I was talking to yet another mother of twins about vacationing with children. She informed me that, at least for the first few years, vacation would mean relocation for me. Same routines, same setup, just a different (and often more stressful) setting. I wasn’t really sure if I was buying into it until this past week, when we trekked all over Tarnation with Jane in the backseat. So here are some things that I’ve learned about vacationing with an infant.
When vacationing with an infant, you will bring (and need) every baby item in your house. Though Hubbo cut me off before I could bring the Jumparoo, it’s completely ridiculous how much stuff you really need for such a small person. Heck, I even had to bring her personal bathtub. What a DIVA.
Grandparents are essential. The Hubster and I took Jane for a long weekend in LBI with his parents and grandparents. I know… all of you Delawarians are cringing at the thought of going to the Jersey Shore. Barf me. But this wasn’t Snooky’s Jersey Shore (much to my husband’s surprise and bewilderment). It was really laid back, and reminded me a lot of North Carolina. There was no boardwalk, rides, or ski ball (sad face), but it was really family oriented which boded well for our family vacation avec Jane. Anyway, It was so great to have other people that love her as much as we do to hang out with her. It was so easy and stress free! I even pumped some ahead so we could even go out to dinner without her! Bliss, I tell you.
There will be lots and lots of dirty laundry. We all know how many outfits a child can soil per day, so how could one possibly plan to have said child away from home (and, subsequently, her closet) for an entire week?! Jane had the largest suitcase and ended up really needing a lot of it. We ended up bringing home a good four loads of dirties. Crazy baby.
Bringing a baby is not the same as bringing a pet. When you take a pet on vacation, you can tie them to the back porch of the house or let them run along side you on the beach. No such luck with a child. Jane ended up really hating the beach, so she spent most of her time hanging out with Gmom and Pops and playing on her activity mat. But really, who can blame her? She can’t crawl, so she was forced to lie on a lumpy blanket in a baby tent while the wind whipped around her. And the water is so cold! Poor Jane just couldn’t get comfortable.
Other vacationers will give you dirty looks. And I got really upset about this one. Dude, I have a five- month old on the beach. She’s probably going to cry a little bit. Deal with it. Chances are, it won’t ruin your vacation.
White noise is your best friend. We stayed in an upstairs room with a window air conditioner. This was the best thing that ever happened to Jane’s sleeping patterns. She wasn’t able to hear anything from downstairs, and was oblivious to our movements in the room for the most part. Even when it got chilly at night, I had that thing blasting on the “fan” setting just for the noise barrier. Definitely clutch.
So pack everything, bring grandparents, be prepared for laundry, and use white noise and a monitor. This should help you get at least a few minutes of relaxation during your baby- filled vacation.
