and wet swimming costumes.
Entertaining your baby
Bring a goody bag containing a few of your child's favourite toys, plus a couple of new ones. Possibilities include musical toys, board books, empty containers, nesting cups, big Lego-style blocks, hand puppets or toys with lots of moving parts and different noises. Try to pack toys that will hold her attention the longest.
Travel gear
A few well-chosen bits of travel gear will make your holiday both easier and more fun. Many parents with older babies swear by backpack-style baby carriers for holidays. Older babies love travelling this way and it'll mean you can go sightseeing or for walks. If cots aren't available at your chosen destination, you'll need to take a travel cot, too. You may also like to take a travel playpen. See our packing checklist for a toddler for more ideas.
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