Your first holiday with baby

12 tips to help you plan a memorable holiday with baby.

Written by Carol Fallows, child care author and editorial consultant to www.essentialbaby.com.au

When you think about all the paraphernalia you could need it may seem easier to stay home than take your baby on a holiday, but a holiday can be a wonderful time for being together as a family so don't be daunted.

By three months or so babies can be pretty good travellers.

• Cost doesn't have to be a major factor. Until your children reach school age you can take advantage of special offers out of school holiday time, be it a resort or a campsite in a national park that you are looking for. Check travel sections in newspapers and ask your local travel agent. Shop around for deals, travel agents usually have special deals that include transfers and departure taxes (often a hidden extra). They can also arrange room upgrades, special meal deals.
• Consider the type of holiday you would like to take and decide whether it is suitable for baby. You might want to stay in a resort, or prefer a self-catering cottage; you may want to go camping or cruising. Every type of holiday will have places more suitable for babies than others. Some resorts and cruises for example cater especially for families, so some campsites. Make a list of what you want from your type of holiday before you start doing the research.
• Get travel insurance . Things can - and do - go wrong. Lost luggage, a change in travel plans, an accident or health emergency can all mean a great deal of anguish - your travel agent can arrange insurance.
• Be flexible particularly if you are travelling. If you go with the flow you will have a much better time than if you try to meet an itinerary - even a loose one. Babies can be overstimulated by too many sights and sounds and toddlers can become bored. Plan one major activity a day - and then see what eventuates.
• Check the availability of baby essentials. There is no point in taking the travelling cot and hook-on baby chair if the destination provides these. Consider improvising. An umbrella stroller can double as a high chair for a holiday, or you might take a baby backpack instead of the stroller and take a hook-on baby chair for mealtimes.     If you are going to an out of the way place, or to an Asian country, you may want to take disposables and baby wipes.
• Take a first aid kit. You can buy these from travel medical centres if you are going overseas or your doctor will be able to help you devise one that caters for your special needs.
• If you are travelling to an area with disease-bearing mosquitos - and this applies to north of Port Macquarie on the eastern seaboard of Australia - then talk to your doctor about precautions. You will need to keep baby covered in lightweight and light coloured long-sleeved tops and leggings and stay indoors after dusk.
• Take food and water. A bag of snacks and a bottle of water are essential whether you are travelling by plane, bus, train or car. Flying is dehydrating and toddlers will need to drink plenty of water - babies will need breast milk (no worries about regulations with this fluid!) or formula. Snacks might be bananas, breadsticks, dried fruit, small boxes of cereal. Including a plastic bib will help prevent some clothing changes, but you will also need to take at least one change for the trip as well as nappies. If flying you will need to check with your airline about what your are allowed to take on board. Be sure they know you have a baby and remind them before you get on board.
• Drinking water can be a problem - even when you are travelling within Australia water will change. Using bottled water to clean your own teeth as well as to drink and using purified, boiled water to mix-up baby formula can minimise risks.
• Travel sickness is not likely to be a problem as this usually doesn't occur until children reach pre-school or older. However babies and toddlers can suffer ear pain when they travel in a plane. Feeding your baby during take off and landing can ease the pain
• Think safety. If travelling by car as well as ensuring each child has an appropriate safety seat, be sure to have removable car window shades to protect baby from hot sun. If travelling by plane ask for a bassinet or a clip-on harness for baby that attaches to the parent's seatbelt.(Qantas have bassinets, Virgin don't . Phone you airline to find out what they do have).
• Take a few small toys and books. Include a CD or two of baby music, or your toddler's favourites as well as one or two favourite toys and story books. If travelling by care bBe sure to stop every couple of hours. Look for a park if possible and include a blanket for baby to lie on and plan a mini picnic.

Find out more

Using a travel agent won't cost you more than doing it yourself, it is more likely to save you money and will certainly save you time.

The government department in your state responsible for national parks has information on camp sites. To find your department www.atn.com.au/parks , or ACT (02) 6207 9777; NSW 1300 361 967;   Qld (07) 3227 8185; SA (08)8204 9000; Tas 1300 368 550; Vic 13 1963; WA (08) 9334 0333.

Lonely Planet publish a series of books titled 'healthy travel' that cover most regions of the world and include a section on babies and travel. Ask your bookshop or www.lonelyplanet.com . They also publish 'Travel with Children', 4th edition. 2002.

The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs issues travel advice and travel bulletins to Australians travelling. They also have online bulletins about special issues and details on how to contact consuls and embassies.Website - www.dfat.gov.au/travel   Advice line: 1300 139 281

For most overseas destinations every one needs their own passport - and that includes children and babies. Find out more from the Australian Passport Information Service www.passports.gov.au. Or phone131 232 (from anywhere in Australia).

Australian passports can be obtained and renewed through the Post Office.

You may need a visa. Visas are put in your passport usually when you enter, but sometimes also when you leave, certain foreign countries. It is important that you find out what you need and what it involves before you leave the country. A good travel agency can help you to organise a visa when it is necessary.

For more information on books written by Carol www.carolfallows.com.au