Ciara Whelan is a first-time mama and proud owner of one baby girl and her dada, five cats and fifteen pairs of Converse. She is a keen tea drinker, though it has been nearly eleven months since she got to finish a full cup. When Ciara isn’t playing peek-a-boo or singing Twinkle twinkle little star, she makes her bread and butter producing TV commercials and TV programmes, the latest of which she also presents alongside her partner Jon Slattery for TV3. The Holiday Show currently airs every Wednesday at 8pm.
Baby Daddy and I love to travel. We do it for fun. We even do it for a living. It was inevitable, that six weeks into parenthood we found ourselves the proud owners of an utterly adorable total detester of the car. Cue the screaming.
By the time she was twelve weeks old, Baby Bo had tried everything to try and fling herself out of her car seat, while we tried to strap her in, but she had also travelled to more counties in Ireland than I can count. At the grand old age of ten months, that has now doubled. Here are some of our top tips for bringing you’re willing, and not-so-willing, baby on a road trip.
1 Keep calm and road trip on
Having a baby shouldn’t stop your feet from itching. Jump in the car as early as you can and make the most of those first few sleep-deprived weeks when you’re too tired to worry or stress. We had places to go, people to see and an Easter dinner in Galway to eat, so hopped in the car and hoped for the best. The earlier you travel with a baby, the more they’ll get used to it. And the more you’ll get used to it too.
2 Safety first
It is SO important to make sure you have the right car seat for your baby. According to the experts, a huge percentage of seats are incorrectly fitted, with one in ten being completely incompatible with the car. A car seat should be fitted by an expert when you buy it. If you’re not happy, the Road Safety Authority is a brilliant resource with ‘Check It Fits’ Roadshow events all over the country. Remember too, small babies should only be kept in their car seat for up to an hour and a half at a time. After that, it’s pit-stop time for everyone to stretch their legs and lungs, even if it’s only for a minute – literally. Don’t get me started on the over-use of car seats as buggies. Leave the car seats in the car, Mamas.
3 Booty haul
Open our boot, and you just don’t know what you might find. Adding to our Breakdown and First Aid kits, we now have some baby essentials – heavy blanket, coat, hat, nappies, wipes, water and snacks. These are the emergency rations, on top of what we already have in the nappy bag and suitcases. To be sure, to be sure.
4 And they’re off…
Please see Point 1 – just travel. Just jump in the car. Just go. Eh, but only at naptime. Who in their right mind would begin a long car journey with a screaming baby who has no intention of sleeping? Not me. Try to base your travel itinerary loosely on baby’s existing schedule. The great thing about Ireland is it’s small. Even the longest journey will benefit from an hour’s nap. If you’re planning an eight-hour mammoth trip from Malin to Mizen Head though, I’d just go for it, overnight, and leave at bedtime.
4 Comfy clothes
For as long as I can remember, I’ve worn ‘travel pants’ whenever I’ve been on the road. You know, the big comfy tracksuit bottom type. The term may also refer to my ‘pants pants’ but there’s no need to tell the boys about that one. For Baba, I keep it simple too. Bo travels in a baby grow, one with all the buttons on the front. On the rare occasion I think I may actually get her from bed-to-car-seat or vice versa, I’ll make sure she’s wearing a travel gro bag that has openings for a five-point harness. Really handy.
5 Basket case
It’s a good idea to have a small box or basket close to hand in the car, with all the things you need. Top of the list? Baby wipes. No road trip would be complete without them. While you’re at it, throw a spare packet into the glove box. We also have a nappy, nappy sacks, snacks, water and a few small but crucial toys. Never, ever feed a baby in a car seat and remember that in a crash, the cutest toy can become a weapon. Keep them small and soft and as well as the favourites (Sophie Le Giraffe and Bright Starts Elephant Mirror) add one or two new toys into the mix for the novelty factor – toy TV remote control, 80c from Tesco = hour an hour of silence = priceless.
6 Have fun
Whether ‘bubs’ is six weeks or sixteen months, a sleeper or a screamer, the best advice I can give is to have fun. If you can, sit in the back of the car with Baba. Relearn those nursery rhymes and sing them loud. Turn up the radio and dance. Laugh. Because before you know it, the six month old will be a six year old looking out of their car seat, but one hopefully who will see each car trip, as you do, a big adventure.
Watch Ciara and John on the The Holiday show on TV3 every Wednesday night at 8pm.
