Traveling, particularly by air, can be a challenge when traveling by yourself, let alone when traveling with a child or children.  We took our first road trip when my son – now just over 2 – was only 8 weeks old and our first flight when he was 4.5 months.  It was a steep learning curve for sure, but thankfully we’ve been fine tuning (re: trialing and erroring) our travel protocols enough over the last two years to be able to share some tips that will hopefully make your trips a little less stressful.

The Airport

First up is navigating the airport.  We found that by far the best method is to do a Front Wrap Cross Carry (“FWCC”) and carry a diaper bag backpack on the back (a short video demonstration here), although the same idea could be used with a Soft Structured Carrier ("SSC") or Mei Tai.  Even though my toddler is now over 30 pounds, the weight of the backpack has served as a balance and not placed too much weight on my lower back to make the trip uncomfortable.  I tend to pre-tie the FWCC as much as possible on the front end, so I’m not doing as much in an airport parking lot, while running late, or curbside if I’m being dropped off.  It really helps to take some extra time to tighten up the carry on the front end, so that you don’t have to fidget or experience sagging while rushing (no?  We’re the only ones that run through the airport every time? Carry on!). 

I have never had to untie through a security checkpoint.  Instead, I have been permitted to leave him wrapped, and they have pulled me aside to do a special screening that involves swabbing my hands and running it through a machine.  My bags have gone through the scanner like normal.  I have heard that carriers with metal (such as ring slings) may pose issues at the checkpoint, so I would suggest choosing a carrier carefully or allowing extra time if you have to take baby down for security. 

It’s really important to keep the diaper bag as organized as possible for ease of the security check.  If you are carrying two bags, I recommend keeping only baby stuff in the diaper bag, so you don’t have to dig through the bag if you need quick access at security, during the flight, or if you have to change a diaper (most planes I have been on have a (very) small changing table in at least one bathroom). 

As for boarding the plane, I try to keep him wrapped until we get to the seat.  I have let him down before while waiting for a delay or time to boarding, which then lead to chasing a very fast toddler through the terminal.  At least it helped him sleep on the plane, right?  At the seat, I try to leave the wrap pre-tied as much as possible and either tie up the ends, wrap the ends around me (like a FWCC with no baby), or just leave it as is and use the tails for a nursing cover or pillow.  On the other side upon landing, I step into the aisle and drop him back into the pocket and tighten up.

Not babywearing related, but I recommend taking lots of snacks and plenty of entertainment for your baby.  A roll of duct tape, stickers, trains to drive on the snack table, fun headphones to plug into a phone for videos are all things we’ve used on flights that have been helpful.  For snacks, we like to do dry cheerios, pretzels, veggie sticks, crackers, fruit/veggie sauce pouches.  Helpful tip: do not try to use a straw cup on the plane!  The change in air pressure turns the straw into a spout, and you may or may not shoot water at your son when you open up the straw.  Oops.

Beach Vacation

It’s hard – really hard – to refrain from taking every carrier you own on vacation with you.  I try hard to narrow down to 2-3 carriers to avoid making luggage too heavy.[1]  For a beach vacation, I would take one ring sling or rebozo sized wrap, for quick ups to go from the room to the pool or beach.  If you have a smaller baby, using a mesh water ring sling is even better, because then you can wear your baby right into the pool (this picture was actually my very first time using a ring sling!  Normally I would recommend having the rings up higher, in corsage position.  But both of us were very happy and comfortable anyway!).  

If you opt to go with a rebozo, you can take a longer shorty (like a size 3 or even a 4) and use it for some other carries, such as a Ruck if you will not be wearing for a long time or if you have a lighter baby and single-layer carries are comfortable long term. 

Personally, my favorite has been using a size 3 or 4 for a semi-FWCC for things like long walks on the beach.  There is something about having a baby snuggling into you, maybe taking a wrap nap, while you walk along a nice, calm beach.  I like this video for a semi-FWCC, and have comfortably carried a sleeping toddler for several miles. 

It may help to be strategic about the carrier you choose if you are going to a warm weather destination.  While I do generally take a long wrap “just in case” there is occasion for a double hammock (“DH”), I do not tend to wear them on beach vacations because we have a lot of ups and downs rather than long excursions, and because multi-layer carries can get warm on a hot day.  I have done it though, and went with a Ruck tied Tibetan with a size 6, to keep it single layer.   

Site-seeing Vacations

I’ll be honest here, I’m not the site-seeing vacation typa girl.  I much prefer my beach vacations.  I did have a work trip, however, where I was fortunately able to take my family along and we ended up doing more site-seeing, walking, long days out than we would normally do. Here is a video demonstration for how we chose to navigate a museum and site-seeing day out, on a chilly day.  I am a DH lover, straight to the point. It is a multi-layer carry, ties at the waist (a traditional DH) which I prefer over shoulder-bearing carries, spreads the weight out evenly, my son will often times let me wrap him arms in and he settles in calmly, and I am comfortable doing it in a parking lot, in a bathroom, in a restaurant next to the table, in a boat, with a goat, in the rain, on the train, it is my green eggs and ham. 

If you are going to be babywearing for an entire day of site-seeing, walking, crowds, etc., you want to do it with your green eggs and ham carry.  But, don’t be afraid to switch it up if needed.  If you are comfortable doing a DH at the hotel room in front of the mirror but not in public, then by all means switch to a FWCC or another carry that you’re comfortable doing in public, after you untie for lunch or any other reason.  Make sure to wear comfortable clothes that aren’t too slippery (learned the hard way with a football jersey), and take layers if needed, such as an oversized cardigan or fleece that will go over both of you.  

Public Transit

If you are traveling via taxi or bus and will have to remove your baby a few times, or if you have a frequently nursing baby/toddler, I would suggest doing a poppable carry such as a Front Cross Carry so that you can easily pop baby in and out, or drop down to nurse and move back up without much fanfare. 

For metro/subways, I preferred to do a front carry to decrease the chances of my son getting overstimulated or overwhelmed in the crowded train, and to minimize the amount that people could bump into him.

End Notes

It is probably quite clear by this point that I prefer wraps to anything else.  Please don’t let that deter you from applying any of these tips to your trips!  If you have one carrier, or if you prefer SSCs to wraps, no fear.  One carrier can be very versatile enough to use on any kind of vacation. If you have one short wrap and need a multi-layer carry for long outings, try a Reinforced Rear Rebozo Ruck or Half Jordan’s Back Carry.  If you have one long wrap, you can get creative with long tails such as tying Tibetan or knotless, or going around your waist an extra time.  SSCs or MTs would be perfect in either scenario, as they are airy enough to withstand a beachy warm day, allow for layers in cold weather, and are fairly easy to get on and off when in a hurry.

In order to better get to know the volunteer educators for BWI of Southern Maryland, we will be featuring an interview with a different volunteer every week. 

This week’s volunteer spotlight is Jennah Watters!

Name: Jennah Watters
Children: Ainsley - 3, baby 2 - Due June 28, 2015
Volunteer Type: ABE (Advanced Babywearing Educator)
BWI Meetings attended: Leonardtown/Lexington Park
Other Job: Full time, I am a Tech Writer for a small local contractor

You just woke up from a babywearing dream – what carrier were you dreaming about and why?
A gorgeous wrap conversion SSC that magically changes sizes Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants style to fit infant to toddler.

Why did you decide to become a VBE?
I wanted to share with others something that had helped me so much.

What is your favorite thing about being a VBE?
 Meeting new people and getting to see their babies grow! I love when an expectant mom comes to a meeting to try things out, and I get to see their babies grow from being a tiny thing in a Moby to being back carried!

In order to better get to know the volunteer educators for BWI of Southern Maryland, we will be featuring an interview with a different volunteer every week. 

This week’s volunteer spotlight is April Kinney!

Name: April Kinney
Children: Madeline, 2
Volunteer Type: ABE (Advanced Babywearing Educator)
BWI Meetings attended: Anne Arundel County – Odenton/Annapolis
Other Jobs/ Volunteer positions:  Real life job -  I work in Cyber Security.  I'm an ISSO for SCI/SAP with the Navy.  I am also a CPST (Child Passenger Safety Tech)

What is your favorite type of carrier (wraps/ ring slings/ SSCs/ MTs, etc.) and why?
I love and use all carriers, but SSCs are by far my favorite carrier right now.   My daughter is in the toddler phase and SSC are quick, supportive and she's unable to pop out of them ;)  Ring slings also get a lot of love from us, great for quick ups and downs and small enough to store in my bag.
What I also like about both of these carries is that I can "wear" them on my body while she’s not in them, snap a SSC around my waist and let it hang, loop the RS over my shoulder, and they are there waiting for me when we're ready.

What is your favorite carrier you have owned?
My pink elephants Kinderpack. 

What is your favorite carrier from the lending library?
I love the Nati Swallows RS! It's so soft and supportive.

How has babywearing benefited your life?
April: It has allowed me the freedom of having free hands while shopping, extra room in grocery carts, naps on the go and knowing my toddler is safe and close by. 

Do you have a story about a specific time that babywearing saved the day?
Madeline and I flew out to AZ for the IBWC.  It was her first time flying and I was loaded down with bags. Being able to wear her through security, traveling the airport, terminals and boarding was a life saver! I don't know how I would have managed trying to rein her in and do all that. On the trip home, we took a redeye and I came down with food poisoning (or whatever bug spread at the conference).  RIGHT as we entered the airport, I was hit with a wave nausea, got weak and could barely walk. I didn't have the energy to chase her down.  Thankfully she was in the KP and even slept. I was so grateful for babywearing during that trip!

Do you have a funny babywearing story?
Sometimes when wearing, kiddos can reach items in the store and get them in their little claws before you realize it.  One time in Kohls, she snatched a pair of sunglasses and had them on upside down. I didn't realize it until we passed a mirror.  Gotta watch those little kleptos!

When do you babywear most often (either during a particular activity, time of day, or place)?
Mostly grocery shopping after work or trips to the mall, any store really!

You are having a baby and you can pick any carrier (but only one) to last from the newborn stage to the toddler days, what do you pick?
ONLY ONE!!! I'd choose a long wrap. A blend, cotton/linen, cotton/hemp or tri blend. Something that's soft enough for newborns and supportive and comfy with toddlers.   I can front, back and hip carry with them.

There is a zombie apocalypse. You have time to grab only one carrier, what do you grab?
April: SSC! Much better with long term wearing, quick and no fuss!

You just woke up from a babywearing dream – what carrier were you dreaming about and why?
A Madhatter or Heartstring handwoven. They are gorgeous!

In order to better get to know the volunteer educators for BWI of Southern Maryland, we will be featuring an interview with a different volunteer every week. 

This week’s volunteer spotlight is Rachel Boarman the founder and leader of our BWI group!

Name: Rachel Boarman
Children: Anna (6), Matthew (3), Ellie, (7 mos)
Volunteer Type: MBE (Master Babywearing Educator) and also serves as the Education Coordinator on the Board of Directors for Babywearing International
BWI Meetings attended: St. Mary’s County meetings

How did you discover babywearing?
My next door neighbor gave me a hand-me down Snugli and I LOVED it and wore my daughter in it everywhere for the first few months. From there, I wanted to try all the carriers! So I tried pouch slings, soft structured carriers, ring slings, and then found my favorite, woven wraps.

What is your favorite carrier you have owned?
My favorite is a Storchenweige Leo size 6 wrap that was my first wrap. It was the first wrap I wore each of my babies in and I intend to keep it forever. Maybe some day I'll be lucky enough to wrap a grandbaby in it.

Do you have a story about a specific time that babywearing saved the day?
A few years ago, I took my daughter (then 3 years old) to play in the creek down the hill from our house (about a half mile away). My son was a newborn at the time and it was an unseasonably warm November day. My daughter was having a blast throwing in rocks and sticks into the creek. Suddenly she slipped down the bank and fell in. She was completely soaked. Although it was warm out, the water was really cold. I stripped my daughter out of her soaked clothes, took the baby out of the wrap for a moment, and then wrapped my daughter to my back and my son on front. We walked back up the hill home and everyone was snug and warm. I even had my hands free to carry her soaking wet clothes.

When do you babywear most often (either during a particular activity, time of day, or place)?
I find myself wearing most often around dinner time. That time of day is always tough at my house with no-nap toddler having a meltdown and the baby needing a nap at exactly the time dinner must be cooked.

You are having a baby and you can pick any carrier (but only one) to last from the newborn stage to the toddler days, what do you pick?
My Trusty Storch Leo.

There is a zombie apocalypse. You have time to grab only one carrier, what do you grab?
My Trusty Storch Leo.

Breastfeeding and baby wearing are two of my son's favorite things, so it's only natural that the two are so very compatible. I love being on the go and it's so nice to get the grocery shopping done and feed the baby at the same time--and now that he's a toddler, it's nice to have him occupied instead of trying to eat or open everything in the cart.

Breastfeeding while baby wearing seemed easy, but the first time I gave it a shot, I realized the moms I saw so effortlessly feeding their babes in Becos had a few tricks up their sleeve. We already have a great post on tips and tricks with links to some great videos here.

I've also made a series of how-to-nurse-your-toddler-while-baby-wearing videos. The basics are still the same, but now that he's more in charge these days than I am--things are a bit different! Mostly we both just have to be a bit more flexible. He's taller, but has more control. He's more demanding, but tends to be all business at the breast. Eating solids sometimes means cleaning clementines and ginger snaps out of my bra! Whatever age your little one, I hope you find these videos helpful! Wear them close and enjoy those milky smiles!