#9 Travelling with a Baby

We have been on the road for six months now and our little Zoe has just turned one. As we reflect around another campfire to the sound of croaking toads in the background, we feel it fitting to write a post about travelling with a baby.

When we first presented the idea to our friends and family a year ago, the most common reaction we received was; “What? With a baby?”. Well we would like to tell you why that is exactly the best time to travel!

As full-time overlanding was new to us, we wanted to start our journey in a country that felt familiar. Where we could speak the language, and experience a culture that wasn’t too different to home! We chose the USA of course, because it’s a country very close to our hearts! But travelling with a baby can be done anywhere in the world, we’re sure of that!

A good friend of ours recently shared the following quote by Leigh Hunt:

“Traveling in the company of those we love is home in motion.”

Any parent will know that as long as Mummy and Daddy are close by, then baby is happy! The first five years of a child’s life are fundamentally important in shaping their future, but according to Factsforlifeglobal, ‘the most critical in shaping the child’s brain architecture’ are the first three years.

Babies need ‘good nutrition, protection and stimulation from talk, play, and responsive attention from caregivers’ (https://www.unicef.org/early-childhood-development), and lots of love of course, so what better way for Zoe to kick start her journey than by spending 100% of her time with both parents. We feel privileged to have been able to leave our jobs behind for a while, ignite those senses in an abundance of ways and not miss out on one milestone, whilst, at the same time, having the adventure of our lifetime.

Playing in Nature

From sorting sticks from stones, leaves from pine cones, to feeling the texture of wet soggy wood, water mixed with sand or with mud, and to spending minutes observing a frog’s call during mating season, we cannot highlight enough the advantage of being out in nature. It is a pure joy to witness the excitement of those kicking legs when Zoe encounters wildlife on her doorstep. An even bigger bonus when she can return to her ‘bedroom’ and contextualise all this learning by pointing to those creatures in her picture books. Zoe has seen more animals in her one year than her peers would with a year long pass at the zoo.

Zoe gets dirty, but isn’t that good for the immune system and doesn’t it help reduce the chances of developing asthma or allergies? Older generations are telling us and we think so too.

Our living room is the outdoors. We may not have a large carpeted space to practise and develop those all important gross motor skills, but we have an awning, a weather resistant mat, a couple of chairs and a table and a great selection of terrain to choose from. Our little climber has no boundaries and has developed confidence along with some common sense when moving around.

What about social skills?

One of my (Abigail) biggest fears when hitting the road was how Zoe would interact with people, learn to play and share with other children, and form and maintain friendships. The control freak that I am, I found myself joining ‘Meetup’ so that I could perhaps attend a playgroup now and then. That account has not yet been used. We meet people almost everyday. Having a baby draws people in. Zoe greets everyone with a smile and waves when we part. We have met fellow travellers and reunited with them time and time again and have bumped into local families, who have been so kind to welcome us into their home and set up playdates. Thanks to modern technology, we’re also keeping up with family and friends back home through video-calls which Zoe seems to enjoy very much!

What about all the gear and toys?

When Zoe entered our world we recieved four prams…how cool is that! Well, since travelling full-time, we’ve hardly used one and ended up giving each one away. We once heard that it ‘isn’t real overlanding until you have got rid of the last item you don’t need’, and how true is that! People spend months preparing a nursery for their baby, shopping for the right car seat and making sure they have everything they could possibly need for their new arrival. As we embarked on this trip, we also tried a similar approach. Worried about safety, we found ourselves purchasing a gate for the bed, making sure that Zoe was contained and could play safely….until she learned to climb over it three weeks later that is! Another thrift store giveaway. Parents know that kitchen pans and a cardboard box offer many more hours of entertainment than the newest addition to the toybox. We have come to learn that you really don’t need to bring a lot of toys with you. In fact, Zoe has been given so many along the way! Zoe also loves books. We are able to borrow books overlanding style, exchanging them at campgrounds and through our favourite library, The Little Free Library.

So what do you need?

Below is a list of the essential stuff we have found to come in handy:

• Clip on high chair- A must! Enables your baby to really join in on those all important mealtimes. We bought it to clip onto our folding table but have been able to take it to restaurants, picnic areas and use it in other people’s homes too.
• Samsonite Baby carrier- The kangaroo Sack! This buggy replacement has enabled us to take Zoe for strolls on the beach, walks in the forest, hikes up mountains and when you need to get that all important job done, Zoe has accompanied mummy too …stress free 😉
• Collapsible Bath- One of our favourites! This slimline tub converts into a fantastic sturdy space to bathe. Zoe loves bath time. We use it in our camper, have used it in campsite showers and even on the beach! It is versatile and can be used for laundry and will act as a great tray for messy play!
• Samsonite Travel Cot- A pop up tent with a mosquito net door is a nice snug fit into a space next to our bed. We actually replaced the mattress with a custom made Tuft & Needle one and it is about the only item we have that safely confines Zoe. She is able to sleep soundly while Mum and Dad enjoy an evening by the campfire or catch up on those dishes.
• Baby Monitor- Yes, just like we would want in a house with four walls, we decided to add this to our list of essentials. Even though we’re never far away, we wanted to be able to enjoy animated conversations with friends without having to check in on Zoe every five minutes. This monitor was kindly given to us by fellow travellers on the road.
• Thermos Flask- Simple but ever so practical. For those mummies that are unable to breastfeed, this flask has been a lifesaver for bottlemaking. There have been times when we have run out of propane. We would always prepare a 1l flask at night which would keep hot water hot for 24 hours. This flask comes everywhere with us. Always there and ready to make up that formula.
• Tommee Tippee thermos holders- unfortunately this one got left behind somewhere, or did it fall down the Grand Canyon? Like the flask, it helped keep Zoe’s milk warm, great when on a long drive or for those occasions when she just wasn’t feeling hungry.
• Weather resistant play mat- A great space for Zoe to play, roll, crawl and climb on! It is light and folds up very easily. The mat can be placed on wet ground, is durable during bad weather and is easy to clean. It provides extra comfort for those gravelly surfaces and looks pretty too. We get lots of compliments for this one!
• Skip Hop Changing mat- A gift at my baby shower, this is a well used changing mat. Compact, it is easy to carry, has enough space for the all important wipes and nappies and even has a pouch for some extras. If you really don’t want to lug around hundreds of things, it can be used for transporting a snack or two, or even some spare clothes (we just insert those in the middle). Great for city outings.
• Gerber Puffs- And talking of snacks, these belong in the car. They may not be the healthiest option, but they give us 20 minutes more time on a long journey. Keeping our little one happy for just a little longer.

But what if your child doesn’t like to drive?

Travelling with a baby is not all plain sailing especially when your munchkin doesn’t like driving! Oops…a slight problem! However, just as one does anywhere in the world, whether at home or on the road, you get on with it and overcome these hurdles. We have found a few tricks to help us Gublers stay happy along the way which you may find a little helpful if your little one would rather be free:

• Time your child’s naps! We travel slowly but if a big journey is ahead of us, then we make sure Zoe rides along when it is nap time. This may mean not leaving until lunchtime but it keeps us all sane.
• Have a baby kit for the car. When Zoe is awake, then she needs entertaining. We have a box with a selection of toys and books ready to go. Although, we could probably get away with just a box full of books 😉
• Use a make up mirror. We initially wanted to buy one of those mirrors that you place over rear-facing car seats. However, a mirror that Zoe is able to handle herself has proven much more useful (and especially as she has now upgraded to a foward facing seat). As well as being able to see her parents from the back, she has used it to pull funny faces and explore changes as she grows, for example discovering her tongue and her first tooth.
• Get your bag of songs and rhymes out. We do a lot of singing in the car. We’ve also used websites such as bbc school nursery rhymes to help take the pressure off Mum’s vocal chords!

Hopefully having read our blog, you can see that life with a baby isn’t too much different when on the road. As first time parents, we may have felt a little out of our depth at times but Zoe has told us exactly what she needs and when. Moving on from formula, to puréed food, to solids and to the introduction of cow’s milk. We’ve found a routine that suits our groove and we must say, we think we’re rather blessed to have such a happy camper on board. We think she’s developing beautifully, and can only recommend sharing such an exciting journey with your little one. Even though Zoe might not remember everything, seeds have been planted. Don’t wait until later. They grow up so fast!

Thanks for reading… “we’ll meat you around the world!”