3 Tips For Taking Your First Road Trip With A New Baby

If you’ve just recently brought a new baby into your home, you know how emotional this time if your life can be. While you’re likely so excited to have your little one with you, you’re also bound to be overcome with fear and anxieties at times as well. For many new parents, one of the biggest worries they have is keeping their child safe. And with the number of car accidents that happen each and every day, being safe in the car has got to be one of your top priorities. So to help ensure that you and your family are able to stay safe while also having a great time in the car together, here are three tips for taking your first road trip with a new baby.

Keep Your Expectations In Check

Everything in this world is completely new to your baby. Because of that, there’s really no telling how your child is going to respond to being in the car for extended periods of time. With this in mind, it’s going to make your road trip much more manageable if you come into it with your expectations in check. According to Nicole Vulcan, a contributor to USA Today, your little one is likely only going to be calm and patient in the car for a part of your trip. The other part of your trip is likely to be filled with crying, screaming, and maybe a few diaper blowouts or spit-ups. So with all this in mind, try not to put too high of expectations on both yourself and your new baby during this first road trip.

Be Smart When Packing The Car

As you’re getting everything in the car to leave on your trip, try to pack everything very strategically. According to Alesandra Dubin, a contributor to Parents.com, the last thing you want to have happen is have stuck something in the trunk that you’re going to end up needing for yourself or for baby while you’re driving. Additionally, try to think about what you could need during your trip and have those things within arm’s reach of yourself so you don’t have to unbuckle and put yourself at risk. Some of the things you might want to keep close include pacifiers, bottles, wipes, and a blanket.

Consider Driving Through The Night

To give yourself a greater chance of getting further into your road trip with limited pit stops or distractions, Robyn Correll, a contributor to Trip Savvy, shares that you might want to consider driving at night rather than the day. Especially if your baby has been doing well at sleeping through the night, this could make for a much more pleasant trip for the whole family, assuming you’re physically able to drive in the evening hours without getting too sleepy yourself.

If you’ve got a road trip on the calendar, consider using the tips mentioned above to help you and your new baby survive this first experience together.