You know that we always complain when we hear somebody around telling us that the moment the child enters your life is the end of your travels. At least for 4 or 5 years until the baby becomes an experienced kindergarten pupil. Those who used to go for 2 week long tourist office organised trips suddenly get lost and decide to stick to Baltic sea or a little house in Mazury – preferably after their child turns 6 or even better – 12 months!! Those who travelled in a more adventurous way think about their doubts and try to find a solution, but the people around are rarely helpful… They say: “Why take the child with you?”. “Take it easy…”, “Don’t be egoistic..” etc. There are also others who are afraid… that they won’t do it because of the illnesses, because you have to take soooo many things with you..

Today we’re going to play mythbusters and not only tell you that it is possible to travel with a child but that the infant period is the best age for travels! So if you happen to own a 0-6 month old little one or are pregnant – plan your vacation as soon as possible! Now! Really, right now! Abroad! Just like you imagined! Hurry up because your little one won’t stay in his infant age forever! ๐Ÿ™‚

Why is an infant a perfect trip companion? There are several reasons:

travelling with a child, family on a trip, Spain, Santillana del Mar

Santillana del Mar in the north of Spain โ€“ Maks, almost 3 months old

1) NO DEMANDS

An infant does not demand anything? Yes!! I already see the doubt in your eyes! An infant always demands something, he cries, screams and nobody knows what he wants. Unless you studied Tracy Hogg really hard and can distinguish what specific type of cry means? But generally the infant always wants something. Let’s be honest now: how many children crying and screaming all the time have you actually met? I haven’t met any!

 

An infant has no demands because he has 3 basic needs: eat, sleep and be with parents. Obviously he pees and poops from time to time, but do you have to suddenly pull a U-turn in the traffic after hearing a “Mommy, peeeeeee!!” shriek from the back seat and then desperately look for a toilet in the nearby clinic while its minus 15 degrees outside?? NO! That’s what you have to do with 2,3 or 4-year olds who won’t make it in the January traffic jam and need to pee RIGHT NOW. An infant has his diaper, right?

 

A 0-6 month old infant has no culinary desires as his menu is quite monothematic. Mom’s milk or powdered milk. Both have their pros and cons. Mom’s milk is always ready, available and at right temperature. Powdered milk during the trip, in a car, in a restaurant or wherever else requires more effort but it lets the mother drink wine while travelling.

Finally, an infant has absolutely NO demands regarding spending time. A pram, parents, a rattle, a teddy bear. He lies down, gaggles a little bit, smiles and plays with a toy. He doesn’t need jigsaw puzzle, books, toy cars, dolls and a ton of noise-making garbage! On the other hand, try to pack a 2-year old! Not for a week or two but for a night at his grandma’s!! He would happily take your whole house with him! A suitcase and his favourite car ride-on on which he will ride through a 5 m long corridor! And we hear his demands 24/7 – “Mommy, a cartoon!”, “Mommy, build a garage with me!”, “Mommy, I want Monte!”, “Mommy, where’s my water?”, “Now daddy will prepare my milk, not mommy!”, “I want to bath a little longer!”/ “I don’t want to take a bath!” and so on for the whole day!!

Listen up and hurry up getting your little one in a car/on a plane and off you go!

infant on a trip, family travels, child in a car

sheep’s here, all is cool

2) MILKEATER

travelling with an infant, family travels, breastfeeding on a trip

feeding Maks by the Santiago de Compostella cathedral

I already mentioned milk, but it’s also important for other reasons. You get rid of one of the most common problems brought out by grandmothers before long trips with children: “What will he eat??”, “He will surely get food poisoning!”

An infant does not have to experiment, we won’t have to look for a restaurant adjusted to his needs nor select dishes for him. We don’t have to give up on street food because we are afraid how the child will react in such circumstances! And finally, we don’t have to spend money on meals that our little one won’t like nor order extra juice / water, ice cream, dessert etc.

If our infant already eats jar food, just throw a dozen in the suitcase – problem solved. It’s an option for the really cautious ones! Usually it’s best to take jars for the first few days and buy the rest on location! Easier than with an older one? Yes!

PS. You also don’t have to cope with the situation that most parents hate – feeding in public and the need to make the little one sit calmly at the table while there is so many interesting things going on around. I don’t know too many little ones that calmly sit at the table. Nope! An infant for a change lies in his pram/sits on your lap while you comfortably enjoy your lunch and the company of a loved one/friends/family. Best time ever!

3) SAVINGS!!!!

travelling with an infant, child on a trip

pram – day and night

Of course!!! A reason for all of you cost-sensible! Your travels will never be as cheap as when you have an infant with you. A little one flies the plane for free, you don’t pay for his meals (if you breastfeed him) / or pay little (if he eats modified milk), you don’t need to look for a room with a bed for a child. He can always sleep with you (I personally don’t recommend it – little ones sometimes fall from the beds and if it happens at 4 in the morning in a hotel room in Mexico it can easily drive you close to heart attack – been there!) or in the pram’s carrycot. Briefly speaking – an infant is self-sufficient!

You also save the money you usually spend on older kids: toys, balls, dolls, toy cars etc. An infant won’t beg you for the worst toy in the world on every stand on your way. Obviously you can buy something for him yourself but then it’s you to blame for extra costs!

4) IMMOBILE

Infant’s immobility during a trip is an advantage in most cases. He is safe in his pram / carrycot – he won’t get ran over in Bangkok, won’t crash into a 4 times bigger person, won’t eat the leftovers and other waste from the floor, won’t run away from you on a crowded Istanbul’s bazaar.

 

He will let you finish your meal in peace, relax after sightseeing, read a book in your room while he waves his feet and plays with a rattle! How about a 2-year old? Hmm, if you talk him into sitting in a pram while you walk around Barcelona, in the precise moment when you sit down and start eating tapas and drinking sangria, he will start running and playing around. That’s quite understandable. Not a surprise at all. That’s why an infant is the best trip companion ๐Ÿ™‚

travelling with and infant, child on a trip, Spain

Spanish tapas in Castro Urdiales for mommy and milk for Maks

5) SLEEPS A LOT

Sleeping goes hand in hand with the lack of demands and immobility. The little one sleeps a lot. He sleeps during a walk and what’s also important if you plan to travel a lot – he sleeps in the car. He’s not bored, doesn’t need thousands of attention-catchers, he just sleeps. And again: romantic walks, a peaceful lunch, a long dinner are all possible! Try it! ๐Ÿ™‚

travelling with an infant, child on a trip

“Two” of us having a walk while Maks is asleep

So, pack your infants and off you go!! Holidays are coming, so plan your vacation, prepare and stop sitting at home or in your gardens. The world awaits you!! ๐Ÿ™‚

PS. despite various complications, travelling with a 2-year old is also cool ๐Ÿ™‚ But you already know that from our previous entries! ๐Ÿ™‚ I didn’t write about it when Maks was an infant!