Holiday Survival 101 - Traveling With A Baby

'Tis the season to be traveling-- which can be very hard with a little baby! I know since I had one last year! Road trips are never easy, but with a new baby they can be downright nerve wracking, so I wanted to share my favorite holiday travel tips to survive this season with my momma-readers out here!

1. Plan ahead to take lots of breaks and pit stops. One thing that has really helped me, especially when I was exclusively breastfeeding and on longer road trips, was to plan ahead to stop every 2 hours. We picked fun spots along the way (usually spots that involved food and decent restrooms). Yes, this adds time to the over all trip but it's so nice to stretch, get the baby out of the car seat, and be able to feed skin-to-skin.
2. If you can't take that many breaks, use a hand pump and a bottle. I found a nifty manual breast pump that I could use with just my hands. I would sit in the back seat and pump and then feed my son with a bottle. You can use a nursing cover like this one if you are worried about people seeing into your car. I also really like these Honest Company bottles, as well as this pump from Medela.**
3. Pack extra diapers and keep them in an easy to reach spot! This may seem obvious, but I can't tell you how many times I used more diapers than anticipated! It really stinks to have to open up your neatly packed trunk and dig for supplies when you are stopped at a gas station!
4. Take your DSLR with you! With all the stops and breaks you are bound to be taking, make it worth while and capture your memories while you are at it! There are so many sights and so many memories on holiday road trips. You might feel daunted in the moment, but trust me you will cherish the memories and photos of your teeny baby forever!

**You may be wondering if you should pack any formula for a road trip. I made the personal choice to exclusively breastfeed my son, and therefore formula feeding didn't really work for me because if I had fed him with formula on a road trip, I still would have had to empty my breasts or possibly suffer from a reduced supply. So I did make it part of my mission to stop frequently or pump in the car and feed. However, I understand that all moms are in different situations. If you are using formula or a combination of breastmilk and formula, you should definitely pack some (like the kind Honest makes) and mix and feed on the road! However you feed your baby, know you will do just great on your first road trip! Be patient, listen to your baby's cues, and don't be in too much of a rush and all will be merry and bright! Happy Holidays,Ashleigh