Tips for traveling 10+hrs

StephenW4

Does anyone have any travel tips for a very long drive with a 5 1/2 month old? We are traveling from Northern VA to Parris Island, SC for my BIL's USMC Boot Camp graduation in November. Due to work schedules, we have to leave around 2pm on a Monday. It's a 10hr trip on its own, let alone having to stop for feedings/changings along the way. 

If you've made a similar trip before, how did you handle feedings? DD should be able to drink my pumped milk from a bottle, but I worry about having to burp her.  If I take her out of her carseat to eat, she never likes going straight back in, so I'm worried we'll be taking 20-30min breaks on the side of the road every 2hrs (which will add up to a lot of extra time getting down there!)

Thoughts? Suggestions?

TIA! 

KatFCo

We just drove from OH to IA a couple of weeks ago. I fed him in his carseat while we were driving. We did stop every 3ish hours so DD could get some exercise. While she played, I laid DS on a mat so he could stretch out and play too.

We left really early in the morning to allow for stops--at one point we had to stop because DS just wanted to be held. Sitting in the back seat and having lots of toys was also helpful.

Babybear70

Unfortunatly I think it all depends on your baby what she will and won't be tolerant of. We took a 4 1/2 hour trip with a 3mo and he seemed to do just fine. I bottle fed him while in his car seat continuing on down the road and he actually just drifted back off to sleep without being burped. We stopped a ways up the road and I got him out, gave him his service change, burped him, kept him out of his seat for about 30 min and we were back on the road. DS sleeps really well in the truck, so if you have a good vehicle sleeper you might be okay.

You say she "should be able to drink from a bottle" but you might want to test that theory before you set out on a long trip just to know what to expect. I'm sure you will be fine. Good luck and have fun!

Samiantha101

Is there any possible way you can fly?

angelfire02

I just did a 5 1/2 hour drive with my twins by myself and the best advice I can give you is to go into it without any high expectations, and plan for it to take longer than you think.  I had to stop once on the way down about half way.  I thought the babies were hungry so I made up bottles, climbed into the back with them and tried to feed.  They ate about 1/2 an ounce and they no more, but once I got them out and let them jump up and down on my lap for 10 minutes or so, changed them and put them back in their seats, they passed out for the next 2 1/2 hours.  Don't stress if you need to stop, I couldn't imagine being in one position for 10+ hours so I can't expect them to be either.  Good luck, it's doable, you'll get there, but don't stress if you have to stop more or for longer than you think.

jennyelf

We did a 12 hour drive (Boston to Outer Banks, NC) when LO was 13 weeks old, it ended up taking 2 days each way (but this was planned), stopping in Philadelphia on the way down and Ocean City, MD on the way up. So it was 6 hrs, 6hrs, 4 hrs, and 8 hrs w/o stops. Ended up being about 9hrs, 9hrs, 6hrs, and 12 hrs with traffic and stops for feeding and changing.

I always had a few ozs of breast milk pumped so that if we were on the road and couldn't stop, LO could have something to eat. I also brought a hand pump so that I could pump the replacement feed. We stopped at rest stops though for most of the feedings and changings since it is faster to BF LO than bottle feed and I didn't want to worry about burping / spit ups in the car. Also, we needed to get out of the car

Things we learned:

* for some reason, many reststop bathrooms are designed where the accelerated hand dryers are right next to the KoalaKare stations. People use the hand dryers and LO didn't like the sound at all and would end up screaming during the changes. Changing on a bench outside was a lot less traumatic.

* IKEA has the most wonderful baby/family rooms with a changing table, soft music, an comfy chair for nursing and a regular toilet for the adults. They will also heat up bottles and sell baby food in the cafe. I highly recommend stopping at one if it's on the way and you need to stop anyway.

* LO slept a lot of the car ride, but it didn't affect how he slept at night (yay!).

* The more of the drive you can do at night, the farther you can go w/o stops. Later when we did a 3 hour drive, we started at 8pm after nursing and putting on a nighttime diaper, and we were able to do the entire drive w/o stopping at all as LO stayed asleep the entire ride.

KristenS09

I would also suggest driving at night if at all possible.  Could you leave closer to LO bedtime and drive all night?  We have taken DD on 2 trips that were about 6 hours each way.  The first time turned into 8.5 hours one way.  On the way home we left right before bed time and made it in 6 hours since we did not have to stop at all.  It was much easier for all of us. H and I took turns napping/driving.

StephenW4

Thanks for the tips, everyone!  I actually suggested leaving around 8pm to DH, but he was against it, saying "we'd be too exhausted from the day to start driving then" and was worried about safety.  OK, I can't knock him for being concerned about safety, but I also think there's going to be a big "I told you so" moment when he realizes that leaving around the time she normally gets fussy was a bad idea. 

Our plan is to only stop when she needs to eat/be changed. And once she falls asleep, to keep driving as long as possible and avoid unncessary stops.

Maybe I can convince him to leave at night on the way back...