By: Amecia Matlock
Whether it’s a summer vacation, holiday getaway, or work sabbatical, it’s smart to have some kind of guide to help prep. I recently took a month-long trip with my son to Texas to spend the summer and visit with our family. While this was a lovely and much-needed trip away for fellowship and fun, there were things I wish I had known and prepared for before traveling for a month as a new single mama. It is so much different than traveling alone, so I thought I’d share a few tips so you can learn from my experiences.
Before Leaving Prepare well for Plants and Bugs
My son and I live in an apartment. As many of you may know, no matter how hard you scrub, clean, and maintain, apartment living can also make you susceptible to those all too dreaded houseguests. Pests. Preparing well before a long trip can be the difference between returning to a common annoyance and a battleground of bugs.
To prepare, I made sure to deep clean the fridge & freezers in my home until almost barren of food. I left only condiments and frozen items. I also ensured that my drains were covered and set out plenty of gnat and roach traps around the house.
These methods were effective in cutting down on pests, but with the trip being so long, the traps grew full and useless before our return prompting a call pest control. Some things I would have added to the list to avoid this are long-term trap options. Checking to make sure you have the longest-lasting traps possible in case they start to fill up quickly during your departure is a must. Also, alternate methods for catching gnats and fruit flies, such as a homemade mixture of apple cider vinegar, dish soap, and honey, will last a lot longer than the run-of-the-mill traps.
If you have houseplants, they are still going to need plenty of TLC while you are away. I’m a new plant mama myself. My fascination began while in the nesting phase of pregnancy. This being said, I am still learning and growing at this skill. I got a plant irrigation system that I’ll link here.
When setting up the irrigation to a water source, make sure you cover it tightly with plastic wrap, as the standing water can attract bugs. It’s also a good idea to strategically place pest traps around this area.
It worked amazingly for the most part, but it killed my aloe plant completely because it doesn’t require as much water. This is something that could have been avoided with more research into the best irrigation systems for succulents because they have different watering needs. I suggest having very specific care plans outlined for each plant baby, so it’s like you never left.
Ask About Airline Accommodations
The one thing I was severely ill-equipped for was getting me, my baby, and a month’s worth of luggage, baby supplies, a car seat, and a stroller through TSA by myself. It can be exhausting, frustrating, and not the ideal way to start or end a vacation. The good news is it doesn’t have to be.
God continued to provide and show up for me, and now I have so many tips to share to help my fellow single mamas make traveling a little easier too.
- Before buying a cart ask an airport employee for help. Many are more than willing to help single mamas and may even let you skip the line to check baggage and baby gear
- Request to use shorter additional assistance lines. I was granted access to these shorter routes when going through TSA and boarding the plane, and it’s a lifesaver when you have a fussy baby strapped to you.
- See if they’ll check a bag for free. This was offered for my carry-on on my return trip while I was checking a bag and my baby gear and took a load off me as I went through TSA with baby. It doesn’t hurt to ask, and the worst they can say is no.
- Many airlines will check car seats and strollers for free. Before planning on paying extra, make sure to check to see if your airline offers this service.
- Curbside check-in. My airline offered curbside check-in which is a great option especially if you’re taking ride-share to the airport. Just make sure to call ahead to inquire about this service and confirm that it’ll be operational at your arrival time.
- Lastly, breathe and pray, God is with you even in this. The calmer you are throughout this situation, the calmer your baby will be and the better your airport experience will be in general.
Packing a Suitcase of Baby Supplies is a Must
The best thing I did for my baby and myself was packing a bag that was practically all baby supplies. I get it – you have your clothes, the baby’s clothes, a car seat, a stroller, a diaper bag, and the last thing you want to haul is another bag full of baby supplies. It may seem easier to worry about the rest once you get to your destination. But trust me, you’ll thank me later.
Invest in a checked bag packed with regular and swim diapers, wipes, bibs, bath towels, toys, books, snacks, bottles, formula, and essentially as many baby supplies as you can possibly carry. The world is not baby-proofed and accommodated, and the more you can prep and plan for beforehand, the less trip time and money you’ll spend shopping for baby stuff once you arrive.
Routine Is Everything
For your baby as well as yourself, it is so important to stick to a routine. I spent so much of the latter half of my vacation trying to course-correct the mistakes I made in ruining our routine in the prior half.
If you have a bedtime schedule and routine, stick to it. They are growing so fast, and taking a month or longer off from this can lead to completely starting back at square one with sleep training when you get home. It is also important to discuss routines and temperaments with family if you’re visiting with them. Of course, everyone is going to want to spoil their brand-new grandchild, niece, nephew, cousin, etc. rotten. But it’s up to you to set boundaries, so that it’s not a jolting transition when your baby has rules and routine again back at home.
This also goes for you! If you have time that you have set out for yourself and God, a workout schedule, or a nutritional plan you adhere to, it’s important that you don’t drop your routines as well. It can be just as hard for us adults to get back on the horse once we’ve fallen off. One of the hardest things for me being in Texas was all the great food. I typically go all out for vacations, but I had to remember that this was not a typical short vacation, and not paying any attention to what I was consuming for a whole month could lead to issues down the line. Remember, it only takes 30 days to form or break a habit.
Leave Mommy Anxieties at God’s Feet and Have Fun!
You have all your baby’s life to ponder the what-ifs and, despite your best efforts, you most likely will. But what if you saw this as not only a physical vacation but also a mental one? For me, being a single mom means always thinking 10 steps ahead. But for this vacation, I tried my hardest to prep as much as I could, and then leave the rest to God. And when those all too familiar mommy anxieties did pop up, I was humbled to realize that God did not want me to worry over them. Rather, He wanted me to pray about them and enjoy the rest He was providing for me. (Philippians 4:6)
Check Out-of-State Healthcare Coverage and Options
While we were away my baby got his first diaper rash. Persistent. Recurring. Color-changing rash, that seemed resistant to all of my treatment attempts. It got to the point where his pediatrician recommended, we go get it seen. It wasn’t until we were at the urgent care that I realized his insurance wouldn’t cover it. We never like to think the worst when planning for a vacation, but it’s so important to have a plan in place in the unlikely event that you do need to seek medical attention. This is especially important if you’re traveling out of the country.
If it’s Baby’s First Flight Don’t Bank on Lots of Sleep
My flight was only 2 hours one-way, and I planned my flights early morning and late night based on all the advice online about this being the best way to encourage your baby to sleep through it. However, if this is your baby’s first rodeo, I’m here to tell you not to bank on it.
On the outbound flight, with all the excitement, my LO was wide awake, which created a whole other issue, over-tiredness and over/stimulation. He had been up since 4 am and slept a total of 30 minutes our entire airport and flight experience. The inbound flight was much better with a total of 1 hour of in-flight sleep. However, if I were to do it differently, I would bring items to encourage entertainment and distraction rather than sleep. That way if you have an active fussy baby on the flight, you have plenty of ways to keep them occupied and distracted from persistent crying and seat kicking.
Suggested Gear to Make Baby’s Flight More Comfortable
Here were a few items that I used linked below. None of these are sponsored, just products I love.
- A good sturdy carrier. I’ve used this Ergobaby carrier since he was small, and it grows with him, is reliable, and easy to put on. But there are several different versions from this brand that you can find to meet your functionality, size, and budget needs.
- Chew snacks. My baby is 11 mos. And these Gerber chew sticks were perfect to keep his jaw moving during take-off. Just make sure to pack more than one in your diaper bag or carry-on because they will be dropped on the floor.
- Baby Earmuffs. These are essential at take-off and landing. My baby woke up and got fussy upon dissent and these helped him to calm down enough to go back to sleep. Totally worth the purchase in my opinion.
- Baby Sunglasses. Not essential at all but so darn cute if you can get a picture before they rip them off.
Under One Road-Trip Do’s & Don’ts
If your baby is under 1 and you’re planning a road trip, I feel your overwhelm. Texas is a very large state. There were times once we landed that we were still traveling hours in the car to get from one city to the next. So here are a few simple do’s and don’ts to make sure you and your baby have a comfortable road trip experience.
- Do: Pack plenty of easy-to-eat snacks and premade bottles that you can use to quickly feed and soothe baby
- Don’t: bring messy snacks and fruit pouches that you’ll be scrubbing out of the car seat later. I learned a hard lesson by offering arrowroot cookies on a long drive.
- Do: leave early morning or late at night. Unlike a loud exciting airport, a car is the perfect place to plan your travel around long stints of sleep that both you and baby will be thankful for.
- Don’t: Travel too long without stopping. Stopping for baby just to get out for a while to move around and sight-see can help avoid irritability.
- Do: Plan on listening to lots of your LO’s favorite music. My baby’s music of choice is Gracie’s Corner. This helped instantly calm many tantrums for my LO.
- Don’t: Let baby sit alone if at all possible. Have another adult in the backseat to help quickly calm any escalations.
Creative Baby Proofing for Homes and Hotels That Don’t Have Any
If you don’t run into this issue while traveling consider yourself extremely blessed. A few things I did to help keep my baby safe was to make sure he wore protective gear. He is at the stage where he is extremely active, and while you can’t guarantee the places you visit will be baby-proofed, you can ensure your baby is injury-proof with slip-resistant socks, head padding, knee pads, and the like.
Also, don’t be afraid to get creative with moving around furniture if you’re at liberty to do so. Create spaces that are safe for your baby to roam. No matter how big or small, having a space where you’re not constantly saying “no” “stop” or scooping up your baby from impending danger can do wonders.
FRUIT OF THE DAY | JOY SONG OF THE DAY | LIGHT UP
What are some tips and insight you’ve gained traveling with a baby?
To God be all the Glory Honor and praise! My life is His alone to use ❤️ May he bless…
Thank you for sharing transparently. Our experiences and tripping stones are a path to not only our own stronger faith…
wow!! 29Peanut Butter Dreams
I pray for God’s goodness and grace for you and your family. Thanks for reading!
Thank you for sharing this.
FRUITS OF MY SPIRIT 
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