Travelling with Babies 0 - 12 Months @ ExplorOz

Packing for Babies	Protection for Babies
Clothing for Babies	General Information for Babies
Food for Babies	Article Feedback
Washing for Babies	Related Pages
Nappies for Babies	Related Shop Items
Comfort for Babies

In this Article

Packing for Babies

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The undivided attention required from both parents meant, our baby daughter thrived as a result of this experience. We hope you'll find this article both inspirational and useful if you are preparing for a trip with your young baby.

Left behind

There are a few items to consider leaving behind, mainly to conserve space in the vehicle. Some of the things we left behind were: the high chair, rocker, a change mat and most of the baby toys such as large teddies and toys that rattled.

Came with us

These are the items that we considered necessary to take with us. Most items are small and can be grouped into little carry bags. The only medium sized items were the 0-4 year car seat, portable cot, pram, the play gym and the back carrier. Some of these items were able to be folded up so they didn't take up too much space.

0-4 year car seat

"Window sox" on car windows

Pram

Mosquito net for pram

Back carrier

Picnic rug

6 x 260mL bottle and teats

Several dummies

Cold water sterilising kit

Plastic feeding bowl

2 x feeding spoons

4 x small plastic containers with lids (containing single serves of formula powder made up each morning and evening)

1L thermos flask containing boiled water for mixing up formula

1L plastic bottle containing cooled boiled water for mixing up formula

1 small plastic funnel (top cut off a soft drink bottle) to aid easy pouring of formula powder into babies bottles

Bottle and teat cleaning brush

Medium sized plastic crate

300W invertor installed into car

"Slender blender" to plug into invertor for pureeing foods when required

One car toy bag (books, teething rings, teddies, preferably things that can be strung together and hung off car seat)

One car day-bag (days worth of nappies, clothes, bibs, cutlery etc)

One clothes/linen bag (major bag)

CDs and tapes (nursery rhymes and classical music)

Several cloth nappies, bibs etc

2 x sun hats 1 x beanie 2 x pair mittens)

Bedding (including baby sized sleeping bag

2 x receiving rugs, 1 x throw rug, 2 x old bath towels and 5 x face washers

Nappy bag - well stocked

Small bag with miscellaneous items (eg. nappy rash paste, infant Panadol, sunscreen, insect repellent, extra nappy wipes, extra nappy sacks, bath soap etc)

Portable cot or a mesh dome tent - as the play pen

Kids camp chair

"Jolly Jumper" - a type of play equipment designed to support a baby or child

Disposable nappies

1 large & 1 small universal sink plugs

CDs and tapes (nursery rhymes and classical music)

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Clothing for Babies

We took a wide range of clothing because we encountered temperatures ranging from 0 - 35°C. We didn’t need to worry too much about play clothes or crawling pants etc because baby wasn’t yet mobile. However, despite the fact that baby hardly touched the ground other than on a picnic rug, she still got pretty grimy. With the car, trailer and everything else including ourselves constantly covered in a thick layer of bulldust, it was impossible to keep her spotlessly clean. My advise is, don’t even try! I quickly learned to rotate the same few outfits, which I threw out at the end of the trip. A good sun hat is imperative, as were a beanie and mittens as we encountered some very cold nights.

Food for Babies

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Babies 0-6 months

In the early moinths, our baby was mainly formula fed, supplemented by small amounts of pureed food. For ease and convenience, we made the decision to use ready prepared tinned baby food during the trip and baby cereals. I rarely use pre-prepared baby foods at home, having adopted the adage that “fresh is best”, but for the trip, we figured that 4 weeks of tinned food out of a lifetime wasn’t going to hurt. Our baby required about 5 or 6 bottles in a 24-hour period. Our biggest dilemma was how to warm them quickly and easily and this was easily solved by using a thermos flask.

Each morning and evening, we boiled water and filled the thermos with hot water that lasted for the duration of the day or night. We also filled a plastic bottle with cooled boiled water. As well, we carried 4 very small plastic containers with lids that we filled morning and night with single serves of formula powder. Using the hot and cold water and dropping in a single serve of formula, we were able to have a bottle prepared to the right temperature within seconds.

Which brings me to another point…As our baby was still required to use sterilised bottles etc, we took along a cold water sterilising unit which basically consisted of a 4 litre bucket with a lid to which was added 2 Milton sterilising tablets a day. We carried this unit, along with all of baby’s other food requirements in a readily accessible plastic crate. Not only did it keep everything together, it protected the interior of the car or tent from any possible spills etc. Bottles, dummies, everything remained in the sterilising solution until we needed to use them.

Babies 7-12 months

This will vary depending on where you're baby is at, however keep in mind that breastfeeding is the by far the least hassle and convenient of all. If using bottles, there is no need to take a special sterilising unit, although there are cold water systems available where you place one tablet into water and immerse the bottles overnight. Boil up extra water in the billy when you make coffee and drop the bottle(s) into it for a few minutes soak.

Tinned and Jarred Foods

For solid food eaters, keep in mind that tins and jars are bulky to store and then pose a significant rubbish disposal issue. If driving on major roads, and staying in caravan parks access to rubbish bins may not be a difficult issue, however in more remote areas you will need to take this into consideration. Tins can be crushed and therefore use less space when holding onto rubbish for days at a time, however jars have the advantage that they can be resealed for keeping leftovers.

Dry Foods

Dry, packaged cereals are handy such as rice cereal & powdered custards which are easily made up with a bit of water or milk.

Formula

For small amounts of formula you can use "stick packs". We have found these available all over Australia, even Kalumburu! Great for making up just one bottle at a time.

Bread

Keep in mind that bread is rarely available in outback areas in any form other than what we call "fairy bread" - sliced white loaves, usually frozen. Babies tend to choke more on white bread because it goes doughy when wet, whereas wholemeal or grains hold the bread together better. Consider making your own bread at night in the camp oven or use alternatives. A great alternative to bread is crispbreads such as Rice Cruskits.

Corn

Corn cobs are great for babies with teeth and are quickly cooked and cooled ready for eating in 5-10minutes. Encouraging self-feeding with hand held foods is actually quite easy when camping so this age is quite fun to take camping. Dropped food is great on the ground, and better than on your home floor that needs cleaning up!

We found a plastic bib with a scoop served as a tray table to hold food and catch drops. Perched on a kids camp chair that you've adapted with a waist strap and you've got yourself a little highchair that works great!

Water

I can’t stress enough the importance of carrying plenty of good quality water. To satisfy babies needs alone, we needed about 8 litres a day. His sterilising unit used 4 litres daily, but we reused this water for washing up etc. We also used babies leftover bath water to wash ourselves. Our main concern was obtaining good quality drinking water for his formula. We kept a separate 20 litre jerry can of water for just this purpose and we topped it up whenever a good supply could be obtained. We also made sure that his formula water boiled for at least 5 minutes.

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Washing for Babies

As we were rotating babies outfits, I regularly rinsed them out by hand. In the northern sun, they dried very quickly either pegged out or laid flat on a towel in the back of the car as we travelled. Occasionally, I dried things by the fire. Sure they sometimes smelled a little smoky but they were clean.

Baby was bathed every evening no matter where we were. In the bush, he settled for a sponge bath lying on the picnic rug and a towel on the tailgate of our trailer. Only a small amount of hot water is required to warm the water and this we either boiled or took from our solar shower. When at caravan parks, baby got a proper bath in a sink but in just about every place, we had to supply our own plug.

Nappies for Babies

Take the best quality, super absorbent type. Blowouts in the car seat when water is limited is not something you want to contend with in the middle of the bush.

Around the age of 9mths most babies get very upset about lying on their backs - and nappy change times can be a nightmare. Hopefully, you'll have two pairs of hands, one to pin the baby down, the other to do the changing. We found the back tray of our vehicle doubled as a great change table, but I also laid down the portable change mat from the nappy bag. We also covered the tray with an old vinyl tablecloth so it was easily wiped clean.

Dirty nappies went straight into the Nappy Sacks (peach coloured, perfumed plastic bags) and then at the end of the day all nappies went up onto the roof rack in a vinyl-lined waterproof laundry-style bag. This bag held all our rubbish bags and was sufficient for our longest break between rubbish pits or bins that was 5 days.

Comfort for Babies

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Entertainment

Kids from 0-1 usually don't need any special entertainment as life is just so interesting as it is. However many don't like travelling for extended periods in the car seat especially if they are the active type. We found the car toy bag to be ideal, with a combination of small toys, teddies, soft books and linking chain rings in a bag that could be zipped closed or left open for baby to grab as required. We used one of the red, white and blue striped bags that you can pick up for $2 from a junk shop, and found the long-style handles useful.

Jolly Jumper

The Jolly Jumper is a type of play equipment designed to support a baby or child that is over 6 months. This is great for keeping them interested and exercised in the outdoors and works as a restraint if needed while using the fire or setting up camp. Some safety tips for this apparatus include:

Only use a jumper when your child is able to sit up unaided

Choose a jumper that is appropriate for your child’s height, weight and age

If using a second hand jumper, ensure that all its parts are intact and in working order

Carefully select a supporting structure that can support much more than the weight of the jumper and child

Follow manufacturer instructions when installing the jumper

Check that the clamps and straps are properly secured before placing your child in a jumper

Teach siblings not to push or pull the jumper while a child is in it

When not in use, remove the jumper from the supporting frame

Always supervise your child when in a jumper

Music

Kids this age, also seem to love music so tapes in the car or simple instruments for the outdoors is good entertainment. Recorder, guitar or harmonica (depending on your talent!) is fun for everyone (except for people camping nearby). Our baby learned to clap hands and to clap things together and you'll find toy plastic stacking cups or wooden blocks handy to encourage this.

Bedding

We made the decision not to take a portable cot on this trip. We had enough room by our bed atop the trailer for the little man to sleep across our heads. However, we were conscious of suffocating him with our pillows and as he could roll around, we rigged up a partition for safety. The real advantage of this arrangement was that it was cosier for him on cold nights and we could also get to him in the night without getting out of bed ourselves.

Many babies have a habit of kicking their bed covers off and ours was no exception. We purchased a zippable miniature size sleeping bag for him and this we found absolutely invaluable. We wrapped him in a receiving rug before placing him the sleeping bag so he was a snug as a “bug-in-a-rug”. On really cool nights, we put the throw rug over him as well. His style of sleeping bag also had a flap behind his head, which could be zipped across the top of his head to form a kind of loose hood for extra warmth. He had his bedtime bottle wrapped up like this and if he woke in the night, we didn’t need to unwrap him unless he needed changing.

And baby seemed to like this arrangement quite well. He slept better and longer on this trip than at home!

Protection for Babies

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Sun Protection for Babies

Most "kids" sunblocks contain a chemical that is absorbed by babies and can be harmful. You must check the label careful and only use those products that clearly state that they are designed for children under 12mths or are free of chemical absorbers. Most "kids" block outs and insect repellents are only for children aged over 2yr old.

Sunblock

I found a sunblock from the Chemist made by "Ego" called Sunsense Low Irritant. It is free of chemical absorbers and has an SPF of 20.

Insect Repellent

And I found an insect repellent at the supermarket called "Repel ". It comes in a yellow aerosol can. It isn't specifically for the under one's but is ok for over that age. I decided it was worth having.

Back Carrier

I did use both products, however I preferred to use hats, cover-ups and "taught" our baby to leave her hat on. Our back carrier also had a sunshade that worked extremely well.

Sunglasses

Sunglasses are a personal choice, and personally I think there is too much danger of little babies taking them off and poking out an eye with the arms. You can use a neoprene strap to keep them on if you must have them. Around about 12mths kids become ok with sunglasses.

First Aid Kit for Babies

We always take two first aid kits. One is in the car and is for the quick fix, (such as small cuts, bites and headaches) and the other is in the trailer (if towing) or in the back with larger items, and is for a more serious fix such as snake bite, burns, falls, major bleeding.

Adding a baby to the travelling team, we put together her own first aid kit, containing the following:

Selected band-aids to suit small fingers/toes

Homeopathic baby-safe insect repellent (mix one drop citronella and one drop lavender essential oils into a small jar of Vaseline). Used direct on bites to relieve pain, inflammation and swelling caused by mossies and even sandflies. Can also be used as a repellent. Lavender soothes, citronella repels. Works very well!

Baby Panadol (liquid)

Bayer Teething Relief and Bonjela teething gel

Polaramine (Antihistamine Syrup) for relief of allergic symptoms such as sneezing, watery and itchy eyes, skin rash and hives caused by hayfever or if a bad reaction to sandflies

Pedialyte (glucose and electrolyte powder) helps restore fluid loss and prevents dehydration in vomiting and diarrhoea. Powder comes in sachets and is dissolved in 200ml of water. Can be stored reconstituted for up to 24hrs. I wouldn't travel without it

Of Greatest Concern

These fall into the following categories: snakes bites, falling into the campfire, crocodile attacks, drinking bad water causing sickness, choking and other medical emergencies. Please refer to our First Aid article to learn more.

None of this has ever occurred to us and is all I can say is if you worried too much about these things you would never leave the house! Just use your common sense.

General Information for Babies

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The most important tip I can offer is that good planning well in advance is essential. When you’re at home, think about everything you do for baby as you do it and them try to imagine how you’ll cope away from amenities. Whether you’re caravanning or bush camping, you will have to forgo some conveniences, but that doesn’t make it impossible, just challenging. I kept a pen and paper on the kitchen bench for weeks before we headed off and every time I thought of something, I made a note of it. I also kept a list of things to take which I revised several times, but at least I knew I had considered everything.

If your child has special dietary or medication needs, take what you need with you. Never assume that you can buy what you need on the road. Our baby required a lactose free formula so we took enough for the entire trip.

If you’re used to travelling without children, just as we had done for 10 years or so before our little man came along, reconcile yourself to travelling at a different pace. Do this before you leave home so that you don’t set unrealistic travel plans. And remember, a holiday should start when you leave home, not when you get 1000 km’s up the road. We found we stopped far more often and for longer and it didn’t hurt a bit. In fact, we enjoyed the slower pace and some of our roadside breaks are very memorable.

Keep a journal of your trip. Baby won’t remember a thing about it but maybe one day, he or she will get some enjoyment from reading about it and knowing that they were a part of it. We often read our trip journal and find it a very special every time. You’d be amazed how quickly you can forget even the most “memorable” incident.