Taking a family vacation with your newborn can cause you to overthink and stress to the point of not wanting to leave the safety of your home. Being prepared is an excellent way to avoid stress. If you plan for those inevitable bumps along the way, it won’t upset your vacation. Having a smooth trip will make you eager to plan the next family adventure.
Package Outfits
Newborn clothes are so cute and little, and they fit into a Ziploc bag. To save time and be better organized, take each outfit you plan on having your little one wear, along with any accessories, and place them together. Packaging them in Ziploc bags will save the time of digging through your bag searching for a matching set of clothes. All you will need to do is reach in a grab a bag, and you will have everything you need to dress your baby. It will also keep the back up outfit in the diaper bag clean, and can be used to store soiled clothes.
Pre-Packaged Formula
If you are formula feeding, you know how messy things can get while scooping formula. Making a bottle on the go can be an even more massive mess. You can buy the formula that is packaged by the serving size, but it will cost you more. Another option is the formula dispensers like this Munchkin Formulas Dispenser. These easily fit in your diaper bag and can easily be added into a bottle with out spilling. The Tommee Tippee Formula Dispensers fit inside the same brand of bottle, saving you even more space. Most bottle brands market a formula dispenser as well.
Family Friendly
Research ahead of time to find what your hotel or Airbnb offers. Many family-friendly locations will have some baby gear that will save you from having to bring yours along. Hotels will usually have a pack n play style option for babies. Some Airbnb’s have been known to offer high chairs, pack n plays, and some play equipment. Another thing to consider is the accommodation at the activities you have planned. It always pays off to call ahead and know what is available to you so that you are never caught off guard.
Scheduling
Planning activities for your vacation will need to be altered now that you have a baby along. Make sure to not over book your family. It may seem like a great idea to have every day planned out and scheduled, but that can cause unwanted stress. You will need to be flexible with a newborn along. There are always little emergencies that can pop up. Give yourself more time between activities for these, and you never know when a cat nap will be needed. Downtime is also a beautiful thing to have in your schedule. Great memories can come from relaxing together on your vacations.
Newborns don’t always like to play by our rules. Always be prepared to adjust your plans.