Tips & Tricks for Travelling with a Baby | Attitude Hotels, Mauritius
I was invited to Mauritius recently to speak at a conference and my husband and I decided to harness the opportunity and turn it into our first overseas beach holiday with our babe. Being total novices at holidaying with a small human, planning needed to be a little more thorough and considered in order to baby-proof our break. I’ve put a lot of effort into this post in an attempt to help with tips and tricks if you’re planning a holiday with your little one/s. Please respect that each parent and child is different and the lists I’ve created are what’s worked for us. This has been widely requested on Instagram and I do hope to help make your trip planning and packing a little easier and less stressful. I’d also love for you to comment and add any hacks of your own.
Having stayed within the Attitude portfolio of resorts and hotels before, we decided to play it safe and book within the same family, but try a couple of new hotels for a change of scenery. We split our trip between the Ravenala Attitude and the Coin de Mire Attitude hotels, both north of the island. We chose two very different properties in order to spice it up a little; I’ll go into the differences and what we loved about both below.
Staying at the Ravenala Attitude Resort
The Ravenala Attitude is nestled into a little bay in the north-west of Mauritius in an area called Balaclava. The entrance is breathtaking as the reception is perched high yielding an incredible view of the hotel’s tropical palm-tree canopy. The ravenala is a kind of palm, if you were wondering.
The Ravenala Attitude was one of our choices due to it being child-friendly without feeling like you’re staying in a kids’ resort. Accommodation and even restaurants are tailored to families or adults-only, depending on the kind of holiday you’re after, yet the size of the resort allows for everyone to be able to coexist peacefully. We stayed in a family room, which had a separate lounge, ideal for a camp-cot and gave us a little privacy at night. The room was also easily accessible with a pram and didn’t require climbing any stairs or difficult maneuvering. The family rooms are perched high up along the back perimeter of the property, quiet with amazing views across the tropical lawns and trees. There are adults-only beach front rooms on the opposite end of the resort which we’d love to experience at some point too, for the opposite kind of holiday.
Having a small person requires viewing the world through a whole new set of eyes and I realize now that booking travel and accommodation demands a whole new approach! One of the reasons we really liked the Attitude hotels is because of their kids club, Ayo le Dodo, and overall approach to littles; no detail has been spared. Whilst the actual kids club activities are only for children of ages 3 upwards (outdoor cinema, cooking classes, treasure-hunts, shows, face-painting and an educational program), there’s still a facility with a safe soft-play space, cribs, prams and an area for food and bottle prep for babies. It was nice to be able to escape the sun and go and play in a cool, baby-proof area for a while. The Ravenala Attitude’s kids club has a separate baby room with a door to keep it cool, quiet and you can even put your babe down there for naps. If you want to travel super light, there are strollers that one can use too; win. For babes under 3 the hotel can arrange babysitters at an hourly rate if you’re looking for a break or want a dinner sans smallie.
Having stayed at a lot of different hotels in Mauritius over the years, I think I’ve got a relatively good feel for what’s available and what sets the different properties apart. What I like about the Ravenala Attitude is the variety across all areas from accommodation type, to food and restaurants, swimming pools and even activities. It’s a vast, sprawling space with plenty to keep kids of all ages amused. I know I get bored easily and like changing up the scenery which this hotel offers in spades.
I must say we’ve not been great at taking Carter out to restaurants and things with us at night in Johannesburg, as it was always easier to put him down at home and stay in or get a baby-sitter, however we used this trip to put some flexibility to the test and he was a dream (whew!). We’d put him down for bedtime in the room and then transfer him to the carseat which we clip onto the pram and it worked a treat. Nothing like the drone of a restaurant and a little Sega playing in the distance to keep a baby asleep. This was a big win for us because it meant we weren’t room-bound at night and also didn’t have to fork out a fortune on babysitters.
Here are some snaps from our stay at the Ravenala Attitude, I’ll let the pictures do the talking…
Staying at the Coin de Mire Attitude
We split our stay and decided to experience two different hotels for a bit of variety and moved north to Grand Baie for the second part of our trip. We booked at Attitude’s group’s newly refurbished Coin de Mire Attitude hotel, almost at the northern-most tip of the island. Coin de Mire, paying homage to the breathtaking rocky outcrop in the ocean not too far from the hotel, is small but packs a punch. Our stay at Coin de Mire Attitude was very different to a resort experience because of the size of the property; it’s a smaller hotel as opposed to a full-scale resort with scaled-back offerings, but lovely nonetheless.
I absolutely loved our ‘room’ at Coin de Mire Attitude as they offer apartments which are perfect for families. Carter had his own room (ideal for 3 kiddos with bunk beds and a separate single) at the back of the apartment which was quiet, dark and perfect for a sleepy beach babe. The rest of the apartment was lush and spacious, complete with an outdoor kitchen and dining area and a private patio with deck chairs. Our room was quite far from the pool so we couldn’t rely on the baby-monitor’s signal to reach us if we were lounging at the pool while he was napping, but our little patio did the trick.
The rest of the Coin de Mire Attitude is compact but well laid out and considered. A couple of free-standing restaurants, one main buffet dining area and a pool bar and lounge that serves up delicious sandwiches and lunch fare. Whilst Coin de Mire isn’t a beach-front hotel (the road in front of the hotel hugs the coast and there are no dwellings on the beach along this portion), the beach is accessed in a minute by walking across the road from reception and down a small staircase to a lush little beach and bay. If you’ve been to Mauritius before you’ll know the Grand Baie beaches and waters are magnificent. Our holiday was (poorly) timed with Carter on sensory over-drive and putting EVERYTHING in his mouth, including all the beach sand he could find. For this reason we had to unfortunately forfeit playtime on the beach and spend more time at the pool.
Coin de Mire Attitude’s Ayo le Dodo kids’ club also came in handy during those times when we were looking for a change of scenery and something different to do with Carter during the daytime. He’s a particularly busy little boy and doesn’t sit still for long, so this was great as there was a plethora of toys and bits to keep him entertained, not to mention some amazing, doting nannies. I’m looking forward to visiting when he’s upward of 3 so we can experience the true value (and excitement) of Ayo le Dodo. The daily activities roster looked amazing and there were always groups of kiddos adventuring off with the child-minders to experience something new and exciting. Read: down-time for mum and dad.
We’ve travelled a fair bit with Carter since he was born and my number one tip is try to make sure your accommodation is apartment-style. I’ve found the extra space, the kitchen and amenities like a washing machine to be invaluable when travelling with a little person. For this reason I preferred our rooms at Coin de Mire Attitude, but bear in mind we’re in a very specific stage of our lives and if your kids are older or if you’ve travelling without them, then this isn’t a worry.
What to Consider When Planning Your Holiday with a Baby
I’ve put together a few list of the things I think you need to consider when planning a holiday and travelling with a baby. These sorts of things are really subjective and I appreciate different parents have different needs; these are the points I think are worth considering in order to help plan the perfect holiday.
Logistics
- If you’re booking a rental car or using an airport transfer, will a car seat be provided or do you need to travel with your own?
- Are you taking your own pram or are you renting one on the other side?
- Is the area you’re traveling to a malaria area?
- Will supplies be readily available at your destination or do you need to pack the kitchen sink?
- Do you have all of the necessary travel documentation, including passports, visas, birth/marriage/vaccination certificates etc?
- Insurance (if paying for your air tickets by credit card this may be covered by your bank)
- How far is your hotel from the airport? You may want to take this into consideration if your babe, like ours, is not a fan of the car.
Flights
- Try and book a flight that incorporates a nap or bedtime; obviously the age of your babe will impact the importance of this, but with ours being little and mobile we wanted to harness the power of the zzz’s. We flew pretty late at night, which meant arriving in Mauritius early in the morning. He was up a little later than normal due to airport travel and logistics but made this for a really easy and peaceful flight.
- Bulk-head seating and bassinets – if your babe is still small enough you’ll want to nab one of these bad-boys. If they’re on the tall side just be aware that they might be too big for the bassinet and in that case lap-naps will have to do if your babe is under two or over 12kgs. Take a comfy pillow along to make a nice snug space on your lap; it’ll benefit the both of you.
- If you don’t manage a bulk-head seat, then I’m a big fan of sitting in the back (either of the plane or the back of a compartment), close to the loos and out of sight of as many passengers as possible. On local flights I find this the best strategy and spent a lot of time bopping in the galley with Carter in my carrier when he was tiny and I needed to lull him to sleep.
- Time differences – having successfully conquered the South Africa/Australia jet-laggery, I can say with confidence that you’ll probably struggle more than your babe. In a few days they adjust and somehow settle into their new time-zone. Ensure plenty of fresh air and sunshine and try to spend as much time outdoors as you can. I also read that circadian rhythms are largely linked to meal-times so try and get onto a new breakfast/lunch/supper and snack routine as quickly as possible. There will naturally be a few middle of the night wakings and baby wanting to play; try to keep the lights low and the interaction as calm as possible to foster sleep and bed-time. I popped Carter into our carrier for a few late-night walks in the first couple of days; the carrier sleepy-dust had him back to slumber in no-time.
- *On-board essentials – I’ve covered this throughout my post in the lists that follow, look out for the asterisk
- *Tiny human ears can experience a lot of pain during take-off and landing, so be sure they’re sucking on something (dummy, boob, bottle, or even a sucker if they’re old enough and allowed :/ )
- *Entertainment for you – with all the energy and focus spent on planning and packing for a holiday with a baby, it’s easy to forget about you along the way. I’ve found flights rare occasions to read, so pack yourself a little treat and relish the nap-time. Airplanes create excellent white noise.
Booking a Hotel/Resort
- The room situation is the most important in my opinion, and if you’ve ever had to share a pokey hotel room with a small baby you’ll understand why. We learnt an invaluable lesson after our first hotel stay with Carter and vowed never to repeat our folly again. For us, space is critical and you need a way to somehow separate yourself from your babe in order to be able to chat, watch TV at night etc. I respect that each family cohabits differently, but we’re not co-sleepers and having slightly separated spaces is important to us. Don’t be scared of utilizing closet or bathroom space if you need to create a dark, quiet space for your babe.
- Be sure to check that a cot/camp-cot is provided; most hotels do provide this, but if you’re AirBnB’ing it, make sure the host provides one for you or rent one in advance
- Many hotels offer separate family vs. adults-only areas, which is great as often the family rooms have more space, easy stair-free access for prams etc. Those little things make a difference, so do some homework before booking.
- Room proximity to beach or pool – securing a room that’s not too far from the pool or beach is a win because of lot of baby-monitors will then allow you to hear your babe while you’re enjoying that little poolside break. Having to be room-bound while your baby naps can be a bit of a pain if you could be lying at the pool instead.
- Kids’ clubs and babysitting – Mauritius is renowned for its kids’ clubs which is such a huge win for parents and offers some well-deserved respite from the smallies. Be aware of kids club age-limits and additional baby-sitting costs if you’re planning on dipping into any of these.
- Food – most Mauritian hotels are pretty jacked in this department and offer a wide variety of meal and buffet options. Some hotels even offer a baby-food prep service, which is pretty dreamy if you’re early in the weaning journey and still needing to puree food etc.
What to Pack if You’re Travelling with a Baby
This list is now rinse & repeat for us and I’ve definitely managed to fine-tune it as we’ve traveled more and I’ve learnt to journey leaner. Bear in mind Carter is/was just a baby (9 months) and this will need to be tweaked somewhat if you’re travelling with a toddler as their needs are different. If you’re going somewhere with ample supplies and shops nearby, then don’t overdo it on things like nappies that take up a lot of room. But do your research first.
Important: Before I go through the kitchen sink of what to pack, it’s important to check with the airline you’re flying regarding infant/child luggage allowances. Much to my horror I discovered that domestic airlines offer a big fat ZERO if you’re travelling with a babe under two, so you’ll be sharing hubby’s suitcase if you’re not buying an additional bag. I find this ludicrous because infants need so much, yet are offered nothing by the airlines. If my mom brain serves me correctly, international airlines are a little more generous, but often offer around 10kgs as opposed to the full allowance, hence my impetus on packing smart and light.
Medicine
I’ve got a little medical kit that I’ve grown and improved over the past year, and I travel with a micro-version of this. I decant the important meds I think we may need into small travel-sized plastic bottles to keep our weight to the absolute minimum, and then I label those bottles with the name of said med and the dosage, ie Calpol 5ml.
These are the meds I like to have on hand in case he gets sick or develops a fever while we’re away, and I try to cover all bases as a precaution. I’ve decanted these and although the list is relatively long, the travel medical kit is pretty small. Items with an asterisk denote those I carry on the plane, the rest go in the hold:
- *Calpol and Nurofen
- Something for the chest and respiratory infections like Demazin
- Glycerine suppositories
- Empaped suppositories
- *Nose-spray and suction device like a Nose Frida
- Our supplements (we use Floradix iron and magnesium with multi-vitamins)
- Burn-shield, bandages, plasters, cotton wool etc.
- Insect repellent for babies
- *If you’re traveling long-haul you may want to consider taking a light antihistamine to encourage a deeper sleep. I’m all for keeping both parents and baby calm on what can otherwise prove to be a long and stressful flight for everyone.
- *Syringe – Nurofen comes with a really nifty one and they’ll sometimes dispense these at Dischem, so ask for one next time you’re there
Food
*This obviously depends on the stage your babe is at in their weaning journey and whether they’re breast or bottle-fed fed etc. Food for the journey including snacks, our cooler-bag pretty much always contains the following:
- A small ice-brick to keep the contents cool
- Breastmilk or formula
- Water
- A few food pouches
- Biltong (our teething go-to)
- Rice-cakes (we’re a big fan of the purple Woolies ones with sweet potato and chia)
- Chopped up fruit or veg
- A small pot of yoghurt with nut butter mixed into it (Carter gets this snack pre-nap to encourage a better sleep)
- Protein, like small bits of chicken sausage etc
- Don’t forget a bib, spoon, bowl etc. I have a wet cloth in a Zip-Loc for wiping and cleaning
Other bits to pack pertaining to food/feeding:
- *Bottles and enough formula if your babe is bottle-fed. Don’t forget a bottle-brush and some washing liquid; I’ve started using the Checker’s Simple Truth eco brand which I decant into a small travel pump bottle. Medela do really nice microwaveable sterilizing bags which I’ve traveled with from the start. I also travel with a couple of Milton sterilizing tablets in case there’s no microwave. If your babe is on formula, pack enough for the flight and then pop a tin into your luggage to last you the duration of the journey.
- *Water for your babe for the journey – I’ve found this frustrating as each airline and airport seems to have a different set of rules regarding water as a liquid for infants. Some are lenient, others like Qantas made us leave ours behind before boarding the flight (they had an additional baggage/luggage check-point at the gate); rather frustrating when you’ve just stocked up in Duty Free. Obviously the airlines will provide you with as much water as you need for the duration of the flight, but I personally like travelling with a couple of big bottles so there’s ample for me and babe.
- Bowls, bibs, spoons, extra bottles, sippy-cups and anything you need for feeding
- Something to consider traveling with is a feeding chair; as Carter has gotten bigger and more wriggly he’s figured out how to escape many of the hotel/restaurant feeding chairs and I recently invested in a small collapsible one from SafeWay(bought at Baby City); it’s inexpensive, folds small and takes the hassle out of mealtimes where restaurants either don’t have a high-chair or have high-chairs that aren’t designed for Houdini babies. Carter doesn’t like feeding in his pram, so that’s not an option for us.
- If your babe is still on pureed foods and at the beginning of their weaning journey, then I can highly recommend the Woolworths and Oh Baby Co. pouches. If you’re buying fresh pouches, just keep cold-storage and shelf-life in mind, particularly if you’re travelling far and need to keep your stash cold for a very long period of time. Woolworths also stock a variety of pureed food pouches that can be stored at ambient temperatures and have a much longer shelf-life; I’m not crazy about food that’s not fresh, but I do travel with a few of these as back-ups on trips in case. I’m hearing more and more about resorts that boast a pureed food menu for babies, so just check if this is something your destination offers and plan accordingly. Fortunately we’re at the stage where Carter’s pretty much eating what we’re eating and there’s always something on a menu that can be chopped into smaller bits he can feed himself. Island destinations like Mauritius are heaven because of their buffets and the sheer volume of fresh fruit on offer.
Clothing
*It’s crucial to pack enough clothes for the journey; rather be on the safe side! We experienced uncharacteristic blow-outs on our first two flights we took with Carter (thanks, Murphy!), and also made the fecal fatal error of not packing a change of clothing for my husband who got pooped on. It did provide for a lot of comic relief, though. Pack extra socks and something warm for everyone because airplanes always seem to be like freezers with wings.
I err on the lighter side when packing and prefer to do laundry at my destination. A little trick my mom taught me was to wash one thing every time you bath or shower, that way you’re keeping your haul clean and not having to invest much time or effort into the process.
What you pack depends largely on the nature of your trip and the associated temperatures of course, but pack a variety because weather can be unpredictable. For our Mauritius break I loved our Ackermans vests (R20 a pop) because they’re tiny and handy to wear on their own with a nappy or with a pair of bloomers to cover up. Small, light, easy. If you’re traveling somewhere cool, make sure you’ve got enough hats, jackets, mittens, socks, vests etc. You may want to allow for rain too and invest in a little rain jacket, Wellies and possibly even a rain cover for your pram if you’re going to be out and about.
Consider…
- Onesies to sleep in at night; since Carter started crawling and walking we’ve migrated to the footless ones because they make morning play-time less slippery
- Pack a sleeping bag and use this and clothing to adjust for temperatures at night without having to rely on too many blankets and things
- Whether hot or cold, make sure you’ve got enough sun protection for your babe (hats, swimmers etc) and reapply sunscreen frequently!
- The usual suspects including vests and onesies, tops, bottoms, swimmers, socks, warm clothing, shoes, sunglasses etc.
The Baby Basics
This list goes without saying, but I’m documenting it all here because planning and packing for travel with baby/toddler is stressful and it’s easy to forget the most basic of things!
- *Nappies – enough for the flight and the trip if you’re staying somewhere off the beaten track. I discovered the hard way on a recent trip to Australia with Carter that they don’t stock Pampers in the country at all. We had to use Huggies and almost every nappy we used leaked, which led to me spending half of my holiday doing laundry. If we visit Australia with a small baby again, which hopefully we won’t, I’ll be taking a suitcase full of Pampers along.
- *Wipes, bum cream and changing essentials – I’ve converted a pretty Lou Harvey toiletry bag into my nifty changing purse so that I don’t have to take the whole baby bag into the bathroom with me. Airplane loos are particularly small and this makes life a LOT easier. Contents include: a couple of nappies, small stash of wipes, sample-size bum cream, foldable changing mat and a couple of scented nappy bags. I’ve come up with some pretty inventive changing stations in the places we’ve stayed over the past 12 months, cupboards are a firm fav if space allows, otherwise a spare bed works a charm. Pack a linen saver and a couple of cloth nappies to create your changing station with all of the essentials nearby.
- *Dummies – enough for the flight and the trip, considering these always manage to go missing somehow. I swear by Nuk’s glow-in-the-dark soothers which make life for everyone a dream when trying to forage for one in the night. I swear these have made our journey to sleeping through the night so much easier as Carter can find his dummy and self-sooth without me having to get up to help him.
- Blankets, muslins & sleepy things – Woolworths do beautiful brushed cotton receiving blankets that I use as Carter’s sheets because I find it much easier to throw these into the wash; also fitted sheets are a lot more expensive and less versatile. Take a sleep-sack along and then dress your babe up/down with clothing to adjust for the temperature. We’ve had a few extremely warm nights where I’ve left Carter to sleep in only a nappy. Don’t over-pack blankets because they’re bulky, you can always hand wash one if you need one and they dry super quickly in warmer climates. A couple of light, breathable muslins are great for any climate, but particularly warm ones where you might want to cover an exhausted beach babe asleep in a nappy, for example. *My favourite chamomile-coloured one from Snuggle Hunny Kids at Cloud & Co. goes everywhere with us and I cover Carter’s eyes with it when I’m trying to get him to sleep in transit. Gnash sell a black one in the softest stretch cotton which is also amazing, especially when trying to replicate darkness and transfer a sleeping babe. The Gnash ones also make the most amazing cot sheets.
- Depending on where you’re traveling to, you may want to take a portable mosquito net along to cover the camp-cot
- *Don’t forget your babe’s trusty sleep-association; I shudder to think what we we’ll do if we lose Giraffey. And no, the replacement we bought is not acceptable and this imposter gets flung from the crib on the regular.
- Baby monitor – check the distance between your room and common areas or the beach, for example, because you may be able to put your babe to sleep in the room and enjoy some R&R at the pool or nearby. I don’t typically travel with this, Carter’s got a set of lungs on him and there’s no mistaking him waking up. Check on the plug situ at your destination in case you need to travel with an international adapter.
- Beach essentials – sun-screen, hat (That Kid Cole make the most amazing wide-brimmed ones), swimming costume and swimming nappy/nappies if you’re travelling somewhere where you’ll be swimming. Note, you can easily rewash and ring out the disposable swimming nappies to wear again. Unless they fall victim to a poop, they’re good to go! Learnt this little trick at swimming lessons recently. I also like to pack a small inflatable pool and floater; Checker’s has some really well-priced ones.
- Washing powder/soap in a small container, great for doing a few small laundry loads and not having to over-pack clothes and linen
- Toys – again the age of your babe will dictate what you pack, but I’ve found less is more on this front. For the past couple months Carter has been way more interested in remote controls, wires, cell phones, toiletries, anything that opens and closes or basically anything dangerous. Our toy stash has now been reduced to a small bag of tricks, some of which I buy just before the trip and that he’s never seen or interacted with before to keep the novelty factor high. I also pop a couple of these into the bath at night to keep bath-time fun. Don’t forget a few for the journey; if your babe is older you may want to consider activity packs, books, technology etc.
Routine Items for Bed and Bath-time
I know these routines are different for everyone, but don’t forget your repertoire items for bath and bedtime, including tooth-brush and toothpaste, nail-clippers, moisturizer, shampoo, conditioner and soap etc. I decant mine into tiny containers that I store in a bath/bedtime Ziploc. Other routine items for us are essential oils (eucalyptus, lavender and rose) which I put into the bath and onto the cot sheets, and my trusty old iPad which is basically used only for white noise at nap-times and bedtime. If your baby isn’t sitting or stable in the bath, remember to pack a bath cushion or ring to assist. I forgot to pack a non-slip bath mat on our trip to Mauritius but discovered a small hand towel does the trick just fine. I try to get creative with bath-time toys to keep packing to a minimum and find that shells, bowls, plastic cups etc all work just fine; keep interesting little bits you find on the beach and in nature to make bath-time fun and interesting.
I learnt something really interesting during my recent Sleep Sense course with Meg Faure, and was pleased to discover I’d inadvertently been following best-practice when it comes to night lights: no blue light. Blue light (as you’re aware of from research pertaining to screens and their negative impact on sleep) is a melatonin inhibitor and therefore a really bad idea in a baby/toddler’s room where we’re trying to foster sleep. If you insist on leaving a night-light on, make sure the light is a warm tone and not a blue/cool light. About 18 months ago I discovered a set of 3 battery-operated faux candles from MRP Home which I knew would be great for the hospital room at Carter’s arrival. I’m light-sensitive and can’t bear harsh fluorescent lighting and these have been an absolute life-saver since our babe was born. We don’t leave any lights on in his room during the night, but if/when I need to go into the room, all I do is switch one of these candles on for a tiny bit of light to navigate my way around the room, and the glow is a beautiful warm flicker. Our candle has now been around the world with us.
Your Travel System
This one’s a beast and as each family’s needs are so different, I’m not going to dive too deeply. Again, as I’d rather travel on the lighter said, there’s a lot in this category that I’d leave at home, frankly, but if you insist on packing the kitchen sink, then these are the kinds of things to consider/remember:
- *Pram
- *Pram adapters if clipping in a car-seat or bassinet
- Pram accessories like a rain shield or feeding tray
- Sheepskin, ours lives permanently on our pram and I love it for its temperature regulating properties. It also makes for the best, snuggliest pram naps! Ours is from Wombat and Lamb and it has a detachable head-piece to allow for use in a car-seat.
- *Car-seat
- Baby carrier – if you follow me in Instagram you’ll know I’m a massive advocate of baby-wearing and own more carriers than I care to admit. Age and stage will dictate the right one of your travels, but I’m a big fan of the Ergobaby Omni 360 and locally made Ubuntu Baba. If you’re travelling with a smaller babe then a stretchy wrap like the Solly Baby or ring slings from either Pure Linen Slings or Wildling will work magic.
- Baby neck pillow
- Bassinet
- Window shade/shield for the car
- Rear-facing mirror for the car
- Toys/props to ease transit if your babe’s not a car fan
- *Travel nappy-bag and hooks or a carabiner (I’ve got a giant carabiner which I love), mine is from Ree Collective.
- Tech, music, chargers and adapters for any car journeys
- If you’re going to a hot/beachy destinations, you may want to pack a small travel tent for naps and play-time out of the sun
I’ve had a lot of mums reach out to me on Instagram asking what the protocol is with travelling with prams and carseats on airlines. Most airlines allow at least two pieces, and these can be wheeled right up to the door of the plane. At this point the pram and carseat is folded and put into the hold; they’ll be the first items available either on the tarmac or outside the door of the plane upon disembarkation, so don’t panic. I’ve never checked mine in because I find having a pram and car-seat extremely handy in transit, particularly if a nap is needed before take-off. I must be honest I’m terrified of these items not arriving at our destination, which is another major reason why I take mine all the way to the plane; that way I know my bits are travelling with me.
Note to parents shopping for a pram: If you plan on travelling with your baby/toddler, keep pram size and weight in mind when you’re going through the process of shortlisting and buying. Some airlines don’t allow bulky prams through to the gate, and never-mind that, no one wants to travel with a tank. This is one of the major reasons we went for the Valco Snap (3 wheel) system; light, small, folds up into one piece with one manoeuvre, easy on the eye. Not sponsored, by the way. I just really don’t think your pram needs to cost you the earth; save your currency for other things. Like a billion nappies.
If you got to the end of this post, thank you so much for taking the time to read my ramblings and to hear me out. If you have any questions about Mauritius, Attitude Hotels or travelling with a baby, please don’t hesitate to holler. You can ask me by commenting on this post, or pop me a message on Instagram.
Linda
Thanks for sharing