We Go With Kids!

Category: catherine

  • India With Kids

    India With Kids

    India is an amazing country for kids to experience.  Our trip to Bangalore and Kerala in March 2016 was our children’s first taste of South Asia and really opened their eyes to the beautiful country their dad called home when he was a child.  In India, they saw two extremes – the luxurious lifestyles of a portion of the population and the challenges of a developing country.  Our most memorable experiences of the trip included countless amazing meals, fabulous shopping, unparalleled street chaos (vehicles, people and stray animals sharing the road) and some luxurious relaxation in Kerala.

    Planning

    My husband and I had previously traveled together to India over the Christmas holidays in 2006.  Our trip included stops in Goa, Mangalore, Bangalore and Bombay, but we knew that we wanted to limit our internal travel on our first trip with kids.  We chose to spend the majority of our time in Bangalore visiting my husband’s family and make only one side-trip to Kerala during our 16 days there.

    We traveled when our youngest was a full-fledged toddler of 20 months but could still qualify as a lap-child, which is how she would travel even if we bought her a seat.  Because we were staying mostly with family, our trip planning for the Bangalore portion required only booking flights.  With the long journey to get to India, we decided to extend our sons’ spring break by a week to minimize school absences.  About five months before our trip, we booked flights from Cleveland to Bangalore on Qatar Airways with stopovers in Boston and Doha.

    Many Indian travel companies require payment in local currency or a physical credit card and therefore cannot make advance bookings from the US.  Mark’s uncle was able to help us book our Kerala trip locally through Atlas Hoppers, but we understand that Atlas Hoppers can accept bookings from outside of India.  Nancy also has friends who have highly recommend Tours By Locals to arrange guides.

    Prior to our departure, we secured e-visas.   We traveled on 60-day e-tourist visas but had to apply during a specific window and complete final processing at the Bangalore Airport upon arrival.  It was a bit of an added hassle to our middle of the night arrival, but far less expensive than the one-year visa.  This option made sense for us because we did not expect a return trip in the near future.

    We also made got the necessary vaccines, which include typhoid and Hepatitis A.  Because there was minimal malaria risk in Bangalore and Kerala during the time of our trip, we did not have to take precautionary malaria medicine.  This was a huge relief because all anti-malaria medication have pretty scary side effects.  We carried bug sprays and wipes because the selection and availability of both are limited in India but were glad not to need them.

    Packing

    Because there was no fee for checked baggage, and I was not completely sure what items might be easy to find in India, I packed substantially more than usual.  However, next time we go to India, I’ll bring far less knowing that we are certain to purchase clothes and likely even shoes after we arrive.  Also, it’s important to check the expected temperature, as some seasons can be very hot in India.  It was unseasonably warm during our stay, so the skinny jeans I packed were really of no use.  I recommend packing light-weight clothes.  As always, I traveled with some children’s ibuprofen and adult pain and cold medication even though we knew that medicine was readily available in pharmacies at a fraction of their US cost (e.g. a bottle of children’s ibuprofen cost about $.30). Diapers are probably available, but I would recommend bringing them as well.

    Getting There

    I was worried about how the kids would survive the 30-hour trip from Cleveland to Bangalore.  Before our departure, we learned that the Boston-Doha route we booked was starting service on the day before our departure and featured the United States’ second Airbus 350.  As soon as I stepped on board, I knew that the Airbus 350 was a special aircraft.  It was absolutely beautiful with décor and lighting that reminded me of a night club.  The in-seat entertainment was unparalleled.  All the Academy Award nominated films that I had not had a chance to watch were available even before their DVD releases.  The electronic components were cleverly stored under the floor so that valuable under seat leg room was not sacrificed in the process.  Also, the plane was mostly empty, so my husband and each of my boys took a row of three seats for themselves to sleep, and my daughter and I shared another row.  This allowed us the luxury to get semi-decent sleep for about seven hours of the 12-hour flight.  The Airbus 350 is the way to travel – especially on a long flight when traveling in coach with a toddler virtually connected to you.  When we stepped off, we were sad that we would not be traveling home on this exact plane.

    Airbus 350

    Qatar Airlines ran promotional videos about Doha on all flights and offers complimentary city tours.  Doha definitely looked like a city we would like to visit one day, and we definitely hope to return to Qatar with kids.  However, our itinerary did not permit us to leave the airport.  My oldest son did play a little violin in the airport during our layover for the novelty of playing violin in Qatar.

    Transportation

    India is definitely a challenging travel destination logistically – with or without kids.  If you are traveling to India without local family, you need to make sure to hire a recommended driver and guide for every day that you are there.  This may seem like an extravagance, but it is relatively inexpensive (we paid a driver with a car about $20 for eight hours).  While we often traveled by uber and even auto with no issues, my husband was very familiar with the city, and his uncle always took the precaution of watching our driver’s route from pickup to drop off.

    Traffic is pretty chaotic in Indian cities and watching the other travelers on the road is truly an experience.  The vehicles, people, animals and signs you see and non-stop honking you hear are all so different from anything you see in the West.  Cows were a common fixture along the side of the road, and we once even saw an elephant.  It’s a good thing that it was so interesting to watch because even traveling a few miles can take quite a long time in crowded cities.  Also, car seats are virtually unheard of, and cars are not equipped with self-retracting belts or any kind of LATCH/Isofix system to make them really usable.  Luckily, cars, motorcycles, autos and bikes travel at low speeds. At least, that’s what I kept telling myself.

     

    Common street scene

     

    It’s not everyday you see an elephant walking on the side of the road

    Accommodation

    We were fortunate that we were able to mostly stay with family.  If you are not visiting family or friends, it is advisable to book higher-end or recommended hotels, and 4.5-5 star hotels are generally available for $100-$150/night.  We thoroughly enjoyed staying at Taj hotels during our trip to Kerala and had a wonderful buffet lunch at the stunning Leela Palace.

    Leela Palace in Bangalore

    Shopping

    Shopping in India is pretty amazing.  Most items are a fraction of the cost that you would find them in the US.  On our first trip to India before kids, we bought so much that we had to purchase a suitcase to bring all the items back with us.  We purchased several bedspreads, a rug, two side tables (which came apart and fit in our luggage), a carved lamp, prescription glasses, some handicrafts and jewelry.  While I was there, I felt like I was buying too much jewelry.  But, I found that in the nine years between our visits that I rarely found pieces as interesting, unique and affordable in the US.  So, on our trip last year, I made sure to not limit myself and found several new pieces, which are now in heavy rotation.

    Not only are prices substantially lower in India, but service is amazing.  When we looked at jewelry in a store and returned a few days later, the salesman (or less commonly, the saleswoman) would pull out whatever pieces I expressed any interest in and place them on display as I reached the counter.  In home goods stores, someone would pull out every bedspread or rug that we looked at twice.

    So many options!
    Bedspread displayed for us

    Language Barrier

    Many people think that communication would be an issue in India.  However, Hindi and English are co-official languages.  There are 22 major languages spoken in India, and many Indians speak their local language at home, but Hindi and English are unifying languages.  In our experience, anyone in a service industry role spoke English.  The only times we needed to communicate with a non-English speaker occurred when we were riding in an auto.  My husband’s broken Hindi was all we needed to get to our desired destination.  The prevalence of English surprises many Americans but is an obvious result in a country that was largely a British colony for over 300 years.

    Kid Caution

    Many people asked if it was safe for our kids to travel to India and had specific concerns about healthcare, safe food and water.  If you do have a medical issue when traveling in India, first-rate healthcare is widely available and affordable.  The day we arrived, our son spiked a fever, which soared to 104 degrees the next day.  We were able to take him to an ER on a Sunday and have him examined by a pediatric doctor.  The doctor prescribed medicine and rest and prepared a folder filled with all the details of the examination and recommendations.  We were definitely satisfied by his care and shocked that the hospital fee was a mere $8 and prescribed medicines cost about $1 total at the pharmacy.  After this experience, it doesn’t surprise us that people travel to India from all over the world for medical procedures, including $1,800 heart surgery with outcomes among the world’s best.

    The tap water is absolutely not safe to drink, even when brushing your teeth.  Outside of our relatives’ homes where the water was specially filtered, we only drank sealed beverages.  While this seems odd at first, it is such a common request that servers typically bring sealed beverages to your table so that you are certain that no tampering could have occurred.  There is also a risk that raw fruit and vegetables may have been washed in tap water that can cause illness.  Luckily, the country’s specialties are all cooked food like curries, naan, dosas, biryani and samosas, and cooked vegetables are especially tasty.  We ate our way through India at well-known and higher end restaurants and had no food or water issues at all.

    Because my son contracted a bacterial infection from swallowing pool water in Mexico as a toddler, we were particularly careful with our daughter.  She only used one pool in Kerala, and I held her above the water the entire time she was in the pool.  We were also extra careful when bathing her.

    Because of risks related to food and vaccinations, India is not a recommended travel destination for young babies or women who are pregnant, nursing or planning to become pregnant.

    India with Kids?

    Our vacation in India was definitely more complicated than any of our other trips as a family, but I’ve never seen our boys have so many “aha moments.” Nothing quite compares to the moments they spent playing soccer with local boys in their dad’s school yard, dipping their toes into the Arabian Sea, relaxing on a houseboat in the backwaters of Kerala, learning to swim in their great aunt and uncle’s pool, riding in an auto, watching us negotiate with salespeople, operating a Chinese fishing net, attending Mass in a church that gave “standing room only” a new meaning and eating the most delicious meals of their life.  If you are aware of the risks and plan accordingly, India is an amazing family travel destination, and one you will definitely never forget.

    Check out Bangalore Highlights and Kerala Highlights.

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  • Fall Getaway: Visiting New England With Kids

    Fall Getaway: Visiting New England With Kids

    New England is a quintessential fall getaway destination and a great place to take kids.  The fall colors are brilliant and set against quaint towns.  Even though fall color can be pretty spectacular in Ohio, we made New England trips in October 2008 and October 2016 to enjoy New England fall.  My husband experienced fall for the first time when he lived in Connecticut for five years before we met and has so many fond memories of fall in New England that he wanted to share with our kids.  We love visiting New England – our favorite New England destinations are Amherst, Massachusetts, where my aunt and uncle live, and New Haven, Connecticut, where my husband attended Yale’s School of Management.

    The inherent planning problem with a fall foliage trip is that the timing and vibrance of fall colors varies from year to year and cannot be predicted in advance even if you consult a fall foliage map.  Our 2008 trip coincided with my husband’s business school reunion at the height of an especially vibrant fall color that year.  Our 2016 trip overlapped a school holiday and was a bit early for that season, which was never as vibrant as 2008.

    The trek to New England by car for us is at least eight hours and the longest car journey we have attempted as a family.  However, logistically, it is much easier to drive than fly, especially when we decided to add on stops in Princeton, New York City and Chautauqua in 2016.  To make it easier on everyone, we try to leave in the late afternoon so that the kids are sleeping for the last few hours.  That has worked for us with varying degrees of success.

    Amherst Area

    I have made a number of trips to the Amherst area over the years visiting my aunt and uncle who live nearby in Leverett.  Because our oldest was only eight months old during our 2008 trip to New England, we were excited to have the chance to take our two, six and eight year old kids to explore the their farm and the nearby area.  There are not a plethora of hotel options in the area, so we booked a room at the Howard Johnson’s, which was conveniently located as the closest hotel to their home.  We booked through Priceline for $90.  Although our stay was brief, we were pleasantly surprised by the hotel, which included a hot buffet breakfast that we were not aware of at the time we made the booking.  There are a number of fun activities for families in the Amherst-area to enjoy at any time of the year.

    Mount Sugarloaf

    I always enjoy going to the highest point in a city or region and getting a birds-eye view of the area.  Mount Sugarloaf in nearby South Deerfield is the perfect location for viewing the Connecticut River and fall foliage.  Because it is possible to drive to the summit, it is easily accessible for families even with young children.  Our trip there in 2008 had added excitement as we were there just a few days after the Mel Gibson movie Edge of Darkness had completed filming on site.  The observation tower had been temporarily renovated and had not yet been returned to its pre-filming state.

    View of the Connecticut River from Mount Sugarloaf

    Magic Wings Butterfly Conservatory

    The Magic Wings Butterfly Conservatory & Gardens is a great place to take kids. Magic Wings includes a glass conservatory filled with absolutely beautiful butterflies.  If you keep still, one may even land on your hand.  In addition to the conservatory, there are a number of educational exhibits and an outdoor butterfly garden.

    Hiking

    There are also many opportunities for hiking.  My aunt and uncle suggested a family hike at Rattlesnake Gutter, which was a perfect location for us to hike with the kids.  It was mostly flat with a clear path and beautiful wooded scenery.  We found some of the best colors there and collected a few leaves to iron flat to preserve.  My daughter enjoyed the hike from the comfort of her carrier and even took a nap.

    Because we live in the suburbs, our kids loved the opportunity to spend a day outside hiking and exploring my aunt and uncle’s farm.  The pond had dried up after a dry summer, but we toured the barn and saw the cows that are kept on the property and just ran around and had fun.

    The Amherst area is a great place for families to visit.  Next time I go back, I want to check out the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art.  I think that my younger son, who is a big fan of Eric Carle and art in general, would particularly enjoy.

    New Haven

    Because my husband graduated from the Yale School of Management, a stop in New Haven is always on our agenda when we are in New England.  New Haven is conveniently located between Amherst and New York City, so we booked a night at the Omni New Haven Hotel through Priceline at a nightly rate of $164.  Although we arrived late and left early, we really enjoyed the Omni and the amazing view out of our window.  It was centrally-located and well-appointed.  The lobby is like a grand living room, and my boys played chess while waiting for us to check in.

    My husband really wanted to enjoy a white clam pizza at Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana.  Unfortunately, they were out of clams when we called.  We also wanted to go back to his favorite Thai restaurant where we ate lunch twice in 2008, but we were both bummed to find it closed.  So, we were 0/2 on food nostalgia in New Haven.  Luckily, the highlight of New Haven is really the Yale campus.  I absolutely love the Collegiate Gothic architectural style.  We were able to tour the gym, which has many aspects common in Gothic Revival architecture includes all the conveniences needed for a modern gym.

    The Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library was another fun stop on our campus visit.  The stunning building has outer walls made of translucent marble that prevents the collection from being exposed to direct sunlight.  This is one of the world’s largest libraries dedicated to rare books, and a complete copy of the Gutenberg Bible is on permanent display.

    We also peeked inside the Sterling Memorial Library, which was also built in a Gothic Revival style and is reminiscent of a Gothic cathedral.  It was so beautiful, I wanted to study inside.

    No trip to Yale University is complete without a trip to the Yale University Official Bookstore for some Yale swag.  Our boys have been wearing Yale baseball caps since their toddler days, and my husband hoped they would fall in love with the campus as he had.  Of course, the campus is so breathtaking that it’s hard for anyone to not want to return to Yale, and we have two boys who both plan to attend college there.

    Our fall journey to New England in 2016 was an amazing adventure, even if the colors were not as brilliant as we had hoped.  You may not be able to predict when and if peak color will occur, but it’s a great trip to take regardless.

     

  • Fall Getaway: A Day at Patterson’s Fruit Farm With Kids

    Fall Getaway: A Day at Patterson’s Fruit Farm With Kids

    Patterson’s Fruit Farm in Chesterland, Ohio has become a perennial favorite fall activity for our kids.  While it is located only 30 minutes from our house, our annual excursion definitely feels like a trip because it is so different from our norm.  We always go for the Fun Fest, which is open daily from mid-September to late October and offers lots of opportunities for good, old-fashioned fall fun.  We aim to go on a week day to avoid the weekend crowds and made our 2017 annual trip to Patterson’s earlier this week when the boys had a day off of school for conferences.  We highly recommend visiting Patterson’s Fruit Farm.

    Visiting Patterson’s Fun Fest With Kids

    After arriving at Patteron’s Mulberry Road location and park in the grass lots, visitors make their way to the white apple barn to purchase wrist bands to enter the Fun Fest.  Then, we walked walk around to the back to hop a tractor ride to the nearby field.

    Tractor ride to the Fun Fest

    Just inside the Fun Fest gate is a picnic shelter filled with hay stacks of different heights and a few slides and tunnels for kids to climb and explore.  My boys particularly enjoyed the tire swings hung off the roof of the shelter.

    In previous years, the 50 foot double slide made with logs was a huge hit that always had a long line of kids and adults waiting their turn to slide  This year, either a new surface or weather conditions made it not so “slide-y,” and the kids moved on quickly to all of the other areas.

    50-foot slide races
    Still racing, one year later

     

     

     

    There are several other slides on the property, including a few attached to a wooden play area and one built into a a silo.  All play areas are custom made, primarily with wooden structures rather than metal play structures commonly available at most school playgrounds.

    Kids enter the white building, climb up the tube to the silo and then slide out
    Custom-made tire swings

    The corn maze is one of our favorites.  This is no rinky-dink corn maze but could easily take 15 minutes or more of hiking through the well-worn and side paths with corn stalks surrounding you at all times.  After you navigate your way out, there is a corn box (sand box filled with dried corn) that kids of all ages enjoyed playing in.

    Corn maze!

    Even before the “Touch a Truck” concept gained popularity, the Fun Fest offered lots of opportunities for kids to drive John Deere play tractors and other big wheel vehicles around tracks and also climb up into real tractors.

    There are also opportunities for trying out stilts and climbing.

    After hopping a tractor ride back to the white barn, apple picking is a great way to end a trip to Patterson’s.  On our last trip, Melrose were available to pick.  The kids each got their own bag at the white barn, and we set off to find the perfect apples.  The clerk was tied each kid’s bag with a different number of wrist bands so that they could keep them separate.  Hand picked apples definitely taste better than anything available for purchase at the store.

    Why We Love Patterson’s Fruit Farm With Kids

    Patterson’s is really a great place to soak in fall beauty.  Near the end of our last visit, my nine-year-old told me that although some of the things he remembered being fun when he was younger are boring now that he’s older, but Patterson’s was “actually, still really fun!”  We always enjoy visiting Patterson’s Fruit Farm with kids and can’t wait to go back next Fall.

     

  • Best Family Resorts on Riviera Maya

    Best Family Resorts on Riviera Maya

    Riviera Maya was such a perfect family vacation spot during my maternity leave that we did it twice.  For both trips, we chose an all-inclusive vacation in Mexico with our kids (aged from two months to six) because we thought it would be the most laid-back and relaxed trip we could take with an infant.  All-inclusive hotels are not prevalent in the US, but they are common throughout Mexico and in several Caribbean islands.  Both trips definitely were low key and different from our normal vacations filled with exploring new cities and sites, but we did get to plenty of time at the beach and pool.  There were also some cultural opportunities with traditional food, speaking our limited Spanish with the staff and attending market nights and cultural events.  We enjoyed our stay at two of the best family resorts on Riviera Maya.

    We traveled during peak hurricane season in August and October, so the resorts were not crowded.  We spent most of our days between the pool or beach and had plentiful food options at convenient restaurants and evening entertainment.  Because of the all-inclusive nature, we did not have to guestimate how much food, drinks and entertainment for the trip might cost.  We just added a few hundred dollars for tips, souvenirs and special activities and had a relatively certain total cost of the trip at the time of booking.

    Great view for a family photo

    Booking a Trip to Riviera Maya With Kids

    Both vacations to Riviera Maya were Apple Vacations trips.  We had taken a trip to Punta Cana through Apple once before we had kids, and it was very relaxing.  Apple is a major package travel operator offering flight and hotel packages that also include airport transportation.  Apple rates hotels based on an apple system with the highest rating designated as six golden apples.  We have always chosen an all-inclusive beach-front hotel in the six golden apple category and read hotel reviews on Trip Advisor before making our selection.

    Online resources make it easier than ever to create your own vacation package by booking your own flights, hotels and transfers in Mexico.  However, we found the Apple package cost was lower than what we could book separately.  We also booked both trips through Doylestown Travel, a travel agency with very helpful and knowledgeable agents and offers a best price guarantee for Apple Vacations and any other vacation they book.

    I can never get tired of this view

    Accommodations in Riviera Maya With Kids

    We two Now Resorts in Riviera Maya stayed at the Now Jade in 2010 and the Now Sapphire in 2014.  Both were amazing properties located about 20-30 minutes from the airport in Puerto Morelos.

    Now Jade With Kids

    Upon check-in at the Now Jade, we were informed that we had been upgraded to an ocean-front suite in the preferred club for the entire week.  This was a great way to start off the week.  The centrally located ocean-front suite was beautiful and had a stunning view.   With the jacuzzi tub located on the patio and basically unusable for our infant and toddler, we figured out quickly that to shower with our four-month-old. 

    View from the patio of our ocean-front, preferred club room
    Our bedroom

    The preferred club was a perk that we had not even considered booking due to the substantially higher per person cost, but we thoroughly enjoyed the ocean front suite and the quiet, air-conditioned club lounge with specialty snacks and a full bar.  At the time, the daily cost for WiFi was rather exorbitant, and it was great to have occasional use of the free computers to check email.  We also had access to the adults’ only preferred club pool, but my husband and I could use it only one at a time while the other stayed with the boys.  The few times we tried this were brief visits during the kids’ afternoon naps and wished a little that we could spend more time there.

    Now Jade’s facilities were contemporary and clean.  We made nightly dinner reservations and tried out all of the restaurants, except for the one that was designated as adults only.  Our toddler particularly enjoyed Hibachi (and, he still does).

    We spent most of our days lounging at the pool or the beach.  Our son particularly enjoyed the shallow toddler pool, which was conveniently situated right next to the resort’s main pool.  We actually chose Now Jade over Now Sapphire because the only toddler pool at Now Sapphire was located within the Kids’ Club area.  Because our kids were too young for the Kids’ Club, we wanted a resort with a usable toddler pool and became friends with a family from England who also spent their days lounging next to the toddler pool.

    This is the life

    Other than yoga by the pool, which my toddler and I both enjoyed, we did not really participate in any of the activities during the day.  However, we often watched the evening entertainment, which included acrobats and dancers in an indoor, air-conditioned theater.

    Now Sapphire With Kids

    When we decided to make a return maternity leave trip to Riviera Maya four years later shortly after our daughter was born, we decided to stay at Now Jade’s sister property, Now Sapphire.  We loved our time at the Now Jade and definitely wanted to stay at a resort of the same standard but also wanted to try something slightly different.  Because our boys were now four and six, they could enjoy the main pool with floaties.  So, it was no issue that Now Sapphire’s only toddler pool was located inside the Kids’ Club.

    We again booked through Doylestown Travel and inquired about extending our stay to 10 nights rather than the standard seven-night vacation.  Because the flights are a substantial portion of the vacation cost, we discovered that adding an additional three nights only cost an extra $400 (total, not per person!).  Because we really enjoyed the preferred club status at Now Jade, we decided to upgrade from a regular junior suite to a preferred club tropical junior suite.  The cost of the upgrade without the ocean view was not substantial, and we decided that we really wanted the perks more than a room with a view.  The upgrade turned out to be better than expected when we learned only preferred club guests could reserve the poolside cabanas and also received free WiFi throughout the resort.

    Reserving pool cabanas was one of the highlights of our trip.  Especially with an infant, it was so wonderful to essentially spend much of the day relaxing on a large shaded bed at the side of the pool.  As preferred club guests during low season, we were able to reserve a pool cabana every other day of our stay.  We spent cabana days mostly by the pool.  Because our daughter could nap in the cabana, going in for an afternoon nap was not necessary.  So, between breakfast and dinner, we just ventured out for lunch.

    Cabana paradise

    Now Sapphire found creative ways to deliver guests an afternoon snack, like fruit skewers on a kayak.

    The preferred club lounge was a nice, air-conditioned and quiet place to go before or after dinner.  It was set up like a large living room with couches and several chess sets, which were a particular hit with our oldest.  While our preferred club guest room was a “tropical” view rather than “ocean-front”, it was clean and nice, and honestly, we really spent very little time in it during daylight hours.

    Our boys were old enough to spend time at the Kids’ Club, but they only had a few brief stays at their own request.  It was a great place to play video games on a rainy afternoon, and my oldest joined the group for beach soccer another morning.  The kids in the club always seemed well-supervised and happy, but we really wanted to spend as much time with them as possible during our trip.

    The nighttime entertainment was also particularly memorable.  We stopped in at the air-conditioned theater most nights after dinner and usually ended up staying longer than we planned.  Our favorite was the fire show on the beach, but the acrobats, musicians and magicians were also fun for all ages.

    We had a few unusual challenges with our middle child falling sick with a mild flu just after we arrived, but 24-hour room service was certainly useful there.  We thoroughly enjoyed the Now Sapphire.  I would go back in a heartbeat if my husband, but my husband prefers more doing and seeing vacations.

    Packing for a Trip to Riviera Maya With Kids

    Packing for our Riviera Maya vacations was complicated by the fact that you cannot pick up forgotten items at Target or Boots.  The resort store does carry a number of the essentials, but your options are both limited and extremely expensive.  And, you cannot guarantee that what you need will be available. One resort store carried diapers only in size three and no swimming diapers.  If you’ve ever had a baby, you know that “close enough” doesn’t really work with diaper sizing, and a baby needs a swimming diaper to go into the pool.  These are not items for forget at home.

    We met a guy on his honeymoon who forgot flip flops and a suit and spent about $75 purchasing the only suitable options at the resort.  It’s definitely important to bring at least two complete swim outfits (suits/shirt/cover-up) per person because you will be wearing those most of the time.  Also, it is important to bring with you goggles, floaties (arm bands and rings), snorkels, fins, beach balls, sand toys and children’s ibuprofen when traveling with kids.

    During our first trip, I had two boys in diapers and had to keep track of how many diapers each went through on a daily basis in advance to guestimate what we would need.  We did have some regular diapers, swimming diapers and wipes left at the end of the week, but not too many, which I counted as a win.  I had underestimated the amount of sunscreen we would need, and we would have had to buy one of the $25 bottles in the resort store if we had stayed one more day.  I made sure to bring significantly more sunscreen than I thought we would need the next time.

    Neither resort we stayed at had washer or drier available for guests.  The resort offered dry cleaning service on a per piece basis only.  We did bring some liquid detergent to do hand washing of suits and essentials, but we generally packed more clothes than we typically do on vacation, particularly for our infants.  Because we were in suits most of the day and only changed for dinner, we were also able to wear clothes more than one time without an issue.

    The US dollar is the typical currency at Mexican resorts.  Everyone tips in dollars, and purchases like excursions and souvenirs are all quoted in dollars.  ATM machines not only charge a fee but also convert your withdrawal from US dollars to Mexican pesos and then back to US dollars.  We learned this the hard way.  It is definitely helpful to bring with you more cash than you expect to need.  If you can’t bring a stack of dollar bills for tipping, bartenders are very willing to help you get change.

    Items that are not needed include towels, snacks (except for the plane ride there) and toys/books from home.

    Excursions from Riviera Maya With Kids

    Apple Vacations offers a number of daily excursions from Riviera Maya hotels with transportation included.  Trips include a Chichen Itza tour, swimming with dolphins, ziplining and visits to Tulum and Playa del Carmen.  In 2010, we did an afternoon shopping trip to Playa del Carmen but chose to stay on the resort when we returned with three kids in 2014.  However, my husband hired a guide with a boat to take him and our six-year-old son snorkeling after he spent many days practicing in the resort pool, and that experience was the highlight of my son’s trip.  He came back with a love of ocean life and chose a hand painted ocean scene as his souvenir to bring home.

    Watching an artist create ocean scenes at market night

    Tips in Riviera Maya

    While all tips are “included” in your all-inclusive stay, tipping servers, bartenders, housekeepers and concierges is relatively common and definitely appreciated.  The service staff work hard and clearly rely on tips in addition to their salaries.  The common 15-20% gratuity is not required, and people who do not tip do not get bad service.  However, people who tip receive extra special attention.  For example, we regularly tipped about $3-$5 daily during our buffet lunch, and after the first day, servers would call to us to sit in the best table in their section as soon as we walked through the door and make sure we all had what we needed.

    Riviera Maya – Kid Caution

    The main safety concerns in Mexico are sunburn and unsafe food or water.  Because both of our infants were exclusively nursed at the time of our trips, there was no concerns about unsafe food or water or safely cleaning bottles.  Note that an infant must be at least six months old to get a Hepatitis A vaccination, and there is definitely added risk to taking a child who is not exclusively nursed and has not received that immunization.

    At Now Sapphire, there was clearly high attention paid to dietary restrictions.  Our daughter had a milk protein allergy that developed after we booked the trip.  She could be affected by any dairy that I consumed, and I was concerned about unknowingly eating food cooked with butter.  However, the servers were amazing at informing me which dishes were prepared with butter and also finding the resort’s stashes of Kirkland soy milk so that I could get some calcium during my stay.  Due to their diligence, I did not mistakenly consume any dairy during the entire trip.  I came home feeling confident that it wasn’t so challenging eating out with dietary restrictions – until a few weeks later when a restaurant near our home clearly made an error when preparing my dish.

    We specifically chose resorts where there were no reports of food or water problems and took extra precautions avoiding any raw or cut fruit and vegetables that may have been washed in tap water.  Despite all our carefulness, our oldest child contracted a bacteria infection from ingesting pool water in 2010.  We did not realize until his diagnosis just how dangerous pool water could be.  Because toddlers and young children regularly swallow pool water, we decided after that trip that we would not return to Mexico until after the toddler years.  We had no issues with bacteria infections on our return trip, and our infant daughter did not even dip her toes into the pool or the Caribbean.

    Now Jade pool

    The resorts offered plenty of shade options near the beach.  For our infants, the canopies from both the stroller and infant seat and sun hats provided extra sun protection. But, our favorite days were the cabana days when we had built in shade and open air. Because we traveled with infants under six months old, we used California Baby sunscreen, a non-chemical sunscreen.

    Is Riviera Maya Kid Friendly?

    Both Riviera Maya family resorts that we stayed at were extremely kid friendly.  While there are some safety concerns with infants and toddlers, this was probably the easiest to take with young kids.  I’m not sure vacationing with kids can ever be completely relaxing, but both trips were glorious, nonetheless.

    Note:  These trips were taken in 2010 and 2014, and safety of travel in Mexico has changed since those trips.  Please check all travel advisories before booking a trip to Mexico with kids.

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  • Shutterfly Photo Book Review

    Shutterfly Photo Book Review

    Digital cameras and mobile phones with camera capabilities have transformed photography over the past 15 years – both how we take photos and what we do with those images.  We generally take more photos than ever before, but they often tend to permanently reside stored on our phones, SD cards and hard drives.  We’re so glad we discovered the Shutterfly photo book to make sure that we can easily view vacation photos.

    Photography and My Earliest Travels

    I brought a basic 35 millimeter camera when studying abroad in England for six months 20 years ago. I traveled in nine countries over my Spring break and came home with about five rolls of film and some doubles from photos that my traveling companions had taken.  But, each click of the shutter was made with careful planning and deliberating.  My pictures captured certain images that I really wanted to keep with me, and while few were stunning, some were really very beautiful.

    Even if years go by without looking at the album I created using self-adhesive clear corners to affix those pictures along with postcards, ticket stubs and other memorabilia, I clearly remember the images in those photographs.  However, the moments not recorded on film are hazy.  For example, a notation in my 1997 version of  Let’s Go Europe: The Student Travel Book confirms the actual date that I visited the Musee D’Orsay in Paris, but I have no pictures and absolutely no memory of either the building or of any of the paintings inside.  While my study of art history and love of impressionist work came after this trip, even one photo would likely help me remember the visit.

    After developing film from a two-week trip to England in 1999, I discovered that an unknown camera issue meant that almost none of my pictures from the trip developed.  I did get doubles from my companion on that trip and incorporated them into empty pages at the end of my study abroad album.  (Doubles were a big thing with film photography.  I seem to remember it cost about $1 per roll of film to get doubles, and it was always an essential add on.)  However, I was sad to lose the images that I wanted to capture and truly remember less about that trip than any other vacation of my adult life.

    I traveled for two weeks in the Netherlands and Scandinavia and then spent a month driving across the country after taking the bar exam in 2002.  I probably took about five or six rolls of film on these two trips combined with a similar point and shoot 35 millimeter that accompanied me on my previous trips.  As always, I also acquired some doubles from pictures taken by my companions and again compiled those pictures into a binder with plastic sleeves that each held three photos on each side.

    My husband bought his first SLR camera in 2004 before we traveled to Costa Rica.  The photo quality of the pictures taken with his camera far surpassed anything that I had captured on previous trips with my point and shoot cameras.  Although friends and family were starting to get digital cameras, we thought this would be our new go-to camera.  That all changed when I received my first digital camera as a Christmas present a few months later.  All of a sudden, there was no longer a need to be so careful and deliberate when taking pictures and also no need to wait until developing to see what how the pictures turned out.  That little thumbnail screen on the back provided instant gratification.  A bad shot could be retaken immediately and even deleted on the spot if you wished.  Photos could also be cropped or enhanced.  The possibilities were endless.  Our SLR had a short window of usefulness.

    I was pretty good at first about uploading pictures and even using newly developed online sites to print images. However, the quantity of pictures we took increased when we bought our first Nikon DSLR, and it became more time consuming to wade through the images to select the ones we wanted to upload and print.  And now, it’s extremely rare that we print photos.

    Our Nikon D7100 gets heavy use when we are on the road.  Our middle child also carries his child-friendly, waterproof Nikon Coolpix that really takes great pictures.  We also shoot lots of photos with our phones.  We brought back over 2,700 images combined after ten days in Iceland this summer.  On our trip recent weekend trip to New Orleans, I probably doubled the number of pictures I shot during my six months studying and traveling in Europe.

    While we have thousands of pictures from the past 13 years stored on various computers and external hard drives, I am very grateful that the history major in me continued my habit of creating vacation photo books after we moved to digital photography.  I ordered the first vacation photo book from York Photo to record a 2009 trip to Orlando.  The following year, I took advantage of a Shutterfly photo book coupon code for a free 20-page 8×8 photo book when creating a book memorializing our trip to Mexico.

    Shutterfly Photo Book Review

    Shutterfly 8×8 photo books are now my go-to choice because of the frequent promotions offering a free book (not including Shutterfly photo book shipping charge of $7.99) and my desire for consistency.  We have one for every major trip we have taken during the past nine years, and our kids often look back at the albums from prior vacations to reminisce and also pull them out of their storage spot in our coffee table when we have guests over.  Photo books are also a much easier way for friends and family to get of glimpse of our trip rather than scanning through disorganized pictures on a phone screen.  (I am convinced that no one wants to look at more than three photos on a phone screen.)  Our family’s favorite book is our Iceland album.  We have taken advantage of Shutterfly unlimited free pages offers when ordering 111 page photo books for our Iceland and Paris/Italy trips for $27.99 each (including shipping).

    Storage compartment of our living room coffee table

    Although there are innumerable options for background themes, I always opt for basic black.  I generally arrange photos chronologically with general labels but not much text.  The hardest part about creating a photo album for me is sorting through all the pictures and selecting the best ones to include.  It is ideal to choose and upload approximately 100-200 photos to create a 20 page album, knowing that not all photos will actually make it into the book. I enjoy selecting layouts and placing the selected photos into the book.  But, if that part is not for you, try Shutterfly’s Make My Book Service for an additional $9.99 after culling your photos to your absolute favorites.  If you are new to Shutterfly, you will receive a free photo book when you create an account using this link (and I get one, too, after you order your book).

    Most people take a lot of photos when traveling.  If you can get them off of your phones, SD cards and hard drives and organize your favorites into some kind of photo book, you will enjoy going back to quickly re-live the experience.

  • Not Too Young for the Art Museum

    Not Too Young for the Art Museum

    My three-year-old daughter and I were recently sitting at the puzzle table of a nearby library while waiting for her story time to begin. I was making small talk with another mom sitting with her young sons, and she came to my rescue and directed me to the ABC books when I could not locate Chica Chica Boom Boom on the shelves.  I explained that my daughter had listened to the book when she attended Art Stories at the Cleveland Museum of Art the day before with her nanny and was desperate to read it with me. The other mom responded with, “my kids are too young for the art museum.”  I was not exactly sure how to respond because the thought of being “too young” to visit any museum had never crossed my mind.

    Not Too Young

    My husband and I really enjoy visiting art museums.  My daughter visited her first art museum, the Art Institute of Chicago, when she was two months old.  Since then, she has made a repeat trip to the Art Institute of Chicago and also visited the Cleveland Museum of Art many times as well as the Tate Modern, the National Gallery and National Portrait Gallery in London, the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the National Gallery in D.C.  While she clearly does not remember those early trips, she gained familiarity with art museums in the process.  At the age of three, my daughter now walks around the Cleveland Art Museum, holding my hand and discussing which paintings catch our attention.

    My sons also enjoy art museums and can distinguish a Monet from a Van Gogh (two of my favorites).  Their favorite special exhibition was Cleveland Museum of Art’s “Painting the Modern Garden: Monet to Matisse” in the Fall 2015 that included pieces that influenced Monet’s garden painting and reunited CMA’s Water Lilies with the other two panels of the triptych and displayed them together (no photography permitted).  On our first trip, I took all three kids, aged one, five and seven, alone.  We all loved it so much that we came back a few weeks later with my husband.  After going to the exhibit for the second time, my five-year-old son came home, asked for paints and created his own version of water lilies.

    My five-year-old son’s Water Lilies painting

    Kid Moments

    If your children are new to visiting art museums, start with a short trip of about 45-60 minutes.  We play a “game” when we enter a new gallery.  I ask each kid which is their favorite piece.  We then go and specifically examine each of our favorite pieces before moving on to the next room.  Sometimes, we read the plaque on the wall, other times, we briefly discuss color choice or artist technique that made that piece stand out, but we try hard not to dawdle.

    Kid Caution

    While there is no age that is “too young”, it is necessary to be careful when bringing a child into art galleries as some art is accessible to small hands.  The stroller or front carrier is the safest place for infants or toddlers.   Many art museums do not permit backpacks or back carriers because the wearer could accidentally cause damage by brushing up against the art.  Older children need to have enough self-control to understand that they must stay right with an adult and not touch the art work before going into galleries.  However, many art museums have interactive child-friendly exhibits like the ArtLens Gallery at the Cleveland Museum of Art that everyone can enjoy.

    Our Favorite Art Museums

    We have visited many art museums with kids, but these are our favorites:

    • Metropolitan Museum of Art is the largest art museum in the US and boasts a permanent collection of over two million works.  The Met is located on Fifth Avenue in New  York City.  We were a few of the Met’s over 7 million visitors in 2016 that made it second to only the Louvre in number of visitors.  Our boys were especially excited to find Seurat’s final study for A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte.  Admission to the permanent collection is free, but the suggested donation is $25 for adults.
    Van Gogh’s Irises
    One of two lion statues guarding the Institute’s Michigan Avenue entrance
    Gustave Caillebotte’s Paris Street; Rainy Day
    Georges Seurat’s A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte
    • National Gallery (Washington D.C.) is the third largest art museum in the US.  When we are visiting the Mall, we take a quick stop through the impressionist galleries and the outdoor sculpture garden.  On our most recent visit, my husband was holding our daughter, who was then two.  They stopped in front of a Degas, and she looked at the painted ballerinas and commented, “Daddy, I really like this painting” to the shock of the visitors around her who had no idea that she thought she was merely “playing” a familiar game. Admission is free.
    Van Gogh’s Green Wheat Fields, Auvers
    Lime Green Icicle Tower
    Monet’s Water Lilies
    • The National Gallery, London is the fourth most visited art museum in the world with over six million visitors annually.  It is located in Trafalgar Square and houses a relatively small collection of about 2,300 paintings, almost all of which are on permanent display.
    The National Gallery, London
    Van Gogh’s Sunflowers
    • Cleveland Museum of Art is the art museum we frequent most often.  CMA is located in Cleveland’s University Circle area on the near east side.  A massive expansion project began in 2005 and was completed at the end of 2013 increased floor space by 65% and included the glass-roofed Ames Family Atrium.  It has a permanent collection of 45,000 works and significant Egyptian and Asian galleries.  We always make sure to spend a few minutes sitting on the bench in front of Monet’s Water Lilies (Agapanthus) and enjoy the Armor Court.  Rodin’s Thinker, which sits outside the front entrance, was partially vandalized by a bomb in 1970, and the statue’s lower legs were destroyed and have not been restored.  Admission to the permanent exhibitions is free, but there are fees for special exhibits.
    Monet’s Water Lilies
    Rodin’s Thinker with damaged legs

    With some precautions and child-centric activities, art museums truly can be enjoyed by all ages.  While infants and toddlers may not have specific memories of the museums they visit, those who go to art museums are more likely to grow into young children who enjoy art and visiting galleries.

  • Planning a Trip to London for Families

    Planning a Trip to London for Families

    London is a particularly wonderful location for a first trip to Europe with kids but also for any subsequent European visits. It is the third largest European city (behind Istanbul and Moscow) and rich with history, iconic buildings, world-renowned museums and amazing parks.  This was our first international destination as parents, and we have made two additional return trips to London.  London is a very easy city for families to take, and here are some tips for planning a trip to London for families.

    It’s possible to spend a week (or two!) in London and not run out of must-see attractions. I had a friend who had a long to do list while studying in London that she barely made it through in the four months she spent in the city.

    Aside from being a fabulous city, London is a for both my husband and me. Mark’s family moved to the London suburbs when he was 13, and it was home when he went to middle and high school. It remained “home” through college and after moving to the US.  He visited at least annually until his parents relocated to the US .  When I studied in York as a junior in college, our orientation was in London. So, it was the first European city I ever visited. I spent close to two weeks in London over the course of my six trips there before I met my husband.

    My husband’s family lived in Northwest London when we met. We traveled to there together twice before our first son was born. Then, our first plane trip with as parents was on Continental’s direct Cleveland to Gatwick route when our son was four months old.  We were definitely nervous about the journey, but he traveled very well. He may have had no interest in the bassinet we reserved, but he enjoyed being held, cuddled and fed.  Even though he has no memories of that first trip, he was content traveling and accompanying us as we visited our favorite monuments, museums and parks in central London.

    First Flight

    Even if we were not visiting family, London would have been an ideal first family trip abroad because the city is has so much to offer, and it is logistically easier than other international destinations.

    Accommodations and Restaurants in London

    Accommodations and restaurants at every price point are widely available in London. Restaurant reservations are not usually necessary, but not kids are often not welcome at pubs and are not permitted during certain hours and may not be allowed to enter the bar area regardless of the time of day. China Town is one of our favorite dining locations.  Make sure to try popular British food like fish and chips, English breakfast, roast dinner and Cornish pasties.

    Transportation in London

    Public transport is convenient and effective.  The best way to travel around London with kids is the Underground, which is also known as the Tube. It is an extensive and efficient system with color-coded routes and an eco-friendly option in London.  You can travel virtually anywhere on the Underground, and with the Oyster card, the cost of travel is reasonable.

    Oyster Cards are plastic smart cards that offer the least expensive travel on London’s Underground. They can also be used to pay for travel on train services to and from Gatwick Airport. There is a small fee for activation (£5 starting in September 2017).  Visitor Oyster cards are available for purchase from the Tfl Visitor Shop.  Fares with the Oyster Card are significantly less expensive than regular fares.  Kids under 11 travel free on the Underground.

    Strollers can be used throughout London, although it’s occasionally necessary to carry them up or down a flight stairs or take them on an escalator as the older construction in London does not always have handicapped access.  There is no need to rent a car to visit London.

    Sights

    London’s monuments, museums and parks are known throughout the world. You could spend hours at almost any of them, and many are free, too.  Check out our more detailed posts on London sights, including Five(teen) Fun Family Attractions, Spotlight:  The Tower of London, Five Fun Family Museums and Five Fun Family Parks.

     
    National Gallery
    Big Ben
    Hyde Park
     
    Language in England

    They speak English (ok, maybe British) in London, so communication is no issue after you pick up a few British words. While we enjoy visiting particularly Spanish-speaking countries, it is definitely easier to travel where English is the dominant language.  Here are a few common British phrases and translations:

    • “Hiya” – hi
    • “Cheerio” – see you later
    • “Cheers” – thanks
    • “Quid” – pound (kind of like a dollar is also called a buck)
    • “Gap” – the space between the platform and the train
    • “Mind the gap” – be careful not to fall when stepping on or off the train
    • “Boot” – the trunk of a car
    • “Chips” – French fries
    • “Crisps” – chips
    • “Coach” – bus
    • “Trousers – pants
    • “Pants” – men’s underwear
    • “Knickers” – women’s underwear
    • “Toilet” or “WC” – bathroom
    • “Bathroom” a room that has a bathtub
    • “Flat” – apartment
    • “Lift” – elevator
    • “Line” – queue
    • “Bloke” – man
    • “Pint” – either the size of beer or the beer itself
    • “Snogging” – kissing

    London as a Gateway to Other European Destinations

    London is also a great jumping off point for other European adventures. Train travel from London to other cities in London, Scotland or Wales or even mainland Europe is very efficient.  The trip from London’s Kings Cross station to York, which I have taken many times is an easy two-hour journey.  On our last trip, we booked tickets  a few weeks in advance online through Grand Central Railway.

    There are also a plethora of budget air fares and packages to travel throughout Europe from London. My in-laws were fortunate to often take advantage of these offers while they lived there. We traveled from London to Barcelona in 2008 for a few days and booked a great vacation package.

    I may have spent almost collective two months in London and love to see new places, but I have to admit that I always yearn to go back to London, take the Tube to the Westminster stop and walk out to that view of Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament, Westminster Abbey and the London Eye that makes me smile just thinking about it.

    We recommend a trip to London for the family.  Make sure to check out our blog posts on London with kids, including 15 Top Family Attractions for Families, Visiting the Tower of London, Five Fun Family Parks and Sample Itineraries (to come).

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  • Travel With Infants and Toddlers: Diapers

    Travel With Infants and Toddlers: Diapers

    Traveling with an infant or toddler wearing diapers means that you need to make sure to have diapering supplies and are able to do diaper changes when necessary.

    Diapers

    When traveling with a child who wears diapers, the first question is – should you pack enough diapers for the entire trip or plan to purchase at your destination?  Some parents always pack and others always plan to purchase.

    On our first trip abroad with an infant, I brought only enough diapers for the first few days and planned to purchase diapers in London. Diapers were definitely available (something that is not the case in every destination).  Unfortunately, I could not purchase the diapers, and even though we calculated our son’s weight in kilograms before buying, the ones we purchased were not ideal in terms of fit and nor were the second box we bought.

    Since that first trip, having the right type of diaper became a travel essential. The last things I want to deal with on the road are additional diaper blow outs or leaks.  I never took an international trip with a child in diapers without packing enough diapers for the entire trip again.  However, if wipes were likely to be available in my destination, I often planned to purchase when needed.

    While diapers are certainly available in large, metropolitan areas like London, they are not available in all destinations. We vacationed at all-inclusive resorts in Riviera Maya twice, and I noted that the on-site shop carried only one bag of exorbitantly priced size 3 diapers.  Diapers might be available nearby off the resort but would definitely be challenging to locate.  We also traveled to India with a toddler in diapers.  Although we did not specifically look for diapers, selection was certainly limited, and we were extremely glad that we had what we needed.

    I did purchase diapers a few times when traveling domestically a few times, but I had identified in advance a store that I planned to shop at when we arrived at our destination. While diapers are certainly bulky and take up a significant amount of precious baggage space, I found that packing diapers became an additional packing challenge that ensured that there would be some space to bring home souvenirs.

    Our favorite diapers

    Diapering

    Diapering can be a bit of a challenge while traveling, especially if you are not traveling by car. Unlike nursing, diaper changes in public spaces, particularly restaurants or coffee shops, raises valid hygiene concerns because no one wants to sit and eat on a bench where a diaper has been changed.  At least one diaper station is available on each flight, but not necessarily in every bathroom, so you have to check the sign on the door.  There are many more diapering stations in restrooms than in the past, especially in tourist sites, but they are definitely not universal.  But, a diaper kit, paper towel dispenser and standing diaper changes can make diapering easier.

    Sign indicating diaper changing facilities

    I was never a fan of carrying the traditional diaper bag in addition to my own handbag.  Instead, I created diaper kits using the clear plastic packaging that onesies come in with a flap and snap opening.  I liked these containers because the plastic was thicker than ziplocks, and the snap was easier to open. I added a few diapers, wipes, a diaper pad and a change of clothes.  I had a few of these stocked at any one time in each car and my handbag.

    It has been almost a year since I have needed to carry diapers, and we no longer have any diaper gear, but Nancy took some illustrative pictures of her similar diaper set up.  She used the super cute and compact diaper clutch to carry a few diapers, wipes and a diaper liner in her handbag.

    Nancy’s diaper clutch
    Typical contents of Nancy’s diaper clutch

    While having a few diapers very accessible is key when traveling, you also need to make sure that you have more diapers than you expect to need at any one time and backup supplies in your luggage.  Nancy and I both used gallon sized ziplock bags to hold larger quantities of diapers and wipes while traveling.

    Nancy’s back up diapering supplies

     

    I discovered that the paper towel dispenser in the bathroom can be your ally. While air dryers may be better for the environment, paper towel dispensers can help you line whatever diaper changing area you plan to use. I always carried disposable diaper pads, but saved them to use only when paper towels were not available. No one ever commented that I used too many.

    Nancy purchases these disposable diaper liners that you sometimes find in baby changing stations in bulk.  Considering the exorbitant cost of other disposable diaper liners, I think this is a genius move that I wish I knew about.  Those liners would definitely come in handy at all the bathrooms with air dryers.

    Also, standing diaper changes are so much more sanitary than laying a baby down. I learned about standing diaper changes from my son’s day care and was skeptical at first until I realized that only my child’s feet end up touching the diapering surface. As soon as my children were confident standers, I had them stand during diaper changes in public restrooms whenever possible, and even on changing stations. This was typically not possible in tiny airplane restrooms. In restrooms with no diaper facilities, I would stand my child on the toilet seat or on the floor in a stall and do the change.

    When you are outside with no accessible bathrooms and in an emergency situation, you can move your stroller to an unobtrusive location, turn it away from view, recline the seat and quickly change the diaper.  Before you know it, diapering will just be a distant memory. Thankfully, that is what it is for me now.

     

  • Travel With Infants and Toddlers: Strollers and Carriers

    Travel With Infants and Toddlers: Strollers and Carriers

    Strollers and carriers are almost always travel essentials when you are traveling with a child under age three.  Nancy and I both shared our experience separately.  Check out her post at Travel with Infants and Toddlers:  Stroller and Carriers Take Two.

    Strollers

    Strollers are travel necessities simply because it can be too cumbersome to carry an infant or toddler and all your family’s stuff for long periods of time.  Even as a huge fan of my Beco baby carrier, there are limited circumstances where we did not need a stroller when traveling with an infant or toddler.  There are innumerable stroller options, but features to consider when traveling are size, weight, ability to lay flat, compatibility with your infant seat and how easy it is to collapse and storage capacity.

    Napping in the stroller

    Strollers are wonderful because they can contain your baby and baby gear (and honestly, your extra coat, water bottle, snacks and packages, too). Most babies and toddlers love their stroller and can easily nap there during the day if going to your hotel is not an option.  Our main stroller was the Peg Perego Aria, which I believe is discontinued (the new version of the Peg Perego Vela).  We loved it because it was compatible with our Graco SnugRide infant seat, had good underneath storage and was an ultra light 9 pounds. It has definitely seen better days, but on occasion, we still use it over nine years later.

    Our Peg Perego Aria – the early days
    Carrying luggage for our two day/one night trip to York

    You will need to get comfortable with abandoning your stroller in public at times, particularly if you are visiting Disney where there are large stroller parking areas.  After you remove any valuables, you can be relatively confident that no one is going to steal your wheels.

    Handicap accessibility is a Godsend for stroller users, but you will not always find stroller ramps or elevators available.  There are times when you will need to carry a stroller down a flight of non-accessible stairs or take your stroller onto an escalator.  We had to take our stroller onto an escalator so many times in London and Barcelona where infrastructure pre-dates accessibility requirements that we occasionally would do it in the US as well.  If you look like you know what you are doing with a stroller, you rarely get stopped.

    We used a side-by-side double stroller for many years because we found the tandems too unwieldy.  It could be awkward getting through doors at times, we were very happy with our Baby Jogger.  I believe we only brought it on an airplane when we went to Disney World with children aged one and three.

    There are a few times where a stroller is not a travel essential with infants or toddlers.  Due to uneven pavement, we found that the stroller we brought to India was not necessary.  After we gate checked it, we did not get it back until we retrieved our baggage, so it was not overly useful in airports, and the pavement was so uneven that we could only use it in a mall.  Because it was more cumbersome than useful, we wished we had left it at home.  Also, Iceland was so remote that there were very few places other than airports and Kringlan, the country’s only mall, where you can actually use it. We were glad that we did not bring a stroller.  Also, if you are visiting family domestically and do not plan outdoor walks or trips to the shopping mall, a stroller may not be needed.

    Carriers

    I almost always traveled with my Beco carrier when I had an infant or toddler with me. Because it was soft and very packable, I usually tucked it into the front pocket of my carry on suitcase so that I could access it easily and use in the airport if necessary.  There are many times when a stroller is impractical or impossible to use due to uneven terrain, uneven pavement, stairs or a fussy baby.  My children all loved riding in the carrier even more than the stroller and found the carrier to be an ideal napping location.  My Beco carrier could be worn on my front or back, but my personal preference was to keep the baby in front of me.

    Carriers are helpful because they help distribute the baby’s weight on your shoulders and back and also allow you to be hands free.  Carriers are ideal in warmer weather or indoors because it is challenging to wear a coat, but I discovered on a windy day that a nursing cover can serve as great protection from the elements.  The downsides are that carrying can lead to back pain, and there is no easy storage for any baby gear.

    Nap time in Las Vegas
    Nursing cover windbreaker

    There are some important safety concerns related to carriers.  First, the carrier should position in a seated position rather than hanging so that their weight is on their bottom rather than crotch.  Also, the baby should not be worn too low.  If you are not able to kiss the baby’s forehead, you are wearing them too low.  If the baby falls asleep, you may need to support the baby’s head.

     

    Kiss test on a sleeping baby

    The baby’s body can block your peripheral vision downward, so you have to be careful to watch your step, particularly on an uneven walking surface.  I often find myself using the “extra care” while walking that I used when pregnant.  But, I’ve used the carrier on numerous hikes, walking in a rocky lava tube and exploring the cave behind a waterfall in Iceland.  For us, our carrier was a great way to keep a baby or toddler close, comfortable and happy when traveling.  The only reason we did not use them more or exclusively was that the stroller did a much better job of carrying stuff, and carrying for long periods of time did lead to fatigue and even pain, but for us, a carrier was definitely a travel essential.

    Check out our other Travel Tips for advice about traveling with kids.

  • Travel With Infants and Toddlers: Nursing and Pumping

    Travel With Infants and Toddlers: Nursing and Pumping

    Travel for a nursing mom – with or without her baby – has some extra challenges, but they are not insurmountable.  In fact, I found that an exclusively nursed infant is one of the easiest travel companions.

    Nursing Covers

    When my first son was born, nursing covers had not yet gained popularity. In fact, I did not know one person who owned one and had never seen one in use.  Whenever I needed to nurse him in public as an infant, I took him to the car or inquired about a private room.  It was truly a struggle to discretely cover a fidgety baby with a blanket that I was really nervous about our trip to London when he was four months old and exclusively nursed.  We got through the plane journey and our first few days traveling into Central London.  Even without comments, glares or stares, I was on edge every time I needed to feed him in public.

    Bank of the River Thames
    Riviera Maya

    Then, we traveled to Barcelona. Our hotel was just outside the main tourist area, so it was not possible to retreat to our room for feedings every few hours.  During a short rain shower, we ducked into a restaurant for some food, and I began feeding my son at our table.  An older gentleman leaving the restaurant stopped as he passed, picked up the blanket and gently gave my son a soft pat on his head.  My husband and I were shocked at first and then we realized that Spaniards are less conservative than Americans, and he was just interested in seeing the baby and completely unaffected by the fact that I was nursing.  That one incident made me more relaxed while traveling in Europe.

    Thankfully, nursing covers made their debut before my second son was born. They were not widely available as they are now, so I ordered my Bebe Au Lait cover through the specialty online store  and carried it with me just about every time I left the house with a nursing baby since it arrived in my mailbox.  While nursing in public with or without a cover is legal in most places, nursing covers make discreet public nursing possible just about anywhere.  And, the new nursing scarfs and nursing ponchos picked up right where covers left off and added important back coverage. 

    National Gallery in London

     

    With my nursing cover, I never had an issue nursing my second two children in public. I would nurse anytime I was sitting – on a plane, train or bus or at a restaurant or stop and find a convenient seat or bench (preferably with back support) whenever my baby needed to eat.  If we were out shopping, I would use a fitting room.  At first, I used to carry in a few items to make it look like I was planning to try on, but in later years, I would simply ask if I could nurse in a fitting room and was never once denied.

    While at a museum, I would find a spot where I could sit for about 15-20 minutes.  Sometimes I had to get creative if no benches were available and perch myself on the floor up against a wall or even on the stairs.  Although Pope Francis told mothers to nurse during Mass, I never felt comfortable nursing during a religious service, except during Evensong at the York Minster when our family was seated in a small box that no one else could see inside.

    Tate Modern

    It really is possible to find a place to nurse wherever you are while traveling.  For example, I’ve nursed at all of these places:

    Plane Travel

    I think nursing moms have the advantage when traveling by plane with their babies.  Nursing is not only a great way to calm a baby, but swallowing is a also a cure-all for most ear pressure or pain.  Anytime my baby became slightly cranky on a plane, I would nurse, and that almost always immediately pacified the baby.  Before my first flight with an infant, someone recommended an inflatable travel nursing pillow.  It was a total life-saver.   The pillow fit easily in carry-on luggage and was easy to inflate after boarding.  Our babies (and our arms) were so much more comfortable when we brought this with us.

    Pumping

    If you are a pumping mom or traveling without your baby, there may be challenges finding an appropriate place to pump while traveling. I have sat in the back seat pumping while covered with my nursing cover many times. Although restrooms are generally not what I would consider an appropriate place to pump, I have pumped in a restroom during a wedding reception at least three times.

    Also, cleaning pump parts and storing pumped milk are also considerations. It is helpful to carry dish washing liquid in travel containers and also to notify your hotel in advance that you are a nursing mom and need a refrigerator in your room. Many hotels have additional fees for refrigerators, but I have always received one without charge when requesting for the purpose of storing milk.

    Nancy had more experience than me as a pumping mom and has this advice:

    “I exclusively pumped for four months with my oldest and six months with my second. As a result, I have way more pumping experience than I care to admit. I have pumped on numerous flights and on the Amtrak, have pumped in a disgusting janitor’s bathroom in Manhattan…. My advice to you is to approach it as you would nursing – if would you nurse there, then go ahead and pump.
    I usually travel with multiple sets of pumping parts – at least two pairs. The nice thing is that if I end up needing to pump 3-4 times because I’m away all day, I can just split up the pump parts and pump one side at a time for a total of four pump sessions. I also bring a stack of milk storage containers, a thin sharpie to use for labeling, and many, many gallon size ziplock bags. For transportation, I like using a medium size soft sided cooler which holds the milk, the pump parts (stored in gallon sized zip locks and clearly labeled as clean or dirty), and a few ice packs. I also have my pump (including AC adaptor), cleaning brush and soap, and milk bags in my carry on. When I’m ready to pump, I cover myself with a jacket or blanket and pump away. The times I have pumped on the plane or train I have been lucky to have the row to myself, or at least an empty middle seat, so I just turn my back to the other person and pump quietly. No one has ever said anything or even shown any signs of being aware that I was pumping.
    Once I’m done, I simply store the dirty parts in a ziplock bag to wash when I get to my destination. Most hotels now come equipped with mini fridges, so if I am away for 1-2 nights, I just lay it flat in the fridge, I don’t worry about it. I just store in the fridge, along with the ice packs, until I’m ready to go. On the day of my trip home, I fill gallon size ziplock bag with ice from the hotel’s ice machine, and securely pack my milk into the cooler with said bags of ice! I’ve never had any trouble traveling with the milk.  The one time I wasn’t allowed to bring the gallon size bags of ice across security, I simply asked a restaurant to give me ice when I got through security. Upon arrival home, I put the milk directly into the fridge and fed my baby from that milk first. If the milk froze or developed some ice crystals – even better, as that gave me less to worry about in terms of developing freshness. I always fed baby first from the milk pumped while traveling, though, just to be sure none of it went to waste!”

    Luckily, nursing rooms (aka “mother’s rooms”) are becoming common in airports.  My friend Kate shared an amazing US airport nursing room locator.    The Louis Armstrong New Orleans Airport offers mother’s rooms on each concourse, including this one that features comfy chairs, a power strip and a diaper changing station.  Traveling for a nursing mothers does require advance planning, but the challenges are not insurmountable, and availability of these types of facilities is making it easier.

    Mother’s Room in Louis Armstrong International Airport.

    Check out our other Travel Tips for advice about traveling with kids.