Whenever we are somewhere for over a week I look up the local baby hire place and rent a car seat that attaches to our stroller, a play gym and sometimes something fun like a, exersaucer (how fun are they!) that I would never buy but fun for a week and gives baby something different to play with and to hold off the inevitable boredom.
Things I can't live without:
This is the BEST travel cot I could find anywhere in the world. They don't seem to sell them anywhere other than the UK but it is worth paying the postage as it is lightweight, compact and it means bubs can feel like they are in their own bed wherever you go. You must also buy the blow-up mattress that comes with it. It still fits in the cover when it is all folded up so doesn't take up any more room really. It should all be under aus$100 or not much over as the pound is pretty crappy at the moment (yay for us!)
Here is a nice man folding one up. It is so easy even a man can do it! (sorry...)
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Next I am going to buy this larger Bubble cot for over 6 months: (will be great on the beach also as, like the smaller one, it has a mosquito net).
Thrupenny Bits booby feeding cushion
This is far better than any other feeding cushion I have seen. Not only does it work (it ties around your waist so baby doesn't slip off like with some of the others) but it is small, light and can be used as a handbag when you have finished feeding - result! It is especially good for a very small baby when flying as they happily sleep on your lap safely and you can clip the special seatbelt around them easily as they sleep. You can just tie it around the top of your wheely, on-board case so you don't have to look like one of those embarrassing tourists carrying some neck pillow the size of a small car
Anyone who has traveled near a baby will know that their ears hurt when landing. The best way to get over this is to feed baby as you start to descend and this pillow made that so easy for me.
The other good thing is that these are made by a gorgeous mum Melissa in London who saw a gap in the market and started her own little business and I think that is totally ace.
Ok, so it's not the most stylish of baths (I tend to be more of a solid colour kind of gal when it comes to these sorts of things - quacking ducks aren't my idea of design heaven) but it is very practical and folds up small enough to easily fit in your suitcase. It is great in any bath (or even kitchen sink) but please note that once baby is rolling you really need to keep your hand on bubba at all times as my little girl does have a tendency to roll off when excitedly kicking! I bought mine at Babies R Us when we were in the states but hopefully you can do a google search and find one where you are.
I am a firm believer in a tight swaddle but with limited space in a plane or train etc and certainly as baby gets to a couple of months and wants to move her hands, this is much easier than a muslin swaddle. It is also far better than all the wrap around ones as far as I am concerned. The main bonus is the fact that it has a two-way zip so and a gap for a seatbelt at the back so you can get her in and out of a car seat (because her hands are free enough to put the belt around them) without waking her up. Genius.
My little girl loves this and as soon as she gets it on she knows it is sleeptime and starts to snuggle. Plus she looks super cute in it (even cuter than this model baby and with slightly less weird looking arms!) I got mine form the mecca of all baby stores - Baby Bunting in Australia but do a search and you will find them in the States and in Europe.
Bebe loves Sophie. She is not the only one - Sophie the Giraffe is not only beautiful but her neck and legs are perfect for a teething baby to chew on (poor sophie, she just keeps on smiling though..) Trouble is, babies hands are a bit unco so sophie (or whatever toy is that day's favourite - the last two weeks have seen the rise of the empty plastic bottle in our house) keeps falling on the ground and when you are rushing through airports or even rushing through Chaddy mall that is annoying. So here is the Toy Sitter. I bought one and I love it. I think it would be pretty simple to make so as soon as I get home to my sewing machine I am going to make some pretty ones from old Liberty fabric and give them as gifts. Noice.
Bebe's godmum Joh bought her this (from Big W I believe) and it has gone everywhere with us. It plays lullabies and shines little teddy bears and stars onto the ceiling or wall. I used it a lot to distract Bebe when she was last jetlagged and fussy. Along with the 'wrap me up' sleeping bag, Goodnight Moon and a dummy (I am, in no way ashamed of that as it is just for bedtimes and jetlag/travel would be quite a different story without one) bedtimes are quite literally a breeze.
I have mentioned in my jetlag blog that we use a dummy/pacifier. It is a sleep ritual and a great travel tool for landing in planes and helping get a baby onto a different time-zone. The are not for everyone (some babies don't like them at all) but we have found they work well. I am very happy that the first one I bought was a very cheap and simple one from Baby Bunting and that is the only one Bebe likes now - I feel strangely proud that she doesn't need a fancy label and is a frugal as me.
When you are out and about and can't be boiling or sterilising this device is fantastic. You can wash the bottle teats or dummy and then pop it in this little unit (which fits easily in a nappy bag) and in 5 minutes they are sterilised. It cost about $50 I think and I got mine from Chadstone. Have a look at their site and find a stockist near you.
Talking of dummies, I find they get spat out a bit - especially when driving and you can't really reach around and find them that easily when you are in traffic and have a crying baby in the back. So you want to attach it somehow, but most of the dummy clips are pretty awful. If you go to my favourite site Etsy
you can get some really cute handmade ones. This is the one I bought:
From this store
I think, when I get home I might make some of these myself. I like a good little craft mission and am thinking you could use all sorts of things on the clip...
3 comments:
We have the Tomy nightlight, and it is amazing.
It proved it's miracle working power when I put it on just so I could go and eat dinner before starting the settle routine for sleep - only to go back into our room 5 minutes later and find Mr D sound asleep all ready!
Two thumbs up from me!
(Oh yeah, and we're looking at the cot, the pillow, the bath mate and the toy sitter as well. My husband probably won't like your blog as much as I do!).
Hi Saschka,
So glad you like the blog! I totally believe that having a baby shouldn't stop us all from traveling so if you come across and other good ideas please let me know so I can share the love!
You can assure your husband that I am known for my frugality so none of the products are ever going to be overpriced so you are essentially saving him money by reading it!
Happy travels x Ali
ps if you order the booby cushion be sure to mention my blog!
Hi Ali,
Just wanted to update and say we managed to rustle up the Samsonite cot second hand (the bigger one); and due to bubba BREAKING his cradle this week (he's 15 weeks old - don't ask!); he's been spending the last 3 nights in it until Daddy gets time to go to Bunnings.
He loves it - and so do we!
It was your blog which put me onto the cot; so thanks!
We're off on holidays in 3 weeks (nowhere glam, NE Victoria for bubba to meet his paternal grandparents); and it's a relief to know I can just pack this up and take it. So much easier than the normal portacot!
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