You may not be very thrilled to leave the comfort of your place after just giving birth, but at the same time, it might be comforting to be around family and friends at a time like this when you need their support the most. But if they live far away from you and you must travel a long distance to be with them, things might get tricky. And this brings up a lot of questions to mind, including how soon your newborn can travel long-distance by car.
About this question, most doctors are on the same page; you must postpone long-distance travel plans until your baby’s immune system has fully developed since they are at risk of getting infections or catching a cold until that happens. Of course, this process can vary from newborn to newborn, and you should still consult your doctor to make sure. That said, the average amount for a baby’s immune system to develop is one to three months.
However, it must be noted that this only applies to babies born full-term and with no other health problems. And a premature newborn’s delayed growth means that it will take longer for their immune system to develop to the level of a 3-month-old. So, in this case, you should also consider how early your baby has arrived and add these months to the average process.
And you should be aware that premature babies may experience detrimental effects from a semi-sitting position, including apnea which refers to brief breathing pauses and even developmental issues. And if the premature newborn needs monitoring, oxygen, or other equipment, this portable medical equipment must be firmly attached to their places in the seat.
Although knowing all these answers might be relieving, there are still so many things you should consider before hitting the road with your newborn. How to keep them safe and happy, when to take breaks and how to feed them safely are among the questions many new traveling parents ask. But when the actual journey starts, all the things you’ve planned might fall into pieces, and it’s best to be prepared for anything from diaper blowouts to crying sessions.
Holding or breastfeeding your newborn in a moving car
As you may know, most countries have regulations that forbid you from holding your baby in your arms in any vehicle. Experts say the best and safest place for an infant to be is an age-appropriate car seat. And it’s not advised to get your baby out of the car seat while the car is still moving. So, you shouldn’t even be holding your baby for a moment in a moving car, let alone breastfeeding!
This is why shopping for an appropriate newborn car seat is best before making any long-distance travel plans. Most pediatricians think the best time to hit the road with your newborn is their sleep time. You can even create a better sleeping environment by using window shades and playing lullabies that will soothe them. This way, you will not have to worry about crying sessions or other inconveniences that much.
You will need to prepare in advance if you are formula feeding. In this case, getting compact travel-sized sachets of formula powder is advised. And you will also require a thermos filled with boiling water, parts of infant formula powder, and sterile bottles.
This way, everything you need will be within your reach when your baby starts to get cranky because of hunger. And if you started feeding your baby solids, don’t forget to include some baby food, such as bagged rice or cereal mixtures that can be prepared by adding hot water or milk.
But if you still breastfeed and wonder how many hours it will be good for after pumping, you don’t need to worry about it too much. Of course, the timeline changes depending on the storage technique. For example, breast milk that has just been pumped out can be stored at room temperature for up to six hours.
However, if the weather is warm, it’s best to use or carefully preserve the breast milk within four hours. But if you have a car cooler and you are going to keep your breast milk that has just been pumped out in the cooler with ice cubes, the milk should be good for up to a day.
You should still be careful since these rules do not apply after you feed the milk to your newborn. If leftover milk is in the bottle, it should be consumed in at least two hours, says the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). Of course, breast milk preservation recommendations for your baby can be different if they were delivered prematurely or have a medical issue.
Still, this doesn’t guarantee that this long-distance trip will be completely easy. Since newborns can’t control their head movements and don’t have fully developed neck muscles, their oxygen levels are much lower than ours, making them more inclined to suffocate while sleeping in an upright position.
This is why it’s advised to use a car seat that has the option to lay flat and extra head support for long-distance car trips. This decreases their risk of suffocating and provides a more secure atmosphere for your newborn against bumps and turns on the road.
What if we are going to travel in an RV, you ask? The answers are pretty much the same. It’s crucial to adhere to the same child protection safety precautions when traveling long-distance by RV as you would in a vehicle.
Just make sure that the bench seat in your RV has a lap and shoulder belt. But, of course, the best part about traveling in an RV is that you can take care of the feeding and change without getting out of the vehicle in a parking lot.
But even though it may be appealing to get your baby from the car seat while still traveling to take care of their needs, you should never give in to that idea since it’s always safer to do those things once the car is stopped.
How many breaks should you take while traveling a long distance with your newborn?
This one is a bit tricky, and you might not like the answer, but most pediatricians advise against keeping a newborn in an upright position for more than half an hour. But, of course, if you purchased a car seat that can lay flat, you can let your baby be in them for two hours, according to most car seat companies.
With that being said, it should also be noted that experts don’t advise babies younger than a month old to sleep in a car seat for more than half an hour. So, if your baby is around these times and you need to be traveling long-distance, you should take more breaks and let your baby out of the car seat every 30 minutes.
Of course, these are only recommendations; you will probably have to take more breaks according to your baby’s needs. But if you take 20-40 minutes breaks every two hours, feed and change your baby at this time and let them have some fresh air, later stops should be easier for you and your baby.
Still, there are some studies that you should pay attention to; these studies have shown that the blood oxygen levels of newborns riding in car seats dropped to unsettlingly low levels in a few instances. Even though it’s unclear to what extent we should be concerned and that the low oxygen blood for a brief time likely has no impact. Experts suspect a connection between low oxygen levels in the uterus before delivery and several disorders like ADHD and low IQ.
Nonetheless, you also shouldn’t forget that there will not be many places where you can stop while doing long-distance, especially if you are going to be passing through lots of rural areas. In this case, it might be better to do your research beforehand, instead of getting stressed while on the go. In addition, you can check the internet for good stops and pin them on your phone to avoid unwanted situations.
Another precaution you should take is to have the means to keep an eye on your newborn while on the road. Most doctors don’t recommend traveling alone with your baby at least before they are 6 months old. So it would be better if there was another adult to travel with you. But if you don’t have that option, you should consider getting a mirror you can position to see your newborn.
Keeping your baby happy while traveling long-distance in the car
For a smooth, happy, and safe trip, keeping your baby happy and comfortable is important. And for this, you first need to be in a good, stress-free mood. Babies can feel emotions, and they will be uneasy if you are anxious and uneasy too. This is why you need to be prepared for all possibilities and take all the precautions you can take.
In light of this, the first precaution that comes to mind is safety, since making sure that you did everything in your power to keep your newborn safe will make you feel at ease too. This is why you should check your car beforehand so that you know it is safe for you and your newborn to travel in.
Making sure that the car’s air conditioning is working is also crucial. You might be thinking that this will not matter because the baby will be sleeping, but still, even a minor change in the inside temperature can be highly dangerous for a newborn. When the weather is too cold, blankets can only do very little. And considering you will drive long-distance, the weather is bound to change.
Another precaution you can take for safety is checking if the car seat can easily be fitted to the car. As you may know, it’s very important for the car seat you purchased to have clear instructions. This will make it easier to use and make you feel confident.
Also, many experts advise trying the car seat for shorter distances before starting a long-distance journey. This way you will know how comfortable and safe your newborn is in it. And if there are any problems, you can return the item to get a better one that meets your needs or try to make them comfortable by other means.
We mentioned that you should be prepared for anything earlier in the article. Surely there is more to that than only a couple more diapers, clothes, or pacifiers. Most long-distance traveling parents oversee newborn supplies like rash creams, medicines, and thermometers. To reach all of these without much hassle, it is best to prepare a baby first aid kit before the trip. This way, if there are any mishaps on the road, you will not be wasting time finding a drugstore.
Creating a fun environment is another important point in making long-distance travel smoother. Their favorite toys, songs, or other items should always be near at hand. If your baby has some favorite cartoons, you can download a few episodes for them to watch on the way. All of these will keep your baby entertained throughout the trip.
Now, you might hate the advice I’m about to give right now, especially if what you love the most about long-distance car trips is the beautiful scenery. Even though it’s priceless to see all the beauties that nature offers us when traveling long-distance with a newborn in the car, you should avoid these kinds of deserted places. Because even if you take all the precautions, there might still be some unexpected developments that require you to get some assistance.
This is why you should plan your route before hitting the road and make sure that there will always be 24 hours restaurants, community facilities, or at least gas stations. But, of course, even if you choose the optimal route for your trip, there will still be some roads with no appropriate stops. For these kinds of situations, I advise you to bring a little bucket with you in case your newborn gets motion sickness.
Conclusion
As you know by now, there are many factors that you should take into consideration before planning a long-distance road trip with your newborn. Even though many doctors and pediatricians advise against being on the road for too long with a newborn, you should first ask your doctor about your situation. Because there are no solid standards for traveling with a newborn, every individual is different, and so it is normal for every baby to have different needs.
Still, it should be remembered that a newborn is more prone to contracting an illness if exposed to large crowds and public areas with lots of disease-causing bacteria. Thus, you should try to keep them away from these kinds of places on your travel. And since extreme temperatures are also harmful to a newborn, where you will be traveling matters too.
The key is not to rush anything. Take your time preparing for the trip, do some shopping beforehand, and prepare your car for this long-distance journey. And if you’re lucky enough to be traveling with multiple adults, make arrangements for one of them to sit in the backseat next to the baby. However, you will need to be more innovative when setting up the car, and you’ll want to schedule more regular stops along the way if you are traveling alone with the baby.
Don’t forget the essentials. Start preparing a list at least a week before the trip and check every item on it as you pack them. Remember to pack various toys, but note that they should not be big and distracting, or they can cause mishaps. Entertainment is crucial to keep your newborn happy in long-distance travel, and reading is a perfect entertainment option for babies. So, download some e-books or cartoons to keep your baby distracted.
Even though you do all of these and plan everything, remember that there are still some unexpected developments after hitting the road. But the last thing you should do in a situation like this is to panic. Even the greatest travel plans can be derailed when a baby is involved. So try to maintain calm, be open to change, and follow the stream.
In the end, the most important thing is safety; being behind the wheel while stressed is far from being safe. Fresh air is always good, so take as many breaks as you and your baby need. And never try to take care of your baby’s needs while the car is still on the go.
