Is a long car trip with a newborn safe?
We have a 10-week-old baby and are planning on taking a two week road trip. Is a long car trip with a newborn safe?
Advice from paediatrician Robert Steele
There is nothing better for putting in perspective just how much stuff you need to take care of your children than going on a trip. And when it comes to the logistics of how to do it, there are no hard and fast rules since it depends on the age and temperament of the child. However, here are some helpful hints which I give you as both a Paediatrician and a father.
Is a long car trip safe for the newborn?
From the Paediatrician - Absolutely.
From the Daddy - Sure it's safe for the baby, but it may make the parents go crazy. Seriously, travelling with a newborn can in many ways be the easiest travel with children. However, it can be very stressful as well. Be aware of this, lower your travel time expectations, and most of all enjoy the company of your spouse. Between the feeding and changing nappies, travelling with a newborn can give you and your spouse some quality time together.
The time it takes to travel with a newborn
From the Paediatrician - There will be periods on the road in which you will be tempted to save time during feeding. If your baby is breastfed, you will want to take her out of the carseat to feed while moving. If she is bottle-fed, that temptation will happen when it comes time to burp her. Three words - Don't do it. Safety has got to take precedence. Even though the time out of the carseat may be minimal, it could be just enough time to be involved in an accident. This same temptation may come if the baby becomes fussy. If she needs to be held, stop the car.
From the Daddy - I remember how far my wife and I could travel in the car in one day before we had kids. So, I was astounded at how much slower it was when we had a newborn due to all the stopping for nappy changing, feeding, comforting, etc. I found it takes almost twice as long to travel with a newborn than without. Therefore, when planning how much time it will take to make it to the destination, calculate how long it would be with just you and your partner ... and then double it.
Remember the time zone change
From the Paediatrician - Minimal time zone changes may effect your baby more than you would expect. Most babies do pretty well when changing time zones, but when you throw in the disruption of the normal routine due to car travel, some babies may be a bit more fussy than usual.
From the Daddy - Time zone changes usually don't affect sleep patterns as much as the rocking of the car tended to make babies sleep longer. In some respects, travelling with a newborn is much easier than with older children because of the large amount of time spent sleeping. Occasionally, this can backfire, for example in the case of an infant who is sleeping through the night. The extra sleep during the day may disrupt nighttime sleep. Also, normal eating times may not change with the time zone until a few days later.
What you should pack
From the Paediatrician - Pack everything. Adjustment to new environments are much more easily achieved if much of the usual equipment is used. Bring your blankets, your baby wipes, nappies and anything else that your baby is used to during the day.
From the Daddy - Pack everything. Things like nail scissors and the thermometer might get left behind if you don't make note of them. We usually made either mental or written notes about things we used for the baby starting about two weeks before the trip. That ensured those items not used on a daily basis items got packed too.
I wish you well on your trip. Drive safely and have fun.
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