Travelling With A Baby

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31124, 29 July 1966, Page 2

Travelling With A Baby

<By

DAPHNE HARRIFORD)

Because you have a baby it does not fol* low that you will have to spend your holidays at home for the next five years. Babies are adaptable creatures and much less fragile than parents sometimes think.

It matters little to a baby of one year or less whether his cot is in his bedroom at home or in another a 100 milee away just as long as It is there when he is ready to sleep. Much the same applies to travelling. If you are in the habit of putting the baby in his carry-cot on the back seat of the ear when you go shopping, or to visit friends, he is hardly likely to notice the difference. He probably

will sleep most of the jour-i ney, anyway. The smaller the baby the] more luggage you are likely to need. To help travelling mothers, one baby foods firm in Britain has compiled a baby’s holiday check list There are 120 items on the list, ranging from baby foods to immunisation record (needed by the hospital in case of injury). The baby may not need all these, but the check list helps to refresh the memory when you come to do the packing. The baby's requirements can be ticked off on the list, and then crossed out as they are i packed to ensure that nothing important is forgotten. Sensible preparations ean make even long journeys bearable. If you are going a considerable distance it is generally easier and quicker to travel by air. i Most babies take to flying i quite well, and neither high

altitudes nor changes in temperature seem to upset them. Atmospheric pressure as the plane lands tends to affect ]the ears so let the baby cry a little if he wants to at that stage. Swallowing and crying both effect a clearance, which is why older children—and even adults—are given a boiled sweet to suck. Even while travelling, a young baby will need a supply of napkins and a plastic bag for those used. Take a saehet of the special cleaning tissues for use when you change the baby. If you normally feed the baby yourself you may find it more convenient to bottle feed him while travelling. Take the ingredients for the hottie feed separately; the required amount of milk powder in a clean container and the boiled water in a vacuum flask. This is much better than preparing it beforehand because a warm milk mixture is an ideal breeding ground for germs. For older babies, who are established on mixed feeding, there are strained and homogenised or chopped foods packed in jars sealed with caps which can be prised off and replaced if there is any feoff unused.

Dress the baby suitably for travelling. Let him wear somethin? cool and easy fitting so that he feels relaxed and comfortable right from the start. If you are travelling by car, a young baby is not a i great deal of trouble. Whether he is lying jn a carry-cot on the back seat, or sitting on someone’s lap, the motion of the ear will soon send him to sleep. Even with a small baby, it usually a good idea to stop every two hours. If you can find a quiet spot, well away from the dust and fumes of traffic, spread out a rug for the baby and let him lie and kick or erawl for a time. The break will also be good for you and will help the baby to sleep more contentedly when you get back on the road. If you are planning to journey by train with a baby, keep a special holdall .for the things he will need j while you travel. You may not be able to 'obtain hot water for his feeds so take a flask with you. Also take some cool boiled water for him to drink, since travelling makes babies very thirsty. Disposable napkins are a boon at any time, hut when travelling er on holiday they are essential. Give yourself a holiday from washing chores by investing in enough for the entire holiday.

, Disposable bibs and plenty ■ of large-size tissues for mopping up after feeds will keep | the washing to a minimum. I Drip-dry clothes in cotton, eourtelle or other easy-to-launder fabric will not only keep your work down but reduce the number of clothes you need to take. Finally, do not forget to take the baby’s pram. Even if you have the use of your car throughout your holidays there will be times when it is more convenient to put the baby into a push chair or pramette. Carrying a baby in your arms—even a small baby—can prove extremely tiring on a hot day and even the lightest baby suddenly seems to grow remarkably heavy.