Thread: Any advice for traveling?

First, just want to say I'm sorry I don't post a lot anymore. I check the board a couple times a day from my phone while nursing but I don't like replying from my phone and I'm rarely on the computer.

I am looking for some advice on traveling with a one month old. We are moving at the end of the month from Nevada to SD, 1300 miles. My DH and I are planing on caravanning with our two vehicles. Baby will be with me. I am BFing and while she does sleep 1 1/2 to 2 hour stretches during the day she also likes to cluster feed in the early afternoon and late evening. We are planing on the trip taking 3 to 4 days with 6 to 8 hours of driving a day. Is this realistic? Any advice or suggestions are greatly appreciated!

Ahh Becky you and me both! Except I have a one and a half year old who hates the car as well! We're moving from central PA to Northern Minnesota in a week.I am dreading it big time. It's also about 1300 miles, but we are only drving half, were flying halfway.

How does she do in the car right now? I can't recall you telling me she hates it. As a newborn Aiden couldn't fight the motion of the car, so he woke less often than he would while we were at home. When we drove the 14 hours home at 7 weeks it went better than I expected since up until the last 2.5 hours he mostly slept. When he woke to eat, we would stop for gas and food too. The older he gets the harder those long trips have been, but you know that it hasn't stopped me yet. I just add a couple of hours beyond what google maps says it will take us. Supposedly the drive here was only 7 hours, but it took us a little over 9 thanks to BFing, gas fill ups, and lunch.
And if she cries and you can't stop, it's okay. You'll make it up to her later on. She'll be okay.

ETA: Saw your name and this post on the list of recent pg.org board activities.

It is absolutely realistic, as long as your DH is OK with you stopping to feed baby! DH and I took our family to visit family in ID (some 500 miles) right after Trystan was born. We stopped every two to three hours to that I could feed and change him. It took us longer to get there, but it was the easiest thing to do. I didn't want to have to worry about pumping or any of that nonsense. I just took a pillow and my nursing cover and fed him right there in the drivers seat!

We took a 400-mile trip at three weeks. I pumped while he drove. It made the feeding stops go much faster.

Originally Posted by triplespiral

We took a 400-mile trip at three weeks. I pumped while he drove. It made the feeding stops go much faster.

This is what we are going to do when we drive 3 hours for Superbowl Sunday. I know it isn't an option with you driving yourself but I would think to just prepare yourselves for it taking a lot longer to get there due to the frequent stops for feeding and diaper changes. Maybe have some soothing music to play for when baby gets fussy and you are looking for somewhere to pull over?

Originally Posted by triplespiral

We took a 400-mile trip at three weeks. I pumped while he drove. It made the feeding stops go much faster.

I would have done this, too... except for I get horrible car sickness and I HAVE to drive everywhere we go!!

I agree she'll probably sleep longer stretches in the car as long as she likes the car. You'll want to stop for gas and food too so just 20-30 minutes extra to feed Claire at each stop. It's totally doable.