Actually...you can travel with a baby.
I want to be an example to show you that YES you can travel once you have a child. In many ways it's better. Here's what I've learned...
People Will Tell You Every Reason Not to Travel
Travel has been part of my life since I was 18-years old when I spent a semester abroad in Paraguay, South America. Before leaving for that trip, I received my fair share of intimidating assumptions from family and friends. Everything from “You’re going to get kidnapped” to “You won’t be able to get around because you don’t speak the language” to “You’ll die in a natural disaster.” All of which of course, never happened.
The past 14 years since then have been dedicated to exploring over 60 countries and 6 continents. I’ve experienced solo travel, group travel and couples travel. Last year, when my husband Siya and I decided to adopt a pup from an animal shelter in California, people were shocked! They asked how we planned to have a dog and travel? Our idea was to bring our pup travelling with us. We wanted to teach those with doubts how to explore the world with their pet. So, at 6 months of age, our dog Atlas took his first international flight to Portugal. This was directly after road tripping across North America with Siya and our Airstream Luna. Dog travel – check!
Travel With a Baby Is Different, But Not Impossible
When Siya and I announced we were pregnant, it never crossed our mind that we wouldn't be able to travel anymore. Not everyone seemed to agree. We constantly received comments from both non-traveling friends and strangers that went something like this:
“Once you have that baby, you won’t be able to travel anymore. What will you do?”
What will we do? Seriously? There seems to be an assumption that all passions vanish and goals change once a woman pushes a human out of her va-jay-jay. It's as if we must "settle down" into this mundane lifestyle once we have a child. We must raise our children on a strict routine in the comforts of our own backyards. After all, this is the proper way; the only way.
Well, I beg to differ.
When you give the gift of travel to a child, you open their world up to adventure and lessons that can't be learned back home. You open their minds to the largeness of the world and the possibilities that surround them.
“What will we do?" people asked.
Siya and l will keep traveling. That's what we'll do. It may look a bit different, but different doesn’t necessarily mean bad or impossible. Yes you can travel with a baby, and we look forward to showing you it’s possible.
The Realities of Traveling with a Baby
Fast-forward to 9 months post-partum. My daughter Kai has already been on 10 flights and traveled to England, Malta, Mexico, the United States and two Canadian provinces. By the end of 2019, she will have visited 9 countries. When it comes to flying with a baby, Kai is a natural! She sleeps, eats and makes friends with everyone. Kai smiles at every person she makes eye contact with and raises her arms to be picked up to all new friends she meets along her journey.
My daughter has sailed on a catamaran in Mexico, watched her first sunset over the famous Dingly Cliffs in Malta and shopped at Camden Market in England. She's visited Popeye's Village in Malta, was centre stage for our talk at TravelCon in Boston and flew her first kite in Saskatchewan. Introducing her to the world at a young age has already started to shape the person she is becoming. What an incredible gift it is to witness her develop and grow each time we step foot outside our door and onto foreign soil.
Travel With a Baby Isn't Always Easy
Don't get me wrong, travel with a baby isn't sunshine and rainbows all the time. There's also the constant stops to change poopy diapers, and you might not be able to travel with just a carry on anymore. Boarding a plane also takes extra time and coordination. Yet, I wouldn't have it any other way. Travel with a baby is as magical as that first trip you ever took. It allows you to experience the world for the first time all over again.
People Aren't Always Speaking From Experience but From a Place of Fear
“Travel with a baby is easy. Just wait until she starts walking, then it’s going to be really difficult.”
Gimme a break! Being able to walk allows for more curiosity and exploration, and I'm so down for that. Yes, our child may run up and down the airplane aisles because she can. but is this so horrible that we should stop all travel? I think not.
What I’ve grown to learn is that people who offer this kind of “feedback” don’t necessarily want to make you feel bad. However, they aren’t generally speaking from experience. People instil their fears onto others and expect them to feel the same. Well, to the doubters, worriers, solo/couple travellers, new mothers and fathers... it is possible to travel with a baby and toddler!
I Constantly Meet People Who Travel with a Baby
I’ve seen first hand families traveling with their children as a little as a few weeks old. I’ve seen single parents traveling with multiple children and grandparents traveling with their grandchildren. One of my favourite travel memories takes place on a beach in Ghana when I spent an hour watching a young British boy and Ghanaian boy laughing and playing. The parents were chilling nearby on a beach towel, smiling at one another while sharing a coconut. It was beautiful to witness these two children, from very different worlds playing together, not noticing their differences. As I watched the scene unfold, I remember thinking that one day I wanted to have this with my own child. I want my daughter to meet all walks of life, learn about our differences but more importantly see our similarities. I want to help introduce her to the world and shape her into a good, open minded, accepting, curious individual.
If You Want to Travel with a Baby, Then Go Out and Do It
One of the many things travel has taught me over the past 14 years is assumptions are well... assumptions. We can’t actually know if something holds truth unless we go out and experience it for ourselves. If I had believed any of the comments people made before I left for Paraguay, I would have never stepped outside of my door. I'd never would have spent 3 amazing months traveling solo across India or spent the summer volunteering at a TV studio in Ghana. I wouldn't have hiked 4 days in the Andes mountains or spent a weeks learning about medicinal plants in the middle of the Amazon Rainforest. The person I am today would look a lot different. Travel has made me who I am, and I am damn proud of the person I’ve become.
Traveling with my daughter is something that only seems natural to me. I never had a doubt that having her would mean forfeiting traveling the world. For me, I see it as an opportunity for us to make incredible memories together that she will look back on and forever cherish. I look forward to continuing experiencing this planet and all its offerings with another lifetime travel buddy. I look forward to seeing the world through not just my eyes but hers as well.
47 Comments
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Hi Author,
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Traveling with a baby definitely is challenging for the new parents but with some preparation and a calm disposition, the seemingly challenging situations are not tough to surmount. In fact most of the airlines staff are pleasantly disposed to the little ones and take their utmost care, making life easier for the parents. Its in the case of pets traveling through the air, needs some serious preparation and pre confirmation with concerned airlines regarding their pets policies.
I really like your article. Basically “If You Want to Travel with a Baby, Then Go Out and Do It” this part. Keep Going!!!
Such a great post! Totally agree with everything you mentioned!
I have a couple friends with two little kids and they used to travel to all sorts of places with their babies. It was super impressive and I think their secret was going minimal in terms of supplies and entertainment.
Great Article for all the mums and dads out there. I myself has a 3,5 year old son and we loved traveling. He was 6 months old when we first did our interkontinental flight .
Enjoy your time with your baby. if you guys ever come to Sri-Lanka, dont forget to ping me.
We have a small eco friendly place in Sri-Lanka
all the best and take care during these difficult times.
We can’t wait to get to Sri Lanka. What’s your eco friendly placed called?
Thanks for sharing this useful information. Traveling with a baby is also awesome.
hahaha, awesome
First of all congrats Kristen for the baby and I believe bloggers should be like you who create the content which is inspired by real-life experience like you.
Thanks for sharing, Appreciation.
Thanks a lot, Kristen,
I don’t think many people are willing to go on travel because of the stress in it. But like you, I’ve seen too many people travel babies. In fact, I’ve lost count of how many I met while traveling. Funny enough, you’ll find them cheerful and happy, which means they’re at least having fun. I fall in the group of people that’ll definitely travel even if I have a lot of kids. It’s just about compromising certain things.
thanks for share the trip, holidays with children are really fun, giving knowledge to nature so that our children love and care for nature, we really love the travelling
Babies are wonderful once they come to the earth and make their parents wonderful too. Traveling with a baby is also awesome. Thanks for the wonderful tips.
nice articale
Hi KRISTEN SARAH,
Wow, great tips. I have a baby and I want to travel. Your article is very helpful for me. Thanks
I don’t think many people realize that you can take the Childs car seat on board. It has to be an approved aircraft make but the upside is the infant is used to sleeping and sitting in it and you can strap them in without having used the ridiculous contraption they make you use during take off.
I can so relate to ALL of this! And it made me smile when you talked a about no longer packing things for you to do on the plane because I stopped packing all of those, too!
Me and my wife love traveling…but that was before since we already have a little angel with us. We are in doubt traveling now. I’m surprised that you were able to handle traveling together with your baby. I know its hard, it not easy. Our only concern is the health of our baby. She might get sick because of the environment. But anyway, thanks for the tips on how to travel with a baby. I might consider to go travel with our little angel sometime. Thanks for sharing!
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I always love to travel but when I was pregnant everyone belongs to me just told me not to travel. I felt very bad got depressed. But I moved on and start traveling. In case I face some issue with my portability and then I realize It is not the right time to travel the world. I have to think about my baby. Finally, I stopped traveling for 6 months. But now I am traveling with my baby and husband.
I always love to travel but when I was pregnant everyone belongs to me just told me not to travel. I felt very bad got depressed. But I moved on and start traveling. In case I face some issue with my portability and then I realize It is not the right time to travel the world. I have to think about my baby. Finally, I stopped traveling for 6 months. But now I am traveling with my baby and husband.
It’s great to hear you’re traveling with your husband and baby. Where have you been to so far?
Woah Girl, you are like a revolution. Hats off to your utter guts and sheer class. I loved the writing and the pictures. And omg how cute is your baby!
Thank You for giving travel loving Mothers a hope
You are so welcome!
Hey Kristen !! Wonderful blog. having a baby itself a responsibility. travel with a baby is very difficult. Reading your travel experience is very amazing. Keep Sharing its kind of posts.
masala chowk jaipur
Thank you so much. Glad you enjoyed this post.
Superb Blog1 and of course very Helpful
Really enjoy it While Reading!
Share your other blog with us soon
Thanks for the amazing post…….keep sharing
yes my daughter is just 2 year 5 month old and i travel a lot with her and we both enjoy together
yes its possible but you just have to be a smart & fit mom so you can carry your angle easily
Thanks for you sharing it’s vey helpful for me
Travelling Blogs
Wow, really inspiring thanks for sharing such incredible blog, thinking of traveling my 2year old kid really soon, will be reading your other blogs aswell
Where will you be traveling to? I’ve put together a packing list which has helped us a ton. It may give you some ideas when you’re packing for your trip: https://hopscotchtheglobe.com/baby-travel-checklist/
Great post. I wish we could travel more with our baby. Unfortunately she isn’t a great sleeper like Kai is. You guys are very fortunate that Kai is a good sleeper. If she wasn’t, do you think you would still travel as much as you do?
She isn’t always the greatest sleeper but there are ways around it 😉 I’m putting together another post about this and how to deal with it. Stay tuned!
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I love reading this. When I told my family and friends about going to South America for 6 months everyone told me that I would either get injured, or even worse, die. What did happen to me? I met so many amazing people that has made such a great impression on me. Not even one person stole a thing from me. Friends and family tell these things out of love but also out of no experience at all. It’s so important we listen to our inner voice and do the things that makes us happy. It’s really good you share your story with people, thank you for that!
I’m glad that you followed your gut. Anything can happen anywhere in the world. People are scared of what they don’t know and they just want the best for you. Keep traveling mama!
My 1 1/2 year old will be traveling to her her fourth country in a week it’s definitely different but still magical and fun. My biggest challenge has been adjusting to not being able to do the extreme travel (intense hiking, adventure sports etc.) that I love so dearly but I’m hoping in a few years it will be possible again.
Yes! What I’m learning is that even if everything can’t be how it was before it doesn’t mean it can’t ever happen again. However, if you travel with a spouse or someone else, they can always watch the baby while you do some of the extreme travel 🙂 That’s what I just did in Ecuador.
You always bring a tear to my eyes! You are so passionate at what you do and Kai is so lucky to be born to you and Siya! Lucky little travelling girl💕💕💕
Thank you so much. This really makes me smile to read this. <3
Love this post <3 So so true! I’ve travelled for years both solo and with people and I’m so looking forward to travelling with my little man in September. A bit anxious don’t get me wrong as it’ll just be the two of us but gah so excited too.
You can do anything you set your mind to. That’s the bottom line. Everything has its challenges and it’s completely normal to feel fear and doubt and worry, but you can do it. It’s a wonderful new adventure you’re about to step into. Embrace it all! xo
I want to travel the world and see it all. I have traveled a bit but I want to see more. I am in my early twenties and some people my age are getting married and having kids already. I decided that is not want I want right now because want to travel and “you cannot do that with a baby or by myself because I am female. ” But watching you and hearing your story just proves that it is possible. If you look for fear in the world that is all you will see. There is good, alot more then people think. I have learned and grew from so much from traveling and I am not going to stop until I drop. Thank you for sharing you story and showing that different does not equal bad.
Whatever you do, do it when you’re ready. My friends started having kids years ago too, but it wasn’t right for me then. I’m glad that my story can inspire you for when you’re ready for this part of your life. Your traveling adventures never have to end.
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