Travelling mums can join the Smile High Club this summer

With the holiday season fast approaching, many mums across Australia will be starting to worry about what to take away on holidays – from packing for a long haul flight to breastfeeding in foreign countries, travelling with a baby can be stressful.

Jacqueline Scott, one of the directors of KissKiss HugHug has put together this very helpful information on travelling with babies:

1. Be prepared for the plane trip

I took way too much on my first overseas plane trip as I kept imagining worst case scenarios where my son was covered in grime and I had nothing to dress him in or that he was screaming and I couldn’t calm him down. I ended up packing way too much in way too many onboard suitcases. At each stopover, my husband and I were arguing because we just had too much stuff to lug around.

Take one set of extra clothes (for that poo-nami!!), something for baby to sleep in, a small selection of favourite toys and books, enough food for your baby’s routine plus 2 more meals, nappies, wipes and water (its difficult to get cooled boiled water on planes). Consider a breastfeeding cover if you are breastfeeding and a dummy saver if your baby uses a dummy as you won’t be able to sterilise dummies on a plane. And don’t forget if your baby is smaller than 11kgs, book a bassinette seat – it’s a lot more comfortable than having your baby sit on your lap the whole trip (not to mention the extra leg room for you!).

2. Avoid over-packing for the actual holiday

Second-guess what you will need but remember most items you need will be available at your destination (yes, babies are born worldwide). The biggest mistake most parents make is lugging everything from their baby’s wardrobe and every toiletry a baby could ever need away on holidays as they forget that most countries will cater for Western tourists and have major brands available. Remind yourself that the less you pack, the more space in your suitcase for some shopping to bring home with you!!

3. When Breastfeeding

Holiday destinations in conservative countries such as Dubai and Thailand are growing in popularity and mums may need to consider where they will breastfeed while on holiday. A breastfeeding cover can mean the difference between a stressful breastfeeding experience and a relaxed one when on holiday.

Not only is a breastfeeding cover a cheap alternative to breastfeeding tops, it enables breastfeeding mums to wear ‘normal fashion’ when breastfeeding on holiday as it slips over any outfit. And if you choose the right one, it will co-ordinate with any outfit too. Choosing one that enables eye contact with your baby is a big benefit as well.

4. Sterilising bottles and dummies

Save lugging around a bottle steriliser by taking away Milton Sterilising Fluid or something similar. Its simple to mix, can be used anywhere in the world and will give you peace of mind that bottles are sterile before use. For dummies you could also try the preventative strategy by using a dummy saver so the dummy stays cleaner for longer.