Nursing a new baby can be a daunting task, especially if you’re a new mom who travels a lot. There is almost no time for rest in a breastfeeding mom’s daily life. One minute you’re changing the diaper; the next minute, you’re breastfeeding or preparing your growing baby’s next meal. Having to cater to your child’s unique needs on a trip is an experience that often leaves many moms with sour memories. Some doctors advise mothers with newborns to limit the frequency of long travels, so you may need to ramp up your planning efforts and lower your expectations if you must go. Here are some essential road trip tips for new moms.
Have all your papers ready.
The last thing you want to experience on an already hectic road trip is a long police inspection or an abrupt vehicular malfunction, so it helps to perform all the necessary due diligence before setting off. Review necessary papers from your license to insurance and renew any outdated packages and policies.
If you’re traveling with extra luggage, you may need plenty of room which your car cant afford. Getting a luggage trailer can be a good option. However, many people in the U.S. rarely use their trailers and often forget to renew their travel trailer insurance policies. Planning all these things can help you reduce the stress associated with long road trips.
Prepare your baby’s needs.
Road trips require significant levels of planning. If you’re traveling with a newborn or toddler, you can’t be prepared enough. Starting the planning process early can be a good idea, so make a checklist of essential personal belongings for you and your baby to help you pack. Consider resources that can complement your duties on the road; for example, you can get the best nursing bras on the market to help you with easy feeding. Nursing bras come with foldable cups that expose the nipple, so, you don’t have to deal with the stress of unhooking your back strap while you drive or care for your baby.
Why can’t you just go with a regular bra? Regular bras may not be a bad idea if someone else is driving and you have all the convenience to care for your baby. Nursing bras are designed with multitasking moms in mind and the adjustable straps come with greater support and extra comfort, even for mothers with heavy boobs.
Be flexible with your plans.
It’s okay to plan every part of your road trip but keeping strict timelines may give you a hard time. The best thing is to be open to the changes. Babies react to new environments differently and if your baby cries for long, several factors could be at play that may demand you to stop, assess and cuddle your baby to calm mode before going back to business. It could be skin irritation issues from the car’s stuffiness or could even be hunger. Doctors advise breastfeeding moms to feed babies eight to twelve times daily. Ultimately, there’s no point in prioritizing your punctuality over a hungry baby’s needs.
Have a road trip partner.
Finding a road trip partner can reduce the struggles a little bit and you can rotate baby care and driving functions as you get bored or tired. If you’re driving entirely through your road trip, you can opt for wearable pumps to ensure breastmilk for your baby never runs out, and you can also wear your pumping bra throughout your entire road trip. These bras allow moms to attach tubes to the breast for hands-free pumping.
No doubt, several major breast pump brands exist on the market today but it pays to choose options that can adjust to changing body needs as a breastfeeding mom.
All in all, when traveling with a newborn, it helps to be prepared. Also, note that your baby can experience a sudden hike in body temperature if traveling at night. So, ensure you have all the right health care supplies at hand.
