As parents, life becomes full of important milestones: from your child's first smile to those first hesitant steps, to using the potty, to starting school to learning to ride a bike. What we don't always realise, however, is how important these moments are for us too, not so much because they mark the passing of time, but as periods of intense learning of the complex art of parenthood. Travelling with young children offers an incredible opportunity for growth both for you as parents and for your child's development.
The first trip with your child is something you will never forget © Chris Tobin / Getty Images
The first time you travel with a child, whether it's a short trip to the country for a long weekend, going by train to another region or a neighbouring country or flying much further afield is not something that will be easily forgotten. I remember in detail the ups and downs and how we vowed never to do it again.
We live in London and the birth of our firstborn coincided with the opening of the Eurostar St Pancras International station. Since it is just down the street from our flat, we happily booked the first train and set off to explore Paris with our baby in our arms. But while our son could be safely carried in his baby carrier, all the other things I had insisted on carrying were not as manageable. In hindsight, for a two-day trip with a newborn, you don't need a special cot, a baby monitor (we were never more than a metre away from him) or two of the baby books that I never left at home at that stage. On the positive side, we always remember the kind attention given to our son on board the train and how carefree we felt exploring Paris together with our beautiful and clearly sleeping newborn baby most of the time.
If you have travelled extensively before starting a family, this first holiday with a child can be a defining moment. Your life will have changed and become almost unrecognisable, but you need proof that you can still do the things that energise you. If having a baby has made you want to travel, we welcome you. What better way to teach your children about this wonderful world than to show them?
The author's husband and their nine-month-old baby visiting a church in Turkey© Imogen Hall / Lonely Planet
Dealing with anxiety
The responsibility of such a small child can give even the most calm people anxiety, and the idea of leaving your normal routine, the comforts of home and the healthcare system you know your way around can be terrifying. However, travelling with a newborn is also an amazing opportunity that you will look back on fondly as the children get older. We will never regret taking our second son to Istanbul when he was nine months old (although his slightly older brother gave us a hard time on several occasions) or our adventure across Europe from London to Slovenia with our third baby.
A newborn baby doesn't walk much (sometimes at all), sleeps a lot and hasn't yet learnt to respond in kind. This will leave you free to make every decision without interference from a baby and will allow you to maximise naps during long lunches and museum visits. Best of all, you won't have to run around constantly looking out for your reckless toddler.
So we have convinced you that setting off with a newborn is worth it. Now what? Here are some of our top tips for life on the road with a newborn.
Travel with a calmer pace of life, lots of parks and baby-friendly cafés won't mean fewer smiles © Justin Lambert / Getty Images
Change your expectations
This won't be the trip where you go mountain biking for the first time or party every night for days. Look for destinations where you can enjoy the leisurely pace of life, with plenty of parks, baby-friendly cafes and maybe shops and museums to get into. Cultures with a reputation for actively welcoming toddlers such as Mediterranean, South American and South East Asian cultures are perfect places to start. It is much more relaxing to handle a crying baby if he or she has already been the centre of attention.
The author felt that the island of Mull was suitable for her; for others an exotic place in the Dead Sea might be © kolderal / Getty Images
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Figure out how to be comfortable
If, like us, routine is part of your parenting style then make sure you take a trip that allows you to follow it (unless you have decided to mess things up this time). Find a destination that will be a great place to start, with several options for sightseeing as well as a few pampering treats to really make you feel like you're on holiday. For us, a trip to the Scottish island of Mull met all the criteria. Our home for the week was a two-bedroom farmhouse (plenty of space, OK; lots of cows mooing, OK), we were close to Tobermory for walking, Glengorm Castle for a dose of history and the Isle of Iona for some great seafood. Even arriving by ferry was a big hit with a nine-month-old baby who was already taking an interest in transport.
Those of you with a more spontaneous parenting style will want to take the opportunity to make a trip to a city or several cities when the baby is small enough to be easily wrapped up and transported.
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Be prepared
No matter how relaxed you may be as a parent, when travelling away from home with a newborn you should still make sure you have a first aid kit (thermometer, age-appropriate painkillers and more). It is also advisable to consult a paediatrician and (if necessary) the local tourist clinic before leaving to find out which numbers to call if there is a problem. Once babies start crawling or walking, hand sanitiser might be a great way to ward off germs, but equally, accepting a little dirt and mess can make the experience more memorable.
Consider your first trip as an opportunity to learn what you need and what you can do without © Paradee Siriboon / Shutterstock
Accept the fact that you will bring more than you need
It is an unwritten rule for parents that travelling with a newborn will always involve bringing much more than you really need. Our advice? Accept it and learn your lesson. Doing anything with an infant involves a lot of equipment (spare clothes, nappies, age-appropriate snacks, spare clothes for you, snacks for the adults) variable weather layers and games to try and keep them occupied. Consider the first trip as an opportunity to learn what you need and what you can do without.
Keep calm and carry on
We will never forget our arrival in Funchal, Madeira, with our six-month-old baby and a struggle to secure the car seat in the rental car (something the staff could not help us with due to regulations). It was STRESSFUL. We felt the pressure to leave but the roads were steep and winding and we had to keep our baby safe. There was no way we could figure out how to fit the car seat properly. Then, having taken a step back, the solution became clear and suddenly we were on our way, ready to explore a new place as a family.
The author with her family in Slovenia. The feelings of the trip will remain even if the little ones don't remember the details © Imogen Hall
Unforgettable memories
Don't listen to anyone who tells you that it's not worth travelling with a small child because they won't remember. Firstly, you do and that is important. Secondly, the details of the trip will escape them in adult life but the experience of travelling, of being in a new place and your undivided, relaxed attention will stay with them: it will help them form the people they will become. Now set off with your child and conquer the world! Or, at least, a small corner that is accessible to you and your parenting style.