Holiday Family Travel Guide

Milo and I are always on the go. That seems to be keeping true, expecially, during the holiday season. Here are some of my tips, tricks, and hacks for all your seasonal travel.

◆ Making a list and checking it twice:
I keep a small, hard shell, notebook in my diaper bag. This book is where I write down all kinds of important keeps that help me stay on track. From grocery lists, to packing lists, and daily tasks. Without this my life may be chaos. I keep an inventory of everything when traveling. When gathering tiny baby items, making a list helps me to remember what all I need and all I packed. Milo's clothes, socks, bibs, etc. are all so tiny, it's easy to lose them or leave them behind. Also, writing a list aids in insuring I bring everything we will need, there and back. I make mine a few days in advance just incase something pops in my head I forgot about before.

◆ Pre-plan your route:
Traveling with a newborn isn't always the easiest thing. Making a schedule and knowing when/where you are going to stop will make the trip much easier. Make sure if your baby is under 6 months to plan your stops to be a maximum of 2-3 hours apart. Expect to be stopped long enough to nurse/bottle feed, diaper change, stretch, and play with baby. Baby's tiny muscles will get sore and restless, just like yours, being in the car for extended periods of time. Plan for about 20-30 minutes before getting back on the road.

◆ Plastic Baggies:
What is better than a white Christmas? Not much if you ask me. With all the loveliness of the sparkling snow on Christmas morning, things are bound to get wet! Snowmen and snowball fights. Ice skating or even snowboarding if you are on the adventurous side. I embrace all classic winter fun for alls. That's where the plastic baggies come in. I always keep a zipploc in my diaper bag, but when traveling I tend to bring extra. These can hold wet socks, gloves, hats, or even messy baby clothes.

◆ Storage:
It may be helpful to bring a plastic storage bin to keep in the trunk. This will help keep wrapped gifts looking perfect while making the brave venture for the holidays. The bin will also protect breakables from being damaged by shifting luggage. Also, you never know what's waiting for you under the Christmas tree. Having a safe place to store recieved gifts for the return trip home is also helpful.

◆ Road snacks:
It is so easy to dehydrate while on the open road. Even if you are traveling with baby, and stopping every few hours, it's still a wise idea to pack some snacks. I always keep a case of water in my car, but I also always plan for the worst case scenario. Healthy snacks like granola, dehydrated fruits, and baked chips will keep without any special treatment. Consider snacks and drinks that don't need to be kept cool or warm when on the go.

◆ Travel size:
To cut down on the weight of your luggage, even for a road trip, I suggest investing in reusable travel size bottles. It's never fun lugging around the large shampoo bottles. They are bulky, take up space, and if you leave them you are out a whole bottle of shampoo. The travel size bottles save so much space in your luggage and cut down on the weight by tons! Well maybe not tons. Unless, you are a Kardashian or a drag queen. Most cosmetic brands have trial size bottles you can pick up at a department store. However, the reusable travel bottles are far more eco friendly.

◆ Home is where you are:
Making the hotel/guest room feel as much like home as possible is expecially helpful for baby bear, but don't forget to bring something for you too. Maybe some slippers, or a favorite blanket. Something cozy while you are away from the comforts of home.

If you have any additional tips for travel leave them in the comments below! Thanks for reading.
-Emma Dawn