Traveling with Kids: 4 Child Safety Tips Every Parent Should Know

When I started working on getting ready to take my young one on her first trip, I immediately started sweating. I didn’t feel like I knew what I was supposed to do and that I was going to forget something along the way. Luckily it all worked out because I followed some very simple steps along the way. Yourfirst (and subsequent) trips with a baby can be calm and fun as long as you make sure to take advantage of these rules.

1. Window shades are a must for car travel

If you are taking anice long car trip, you are going to want to invest in window shades, even if you aretraveling in the winter. These shades should be removable and should be used in order to protect your baby’s eyes from the sun, as well as making sure they aren’t getting too warm.
Even in the middle of the winter, adrive through the countryside on a sunny day can lead to real problems for the little ones. Peel and stick have been known to be more dependable than other brands so you should run out and get yourself some of those. Babies don’t understand that they should be shading their eyes so driving without these can really lead to some damage.
When it comes to them getting too warm, you’re definitely going to be having some fussing. The last thing you want to do is end up getting distracted because your young one is unhappy and uncomfortable.

2. Baby needs their own seat on a plane

While you might feel the pull to have your youngster sitting on a flight, the American Academy of Pediatrics has said that you should find a way to make sure they have their own seat every time. This is despite the fact that most airlines allow for parents to have any child under the age of two and under 40 pounds on their lap. While we never want to think about it, there are all kinds of problems that can occur on a flight.
Your youngest is going to be safer if they are snugly buckled into that FAA approved car seat than if you are desperately trying to hold onto them. Buckling them in with you can also cause problems if there ends up being turbulence or some other issues popping up that ends up whipping both of you around at all. A bonked noggin or two can seem insignificant but you just never know what is going to become a more serious issue like a concussion when you’re talking about an infant.

3. Fill out an emergency sheet

When you are getting ready to get on the road, whether it is by car or by plane, make sure you are filling out an emergency sheet that you can keep with you at all times. This sheet should have all your emergency contacts in case something happens to you during the trip. The sheet should also have as muchmedical information as you think is pertinent to your infant. This can include blood type, as well as food and medicine allergies the young one might have.
You want to make sure should something go wrong while you are on the road, all that information is someplace where it will be easy to find. This is the case whether the person doing the looking is a frantic parent, or someone looking to help your family out. Don’t put information you think could be used against you, such as social security numbers, but enough that medical personnel can treat everyone correctly.

4. Get the right kind of car seat

This is one of those gifts that is on everybaby registry but you want to make sure you are getting the right one. Obviously, you are going to want to get aconvertible car seat that is plenty comfortable for the young one but one that has also been tested and passed as many safety factors as possible.
If the thing changes into ababy carrier, all the better when you are out of the car and walking around. You are also going to want to make sure that your car seat is one that is approved by the FAA if you plan on taking your little one on an airplane with it.You don’t want to get there and find out there’s a hiccup or that your baby isn’t as safe as you’d hoped.
As long as you follow these four simple tips, you are likely to have afun and safe travel, no matter where you are going or how you are getting there. Being safe shouldn’t ever have to cut into the fun as long as you’re being careful and plan ahead.
 
By Zoey Miller
Guest blogger Zoey Miller offers solutions to everyday family, nursery, parenthood, relationship, and health problems on her website, thebabbleout.com. Zoey researched baby safety for her site, and shares her findings here.