Traveling Tips for Traveling Mommies.

I thought it would be nice to follow up my last post with some additional information about traveling with, well, someone who still poops in a diaper.

While traveling with a baby can seem super intimidating (How do you go through security with a baby? Do you buy a plane ticket for her?), it's really not that bad. After all, I just did it. And I'm happy to say I survived.

First off, don't let your baby ever stop you from taking that much-needed vacay. If anyone needs a change of scenery, it's probably you. Believe me, coming from someone who works from home and cares for a baby full time, I can definitely attest that staring at the same walls for hours on end does something to you.

Second, get organized before you even step foot into the airport. This means packing two diaper bags (one for you, one for the hubby or whoever else may be tagging along). The airport does allow you to take a "reasonable amount" of powdered formula through security. For me this meant one of those mini-sized tins. And as far as bottles go, I took two and the hubs took two. If you are a breastfeeding mommy, good for you! That means you'll have a lot less to lug around.

Third, think about how you want to transport baby. I ended up taking Cailean's carseat and a snap stroller. This saved a lot of space. You snap the carseat into the stroller and go - and when you get to your destination, you don't have to rent a carseat, which can be utterly pricey. If you don't have a snap stroller, I really recommend investing in one. Mine has been well worth the $60 we paid for it.

Fourth, pack an extra onesie or two for the plane. I actually kept a bib on our little one during the entire journey to Florida. It's like a burp cloth and onesie saver all in one!

Oh, and back to the carseat/stroller dilemma - you check these at the gate before you step onto the plane. The rest of the time, I simply held Cailean in my lap (no plane ticket needs to be purchased for babies under two years of age). Just be sure you tell the ticket counter that you are traveling with an infant so they can print it on your ticket. We learned this the hard way and had to turn around at security. Blah.

And fifth, don't be scared about going through security. It's a bit annoying - you have to take apart your stroller and put it through the scanner for inspection, but it doesn't take too long. I carried Cailean through the detector and we got through without a peep of a beep. Whew. I thought it would be much worse.

Last of all, to minimize in-flight crying, always keep a bottle handy. It also helps pop baby ears when you change altitudes. I kept our baby nice and happy with his bottle, so he didn't make a peep during our total of four flights. Unfortunately, I couldn't say the same for the poor guy pacing the aisle with his screaming daughter...boy, I felt for him.

So that's my latest list. Hope these little tidbits will keep you sane and encourage you to get out of the house with your little ones! It's worth it - even if you have to change a wiggly baby in a 4" x 4" airplane bathroom. Now that was an adventure.