My number one recommendation when traveling with babies and toddlers is BABY WEARING! I cannot stress enough how much smoother traveling with a baby will be if you wear your baby. When our daughter was a baby we wore her quite a bit both at home and out and about. Here are some of the benefits of baby wearing when traveling:
It frees up both of your hands. You’ll need all the hands you can get just carrying your own luggage, let alone adding in your baby gear. It’s much less exhausting wearing them than carrying them in a seat or with your arms. Especially if you are navigating through a busy airport as mentioned in our post about flying with a baby.
Wearing your baby allows them to be close to you and feel safe and calm. If you find yourself in a busy, crowded, or loud place, it may overstimulate your baby and make them stressed. Being pressed close to your body gives them a soothing feeling that they are familiar with, helping to keep them calm.
It keeps strangers from touching your baby. Ever been standing in line or sitting in a public place and a stranger walks up and starts cooing over your baby and stroking their face? Or worse yet, tries to kiss them? I once had a passing stranger come up and playfully pinch our daughter’s butt when she was climbing up on a chair next to me. In my experience, if you’re wearing your baby, people are a lot less likely to enter your personal space to touch, kiss, (or pinch) your baby or toddler.
It’s possible to breastfeed while baby wearing. Don’t have time to stop and sit down to breastfeed? Certain baby carriers make it easy to breastfeed while wearing them. This is not a skill you will probably master the first time you try it, but with practice it becomes easier.
It allows your baby to sleep while you do other activities. Is it time for your baby to nap, but you really want to go to that museum? No problem! No need to skip activities because it’s your baby’s nap time. Let them sleep while you wear them. I wore our daughter all over when we went to San Francisco. We decided to go out and explore the city one day. While we were waiting at a bus stop near the Golden Gate Bridge she fell asleep in her carrier. She took a good nap and we were able to continue sightseeing. It’s a win-win!
Sightseeing in San Francisco with a sleeping baby.
Types of Baby Carriers
There are many different types of baby carriers, so choosing one can be difficult. Here are some of the common types:
Ring slings. These are made of one long piece of fabric that is worn over one shoulder. There are two rings that the fabric is pulled through that creates a sling where the baby sits. It can be adjusted by pulling the fabric through the rings. We own a Maya Wrap Ring Sling and absolutely loved carrying our daughter in it. It works well for babies and once you get the hang of it, it’s quick to get your baby in and out of it. This carrier also allows you to easily breastfeed while wearing your baby. A con of the ring sling is that you may start to feel strain on your back if you wear it for a prolonged amount of time. So if you are going to be out walking around all day, you may want to choose a more supportive carrier.
Grocery shopping with daddy in the Maya Wrap Ring Sling.
Wraps. These are made of one long piece of fabric you wrap around your torso and shoulders and then tie. There are many different techniques with wrapping and it definitely takes practice. The benefit of wraps is that it may be less strain on your back than other carriers because the weight is more evenly distributed. With this wrap, babies and toddlers can be worn in front of you either facing you or facing forward, or can be worn on your back. Keep in mind, when you wear a baby on your back, they should always be facing your body. This goes for any type of carrier that allows you to carry them on your back.
Front wrap cross carry with a woven wrap
Mei Tais and Soft structured carriers. These types of carriers have a soft support band that goes around your waist and a padded strap that goes over each shoulder and buckles in back for support. Mai Tais usually have some type of ties instead of the padded straps. Many of the soft structured carriers allow you to carry in different positions including a front carry, front forward facing, hip carry, and a back carry. It’s nice to have the option to change positions depending on your needs. We took our Beco Gemini carrier to San Francisco with us and we loved the versatility of it.
Having fun at Pier 39!
Backpack carriers. Just as the name says, these carriers are worn on your back. Your baby must be able to support their own head in order to wear them in this type of carrier. These are a great choice if going hiking or camping. The disadvantage is that your baby isn’t as easily accessible since they are on your back.
Not sure which carrier to choose? See if you can find a local babywearing group near you. Many times they have different types of carriers at their meetings for you to try. Some even have a lending library where you are able to check out a carrier and try it out for awhile. See if any of your friends have one that you could borrow for a while to try out. Some of the carriers can be spendy, so it’s important to make sure you like it before you buy it. If you buy one and don’t like it, many times you are able to re-sell them for a decent return of what you paid for it.
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I used the carriers when Zak was little. It works like a charm and I loved having my hands free. Al used them too once in a while.