Travelling with your newborn: What you need to know

Travelling with your new born

Travelling with your newborn baby can seem like a scary concept to most parents but sometimes circumstances might mean that you have to. Taking your baby out and about can be extremely demanding and requires a lot of thought and careful planning. Here at Metanium HQ, we have been sharing our best advice for when it comes to adventuring out with your little one.

Flying

Flying with a little baby is something that most parents try to avoid. If you need to take your newborn on a flight, make sure you check with the airline about their regulations when it comes to babies being permitted to fly. Some airlines do, while other don’t permit babies under 2 weeks old, so it’s important to find out in advance. It is also vital that you familiarise yourself with the child travel safety policy. Usually, children under the age of two do not have their own seat on the aircraft which means that they will be sitting on your lap for the duration of the flight. If this is the case, remember to take a cushion or pillow in order to make the journey more comfortable! Some airlines may allow you to bring a car seat on board for your baby to sit in and some long haul flights provide parents with an in-flight cot, but this is something that you will need to find out prior to travelling. Remember, in the UK, children can no longer travel using the same passport as their parent so you will need to ensure that your baby has their own passport if you are travelling abroad.

Driving 

Whether nipping to the shop, going to visit family or heading to a hospital appointment, it’s pretty likely that at some point you will need to head out in the car with your baby. One of the most important factors when taking your little one out and about in the car is ensuring that they have a well-fitted, comfortable car seat. Because car seats can vary so much, it’s important to get your car seat fitted by a professional, as it’s likely that your baby will need a seat specific for a newborn. Make sure that you pick an appropriate time to take your baby out in the car. Try to avoid busy commuting hours or periods of the day when you know that you are likely to hit heavy traffic. It’s advised that you should take your newborn out after they have been fed and changed, so that they are likely to settle down once you are on the road.

Advice for Driving

• Make sure that both you and your baby are comfortable and strapped in. You could even try strapping some of your little one’s toys to their car seat to prevent them from tumbling to the car floor whilst driving!
• Try to travel with someone else. If possible why not ask a loved one to join you on the journey. it will be easier travelling with a helping hand.
• Make sure that you rest when you feel that you need it. Breaking up a long journey so that you have regular breaks will be beneficial to both you and your baby!

Overall, we know that travelling with your baby can be a stressful experience but sometimes it just has to be done. However, with some careful, strategic planning and support, you and your newborn can get to your destination with as few problems as possible. Because less time stressing means that you’ll have more time to focus on the exciting stuff - like spending quality time with your little one!