I grew up with travel and vacation as part of our family's annual (sometimes more than once) traditions. I am fortunate enough to have parents, especially a mother, who loves to travel. And to this very day, with their grandkids, we continue the tradition. And this time, it was MY first time to travel with my own child. Being a self-declared OC, I was set to prepare well for the travel. We were traveling out of the country for 6 days and 5 nights.
Here are 10 things I did that helped make my first time experience memorable, fun, and manageable:
2. Consider the weather. It was quite warm in Malaysia, which was where we went, by the way. I find that it was a good thing, since I only needed to pack light clothing. I had to choose what my son and I would wear, considering the extra clothes needed in case of accidents and unexpected situations.
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| Wearing light clothes for the warm weather |
3. Research availability and affordability of things. I had to think about bringing disposable diapers or buying from there. Good thing the brand we use, which is Drypers, was available and cheaper in Malaysia. I packed a small pack just in case and then bought a bigger pack from Malaysia.
My son doesn't like eating spicy food, which was the more easily available there, so we decided to bring bottled/packed food and snacks just in case. Healthy Options provide healthy food that's quite convenient to bring around. A little expensive but saves a lot energy and effort. And my son actually likes to eat them.
I tried looking for yogurt, like the ones here in Manila, and it wasn't easily available. I only found them in big groceries. This is something I feed my toddler that's convenient, affordable, and healthy. I got the Nestle Yogurt Strawberry and Mixed Berries and Acai flavors. The price is pretty much the same. But the one in Malaysia is more user-friendly, it comes with a foldable plastic spoon and a lid. I think the one in Malaysia is creamier also.
As for shopping, my habit was to keep converting. Some people say stop converting and just buy. I say, consider your budget first. And we did buy some stuff, mostly food and lipstick for me, which were really cheaper there.
4. Capture the moments. Okay. This is like cliche. But guess what, sometimes we forget, due to various reasons, the kids start having tantrums, the camera's in the innermost part of the bag, weather's too hot, etc. But when we remember to pose for a photo, we do! There are so many things to capture during these times, from magnificent views, to amazing tourist spots, to what you had for lunch, to your companions priceless reactions. And it will help when you want to reminisce.
5. Agree on responsibilities or tasks with hubby. I would keep the passports and boarding passes. My hubby would carry the baby bag. I would bathe our son, he would dress him. I carry my son mostly, but when he gets too hyper or I feel tired, my hubby gets him from me. I carry him mostly, because I breastfeed him. I sit with the kiddo, he gets our food, or vice versa. And the list goes on.
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| Hubby carries the little boy and I carry our backpack |
6. Speaking of breastfeeding, if you can, breastfeed. I find it very convenient. You do not have to prepare or bring a lot. Although, I had to consider the culture of Malaysia. If there was a nursery/breastfeeding room, I would go and feed there. But I would take advantage of the place. I change my son's diapers and I rest. When I cannot find the nursery room, I use my nursing cover. And at the end of the day, when you're tired from a day of touring, it's convenient to just feed your child immediately in the middle of the night.
7. Using the totseat (it's like a portable chair strap for babies) and Bitybean (a baby carrier), is so helpful. Not all restaurants have high chairs, or you're not really sure how they clean it. So the totseat allows us to seat/strap our son without the hassle of us trying to keep him seated. As for the Bitybean, my forever reliable carrier, it helps me achieve many things, get the baby to sleep, and I do not feel as tired as when I do not use a carrier. (Read about my baby-wearing experiences here.)
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| Walking to Kuala Lumpur City Center: baby-wearing a sleeping tot |
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| Noah using the totseat during one of our meals |
8. Ask help from companions. I'm blessed with a family who adores my child the way I adore my siblings' children. They volunteer to carry, watch over him, dress him, and play with him when my husband and I cannot, or will not. Haha.
9. Research. Aside from looking for a list of things to pack or breastfeeding stations, I did the itinerary of our trip: places, food that you have to try, churches for Sunday mass, etc. We didn't completely follow it, but at least we had ideas on where to go or what to do. Since we had toddlers/preschoolers with us, I knew I had to look for places that were more or less good for these children. And well, I guess, in more ways, the itinerary helped. But I think because there were too many things to do and places to go, we only did an ocular and maybe should come back to really go and try everything. Haha.
10. Pray. Stay connected with God. Offer the trip. Offer the day. Ask for His blessing. We were blessed to get the chance to go to confession before the anticipated mass. Connecting to God was important, I needed the grace. It kept me more patient (and I fail a lot in this, that's why I needed to pray more) and more flexible. I think it allowed our family to be more accepting and forgiving of the unpleasant things that came with the trip.
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| Attended anticipated mass at St. John's Cathedral, the confession box was near us allowing us to go to confession |
10 simple things. If I have not done my assignment, the journey wouldn't have been as pleasant and unforgettable...
Next stop?
