Ryan's Road Trips

Ryan's First daytrip is to Queenscliff, a 2 hour drive from Melbourne. He was a 6 month baby. He had a strict routine by that time. 3 short naps and one 12 hour long night sleep, so we had to work out a travel plan based on his sleep routine. It was challenging and we were equally nervous about how he is going to react? Ryan was so comfy in his car seat and he loved the car drive. We did stop 3 to 4 times in between just to ensure he is ok. Other than that it was hassle free.

We packed whatever we could and felt almost we were moving his entire nursery in the car. yes, the first trip is always difficult and slowly you'll become a pro in managing your baby outdoors.

What we learnt from the that first trip with baby? Everything may not go smoothly. ha ha!! Yes, that's where the fun is.

All we need is a little bit more planning, getting experienced with babies reactions, understanding their cues and last but not the least, not to panic.

FAQ's

Typical questions you will ask yourself before the trip?

What is that I need to pack, even if its a 2 hour trip?
How to plan the trip, best time to leave,?
How to change diapers on the road
How are we going to feed him?
Will he be comfortable in his car seat?

You can never predict how a baby will react. Ryan was ok in his first trip, didn't make a fuss and was of all smiles (the fact that he didn't start to smile at that age, since he didn't cry, we assumed he is happy)

Ryan usually will fall asleep while going out for a drive. 15 minutes was all he requires to go into a deep sleep. We personally felt we both had some quality time outside and also escaping the usual weekend routine. It is good for Mothers who are on maternity hols, being at home day in & day out can be stressful

Packing:

If you are first timers, like us, pack whatever you can. make a list of items which is required as a part of daily routine and another list of emergency/additional items. Double check and pack.

Remember, you have the whole car for yourself, so don't leave out stuff and panic in the middle of nowhere. Babies will give you seconds to react and will let out a loud cry at high pitch if they are not comfortable for whatsoever reason

Milk & Diaper

The only thing which keeps the 4 month old happy! make sure you have all the bottles ready. We had one ready filled with water and a sachet of milk powder ready to be mixed. Ryan had problems with latching while breastfeeding, so Deeps used to pump milk and keep it ready in his bottle

We used to change nappies in the backseat itself. The cons? One blowout or a rolling baby, you'll be heading to a car wash directly. What we used to do is to push the front seats, which will be give you enough space. Try to keep all you change nappies, wipes and other supplies ready before you start changing. Imagine as if you are a crew in a Pitstop

Best Time to leave

Ryan Usually will wake up around 07.30 and take his feed straightaway. Getting him dressed is all we do. Diaper changes are always unpredictable, so we used to keep a cushion of 20 minutes. His next nap time will be around 10.00 AM. So we'll try to leave around 09.30. He falls asleep shortly. We never took any road trips longer than 2 hours, babies tend to be relaxed for sometime being in the car seat and then they start to show discomfort

Golden Rule we set for Ourselves

If Ryan is not comfortable or showing signs of any discomfort, stop in a safe place and pacify him. Not to take any chances.

We are not going on a holiday or any sightseeing trip, it is only a change of place and keeping ourselves relaxed. So there is no hurry or rush. There will be forced changes & unexpected delays.

Not to leave Ryan in the car seat alone at anytime

Things to Know While travelling with a baby

Why Ryan's is a perfect Travel Companion

We occasionally used to gripe that having children could endanger trip arrangements and that travel was no longer as enjoyable as it once was. Need to spend more money than we used to, but the realization sets in when you start embracing youngsters as your travelling companion.

Here are our top reasons:

Enjoy your vacations at your own pace and in the present

Full-day excursions were cut in half. We slowed down and began learning more about the location we were visiting rather than just using it as a photo stop. More breaks and a leisurely excursion

Talk to more locals

also strangers. People love to talk to, interact with, and play music for babies. Every time we went on a trek, someone would applaud Ryan. It's a good idea to talk to other travelers

You observe things with fresh eyes.

We now routinely visit locations like museums, zoos, aquariums, light shows, bird attractions, train stations, and even the resort pool. We find it as enjoyable as Ryan does.

Priorities

Traveling families have a very high possibility of being given precedence. It doesn't happen all the time, but when it does, people are eager to treat you differently because they know how impatient kids can be.

Traveling together is a lot of fun.

It doesn't necessary have to be a journey abroad or across state lines; a quick half-day excursion and a novel activity might revive the connection we lose over the week of typical activities.