Unless you’re able to walk and take public transport everywhere, your baby will likely need to go on many car journeys. In fact, most babies experience their first car journey hours after being born. If it’s your car and you’re the one driving, it could be important to know a few tips both for your convenience and for your baby’s safety. Below are just a few useful tips for driving with a baby.
Choose the right car seat – and know how to install it properly
Before your baby arrives, you must have a car seat. In fact, many hospitals won’t allow you to check out unless you have one. This car seat needs to be appropriate for newborns and needs to meet modern safety standards. Be careful when purchasing an old used car seat – make sure that it is not too worn and that it has not exceeded its expiration date.
Infant car seats should be placed on one of the back seats with your baby facing the rear of the vehicle. You should not position your little one facing forwards until they are at least 2 years old. Car seats will use one of two installation methods – the LATCH method or a seatbelt. Both can be a little fiddly and typically require some practice before going on your first car journey with your baby. The important part is making sure that the seat is secure so that there is no movement. Many parents end up installing their child’s car seat incorrectly, which can result in it being unsafe in a crash. Check out this guide to car seat installation to help learn exactly how to install your child’s seat. Practise installing it until you perfect it.
Pack a travel bag
When going on any car journey with your baby, no matter how short, it’s worth packing a travel bag. You never know when you could break down and be in need of some baby essentials.
What essentials should you pack in this bag? A few handy items could include:
- Diapers
- Wipes
- Muslin cloths
- Nursing pads
- Change of clothes
- Diaper rash cream
- Hand sanitizer
- Baby bottles
- Formula milk
- Pacifiers
Get into a habit of taking this bag with you every time you go in the car with your baby.
Keep some spare essentials in the car
In case you run out of certain essentials, you could also consider packing some spares in the car. This could include a spare pack of wipes for cleaning up any mess, a couple diapers or some hand sanitizer. You could keep these in the glovebox.
Avoid giving them food or loose toys
You should be careful about giving babies food or loose toys if there’s no one else in the back of the car to monitor your little one. There’s always a risk that your baby could choke on a loose toy or piece of food and you may not notice until it’s too late because you’ll be driving.
Feed your baby before getting in the car. If they’re old enough to bottle feed themselves, you may be able to allow them a bottle, as they’re no real risk of choking on milk or water. When it comes to toys, consider toys that you’re able to tie to the car seat without any loose parts. This could include rattles and spiral hanging toys.
Break up long journeys
If you’re travelling with your baby and going on a long car journey, you may want to consider breaking up the journey so that you’re stopping every hour (or at least every two hours).
Healthcare professionals state that a baby should not be left in a car seat for more than two hours at a time. This is because it can put a strain on your baby’s spine. Stopping regularly also allows you to check if your baby’s diaper is dirty and that they are not too hot.
Most babies will fall asleep on long car journeys. While it can be tempting to let a baby nap for several hours so that you get some peace and get to your destination faster, you should still plan stops and wake up your baby after two hours of driving to check their diaper and reduce strain on their spine.
Don’t overrely on car rides to get your baby to sleep
Some parents can struggle to soothe their infant and get them to sleep. Car journeys can often be an effective way of soothing babies due to the motion, and so many parents end up relying on car journeys as a last resort. While there’s no damage done by doing this, you shouldn’t get them too used to this – otherwise car journeys could end up becoming a part of their bedtime routine. Only take your baby for a car ride to settle them if nothing else is working.
Avoid driving when exhausted
As a new parent, you may deal with many sleepless nights. Be careful of getting behind a wheel when you’re exhausted as it could negatively impact your ability to concentrate on the road and react to hazards. This is particularly important when it comes to long car journeys.
If you get into any type of accident the police may need to be called in. This could mean that you will come under scrutiny. You may even need an attorney that deals with car accidents or license fraud if it is believed you submitted false information for your driver’s license. The bottom line is that accidents can open you up to a lot of legal problems so don’t drive when exhausted as it makes you accident-prone.
Know when to upgrade your car
You don’t need to get a giant car when becoming a parent. However, you don’t want your car to be too small either. Having enough storage space in your trunk for a pram and shopping could be necessary. You also need to make sure there is enough passenger space to place a car seat. A four door car could be more convenient than a coupe as it will be easier to access, but may not always be necessary. If you’re trying to save money as a new parent, fuel economy could be worth prioritising when choosing a new car. Finally, make sure that the car is safe. If the car has worrying faults that you’ve been ignoring, it could be time to get them fixed or replace your car – you probably shouldn’t be driving such a vehicle anyway, but now you have kids the risks are even greater.
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