In the first part of this two-part article we looked at how to choose the right car seat and pushchair for your baby, what to consider when choosing travel toys, and what to include in a changing bag.
Next up, we’ll be looking at what else you’ll need if your baby is being weaned or potty trained.
Weaning
If your baby is weaning you’ll need to take along their food, wet wipes or reusable wipes, bibs, cutlery (such as a weaning spoon), and a bowl. Bring something with you to wipe everything down afterwards and to pop messy bowls/cutlery/bibs inside, such as a ziplock bag. If you are bringing homemade food, turn it upside down in the jar or tub and give it a shake to make absolutely sure it won’t leak in your bag!
Look for a café or restaurant with high chairs available or consider investing in a portable high chair. It’s advised not to feed babies in a car seat or pushchair, as their head may be tilted too far back and may increase the risk of choking.
Checklist:
● Food in a leak-proof tub
● Bibs
● Cutlery (e.g. weaning spoon)
● Bowl
● Portable high chair
● Ziplock bag(s) for messy stuff
● Wet wipes (or reusable wipes)
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Potty training on-the-go
When potty training it’s important to keep things consistent to avoid confusing your child. This can be quite tricky when you’re travelling. You could opt to stay at home until your child is fully potty trained, but given that it takes at least three months to half a year, that’s not the most ideal approach!
Instead, being as prepared as possible can keep your potty training journey on track and help handle any accidents. Try to get your child to use the potty before you leave the house - this is a good habit to get into for the future as well.
If possible, avoid travelling too far at a time. Consider how often your child may need to use the toilet and plan around this, as the last thing you want is an accident in the car. Most car seat covers are removable if this happens but can be tricky to remove and replace. It also means you won’t be able to use the car seat until the cover is dry. Alternatively, there are car seat protectors available that fit inside the car seat and are easier to remove and clean. You may want to buy two, to have a spare while one is in the wash.
You could take a potty along with you as well, although keep in mind you’ll need somewhere to empty it. There are also travel potties available that use disposable bags for extra convenience, and also fold down to save space. Worst case scenario, make sure you are in dashing distance of a toilet (or at least a bush!).
Finally, the staple part of any potty training checklist - two or three changes of clothes (and more wet wipes).
Checklist:
● 2 x car seat protectors
● Potty or travel potty with disposable bags
● 3 x spare sets of baby clothes
● Ziplock bag(s) for messy stuff
● Wet wipes, wet wipes, and more wet wipes (or reusable wipes)
Summary
There’s a lot to bring along with you on a day out with a baby but the experiences you will get as a family are more than worth it. A bit of preparation will help you be ready for most things that are likely to come your way, whether that’s a hungry baby or a leaky nappy.
Happy travels!
