Baby Cribs and Travel Gear
What are the best baby cribs and travel gear for little ones on the go?
When traveling with a baby, it is important to consider where your baby will sleep. Planning ahead is important so that you can assure that you have a baby crib lined up and all the travel gear you need for your trip. If you are staying in a large hotel or resort, they will usually have cribs available for your use. When making reservations, ask ahead. The cribs often need to be reserved as well.
There are also many portable baby cribs available for you to purchase which can come in quite handy. Portable baby cribs somewhat resemble an older style play pen. They have a soft padded sleeping/playing area and mesh sides. Some portable baby cribs have attachable bassinets for small infants as well as changing tables. The baby crib folds up to fit into a travel bag which can be stored in the trunk or checked with your baggage. These traveling baby cribs are typically not very expensive. They are easy enough to use on frequent trips to visit grandparents or an overnight stay at a babysitter’s home.
Traveling with a baby on an airplane brings a few special concerns. First, you will want to check with the airline to see whether you will need to purchase a ticket for your baby. In most instances, if the baby is under two years old, you will not need to purchase a ticket. You might be required to hold the baby on your lap. The Federal Aviation Administration recommends that children under forty pounds be in an approved car seat when traveling. If you are traveling with a newborn baby, you might be required to have a medical release.
Before taking your car seat on a flight, be sure to check the width of the seats on the aircraft and the width of your car seat. You can usually find this information on the airline’s website. Some car seats are too bulky to fit correctly in a more narrow airline seat. There are also restrictions as to which type of carriers are allowed on an aircraft, so you will want to do your research ahead of time.
Whenever you travel with your baby, make sure you pack a small carry-on bag with essentials such as wipes, diapers, sippy cups or bottles, a change of clothes and a blanket. You might consider a portable DVD player to entertain your little one while traveling. Remember that public transportation such as airlines and trains are often chilly, so dress your baby in layers.