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Debating whether to plan a spring break trip because you’ve got a baby? Wondering if the hassle is worth it? Here are the tips you need to help you plan a fun spring getaway with your little, including what to look for in a family hotel room and what you need and don’t need to pack.
Tips for Traveling with Baby on Spring Break
Traveling with a baby is actually way easier than it sounds. Don’t let a new baby keep you from enjoying spring break! As crazy as this sounds, I’ve found that babies are much easier to travel with than older kids, because babies will go with the flow and be pretty happy compared to older kids who have an opinion! Follow a few of my favorite tips for traveling with a baby to make the most of your spring break vacation.
Booking the Trip
Book Baby Friendly Accommodations
When booking accommodations for a baby, there are a few things you need to consider. Ask yourself these questions:
- Do I need a fridge for milk? A kitchen for food prep?
- Does the baby need a room of his own?
- What do I need for the baby to sleep?
Write down everything you think will make you the most comfortable and try to find something in your price range that meets everything on your list. If you need a port-a-crib or pack-n-play, make sure to ask for one when booking.
Read More: Why You Don’t Need a Crib When Traveling with a Baby
Personally, we’ve always found that the best bang for our buck is to get a 2-bedroom hotel suite with a mini-fridge. This gives us an extra room for the baby to go to sleep before we do, and the fridge lets us store milk and baby food.
Booking a Flight for a Baby
When booking a flight, you have the option to either buy a seat for your baby or have baby ride on your lap. Babies under a year can fly for free as a lap baby. Either way, make sure to let the airline know you have an infant flying with you. The airlines need this for records. Some airlines ask for proof of age, so it’s always a good idea to have a copy of the birth certificate just in case.
We’ve always found it best to let our baby fly as a lap child and check the car seat and stroller at the gate. This is the cheapest option and often the airlines will offer your infant a seat for free if the flight isn’t full.
SheBuysTravel Tip: if you don’t buy a seat for your infant, you don’t get to bring a carry-on for them. The carry-on rule applies to seats purchased.
Getting There
Whether you travel by plane or car, it’s always a good idea to have an easily accessible bag with an extra change of clothing as well as drinks and snacks.
Flying Tips
When flying with a baby, you can’t be afraid of crying because it’s probably going to happen at some point in the trip. Make sure you know that it probably bothers you more than it bothers the other passengers. Once you take off, not many people will be able to hear your baby over the sounds of the plane. However, there are some tips for keeping baby happy.
Try to nurse or bottle feed during take-off and landing to help your baby deal with the change in pressure. Check out more tips for flying with babies here. And be sure to avoid these places NOT to go on spring break with littles.
Roadtrip Tips
If traveling by car for spring break, you’ll definitely need these two tips:
- Stop every 3 hours for diaper changing, feeding and stretching.
- Bring a pump if you are in the early days of nursing. This way you can pump in the car and feed your baby expressed milk.
What to Pack for the Trip
Packing for yourself is pretty easy since all you need are clothes and toiletries. It’s the babies that make packing difficult. It’s crazy how many things they need on a daily basis. On top of packing clothes and a few of baby’s favorite toys, here are some other things you’ll probably need to make a spring break trip a success.
- White noise machine because hotels can be loud
- Baby food and bottles
- Something for baby to sleep in
SheBuysTravel Tip: Skip packing diapers and wipes and have them shipped to your destination via Amazon Prime instead. Or simply pick them up at a store once you arrive.
Once You Arrive
Stick to Baby’s Routine
A well-rested and well-fed baby is a happy baby. A happy baby on vacation means happy parents. Do your absolute best to stick to baby’s routine while traveling for spring break and your trip will go smoothly.
We always like to make sure our babies nap and go to bed at their normal time. Yes, this means we don’t get to do late-night activities on vacation, but it does mean they have fewer meltdowns which means I’m a lot happier.
Only Break from Routine Once or Twice
It’s okay to break away from routine once or twice on vacation for a special occasion. We’ve been known to let the kids stay up late for nighttime shows at Disney World. Luckily, babies can sleep right through these kind of events if they are young enough! Get some more tips about the importance of routine on vacation by reading this post.
Enjoy Yourself
Vacations with kids don’t always feel like vacations. In fact, they can feel like more work than staying home! Don’t let that stop you from enjoying yourself. It’s important for kids (and babies) to see their parents enjoying themselves, especially on vacation. Don’t be afraid to kick back, let loose and enjoy all the planning that you put into spring break!
Christine Tibbetts, Cultural Heritage TMOM says
Shocking that my with-baby road trips 40 years ago included so little safety. I admire and appreciate the tech and engineering families use now for baby travel.