Food for 1 year old baby while travelling

Road Trippin' with a 1 Year Old

Traveling – especially road trippin’ – with a 1 year old can be tons of fun, but it can also take a turn for the worst if you don’t prepare for it properly. We took our first family road trip with our oldest daughter when she was one and we had one baby on the way. Our final destination, Seattle, was 15 hours from our hometown, but we stopped at the 12 hour mark, which was Portland, to spend two days before heading up to Seattle.

Before we went on this road trip a few years ago, I read tons of blog posts about taking road trips with babies and toddlers, but there were some things I never read about and then we dealt with those issues later. For this reason, I’d like to share my top tips for taking a road trip with a 1 year old.

Pack Plenty of Snacks and Water

One of my favorite things about road trips is all the snacking I get to do! Of course, I don’t want it to be a full-blown snack-fest, but it does make the road trip go faster if you can eat along the way. While we normally only do one snack in our home each day, when we went on our road trip I let our daughter eat snacks several times along the way.

The best kinds of snacks for one year olds are finger foods, like fruits and veggies, cheese, crackers, muffins, dried fruit (if you already know your child can safely eat them without problems), etc. Yogurt is also a great idea if you can keep it cold and aren’t worried about the mess. If your one year old is closer to two or has more teeth, you may want to take homemade trail mix, granola bars, and homemade cookies.

To save a little money, you will want to take most of your own food, and possibly even make your own homemade baby food to take on the road. I did that on this particular road trip, and I even had an entire week’s worth of food I had prepared and frozen just for my daughter. We put the ice cube purees in the bottom of a cooler and covered them with ice, but we didn’t realize that even after replacing the ice every time we stopped for gas, the food would not make it the whole way! I wish I would have had this list of 7 incredibly easy and healthy snack ideas instead so that I didn’t have to deal with the stress of melty homemade baby food!

If you are still breastfeeding your child, be sure to take care of yourself, too, by drinking plenty of water and eating lots of snacks along the way!

Bring Music

Music is a wonderful distraction for littles that are restless and don’t want to be stuck in their car seat. Be sure to have a list of songs at the ready that you can sing (you might have to sing until they zonk out!), or have a playlist on YouTube or a favorite Pandora radio station that your child can listen to and calm down. It’s also fun to just be one of those families that is singing at the top of their lungs as people pass by and stare!

Remember Books and Toys

It’s quite obvious that you will want some toys and books for your child to keep them further distracted, especially when snacks and songs just aren’t working. A few days or weeks before your trip, set aside a few toys and books that your baby really likes but you know they won’t really notice are missing. Then when you are on the road, and they need something now, get out one book or one toy and they will be excited to see it! You could also just buy some new toys and books for those moments when you feel like you are losing absolute control!

Drive at Night

One thing we did on this trip that I would highly recommend (especially for kids who can sleep well in their car seats) is to leave in the middle of the night or even right before bed time. If your destination is 10-12 hours away, this would be perfect to arrive in the morning. The only people who would probably not enjoy this solution so much is mom and dad, of course!

If you do decide to drive at night so that your baby can sleep for a lot of the ride, make sure you have something that can prop your child’s head up if it falls down while they are sleeping.

Take Frequent Stops

You’re probably not going to arrive at your destination as fast as you could without kids. With a 1-2 year old, you’ll probably want to stop every 2 or 2 1/2 hours so they can walk around and explore for a good 15-30 minutes.

Before you leave on your trip, check along your travel route to see what places you could stop at. There will probably be some parks or a mall that would be great for running, walking, and just stretching your legs. We stopped at Walmart about 3 hours into our trip, and my daughter had a really good laugh when my husband kept hiding from her and popping out.

Block Out the Sun

The biggest complaint I noticed from our daughter was the sun in her eyes. We were traveling to the west and had left at 6 AM. Once the sun came up, it was hitting her eyes, because she was facing backward. So I put a thin blanket over the top of her car seat so she could be shielded from the sun until it got high enough in the sky.

The window coverings we had on both sides in the back were not very effective, and I would have loved to get the type that cover the entire window. The downside to those, though, is that reviewers said that you cannot see through them and it creates a problem when you are trying to change lanes and cannot see in your blind spot to safely move over.

Keep Baby Cool

Traveling in the summer? You will probably have to come up with a solution for keeping your baby cool as you drive. Turning on the A/C full blast in our car did not work very well, especially because her car seat was facing backwards. You could keep some cool water in a container and have a washcloth that you give to your child and change out after 10-15 minutes. This would work best if one parent is sitting in the back near the child and can help them do this. It would also work to have a fan and a spray bottle, again, if a parent is helping the child in the back seat.

One Parent Can Ride in the Back

Which leads me to my next point. If you only have one child, they will probably get bored in the back by themselves, so you may want to take turns sitting in the back with your child if it is just you and your spouse. We did this, and noticed that our daughter had a much better time because she could actually see us and interact throughout the trip. We could also give her toys, books, and snacks without stopping the car.

Bring Stuff for Messes

Obviously, you will want to remember to bring plenty of diapers and wipes for your baby, but you may also want to bring a few extra plastic changing pads. Not all rest stops are clean, and a plastic changing pad that you don’t care about could be a lifesaver.

I would also suggest that you bring towels and paper towels to clean up any big messes that might happen in the car. Not all kids can handle a car ride for very long, and you may have to unfortunately deal with a child who has car sickness or lots of diaper blowouts. So remember some extra outfits as well!

Finally, you will want to keep a few empty sacks in your car for any trash that will inevitably happen.

Other Tips

There are just a few other things I would mention to help make your road trip one of the best ever (with kids!).

First, don’t forget your baby’s favorite “thing,” whether that be a binky, blanket, bottle, or toy. A road trip can make kids all kinds of uncomfortable, so your child will be needing their lovey more than ever!

Second, if you think your child might struggle on a long road trip because they have shown signs of not enjoying car rides in the past, consider bringing calming bottles to hand over to them in these moments. A calming bottle is a wonderful way to soothe your baby and help them deal with their big emotions. You can find some really great ideas for calming bottles over on The Realistic Mama.

And finally, if you have room in your car bring the big stroller. We made the mistake of taking just our small umbrella stroller, and it was a bit difficult to push that thing around some of the places we went. A larger stroller also has space to hold bags and belongings, which would have been so nice since I was pregnant at the time and carrying one more thing on my shoulder wasn’t my idea of a vacation!

Taking your one year old on your next road trip could prove to be one of the best vacations you’ve ever had! Just don’t forget to plan ahead and make sure you have thought out all kinds of scenarios and situations so your trip can be as smooth-sailing as possible. Of course, you’re gonna want to lower your expectations, but hope for the best!

What tips would you add for traveling with a one year old?

Author
Recent Posts

Charlee Flaminio

I'm a mom of 3 on a journey to feed my family nourishing foods. Personally, I believe you can cook healthy food and still have time for your loved ones.

Latest posts by Charlee Flaminio (see all)

Practical Tips for Managing Baby Food While Traveling

Your baby is ready to start eating solid foods and you have a trip planned. While preparing for your trip you might be wondering what the best way to manage baby food when traveling abroad is.

The easiest way to feed baby solids on your holiday is by following the principles of baby led weaning. Even if this isn’t the route your family has chosen for introducing solids to your baby, with the right equipment and a little preparation, feeding your baby solids on the go is still quite manageable while traveling.

This post contains compensated links.

When to Introduce Solids to Your Baby

The most common age to introduce solids to a baby is around 6 months. Some babies might be ready or interested in food earlier or later than this, but this is a pretty typical age to start.

Breastfeeding or formula will still be the main source of food for your baby even once you start solids. It remains an important part of your baby’s diet right through to 12 months old (and further, if you choose to breastfeed for longer).

When traveling with a baby eating solids, you’ll want to ensure your baby is staying hydrated and continue to offer formula and breast milk on demand.

Also be prepared to see less as your baby is learning to eat solid foods. When you are feeding your baby solids on the go, you’ll be giving your baby food a couple times of day, so it will take up a larger portion of your sightseeing time.

How to Plan Travel Food for Babies

Planning baby food when traveling abroad will really depend on how you choose to introduce solids to your baby. For some, baby led weaning is the right choice and this means far less preparation. You can feed your baby finger foods right off your plate.

This works especially well for travel food for toddlers who are used to eating different foods.

For babies who are brand new to eating solids and just figuring out how to eat, it will take a little more preparation. When you start your baby on solids, you often will introduce one food at a time to rule out any allergies.

If you are still in this stage, you can plan to stick to those foods or cereals that your baby is already eating. You can easily prepare warm cereal using one of these baby travel food warmers.

If you aren’t doing baby led weaning, have a list of the foods your baby eats at home. For easy solid foods like bananas, avocados and bread, you can easily purchase those at your destination. For other traveling food for baby, like cereals or ready-made pouches, you can pack those in your luggage or your diaper bag backpack.

While you might want to prepare all homemade baby food for your baby, keep in mind that ready-made food is easier to travel with than homemade food and it will last longer.

If your baby isn’t quite into eating finger foods, you can keep making baby food while traveling by traveling with a hand crank food mill to grind up food for your baby.

This baby food timeline is a great reference of what your baby can eat at different ages.

6 Baby Travel Food Ideas

In our experience, our babies ate less solids when we were traveling. Perhaps due to the unfamiliar environment, the change in routine or less familiar foods. We still offered solid foods at each meal, but let our baby choose how much to eat.

You might also find that your baby is drinking breast milk more or drinking more formula. This is a great way to ensure your baby stays hydrated while traveling.

As for creating travel baby food, here are some of our favorite foods to feed baby while traveling:

Without question, some of our favorite baby travel food are easy to mash foods that don’t require cooking like bananas, mangoes, avocado, berries.
Renting an Airbnb with a baby is a great way to get access to a kitchen. If you have access to a kitchen, you can cook soft vegetables (peas, carrots, sweet potatoes).
Depending on your access to other foods, other great options for cooking baby food while traveling are scrambled eggs, tiny bits of chicken, shredded cheese, cooked pasta, toast strips.
For traveling with a baby that is very new to eating solids, you can bring single-grain cereals usually fortified with iron and mix it with formula, breast milk or water. We find mashing up a banana in these cereals is a fun and yummy baby food while traveling.
If your baby is eating dairy, Greek yogurt is also another easy, nutritious and filling option for baby food while traveling.
You’ll also want to have a plan for picky toddlers. We love these toddler breakfast ideas; the ‘no recipe’ ideas are perfect for traveling with a picky toddler.

In addition to having ideas for good baby food while traveling, do some research into your destination to determine if baby food is easily accessible. By way of example, this post on finding baby food in Japan discusses where to find baby food in a foreign country. If there’s any doubt, you can pack ready-made pouches as a back-up option to feed your baby while traveling.

For shorter trips or road trips with a baby, you can travel with homemade baby food by packing a cooler with frozen purees to feed your baby on your trip.

13 Tips for Feeding Baby Solids While Traveling

Travel with baby food and the preparation of travel food for babies can feel overwhelming. It might not seem like it’s worth traveling with a baby at this stage of your baby’s development.

However, if you go into with the right expectations and a little preparation, we are certain you will find traveling with a baby eating solids to be just as enjoyable as any other time.

Here are our best tips for feeding your baby solids on vacation:

1. Bring a Travel High Chair

Be prepared with one of these best portable travel high chairs. Even if you are traveling in a country where high chairs are readily available, a travel high chair will be a life saver for feeding your baby in the hotel room or Airbnb apartment.

2. Prepare for the Mess

You’ll be astounded at how messy babies can be when eating solid foods. Most of the food will have one destination and that will be the floor. In a hotel room, you can put towels or a sheet around where your baby is eating.

We traveled with a plastic table cloth many times and enjoyed how quick and easy clean ups were. It was also useful travel gear for feeding our baby or toddler in a park while out.

When you eat at restaurants with a baby, don’t forget to tip your server a little extra for the inevitable mess you are going to leave behind.

3. Bring Baby Food Equipment

Bring any baby food preparation equipment that will make preparing baby food while traveling easier. Or for older babies, get them used to eating finger foods that you can serve off your plate. We also packed a reusable placemat that allowed us to put the finger foods down directly in front of our baby or toddler.

4. Bring Baby Food Containers for Travel

Bring along snack cups for travel or freezer bags so you aren’t constantly trying to find new food to feed your baby.

5. Know Baby Foods That Work

Prepare a list of baby travel foods that you know your baby will love and eat while you travel.

6. Manage Without a Kitchen

If you don’t have access to a kitchen, going to a buffet restaurant or deli-style counters are a great way to get some steamed vegetables that you can mash for your baby. Another idea to easily get healthy vegetables for your aby while traveling is to order steamed vegetables as a side dish in a restaurant, then mash them up and feed to your baby.

7. Start New Baby Foods at Home

To expand the list of baby foods you can use while traveling, it’s best to try new baby foods at home. Be sure to space the new foods a few days apart so you can rule out any allergies.

8. Bring Baby Food to the Restaurant

If you are unsure of what food your baby will eat at the restaurant, don’t be afraid to bring your own baby food to restaurants.

9. Keep Your Baby Hydrated

Most importantly, while traveling keep your baby hydrated by offering breast milk or formula. Even if your baby is eating less solid food than at home, you’ll know your baby is still getting the important nutrients they need.

10. Follow Baby Food Safety

Make sure you have access to a fridge for any leftover baby food. Feed your baby out of a separate container to avoid any germs contaminating your leftovers. Bring a small cooler if you plan to bring food out with you for the day.

11. Feed Solids on the Go with a Stroller

Once your baby or toddler has been eating solids for some time, you can save some time baby feeding solids on the go if you travel with a stroller. We would feed very small pieces of fruit using the stroller snack tray while we walked. Don’t worry, if your stroller doesn’t have a snack tray, you can find these stroller accessories to add to your stroller.

Take extra precautions to watch your toddler to make sure she isn’t putting too much in her mouth and avoid any foods that may be at risk of choking. Baby food pouches are a great option in this instance.

12. Keep it Simple Feeding Baby on Flights

For flying with baby food, we recommend keeping it simple. Pack some premade baby food for on the plane and don’t forget some snacks for your baby or toddler.

You’ll also want to breastfeed or have bottles ready to help with your baby’s ears when flying with a baby.

13. Buy Fresh Produce Upon Arrival

Countries typically have pretty strict rules about bringing food (especially produce) across international borders. You’ll have the easiest time by traveling with prepackaged food and make sure to declare it. If you are worried, then make sure to finish all your baby food on the plane.

What to Pack for Travel with a Baby Eating Solids

Wondering what to pack for preparing baby travel food? Here are our recommended products for feeding your baby solids on vacation. We’ve included travel baby food containers, baby food preparation equipment and even some ready made food and snacks to pack.

SHOP ALL DIRECTLY ON AMAZON

Find all these and more in our convenient Feeding Baby Solids on Holiday shopping list on Amazon.

Frequently Asked Questions about Travel Food for Babies

How to prepare baby food while traveling?

If you have access to a kitchen, you can cook fresh steamed vegetables or fruits to mash up for your baby. Without a kitchen, cereals or foods that don’t require cooking will be easier to prepare for your baby.

How do you travel with baby puree?

The easiest way to travel with baby puree is by using ready-made puree in jars or pouches. Alternatively, you can travel with your own homemade baby puree. Keep your homemade baby food cool by bringing it in a cooler with a gel or ice packs.

What can I feed my 1 year old when traveling?

Finger foods are the easiest to feed a 1 year old when traveling. Get your toddler used to eating finger foods off your plate. We like using a reusable place mat to offer food to our toddler when traveling.

Can you take puree baby food on a plane?

Yes, you can bring baby food on a plane, including puree baby food. Whether it’s ready-made pouches or homemade food, just be prepared to present it to the security officer when going through airport security with your baby.

How much baby food can I carry on a plane?

If you are flying with a baby or toddler who is under two years of age, you can bring baby food, formula, milk, water and juice in reasonable quantities that you would need during the flight. Unfortunately, the “reasonable quantities” isn’t further defined, but it is exempt from the 3.4 oz or 100 milliliter restriction.

Additionally, you may bring gel or ice packs to keep your baby food cool on your flight.

Here’s more info on taking baby food on the plane:
Baby Food & Airport Security – Canada
TSA & Baby Food

Can you take water on a plane for baby?

You can take water on a plane for baby, in reasonable amounts that you would need during your flights with your baby. Make sure you present it to the screening officer at inspection.

Can you pack baby food in checked luggage?

Yes, you can pack baby food in your checked luggage. Prepackaged baby food is the easiest to travel with, just make sure it’s well protected in your luggage and you declare it as required at customs.

Can you take baby snacks through airport security?

Yes, you can take food for your baby through airport security. All baby food, drinks, water, milk and formula need to be presented to the security officer.

Here’s more info on taking solid baby food through airport security in Canada.

What’s the best way to handle baby food and airport security?

When going through TSA with baby food, always present all liquids and baby food to the screening officer. The TSA will want to inspect baby food pouches and any other food or liquids you are bringing on the plane for your baby.

Here’s more information on the TSA & Baby food.

Can you take baby food on international flights?

You can take baby food on international flights. For any fresh produce or other foods that you shouldn’t be crossing international borders with, make sure to finish it before you get off the plane.

Can you take baby food through customs?

You should declare ALL food that you are bringing through customs, as required by the country that you are entering. This includes any homemade or ready-made baby travel food in your carry-on or checked luggage.

Shop all our recommended products on Amazon

Worried about what you might feed your baby while away from home? This post from Top Reveal has an excellent list of 21 Best Easy as 1-2-3 DIY Baby Food Recipes. I especially like the Avocado and Banana Mix since this can easily be done with just a fork!

Pin It For Later!

What to give a child on a trip from food - how to feed a baby on the street

05/25/2018

≈ 5 min read time

Necessary accessories
How to feed a child outside the home nine0010
Baby food on the go
Away food
Child nutrition in transport nine0010
What to feed your baby while traveling
Feeding a child in a cafe

Undoubtedly, the most comfortable place for children's meals, whether it's the first baby food or a preschooler's dinner, is the native kitchen. The task of feeding the baby outside the home is perceived by parents as a spacewalk: it seems that it is too difficult and unsafe. In fact, you do not need to limit yourself to traveling with a child and eat exclusively at home. By following our recommendations, you will be able to feed the crumbs with tasty and healthy food in any conditions.

How to form good eating habits

Natalia Kruglova

Nutritionist, nutritionist, pediatrician

Eating out

To organize takeaway food at any time, get useful accessories for storing it, as well as hygiene products. Here's what you'll need: nine0003

Antiseptic wipes or hand sanitizer;
Bib or plastic bib with pocket;
A change of clothes in case the baby gets dirty;
Dry wipes or disposable paper tissues;
Children's tableware - non-spill drinker, spoon and plate. It is important for kids to follow the rituals, so you should buy a travel set of cutlery and always take it with you. Children older than 2 - 3 years are not so picky, they can drink and eat from any clean dishes, including disposable ones; nine0010
Containers for storing prepared food. They must be hermetically sealed and have a special marking "For food products";
Cooler bag or cooler bag;
Portable bottle warmer or self-warming bottle;
Thermos for hot drinks;
Nibbler - a special mesh for fruit.

Wherever you have to feed your baby, make sure that the meal is comfortable. Choose a suitable place, preferably secluded, so that nothing distracts or frightens the child. If you do not have the opportunity to wash your hands with soap and water before eating, use antiseptic wet wipes or disinfectant gel. Do not insist if the baby is naughty and refuses the food offered: perhaps he is overexcited by the new environment, and it is worth delaying eating. The usual cutlery and accessories will help reduce stress: your favorite spoon and drinking bowl, a homemade bib. nine0003

The best option for "food on the road" for babies under 3 years old is ready-made baby food. Consider the main types that need to be selected depending on the desires of your child and the duration of the trip:

milk and dairy products;
mashed potatoes with meat, vegetables, fruits;
bread, fruit bars;
cottage cheese, kefir, yogurt

All perishable foods should be placed in a thermal bag. And there are several reasons for choosing baby food on the road. nine0003

Convenience. No need to waste time on cooking, there is a measuring scale on the jar, which means that it is easy to calculate the volume required for feeding. Empty containers can simply be thrown into the trash, only the spoon remains to be washed.
Safety Proven manufacturers such as Agusha carefully control raw materials and prepare food under sterile conditions. This cannot be done at home. nine0003
A wide range of flavors A range of ready-to-eat meals allows you to feed your baby with delicious and varied food in any situation.
Transporting food To keep food fresh and at a comfortable temperature, it must be transported properly. So, baby porridge can be prepared in advance at home and poured into a thermos with a wide mouth. It is better to transport vegetable and meat puree in a thermal bag, and dairy products (curds, baby milk, kefir, yogurt) in a cooler bag. You will also need it to store open jars of baby food that you need to finish eating during the day. nine0003

Of course, in addition to general advice on feeding a child outside the home, parents need specific ones, depending on the situation. Here are the most common scenarios.

In the fresh air, children are happy to eat even those foods that they refuse at home. Do not forget that after active games, the child can get hungry very quickly! Always take a light snack with you, which will not kill your appetite before the main meal, but at the same time will help you quickly restore strength. A fermented milk drink, cottage cheese, fruit puree, cookies are well suited. Offer your child clean water, compote or juice so that he quenches his thirst and rests after playing. If you wish, you can take fresh fruits in a container for a walk, after washing them and cutting them into portions. The best choice is an apple, banana or pear, but you should not eat grapes, plums, watermelon and dried apricots on the street. These foods increase intestinal peristalsis and can cause sudden indigestion. nine0003

During a walk, a preschooler can be offered drying, a cheese sandwich, peeled and chopped carrots or celery sticks.

If you plan to spend the whole day in a park or by a pond, take care of a full meal for your child, focusing on his age.

Before visiting, if appropriate, discuss the planned menu with the hosts. This way you can understand whether there will be suitable food for the child on the table or if you have to cook it yourself. With children under 2 years old, it is better not to experiment - bring your usual food in jars with you. A preschooler can be fed with suitable dishes from the common table: fresh vegetables and fruits, boiled potatoes, steamed cutlets, stew or fish. nine0003

Nutritionists categorically do not recommend giving children salads with mayonnaise dressing, ketchup, fatty and fried foods, mushrooms and sausages. From drinks under the ban sweet soda. In order not to tempt your child with cakes and pastries, grab a tasty and healthy dessert from home - for example, Agusha fruit and milk puree.

! Always try unfamiliar food before giving it to your child.

If your child is motion sick, do not feed him tightly just before the trip - you need to maintain an interval of at least 30 minutes. When traveling for hours in a car, it is better to make stops for full meals. And as a "road" snack, use light and satisfying foods that do not crumble much, do not stain clothes and do not stimulate peristalsis. It can be kefir in a bottle, juice with a straw, fruit puree in a non-spill package. So it is more likely that the hands and clothes of the baby will remain clean. nine0003

If you need to warm up your formula, use a portable bottle warmer that plugs into your car's cigarette lighter and heats your drink to the right temperature. You can additionally put a special cooler bag in the car: it is also charged from the cigarette lighter and keeps food fresh throughout the trip.

On the train, you can take several types of instant porridge, several jars of vegetable, fruit or meat puree. Do not forget that food must be stored in a thermal bag: the air temperature in the car often exceeds the permissible 25 degrees. Do not take a lot of perishable products on the road. nine0003

On board the aircraft it is allowed to bring baby food and drinks necessary for the child. Calculate the number of jars so that they are enough for the entire period of the flight and waiting at the airport. Take special baby water and juices in closed packages: open bottles and containers with a volume of more than a liter are prohibited. To avoid complications during pre-flight inspection, try to find out in advance the baggage rules of a particular airline. You can also take on board various snacks for an older child: cookies, dried fruits, sugar-free corn sticks, dryers. nine0003

A supply of baby food will need to be checked in as luggage. It is more convenient to take fruit puree in tubes, and each glass jar with meat or vegetable puree should be placed in a separate plastic bag and wrapped with a napkin. Even if something breaks, the contents will not stain the rest of the things. If you plan to bring fermented milk products with you, place them in a cooler bag and check them in as fragile luggage, which you will need to collect separately upon arrival.

Going on a trip with a child, try to decide in advance how your life will be organized. Read the forums with reviews about the place of the planned vacation: you must be sure that you quickly organize the baby's usual diet. In any case, be sure to take a supply of your favorite baby food at least for the first days. Little gourmets are conservative in their taste preferences and may refuse local products. In addition, during the first week of rest, it is not recommended to offer the child new products that he did not have time to get to know at home. This can cause indigestion or an allergic reaction. Please note that in most European countries there are no special fermented milk products for children: if the supply of kefir and cottage cheese runs out, try offering your child natural yogurt without sugar and additives. nine0003

Make sure your child gets enough fluids. If possible, buy special baby water or just good quality bottled water.

If you plan to eat on your own, a slow cooker may be helpful. With its help, it is easy to cook porridge or soup for an older child and even sterilize bottles. In family hotels specializing in holidays with small children, as a rule, a children's menu is provided. The dining room should have high chairs, microwave ovens for heating baby food and hot water for preparing formula or porridge. nine0003

In most cafes and restaurants during the day you can comfortably spend time with children. For a baby under 3, take baby food, a bottle of formula, or cereal. It is not forbidden to bring fermented milk products, water and juice with you. If you want to cook porridge or mixture on the spot, it is better to take hot water in a thermos from home. Ask the waiter for a high chair: if there is one, the child can be seated separately and comfortably fed. Stock up on wet wipes and a wide bib so as not to stain your baby's clothes. nine0003

Many establishments offer a special children's menu: chicken noodle soup, mashed potatoes, steam cutlets, pancakes. A preschooler can choose a suitable "adult" dish, having previously studied its composition. When the food arrives, try it first.

Think about all the possible situations in which you have to be with a child outside the home. Keep suitable food and accessories handy. This way you will save both yourself and your baby from unnecessary stress.

Walks and trips are useful not only for parents: spending time outside the home, the child develops and learns the world. Having at hand everything you need for feeding, you will not worry about the regimen and make your vacation comfortable for everyone.

References

Vysotskaya Yu. A. Baby nutrition from birth and older. Moscow: Eskimo Publishing House, 2013. - 296 p. nine0010
Berner Rotraut Susanna, von Kramm Dagmar. The Big Cookbook of Gorodok. Recipes for every season. Moscow: Samokat Publishing House, 2016. - 144 p.
Ducasse Alain, Lacressonnière Jérôme, Neira Paul. Still. Babies. Simple, tasty and healthy. Moscow: Publishing house "Chernov and K", 2013. - 170 p. nine0010

how to properly prepare for a trip

Hello everyone, in this article I want to share my experience of traveling with a child. I’ll tell you about the possible difficulties, how to overcome them, and in general, how to enjoy your vacation, and not turn it into hard labor.

Perhaps it would be right to start with a short story about our family, so that you understand what a store of knowledge we have behind us.

Our experience of traveling with a child

We are mom, dad and baby Eva (2 years old). At the time of this writing, they visited 12 countries with a child. Over the past year, I have gained tremendous experience of traveling with a child. Now I know that nothing is impossible. There is only fear and lack of knowledge.

Eva was born in Belgium, and for two years we were with her in Ukraine, the Netherlands, France, Italy, Germany, Spain, Turkey, Thailand, Singapore, Ireland, Portugal, Luxembourg. Hope this is just the beginning!

From my bell tower I can say: “Traveling with a child is far from a raspberry soufflé. In order for the trip to be at least a little like a vacation, you need to prepare for it. ” nine0003

What to feed your baby

You can buy formula in any country, but there is no guarantee that it will suit your baby. Please research this question before your trip. If the baby needs special milk, it is better to take it with you.
If the child is already receiving complementary foods, you can take jars with baby food, a slow cooker or rent an apartment with a kitchen and cook your own food. Whatever suits you…
If you plan to buy jars locally, I recommend reading about the assortment of baby food at the resort you are going to. nine0010
Many cafes have a "children's menu". But, as a rule, this food is not for babies: pasta bolognese, french fries, nuggets, burgers, etc. I met steam vegetables only once.

Illness while on vacation

Treatment abroad is not cheap. I recommend buying health insurance. It is important. Highly. The body of a one-year-old child can behave in the most unpredictable way.

For example, in Tenerife, my daughter vomited for two nights in a row. They couldn't figure out what was going on. They sinned on acclimatization or heat stroke. We turned to the hospital. The doctor said that Eva has an intolerance to the local milk, as it contains some other enzymes. And I just gave her baby yogurt from 6 months (analogue of Agushi). Stopped giving yogurt, stopped vomiting. nine0003

It is important to bring a first aid kit with essential medicines. The list is individual, I give my own as an example:

Antipyretics;
Gum pain relief gel;
Saline solution to prevent dehydration;
Thermometer;
Sunscreen;
Repellent;
Nozzle pump, a.k.a. aspirator;
Sea salt nasal spray;
Wound preparations: chlorhexidine and iodine; nine0010
Cotton pads;
Bandage;
Plaster;
Cotton swabs;
Dry and wet wipes.

So that the trip does not fail, I advise you to be more attentive to the baby a week before departure. Avoid contact with people who have a cold, dress the child according to the weather, etc.

Acclimatization

As our pediatrician said, many children do not react at all to climate change. But if acclimatization does occur, then on average it lasts 3-4 days. In rare cases - up to 2 weeks. nine0003

The most common symptoms are:

Fever,
vomiting,
diarrhoea,
runny nose,
cough,
lack of appetite,
prickly heat

Of all the above symptoms, Eva had only prickly heat in Thailand. The rashes on the neck and back disappeared after 4-5 days. They didn't treat it at all.

A child can easily endure temperature changes from winter to summer than vice versa. Leaving the cold for warm weather, it is recommended to avoid prolonged exposure to the sun for the first couple of days, use sunscreen, wear a hat and drink plenty of water. nine0003

When you return from the heat to winter, getting used to the temperature difference should be like a newborn. Upon arrival, it is better not to go outside at all, the next day go for a walk for 30-40 minutes, then for an hour, etc. increasingly. In this case, the risk of catching a cold is much lower.

Time zone change

If the time difference is 1-2 hours, we didn't even try to reset Eve's sleep mode. But here in Thailand, when the difference with Belgium is +6 hours, I had to get confused. The habit started at home. Every day they put her to bed 30 minutes earlier than the previous one. Thus, at the time of the trip, the difference was no longer 6 hours, but 4 hours. nine0003

Upon arrival in Bangkok, we continued what we started at home - we put to bed earlier until we entered the usual schedule of 20:00 - 7:00. To make the baby fall asleep easier in the evening, they controlled her daytime sleep, they were not allowed to sleep for more than an hour and a half. It took five days to set up the regime.

It was more difficult to rebuild it back. Upon arrival home, my daughter fell asleep at 16:00 for a night's sleep and woke up at 3:00 in the morning. It took us a week to get everything back in place. In the evenings they played a lot, thereby delaying sleep time for at least 30-40 minutes. nine0003

Now, looking back, I understand that it only makes sense to change the baby routine if you go on vacation for a month or more. It is difficult to fly to the same Thailand for two weeks. It’s better then not to go at all, or to adjust yourself to the child’s biological clock.

Flying with children: what you need to know

For safety reasons, babies under 2 are not allowed to have a separate seat. The entire flight, the child must be in the arms of an adult, fastened with a special belt. If there is no turbulence, the belt can be unfastened. nine0010
If possible, try to choose a flight that will fall on the child's daytime sleep. So the road will be easier for you and for the baby.
If it's a long flight, opt for an overnight flight. Yes, parents in this case get enough sleep, but, believe me, it's better than a crying baby.
In many airlines for children under 1 year old (sometimes up to 10 kg.) You can order a cradle. When we flew from Singapore to Istanbul, Turkish Airlines themselves offered us this option, although Eva was already 15 months / 11 kg. Yes, the cradle was small for her, but she still slept well in it. nine0010
Think about how you can entertain your baby on the plane. Cartoons, food and toys help us. After a year, when Eva already understands quite well, before the flight we buy a new toy, which we will be able to occupy our daughter at least for a while. Drawing, puzzles or books are also great ideas.
Speaking of food. It is important to take with you all the necessary products for the baby. The border guards never had questions about baby food. We always take a bottle with a mixture, jars of mashed potatoes, fruits, vegetables, crackers, water - all this is possible. Take a little spare. Better to have food left than a baby to cry from hunger. nine0010
I read a lot about stuffy ears during takeoff and landing, but in practice I have never encountered this problem. If the ears are still blocked, a nipple or drink will help.
If one of the passengers is indignant because of the crying of a child, this is his problem, not yours. All you can do is offer him a seat. After all, the kid is naughty not out of harm, something worries him. Maybe tired, hungry, scared, bored, etc. He needs your support and care. Try not to pay attention to grumblers. Remember, the baby feels your mood. The calmer you are, the calmer he will be. nine0010

Well, in the end, let's be honest - we were all children. This process is inevitable, we are not born immediately comfortable for society. Nature must be respected!

Rest with a child - is it really a holiday?

Our trips with Eva are not a story about rest, but about impressions. As a young mother, it is very important for me to change the pictures in front of my eyes so as not to go crazy from Groundhog Day. I agree with the statement that parents need a vacation with a one-year-old child, but not children. nine0003

But, in my defense, I would like to add that Eva is not against such changes. This can be seen from the child, and I feel that she is well. After a year, a clear interest in new places began to appear. If at home she didn’t go to any in a stroller, then in a new city - please. Always cheerful, sleeps and eats well. After a year, we began to visit many children's activities: playrooms, petting zoos and attractions for toddlers. And in almost every country we have been to, there is a sea or an ocean, and what could be more beautiful than splashing in the water?! I want to believe that with our trips we only make it better! nine0003

And finally, a couple of wisdoms :)