Six Holiday Travel Tips: Low Stress Traveling with Kids

One happy traveler!

AAA predicts 43.6 million people will drive or fly at least 50 miles from home over Thanksgiving this year — wow! Many of those traveling will be families, and whether you’re traveling with an infant for the first time or with little ones who need lots of entertainment on a long flight, we’ve pulled together some useful holiday travel tips that you can use to make the trip a little less stressful and a lot more fun for everyone!

Bring a water bottle for each child (and for yourself!). Even though in most airports you can’t even bring a full water bottle for your child through security, bring the empty water bottle and fill it up just before you get to the gate. I know with my kids, a few sips of water can go a long to maintaining a good mood. If you are breastfeeding and traveling with an infant, make sure to bring a water bottle for yourself. I was constantly thirsty when I was nursing and you don’t realize how long it takes to get that first beverage until you are breastfeeding during takeoff and there’s not a drop of water in sight.

Snacks, snacks, and more snacks. In our family, we can never bring enough snacks on a trip. I like to pack a variety of things that travel well so the kids have a wide range of choices. And even though most times we’ll never get through our whole bag of snacks, that one time we were stuck on the tarmack for 3 hours(!) it was a lifesaver for us to have them along. A lollipop can really help on takeoff and landing for kids who are old enough. And for those who are still nursing, try to wait until you’re sure you are taking off or landing before you let your baby start to nurse . .. it can take a long time to get from the gate to the runway.

Bring a change of clothes! When you’re traveling as a family it’s unlikely you can get away with no checked bags. But I’ve learned from one too many trips where I thought I didn’t need to bring a change of clothes, that it’s a mistake not to! Now I just pack a small carry on suitcase with a change of clothes for everyone in the family in case of spills, accidents, and missed flight connections.

Pack an activity bag. Whether traveling with an infant, toddler, preschooler, or school age child a well-packed activity bag can go a long way to creating a pleasant trip for everyone. If you have a diaper bag along you can always pack a few extra toys, maybe one or two new ones or things your child hasn’t played with in a while, to keep them busy. For the toddler or preschooler, I usually pack books, crayons, paper, small travel games, and these wikki stix which are great for my kids for at least a half hour! If you can, let your kids help pack some of their things so they get excited and are involved in the trip. If you have older kids and have an iPad or other device, having a movie along can certainly make the trip much easier!

Take breaks. If you’re driving, hit rest stops regularly to prevent your kids from getting stir-crazy or going into tantrum mode in the car. For every two hours on the road, children need at least 15 to 30 minutes to stretch their legs and run around.

2 year-old reading airplane magazine while mom nurses 2 month-old!

Carseat, Baby Carrier, Stroller. If you’re flying with a child under 2 years old, it’s best to bring a car seat on the plane if you can. If you don’t want to pay for an extra seat though, and if you aren’t lucky enough to get an empty seat next to you (unlikely to get that these days!) we recommend bringing a hands-free carrier (like the Ergo, Boba, Baby Bjorn, a sling, you get the idea) that you can use once you are in the air. My babies always slept really well in our Ergo and being able to walk around and let them fall asleep once it was safe was a life saver. You’ll be really glad you brought a stroller with you, not only to get through the airport, but especially with all the extra gear you need to bring. I often ended up carrying our baby in the Ergo and packed the stroller down with all of our gear!

If you plan well traveling as a family can actually go smoothly! While you probably won’t get a chance to read that book you’ve been wanting to, or watch a movie yourself, you can manage to have a pleasant trip. Did you hear about this family who went so far as to hand out goodie bags to every passenger on board when they traveled with their infant twins? What do you think? Nice gesture or did they go too far?

We’ll be heading out to Upstate New York in a few days and I’m already starting to put together our activity and snack bags! How about you, are you heading out for Thanksgiving this week? Where are you going?

Seven Great Gift Ideas for New Moms

Now that Halloween is over and Thanksgiving is rapidly approaching it’s time to start thinking about the holidays and gift giving. I just love this season and the smells (mmm, is that apple pie baking?), lights, and sounds that signal the end of the year is approaching. I’ve rounded up this list of seven gift ideas that are perfect for a new mom, one for each day of the week. There are so many simple gestures that a new mom will appreciate after the past 9 months of pregnancy and getting used to life with a newborn, from delivering meals so she doesn’t need to worry about cooking dinner to stocking her fridge with healthy snacks. Even a short visit where you hold her baby while she takes a shower can go a long way in helping her feel good!

All the kind gestures aside, here are some of my favorite gifts for a new mom and her baby:

1.  Baby Carrier. My favorite way to carry my baby during the first few weeks was in a sling. It allowed me to have my hands free and for baby to be snuggled close and safe. There are so many different slings out there today and yes, some styles have been recalled for safety issues, so make sure you choose the right one for you and most importantly, that you use it correctly. I love this design from our friends at Boba, though I never had a chance to use it with my babies.

2. Breastfeeding Tops. Before my first baby was born I hadn’t really even considered special nursing tops. But once I was breastfeeding and found how much easier it was, especially when I was out and my baby needed to nurse, I knew I needed some quality nursing tops.

3. Books. Believe it or not, I found time to read with a new baby, especially once I got the hang of breastfeeding. One of my favorite baby books that I referred to often during the first two years is Dr. Sears’s The Baby Book.  For a fun read with stories that will make you laugh and cry, check out this book about breastfeeding.

4. Mom and Baby Jewelry. A gift of jewelry that shows mom’s love for her baby and lets her share it with the world is something I think any mom would be proud to wear. Our friends at Hot Mama Designs have a great selection of styles that you can customize for the new mom in your life.

5. Diaper Bag. Just because you’re a mom does NOT mean you have to give up your style. A good diaper bag will become a necessity and will replace your cute purse probably for the next few years, but no one will even suspect it’s a diaper bag if you go with one of these gorgeous designs by Amy Michelle Totes.

6. Spa Gift Certificate. Every mom (new and experienced alike) can use a short break. A gift certificate to a spa where she can step out to get a quick manicure or pedicure will give her some quick alone time and will make her feel great!

7. Postpartum Doula. While a new mom’s caring for the baby, who takes care of her? This is where a postpartum doula can work wonders. Postpartum doulas, who specialize in helping families after a baby’s birth, can take care of Mom by washing the dishes, making dinner, or doing the laundry. Plus, doulas are trained to look after newborns, too, so they can help out with the baby when needed. Hire one for a few hours or an entire day and Mom will thank you forever.

So, there you have  it. A gift idea for every day of the week. Now go on and pamper the new Mom in your life. I promise, she’ll be so grateful!

Have you adjusted to the time change?  I was so happy (and a bit surprised that I was this happy) to wake up this morning to find that it wasn’t dark out at 6am! Got to take the dog for a run without feeling like it was still the middle of the night and feel really refreshed and ready for the day. We’ll see how I feel about darkness at 5:30pm tonight but for now, I’m loving it. How do you feel about the end of daylight savings time?

Pregnancy & Parenting: Happy Breastfeeding Week!

In honor of World Breastfeeding Week (August 1-7) let’s talk about some of the benefits of breastfeeding and the top tips to help new moms be successful when they first start to breastfeed their newborn.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends breastfeeding exclusively for the first six months of your baby’s life. But if that isn’t possible, any amount of breastfeeding provides benefits for baby–and as new research shows, for mom too!

Breastfeeding can protect your baby from illnesses. Many studies worldwide have shown that breastfeeding reduces the risk and severity of common childhood illnesses, including ear infection, stomach viruses, and common respiratory infections. The longer you are able to breastfeed, the lower the risk!

Breastfeeding can help protect against allergies. Environmental and food allergies have become increasingly common today and though there’s no definitive explanation, there are many possible contributors to this effect. Scientists believe that special immune factors only found in breast milk can help prevent allergic reactions to food by protecting baby’s intestinal tract. My second daughter was exclusively breast feed for more than 6 months and still developed a long list of food allergies–so while breast feeding is no guarantee, there is plenty of evidence to show it has a positive effect.

The medical community agrees there are several additional benefits of breastfeeding — read more about them here.

Given all the research that’s been done, we know that “breast is best” for babies, but it isn’t always easy. Some babies latch on and are able to nurse immediately, other times it can really difficult for mom and baby. We’ve pulled together the top five tips to help you succeed!

1. Look for signs that your baby is hungry, such as lip smacking or sucking on her hands. Crying is usually the last sign that might indicate she is ready to eat.

2. Ensure a good latch. This is probably the trickiest part for a new mom. The right positioning for mom and baby is essential here and there are numerous resources that can help point you in the right direction. If you’re having trouble and have pain during nursing, seek help from a lactation consultant.

3. Avoid nipple confusion. Some babies have a tough time breastfeeding if you introduce things like pacifiers and bottles in the first few weeks. If possible, try to avoid introducing these until you and baby are completely confident and practiced at breastfeeding.

4. Practice different types of positions. There are several different positions in which you can successfully breastfeed. Depending on your and baby’s comfort you might try out different positions to find what works best for you both. Different options include the cradle hold, cross cradle, the football hold, and a side-lying position.

5. Stay relaxed. For most, though its a completely natural thing, breastfeeding doesn’t come without any difficulties at first. Do your best to stay calm and relaxed and if you’re having a tough time getting a good, comfortable latch, take a break for a few minutes and then try again. The less stress you have, the better you will be able to focus on what works best for you and your baby.

After a couple weeks at home, once your milk comes in completely, you will want to find a few comfortable nursing bras. It’s best to avoid underwire but make sure to find something that fits well, has an easy to use clasp when it’s time to nurse, and that makes you look and feel great. Just because you’re nursing, doesn’t mean you can’t feel beautiful and sexy!

How long did you breastfeed your baby? Did you find it easy from the start or did you struggle at first? Did you find a favorite brand or style of nursing bra that worked best for you? Please share with us in the comments!