COMMUNITY
MUM in DOHA:
Travelling with a baby
Words by Lynsey Riach
activities and screen time, albeit not too much of course.
Qatar, as wonderful as it is, sure heats up over summer. So when you feel it’s time to pack up and leave for a while, that can itself come with a few headaches when children are involved.
No matter when you decided to travel, it is always beneficial for the whole family to stroll the cabin. This keeps a young baby entertained with all the sights and sounds (not to forget the cooing of other passengers), a toddler will get tired out with all that walking up and down, and a slightly older child will get a suitable break from their seat. Oh, and you get to stretch your legs too.
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f you are reading this piece, you must have been brave enough to stay here that little bit longer to wait out the heat, or you are about to join the thousands of other mums who will leave on a mass exodus with babes in our arms! First up – when to travel. Do you fly overnight or by day? For me, personally, this depends greatly on the age of the child. Whilst a newborn baby can wake every few hours, it really wouldn’t matter if you flew day or night. A toddler, however, will be so tired they should sleep entirely during a night flight, but the problem of course is if they are under the age of two, they are sleeping on you. Nothing like a dead arm after eight hours! Those with children over the age of three are perhaps a little luckier, if I can say that, as these kids can entertain themselves somewhat with some
Hunger is always an issue when travelling. Let’s be honest, those aeroplane meals aren’t always what you long for at 30,000 feet. It’s best to do what we mums do best – prepare! Lots of different colourful and healthy snacks will keep toddlers and children happy. Convenient fruit and meal pouches are handy for a weaning baby.
On board there should be enough to keep your little one entertained with lots of new faces, magazines, curtains, window shades, and even paper cups. My two boys under two have never really been entertained by the toys I have brought for them and there is always the fear of losing a good toy during your travels. So wherever you jet off to this summer, be it home or a holiday, pack, prepare, but most importantly, make memories with your family that you will never forget! Until next time – hug your babies tight and smile at the miracle that is life! (END) n
As for that issue of heating milk, a very handy contraption by Avent allows you to divvy up your formula powder into feeds so you simply twist the bowl and it will dispense into the bottle. Ask a flight attendant to add boiling water and wait awhile until it is the correct temperature for baby. Again, preparation is key! How about the toy count? I go for as little as possible, as frightening as that may sound, but you really want to carry only as much as you need to on board. There’s enough to pile onto us without a baby to add! I like to use a foldable stroller that can be left at the gate and collected upon arrival at your destination.
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