9 Lessons Learned from Baby's First Road Trip

Many things changed after I became a father. Sleep suddenly became as precious as gold. I can’t walk anywhere in my house without toppling over a pile of baby toys. Meals now require multiple cleaning efforts. Every priceless, hand-me-down knick-knack in my house has the potential to harm my kid or get destroyed in an instant. And going anywhere requires so much extra effort.

That last point hits pretty hard, especially as a driving enthusiast who loves to adventure and go on road trips. My friends and family have called me stubborn, determined, and stupid, but I still sought a way to hit the road with my nine-month-old baby on a route that spanned two provinces and several days. The plan was to go from Hamilton, Ont., to Sutton, Que., a roundtrip of about 1,500 kilometres. Without a baby, the one-way route would have taken about seven hours, but plans change dramatically when the little one is involved.

I may be new to parenting, but I’m not negligent (not yet, at least). Not only did I do plenty of reading and preparation (actually, my partner did most of the stressing) for this trip, but I had to learn a lot during the whole process. I’m eager to share my experience and advice on what new parents can do during their first road trip to make it a better trip for everyone.

Overall, there may be a few tips that make no sense, and frankly, they barely make sense to me either – babies can be fussy and unpredictable, but keeping them on a schedule helps keep everyone sane. A tired baby doesn’t just go to sleep later; it gets upset that you have let this happen. A hungry baby doesn’t just whine about it; it becomes hangry and lets you know how you have wronged them during the next feed. And a baby sitting in a dirty diaper wants to do anything but sit still in that pile of stink.

Pre-Trip Notes

No one is alike, especially babies, and my experiences may not apply to you. However, I have a few important pre-trip tips to share. First, make sure you have a properly installed car seat in your vehicle. Not only does it have to be installed correctly, but the harness straps and chest buckle also must be appropriately fastened. Read the child seat's instruction manual closely and triple-check it before you hit the road.

I also advise that you have a child-safe way for your kid to sleep while on your trip. Child seats are rated for sleep while on the go, but only for a maximum of two hours. We also packed a travel crib for our hotel rooms.

The essentials for the trip include:

• Properly installed car seat
• A travel crib
• A stroller
• Diaper change gear (diapers, change pad, diaper cream, wipes)
• Feeding gear (bottles, ready-to-feed formula, baby crackers, puree pouches, bibs, placemats, and baby utensils)
• Baby clothes and pyjamas
• Sun protection (hats and sunscreen)
• Toys and books
• First aid kit
• Baby Tylenol

Lesson 1: Manage Your Trip Expectations

To adhere to a reasonable schedule of naps, feeds, and overnight sleep, we split the trip into a couple of days, with an overnight stop in Kingston where we could get some rest, take in some local sights, and keep to our little one’s schedule.

That’s not the only break we had in mind. At his age, our baby stays awake for about two and a half hours before needing a nap to recharge his adorable batteries. His feeds are spread out by about three hours, so I planned a stop after about two hours of driving to get a feed in and try to get him to take a quick nap.

Fortunately, most of the road trip portion took place on the 401, where there are several rest stops and service stations along the way. Between Toronto and Kingston, there are two or three ONroute stops that we planned to stop at to stretch our legs and let our kid get out his wriggles.

Lesson 2: Make a List, Check it Twice/Three Times/All the Time

A road trip like ours requires multiple stops and stays in different hotels. That means unpacking the baby gear every time you check into new lodging. You also have to repack and load everything back into the car afterwards. Organizing the car and its cargo area is vital or it will turn into the stereotypical teenager's locker. You don’t want to search for something in a mess you can't navigate.

We got around this by making a list on our phone about what needs to be at hand in the car, what's ideal for the diaper bag, and what should be in the overnight bag. For example, items we use to entertain the kid on the go, like stuffies and toys, were usually stashed around the car, while things only needed for sleep time, like sleep sacks and books, were in the overnight bag.
While it was tempting to throw stuff wherever it could fit, it made way more sense to think about when and where I’d be using them and pack according to that.

Also, come up with a list of actions for when the baby gets uncomfortable: diaper, food, sleep. Does the baby need a changed diaper, are they hungry, or getting exhausted? If the baby is still fussy after those checks, maybe they’re getting tired of sitting in the car with nothing to see or do.

Lesson 3: Service Stations Are Friends

Though we planned our stops at the service stations, there were several moments on our road trip when our little one needed a diaper change mere minutes after hitting the highway from a service station stop. I advise you to double back or get to the nearest service station as soon as possible.

For starters, many regular gas stations off the highway may not have a change table in their restrooms, making them useless to parents. In comparison, the big service stations have large, stroller-friendly, family-oriented bathroom stalls that are well-maintained and relatively clean.

Lesson 4: Don’t Rely on Mobile Data for Baby Song Playlists

If you’re like us and have a few playlists on Spotify to help entertain or soothe your kid while on the go, find a way to download them or make them available while offline. There were a few moments during our trip when cell coverage was spotty, and suddenly the So Sleepy playlist I relied on to keep our kid asleep would stop.

Another gadget worth mentioning is a portable white noise machine. Typically, the hum of the tires and wind while driving combines with the rocking motion of the car to help kids fall asleep, but a noise machine acts as a buffer between the noise outside the car and keeps a child asleep despite the changing engine noise and other sounds outside the vehicle. These also become a godsend in the hotel you’re staying at.

Lesson 5: Make Sure Where You’re Staying is Baby-Friendly

Our overnight stay in Kingston was at a self-catered boutique hotel. That sounds fancy, but it was basically a suite in a renovated 200-year-old home. We shouldn’t have expected elevators in such an accommodation, but maybe we should have specified a preference for something on the first floor rather than the third. My arms still ache from hauling all our (mostly our baby’s) stuff up and down the stairs. Our landing spot in Sutton was a bit better in this regard.

Our second hotel in Sutton also had a separate room where we could set up our baby’s crib and put up a baby monitor. However, it lacked an in-room fridge, which made preserving our baby’s food difficult.

Also, consider accessibility. Kingston is an older city, and some buildings lack ramps for a stroller. A baby carrier is a good alternative in these areas.

Lesson 6: High Chairs on the Go

Along our drive, we intended to stop and snack at several places. However, the availability and upkeep of baby high chairs was seriously lacking. Some places offered high chairs that were improperly assembled or broken, which left our baby at risk of sliding out or getting injured.

There are portable chairs that clip to a regular table and allow your little one to join you for meals, even if the establishment lacks the appropriate accommodations. That was on our wish list as soon as we got back home, but I recommend you get one before your trip.

Lesson 7: Learn How to Clean Your Car Seat/Prevent Blowouts

Poop is inevitable. Occasionally, the magical poop properties of a baby means it can escape the confines of a diaper and spill out onto the baby seat. It happened to us, but fortunately, I was well acquainted with disassembling the seat and could wipe it up, clean up any stains, and remove any smells before they became permanent. However, removing the car seat fabric isn’t always an easy process, so be sure to look it up and be prepared to clean up after such a mess.

One option that worked for us was an overnight diaper. These are a bit more absorbent, but the trade-off is they’re less pliable and less comfortable for kids to move around in. Considering a baby is in a car seat for most of the day, the trade-off seems worth it.

Lesson 8: Play and Explore

This tip depends on what kind of road tripper you are. If you’re the type to beeline it to a destination like I am, consider changing tactics when it's baby road trip time.

For starters, the kid is seeing so much for the first time, and there’s only so much car cabin they can handle before getting bored. So slow things down, take them out for a walk, and let them see something new to give them extra experiences to dream about.

We strolled through the Kingston waterfront area and enjoyed fresh bread at the Upper Canada Pioneer Village. I’m not sure what knowledge sticks in a baby’s brain, but maybe one day he’ll remember the Limestone used in Kingston's old buildings or the various fortifications in the city.

Lesson 9: It's a Grind, but it Gets Better

That lesson may be true for almost every first-time baby event. It may be tough at first, but it gets easier as you become better prepared for what to expect and when the baby understands what’s going on around them. By staying calm and organized, taking things slowly, and planning for sticky situations with an upset baby, you can enjoy your road trip, see something new, and give you and your child new experiences to bond over.