re: XXX

Quoting B-Baby:" I plan on BF for as long as I can, would you recommend maybe pumping and taking pre made bottles so i could do feedings in the car??? "

If your LO is only a couple weeks old and you have the time to stop, I would recommend just nursing. Pumping too soon can mess with your supply and possibly cause nipple confusion. On the other hand, if you've already started pumping and/or you feel your supply is established (usually between 4-6 weeks), I would bring a couples bottles of milk and a pump. That was my plan on the trip, but my manual pump broke.   I started pumping early since I had to go back to work at 7 weeks and wanted DD to get used to taking a bottle. It definitely saves time to just give pumped breast milk. You can pump in the car on the way, if you need to.  

8 months on a plane ride to Wisconsin, 26 months on a car ride to RI and then just last summer we went back to Wisconsin.

Quoting Nicola =):" You will want to stop to feed baby because you will need to burp LO. That's why it took us 3 extra hours. lol"

Good point! Although (at least for DD), bottles took less time since she like to comfort nurse. She could drink a bottle pretty fast, but once she got the boob, it would turn into a 30+ minute nursing session.  

Oh man...This means I have to think.

Okay, Charlie's first trip was when he was a month old...we brought him down to see my parents. That was about a 6 hour car ride, and he did pretty good, from my memory.

We didn't travel with Brooks and Emma until they were 6 months old, (Because there were two of them) and that was to go to a friend's wedding, and then to my parents place. Again, 6 hour car ride. That was a pain in my ass...We didn't travel again with them until they were a year old.

With Pippa, we drove to my parents when she was 8 weeks old, and then had flown to Seattle when she was a year old. All I can say is that travelling with 4 kids on an airplane is not the most fun experience in the world. But she did pretty well.

The thing that we didn't know at the time was that kids are easier to travel with when they're younger...I mean, you have to stop to feed them and everything, but they aren't as mobile. As soon as they get mobile, they're way harder to travel with.

Quoting ♥Rach♥:" Good point! Although (at least for DD), bottles took less time since she like to comfort nurse. She ... [snip!] ... nurse. She could drink a bottle pretty fast, but once she got the boob, it would turn into a 30+ minute nursing session.  "

Lol, we use formula since my milk never came in. But on our first trip my first thought was to feed in the car it will be easy! Then I realized I wouldn't be able to burp him so it wouldn't work.

But the motion of the car did help him sleep longer between feedings then when we were at home. But early on they sleep so much that once you feed LO should go right back to sleep.

Quoting Nicola =):" Lol, we use formula since my milk never came in. But on our first trip my first thought was to feed ... [snip!] ... feedings then when we were at home. But early on they sleep so much that once you feed LO should go right back to sleep."

The motion of the car was super helpful! It's a lot easier when they just sleep the whole way. We took the same trip last summer when DD was 13 months, and it was quite a bit more difficult! lol. She still did pretty well, though. We also flew with her at 6 months, 15 months, and 18 months...all of which were more difficult than the first trip.  

Our first family trip, our middle was 3 months/old was 16 months. This time, oldest will be 5 1/2, middle will be 4 1/2 and baby will be 10 months. We're going from Ohio to Florida (same as before) and we leave at night so most of the driving is done with them asleep.

Quoting ♥Rach♥:" If your LO is only a couple weeks old and you have the time to stop, I would recommend just nursing. ... [snip!] ... a bottle. It definitely saves time to just give pumped breast milk. You can pump in the car on the way, if you need to.  "

I'll have to go back at 6 weeks OR sooner if i get a new job like I plan....  

that would be a great idea IF my brother don't go hahaha that may be a little awkward for all 3 of us lol

Quoting Blue Song:" Oh man...This means I have to think. Okay, Charlie's first trip was when he was a month old...we brought ... [snip!] ... to stop to feed them and everything, but they aren't as mobile. As soon as they get mobile, they're way harder to travel with."

yeah that makes since..

&& btw i LOVE the name Pippa its adorable!

Quoting Nicola =):" Lol, we use formula since my milk never came in. But on our first trip my first thought was to feed ... [snip!] ... feedings then when we were at home. But early on they sleep so much that once you feed LO should go right back to sleep."

that what I was thinking till you mentioned the whole burping thing lol

Quoting B-Baby:" yeah that makes since.. && btw i LOVE the name Pippa its adorable! "

It's much easier. Totally recommend it.

Thank you!  

Quoting ~Mommyof3girls~:" Our first family trip, our middle was 3 months/old was 16 months. This time, oldest will be 5 1/2, middle ... [snip!] ... We're going from Ohio to Florida (same as before) and we leave at night so most of the driving is done with them asleep."

I work at a resort and I have found alot of families do that!

First "trip" away from home was to my mom's at around 5 weeks old. Next weekend we're going on a mini-vacation to upstate - he'll be 8 months old. When he's a year old, we'll be in Poland for 3 weeks. That will be the biggest trip of MY life and I'm 23 years old lol.

I moved from OK to TX by myself when my youngest was 5 weeks and my oldest was 19 months. Lets just say a 7.5 hr trip turned into a good 12 hrs lol. Over all it wasn't bad AT ALL, they would get fussy here in there but it was mainly the feeding stops that took forever. I'm sure someone has already said this but if at all possible have majority of your driving time at night...but with a NB probably won't matter the car will more than likely lull LO to sleep.

Quoting B-Baby:" I'll have to go back at 6 weeks OR sooner if i get a new job like I plan....   that would be a great idea IF my brother don't go hahaha that may be a little awkward for all 3 of us lol "

Hahaha, yeah. You could try with a nursing cover, but it might still be weird. I just had DH, my parents, and my grandma in the car.

If you're going back at 6 weeks, then I would start pumping 2-3 weeks before you plan to return. Nurse on demand until then so you can establish your supply. The transition back to work is rough, but doable. I managed to pump until DD's first birthday and I'm still nursing her at almost 21 months.   Kind of off topic, but if you have any pumping while working questions, let me know.