General Travel
What if my child gets sick while we are away from home?
- Take them to the pediatrician before you fly to make sure they get cleared. Last thing you want is a sick AND in pain baby. See travel insurance question below. I bring some basic medications for my child (benedryl, Tylenol, motrin, a nasal syringe, Pedialyte packets) just in case. I like to travel to places that aren’t too remote and offer good health care just in case.
What if I get sick while traveling?
- Whenever I’m sick, I run to the clinic to make sure I’m ok to fly. See travel insurance question below. I like to travel with some basic medications when I go because if I’m sick enough to need them, it would be annoying at the time to go find what the equivalent is and where to get it.
Should I get travel insurance?
- Depending on the cost and type of trip, it may be a good idea to look into. It would be a bummer to not only cancel a trip because of illness, but also lose all of your money as well! If you book your trip on some credit cards, they sometimes offer travel insurance/protection in case of illness.
Flying FAQ
What about the air pressure? Won’t it hurt my child’s ears?!
- The biggest thing is definitely don’t fly if your child has an ear infection, and you don’t really want to fly if they are sick/congested either, as this is when it’ll most likely hurt their ears. It’s suggested that during take-off and landing for your child to nurse/suck on a pacifier/drink from a bottle. Our daughter has been on over 40 flights since she was 14 weeks old, and she has only had a problem once when she was almost two when she was at the tail end of getting over a cold. It’s really obvious when their ears hurt, they will all of a sudden start crying/yelling. Try to encourage them to drink, suck on a pacifier/bottle/boob, or yawn. You can also manually try to almost “plunge” their ears by placing your hands over both ears and forming a seal and then taking your hands off a few times.
Wait, what if my child is asleep? Do I wake them to put in the pacifier (nurse/bottle)?!
- No! Never wake a sleeping baby! (Advice received when I asked a flight attendant on our first flight with Claire at 14 weeks.)
Do I bring a stroller when I travel?
- Yes, I would! I find it easier to carry things around in and give my arms/back a break. (I know some people that don’t bring a stroller but I find that harder.)
Do I bring a car seat when I travel?
- If it were me, I would. I know some people who don’t, but I want my daughter in a car seat when we are in a car. Plus, it’s such a pain waiting around to find an uber/lyft with a car seat-so much wasted time! For this reason, I prefer to rent a car when I go somewhere.
Should I get travel insurance?
- Depending on the cost and type of trip, it may be a good idea to look into. It would be a bummer to not only cancel a trip because of illness, but also lose all of your money as well! If you book your trip on some credit cards, they sometimes offer travel insurance/protection in case of illness.
Didn’t find the answer to a question you have? Check out these pages for more specific tips and advice:
Flying with babies, toddlers, and kids logistics and your most asked questions
Tips and tricks for hotel stays with kids
Still haven’t found the answer to your questions? Email us at info@travelisforthekids.com!