
From the 2 – 3 clothes per day to diapers, baby wipes, towels, and everything else – our son had more stuff than the two of us combined. My goodness, I think we had a full-sized suitcase packed to the top just for our son. He would always stare and try to touch the patterns on the swaddle blanket. We also use it to keep our son calm and engaged by looking at the patterns. We place the swaddle blanket over the car seat to help provide more shade and a quiet space for our son to sleep while on the road.

Of course, we use it to wrap our son, but we also use it for two road trip tips. We use swaddle blankets for three things. Our favorite baby app is Huckleberry because it keeps track of sleep, feedings, medicine, and more.Īnother tip for road tripping with a baby and their naps – pack a swaddle blanket with patterns and keep it in the car.

If you do not already keep track of your baby’s sleep schedule, now would be the time to start. We always try our best to drive 30 minutes before our son’s scheduled nap. If possible, plan the driving around your baby’s sleep schedule. Once you can find patience, your road trip with a baby will be so much more enjoyable. It is not a race to the finish line or, in this case, the destination. So take deep breaths, and remember it’s about the journey and the memories you create with your family. I am probably one of the most impatient people in the universe, but I had to find the patience to succeed when road tripping with a baby.Īs you may have already gathered from my previous tips, a typical 2-hour road trip may take up to 4 hours. Do not worry! There are awesome apps for road tripping planning that can help you. If planning road trips is daunting for you. This could mean taking an activity (or two) out of the day, going to a drive-thru instead of dining inside, taking the highway instead of a more scenic route, etc. I recommend setting a goal for Plan A, knowing you most likely will end up with Plan B. Going on a road trip with a baby is not always easy. With that said, you can also expect to change your itinerary. Honestly, these stops are so healthy because a nice break is beneficial for both the parents and child when the baby gets fussy. You also want to be prepared to carve out a couple of hours on your road trip for diaper changes, breastfeeding, and walks. As a family who loves to hike, we plan our stops around hiking places. The best way to take breaks is by incorporating fun activities, tours, or stops at cute little towns. Why? Because you need to give your baby breaks. Depending on your baby and their stage in life, you may need to plan a stop every 1 -3 hours. This brings me to my next tip – you will need to plan for several stops when road tripping with a baby. Moreover, the “trifecta checklist” is a great tip for traveling with a baby, period. He would immediately stop crying once we figured out if he needed a diaper change, a bottle, or sleep. Nine times out of ten (especially before our son was 6-months-old), he would cry for one of those three reasons. If our son was crying, the first thing that helped us was to check for a diaper, see if he was hungry, and find out the last time he slept. Of all the tips for road tripping with a baby, this one is KEY! We call it the “trifecta checklist.” So what does that mean? Sleep, diaper, food. Whether you are taking a road trip with a newborn, a 12-month-old, or any age in between – these tips can be helpful for any stage. We have found these 12 essential tips to be the most helpful during our road trips with a baby.
#Long road trip tips trial
Some tips may work, some may not – you will not know until you hit the road and go through trial and error.

However, what has worked for other parents and us, may not always work for you. Yes, I believe my guide can help first-time parents navigate their way to a successful road trip with a baby. First and foremost, EVERY BABY IS DIFFERENT!
