Babies and Road Trips

[MsVyky]

We're going on a road trip in 3 weeks, about 1200km each way, from Edmonton to Victoria, BC. It;s about 12 hours to Vancouver, then about 3 hours total for ferry crossing. How do you keep your baby occupied and calm for long trips in the car? Lyra is hit and miss- sometimes she enjoys the car, sometimes she falls straight asleep and other times she screams bloody murder until she falls asleep exhausted.

What kinds of activities would you do for a babe this age? (she'll be 9 months to the day)

[jillmamma]

A bunch of cloth books are good...that way when she gets bored with one and tosses it, you can give her another one. Soft toys that you dangle from the top of the carseat or the headrest behind her. Different types of music you can play. Sleep. Frequent stops to change diapers, nurse, and crawl around.

[elmh23]

Can you or your partner sit back there with her? If so, bring lost of books and soft toys for her to play with. Drive as much as possible at night or early morning! We go on trips to CO several times a year (we're in Albuquerque, NM.) We always leave at 4am. This way, we can get 3hrs in with the kids sleeping before stopping in Raton, NM (on the CO border) for a McDonalds breakfast. Works out great for all of us (though Daddy always needs a nap later that day.)

[MsVyky]

Hmmm. I hadn't thought to leave at that time. We were planning on leaving in the afternoon when DH got home from work, driving straight through (with as many quick stops as necessary) to Vancouver, overnighting/sleeping there, spending the day, then taking 2nd last ferry out (lesson previously learned to never wait for the last one, it's often full, then you're SOL)

it does make sense to do it that way. I have pretty bad night vision, though. That might be scary....

[Pookietooth]

You're so lucky your kids will sleep that long in the car! My baby will only sleep about 20-30 minutes in the car.

[lovepiggie]

First - I am from Edmonton too! Hello!

Second - I agree with the pp who suggested going at night. If DD sleeps, it willmake things so much easier! We go on short road trips fairly often... Fun interactive CDs are good, plus new toys DD has never seen before. Good luck !

I just thought to add - when does your DH get off work? And when is DD's bedtime? If she's asleep by 8 most nights, you could probably go around 7, and get at least 3 hours in... I also wouldn't recommend driving through the mountains at night!

[elmh23]

Originally Posted by MsVyky

it does make sense to do it that way. I have pretty bad night vision, though. That might be scary....

I do too, that's why my dh always drives at night. I'll take the stretch from Trinidad, CO to Pueblo, CO IF I drive at all. Most of the time, I'm in charge of feeding and entertaining and he's in charge of driving. Works well for us.

Pookietooth, they normally do not sleep that well in the car, but they are so exhausted at 4am, they can't help it. The last time we went on a trip, my 5-year-old stayed awake for about 2 hrs, then took a 30 minute nap. She was so tired that she just looked at the stars and sunrise the entire time.

[hakeber]

Three words: portable DVD player.



I don't know if that would work for a 9 mo old, buty my mom got us one when DS was almost 2 and it was a really great source of entertainment when we drove from Buenos Aires, Argentina down to Upper Patagonia and back that summer (took about three and half weeks.). It plugs into the cigarette lighter.

Also we calculate an extra half hour for every two hours of driving for stops to move about and feed and change.

We did a trip with him at 9 months as well, but only 9 hours driving. We had lots of good music to play, and a cooler full of snacks and juice and we stopped once for nursing and a change.

We also kept him up a bit later the night before and then left at 6 am because our little guy usually slept until 9 am anyway, so that way we got a good 4 or 5 hours out of him before we needed to stop. My DH has night blindness as well so we can never really drive much past dusk or before dawn.

[MsVyky]

Originally Posted by hakeber

Three words: portable DVD player.



I don't know if that would work for a 9 mo old, buty my mom got us one when DS was almost 2 and it was a really great source of entertainment when we drove from Buenos Aires, Argentina down to Upper Patagonia and back that summer (took about three and half weeks.). It plugs into the cigarette lighter.

THAT is an impressive road trip!

DD stares at the TV when it's on, so it might be worth trying.

[hakeber]

Originally Posted by MsVyky

THAT is an impressive road trip!

DD stares at the TV when it's on, so it might be worth trying.

You could always get those Baby Einstein videos that show pictures and "brain building" images while playing soothing classical music. I don't think they actually help, but they can't really hurt, can they.

@ 9 mo, My ds loved Beastie Boys CDs and Disco...Gloria was a BIG hit! When he graduated to movies his DVDs were mostly Backyardigans and Nemo...I swear he watched Finding Nemo 100 times in the year between 2 and 3 yo.

[MsVyky]

DD loves Mercyful Fate/King Diamond, LOL

whenever DH puts it on, she flaps her arms, kicks her legs and starts babbling

[Katsmamajama]

I just finished up a 10-hour road trip from Ohio with the DD's to go see my DH in Virginia. Having DD1 (she's 10) sit beside DD2 (7 months) was a huge help-- it gave her someone to babble at, and DD1 is content to make faces at her sister. Although, truthfully, DD2 slept a majority of the trip. Plus side, she didn't scream the whole way-- but when we made it to DH's hotel room just before midnight, she was wide awake and ready to party, when all we wanted to do is pass out! :P

I also bought some new toys that she hadn't seen before, for on the drive home. That kept her occupied as well.

Good luck!

[MsVyky]

Okay, so quick recap:
*DVD Player- How can I rig this so she can see it? She's in a RF Radian and we have a wagon, so there's no ledge to put it on.
*board books
*A magazine for her to rip up. She LOVES ripping up paper. I'll deal with the mess at pit stops
*night driving
*new toys
*sitting in the back (I can nurse while she's strapped in)



And we've finalized the route. DH is done work at 4. He'll be home by 4:15. I'll pack the car while he's working, and we can have a quick dinner and get moving. We're driving to Mount Robson Park. Google tells me this is 5.5 hours of driving. Perfect! We'll stop in Hinton (about 3 hours in) for nursing, diaper change, leg stretching, bathroom break, etc.

Saturday morning, up nice and early, drive from Mt. Robson to Salmon Arm (I laugh every time at the audacity of a city called salmon arm). It's a 6 hour drive, so stop halfway through. We spend the day and night in Salmon arm, since the timig is right- My dad's side of the family is having a reunion.

Leave Sunday morning, Drive to Vancouver, 5.5 hour, with a stop in Hope, about 3 hours aways. We are spending the evening in Vancouver with friends and taking the last ferry out to Victoria Sunday night. You can get up and walk around in the ferry so that's no big. It;s actually pretty good- no more than 3 hours driving at a time and if we don't NEED to stop, we can always go straight through if she's sleeping.