Top tips for travelling with your little one

Travelling has always been a huge part of my life and I have been lucky enough to have travelled to some of the most beautiful destinations! In my opinion there really is nothing better than exploring and experiencing different cultures around the world. Before I had my daughter my travelling days consisted of early morning adventures, dinners on the beach and enjoying a cocktail while watching the sun set. Fast forward to life today, like everything once you have a baby, things look a lot different. I still thoroughly enjoy travelling with my daughter but my partner and I, have had to learn to adjust and manage our expectations to ensure we get the most out of our trip. So let me share some tips with you about how you can make your getaway with your little one a pleasant one for you all.

At first it seems a daunting task to take your baby on their first holiday with all the necessities you need, especially when getting out the house on time is a mission in itself! So, I have put together a list of some of the top essentials that I would recommend taking along, focusing on the age range 0-12 months.

• Let’s start with the obvious items - Milk, wipes, nappies, pacifier, vests, baby grows and lots of muslins. You can never have too many of these to hand!
• Favourite sensory toy/teddy – This will remind baby of home and keep them feeling calm and secure.
• Baby carrier - I love the baby Bjorn Air One, its adjustable for babies’ size and very comfortable and supports your back, I also found having baby on my chest was comforting and soothing for baby whilst moving around a lot.
• A suitable buggy – There are so many to choose from but something that is compact and easy to put up and down is what you should look for. I loved the Silver Cross Jet in black it is a great size to travel with and has a big hood to protect baby from the sun rays.
• Snacks, Snacks and more Snacks- when your little one is hungry or thirsty they are likely to become more irritable so having their favourite snacks, finger food and plenty of milk or water to hand will hopefully prevent this from happening.
• iPad or tablet  - Yes it is important to limit screen time for little ones but short bursts to keep them entertained is a must sometimes. There are some great educational games and programmes that can be downloaded for them to watch.
• Change of clothes for yourself - we never know when our little ones might make a mess or even be a little sick whilst travelling so it is always a good idea to pack some light comfortable clothes for you both just in case!

I would say travelling with a baby is a lot easier than with a toddler so I would suggest any long haul flights/journey’s whilst there little and keep the short and sweet ones for when they are toddlers.

So that is the actual journey covered now let’s think about accommodation.

A child friendly hotel is always great for travelling families, they seem to have everything you need all in the one place. If you are going abroad, when baby is still so young, often all you need is a swimming pool and close access to a beach to keep them entertained. All-inclusive hotels on a resort are great, they can feel a lot safer and offer so much in terms of food and activities. For other destinations, aiming to stay close to soft play centres, theme parks and somewhere with lots of outdoor space is ideal.

My final advice would be not to put too much pressure on yourself and take each day as it comes. Wherever you choose to take your little one on their first holiday it will be both an exciting and daunting experience. Routine can often go out of the window when travelling but do not let this get in the way of cherishing those special moments with your family. Take lots of pictures and most importantly remember to have fun!