Travelling during pregnancy is considered safe during the 2nd trimester and of course, depending upon person to person and circumstances. I was more active during my first pregnancy but didn’t get the chance to travel except alone from Mumbai to Guwahati to my parent`s home for delivery.
During my 2nd pregnancy, my health was not in great condition. We had plans to travel to Bali during my son’s summer vacation,(during my 2nd trimester) but had to drop it as I was not in a position to travel long distances. But we managed to travel to our hometown and a few short trips by road in and around Guwahati. The places we visited are Shillong, Samdrup Jongkhar(in Bhutan) and Chandubi Lake.
Here I have mentioned some essential points to keep in mind when travelling during pregnancy:
1) Listen to your body when travelling during pregnancy.
You only know whether you can travel or not and by which mode of transport. Travel isn’t recommended for those with high-risk pregnancy conditions
2)Wear comfortable shoes and clothes.
Feeling comfortable in your clothes should be your priority. There are many sites and shops available nowadays for maternity wear. Wear comfortable shoes, especially which can be removed easily
3)Take your medicines and food on time.
Don’t try to postpone your mealtime.
4)Keep some snacks and a water bottle with you all the time.
Keeping something to eat like fruits, dry fruits, homemade sandwiches or roti will always come in handy. On one of my trips we had plans to have our lunch at the destination, and reaching the place would take some 1 hour. And I started feeling hungry. Luckily I was carrying a few bananas with me.
5)If you have one more child, it is always preferable to carry a car seat.
If they have the habit of travelling in your lap, explain to them before commencing the journey why you can’t take them in your lap anymore. Invest in a good car seat.
6)Plan ahead.
Always tell your practitioner about your travel plans before booking your tickets. Since I travelled by air both times I asked my doctor to give me in writing that I am fit to travel
7) Take your time.
Don’t rush. It is advisable to leave home early if you need to catch a train or plane as running up is not a good idea and you might need to take little rest in between.
8)If travelling by air, check with the airlines if they have any policies.
9) Move your legs around or take short breaks.
Take a stroll up to the cabin every once in a while of travelling by air. Or short breaks if you are travelling by car.
10) Wear your seat belt all the time.
It is always advisable to wear seatbelts all the time to avoid any kinds of sudden jerks.
Every person’s requirement is different. Please share if there is anything else you want to add.
Our son is 4 years old and our daughter recently turned 6 months. And believe it or not we still have not printed any photos of them. Don’t believe it?? even I can’t believe how come we have not yet printed any photos of them. Blame it on technology or on our laziness or on our hectic lifestyle. There are thousands of photos in our mobile phones and computers but not a printed one.The only printed one our son has is with his school friends clicked at school itself.
Gone are the days when having a camera was a luxury and clicking photo was not an everyday affair. We had to plan in advance like from buying a film, deciding the occasion, at which moment to take pictures and counting the numbers of pictures clicked. And one has to be very careful while taking pictures as one spoiled picture means less numbers of pictures and money wasted. And not to mention how eagerly we would wait for days to see those pictures and I am sure each picture had a story to tell.
Reference Image
With photographs we not only create memories but we also cherish those beautiful moments spent.
While I was deciding to print my children`s photo now, I came across Zoomin app for printing photos. They have a wide variety of products available for self, gifting and home decor. The app is very convenient to place the order and they have awesome layouts for all themes with cool editing options.
I have decided to make a photo-book of our children where, each moment captured will have a story to tell.
A picture tells a thousand words, and with a photo-book you can tell an incredible story. You can give as a gift, treat yourself, or both. The choice is yours.
A photobook from Zoomin is available in Softcover and Hardcover, variants starting with 20 or 32 pages and one can add more photos while customizing. One can choose between Premium Matte or Premium Non-tearable Glossy. One can also customize it using layouts, text and cover options.They are professionally bound with high quality pages. Do try out their app to give a style statement to your photos.
App can be downloaded from Google.
Check out the website here : https://bit.ly/3f0rEZs
I was happy to put up an exhibition of my products. I was elated as I was able to start my work again in whatever little time I had now. Now I don’t have to plan days in advance to go out with my 3-year-old son. Now I get time to watch movies or go for long walks alone. I was happy thinking about the trip with my son to Pondicherry. I had already started planning for our next trip. But then ” Oh Again! Oh Yes wow! No, not now! Oh, I am pregnant again! Thousands of thoughts came to my mind.
My husband and I had thought of 2nd child. I had a hard time trying to conceive the first one. Taking medications, hormones injection, regular visits to the doctor, monthly sonography.. !!It was taking a toll on me. I didn’t want to go through the same process again for the 2nd time. But then this time I easily conceived. It was planned but unexpected I would say.
Having only one child was also fine with us. But the thought of what will happen to our son if/when we are not there? Both my husband and I have siblings. The bond shared between siblings is above friends and parents. My son also started asking for a baby. There are many ifs and buts, pros and cons of having a child or 2nd child. It is everyone’s personal decision.
I have friends and cousins who are happily married for years and don’t have any kids nor do they plan to have any. Some have one child and wish to have another but can’t due to various reasons. This dilemma of having kids or how many or not to have is never-ending.
Having a second baby with a toddler
The arrival of a new member in the family can be a difficult transition for older children if not prepared in advance. Integration of a new baby into the family can create an emotional crisis for children. If you have planned for a 2nd baby or you just discovered that you are going to be parents again, it is better to involve your elder one in your pregnancy journey right from the beginning.
Here are few points which I would love to share that helped me in having a second baby with a toddler:
1) Try to know/ understand what they feel about babies in general.
Ask them would they want someone to play with or share their toys? My son would get excited whenever he sees a baby. He would tell me “mama I want a baby”.This was one great positive factor for us
2) Take them to your doctor’s visit and scans.
I would take him every time with me for all my doctor`s visits and sonography and before going for sonography I used to tell him that today we are going to look at the baby and see what is the baby doing inside( is the baby sleeping, or is the baby dancing or is the baby doing potty). This would make him laugh and curious.
3) Let them talk to your unborn child
I would ask him to talk to the baby. Let him ask questions.
4) Keep telling them that they will become Big brother/Sister of the baby. With that, they will have to change the baby’s diapers, apply cream, make them sleep, etc.
We traveled to 4 countries covering 15+ cities when our son was 22 months old for almost 35 days. Love for travel didn’t stop us from traveling with a toddler. Traveling with kids can be frustrating at times so be prepared for that.
We first visited Dubai en-route Turkey, for 3 days.
Day 1: On the day of arrival we visited: > Dubai Mall > Aquarium and underwater zoo > Dubai fountain
Dubai Mall is one of the largest mall in UAE. Â The Aquarium and underwater zoo is located on the Ground Level of The Dubai Mall, is the largest suspended aquariums in the world.
It houses thousands of aquatic animals, comprising over 140 species.
The Dubai fountain is a choreographed fountain show, next to the Dubai Mall and Burj Khalifa. We saw the evening show. The evening shows starts at 6.00 pm until 12.00 midnight ( shows in every 30 mins). These are kid friendly places and can be easily covered in 4-5 hours.
Day 2: Our friend took us to few important landmarks. Because the weather was hot and we just managed to get down from the car and click some pics. Little one was sleeping inside the car. Evening was spent spending time with friends and relatives.
The other places to visit are: Miracle Garden, Dubai Village, Butterfly Garden. We couldn’t visit those places as we didn’t have time and we wanted to come again when our son is little older, as now he will not remember anything, and it will be him who will enjoy the most.
It is very necessary to carry a stroller if you have a baby or toddler.
Our son suffered from loose motion for 2 days. So don’t forget to carry all the necessary medicines with prescription. Small children may fall sick due to change in weather and new place. Be prepared to face the unexpected and take necessary remedies/ precautions for the same.
My husband and I love to travel on any given day. After travelling to different places in India and the US between Nov to Feb(4 months) including visits to our native places in Assam (including some solo trips ), it was time to take a rest.
And within a month I conceived. I guess travelling helped my mind and body to relax, as we’re trying hard for the last year for a baby, followed by a miscarriage.
My pregnancy went smoothly and we had a lovely baby boy. Life became a roller-coaster ride for us. But the travel bug was crawling inside me and pinching me from time to time. Travel bug doesn’t come and go, it resides permanently inside you.
I desperately needed a break from the daily routine. Oops did I say daily routine? The daily routine doesn’t change whether you are home or on a vacation when you have a baby.
Our son was approaching his 1st birthday, and 10 days after that we had to leave for our native place in Assam. Before going home, we took a short 3 Days Trip to Goa with our 1-Year-Old.
One week before our trip, I introduced my son to formula milk (he didn’t have outside milk before). So in public places, I don’t have to cover him or look for a secluded place to breastfeed him.
I even made a checklist of items like his daily essentials and food items to carry for this 3 Days Trip to Goa with a 1-Year-Old. This helped me with what to pack and when to feed him what.
What to pack for 3 Days Trip to Goa with a 1-Year-Old? Below is the list of items to pack for a short trip:
1. Diapers and Changing Mat:
I guess it is the first things that come to our mind while packing a baby`s bag are diapers and a changing mat. Take only the required number of diapers or carry a few and buy the rest at the destination as disposable diapers are easily available. And if you only use cloth diapers then I would suggest taking flats and diaper covers as they are easier to wash and dries real fast. Travelling with cloth diapers is not at all messy. All you need is little planning and patience.
Do remember to give some diaper-free time to your child, it can be early in the morning after the child wakes up and after reaching your hotel/resort. Training/Potty pants and nappy are best.
2. Diaper Bag:
Choose a backpack instead of a shoulder or sling bag as a backpack will keep your hands free. You can use your regular backpack instead of a separate bag for the baby.
3. Extra sets of clothes:
Always carry 2-3 extra sets of clothes when you travel with babies
4. Sunscreen:
Don’t forget to apply sunscreen before you step out in Goa. The one from Mother Sprash is my personal favourite.
Sunscreen for Kids
5. Toys and Board Books:
Keep 2-3 small toys to keep them engaged for some time like during a train/flight journey or while waiting for your food at the restaurant or at the hotel. Small board books or flipflop have been very helpful to me.
Board Books
6. Snacks:
Carry a few snacks with you like Cookies, makhana, fruits, and cake that can be made at home. If that is not possible here are a few options:
Take 2-3 bottles if your baby is on formula milk only or takes bottle feed 2-3 times a day. Wash and Sterilize them once you are back at the hotel
9. Electric Kettle:
All hotels and Resorts usually have an Electric Kettle but do check with them before leaving as you may need them to make baby food or milk or even to sterilize baby`s utensils.
10. Thermoflask:
For keeping water for making formula milk or food.
11. Medicines:
Do carry all the medicines along with the doctor’s prescription, because you just never know when you will need them.
12. Toiletries:
Carry your regular toiletries like soap, and shampoo detergents in small bottles instead of those full-size bottles. Comb and face cream.
13. Baby Carrier/Stroller:
Do carry a kangaroo bag cum adjustable baby carrier. The baby is not only comfortable in that but will be very helpful when the baby is sleeping and you are out exploring places or riding a bike or car. A stroller will be helpful at airports or hotels. You cannot take a stroller to the beach, so check if you require them. We didn’t take them as it is difficult to move around in India as the tourist places are always crowded.
Baby Carrier
14. Wipes:
Wipes not only clean your baby`s bum but for cleaning their little hands or face also. You can make your own wipes. Just carry a few small cotton clothes or old leftover cotton fabric or bamboo sheets with the solution. Check this video on how to make Wipes Solution.
15. Shoes/Slippers:
Carry their shoes/slippers/crocs. Don’t take any new shoes or make them wear them a few times as they might not want to wear them or may get shoe bites.
I tried to maintain his schedule, which includes his meal time and nap time.
One day of our journey the flight was scheduled to depart at 4.30 in the evening from Mumbai airport. Our son got up at his usual time in the morning, had breakfast, played for some time, took a bath, and went to sleep. While he was sleeping we had our lunch, washed the utensils, got ready and everything was done. In the meantime, he also got up, dressed him, breastfeed-ed him and we were ready to leave for the airport.
After checking in he had a banana. At this age, they need to eat something at a gap of 2-3 hours. We still had time for boarding. Before boarding the flight I prepared his formula milk which he had during takeoff. And he slept and got up just before we landed.
With his father at the beach
Things to do in Goa with kids: 3 Days Trip to Goa with a 1-Year-Old.
As goa is famous for its beaches it is worth spending a whole day by the sea. Bring in some toys for the kids to play in the sand, while you relax with your favourite drink.
Other than that there are things that can be enjoyed both by kids and adults:
1)Dolphin Show:
Go for a Dolphin tour at Baga beach or at Candolim Beach as both Kids and adults are gonna love this trip. At Candolim beach, an hour-long tour on the boat to witness the stunning dolphins is one of the best activities to do in Goa.
Dolphin show
2) Aguada and Chapora Fort:
Both the forts have a long and fascinating history attached to them and both offers beautiful views of the sea. With open spaces, they are ideal for visiting with kids.
3) Basilica of Bom Jesus:
Basilica of Bom Jesus is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Goa. The mummified body of St. Francis Xavier that remains encased in a silver casket is the key highlight of this church.
4) Mandovi River Cruise:
Enjoy the beautiful surrounding and scenic views of the sunset while cruising the river Mandovi. The cruise lasts for 1 hour and is accompanied by Music, Dance, Live Dj and cultural activities.
5) Water Sports:
For older kids (Above 10-12 years) and adults there are plenty of water sports like paragliding, parasailing, water bike etc that one can enjoy.
Water Sports in Goa
6) Flea Market:
Anjuna Flea Market on Wednesday and Saturday Night Market in Arpora are two markets that one must visit if you are in Goa. From jewellery to local handicrafts, and clothes these places are shoppers’ paradise. Don’t forget to carry a baby carrier if you are taking babies or younger kids as walking around here can be tiring for them.
7) Carnival:
Preparations for the carnival celebrations begin early on in December and are usually celebrated during the months of either February or March before the onset of Lent. People of all age groups can enjoy this festival. It includes revellers wearing masks and costumes usually, dancing troupes, electrifying music which is generally performed live, great food and drinking.
Goa Carnival
Where to stay in Goa?
From budget travellers to luxury ones Goa has very good options to choose from. But with kids, I would prefer a place that offers safety, hygiene, spaciousness and close proximity to the beach. Here are some options that you can check:
The bus is another option if you are travelling from Mumbai or Bangalore.
That is how we spent 3 days in Goa with a 1-year-old baby and we had a nice time together, though most of the time my concern was, whether he is enjoying it or not, whether is he hungry or sleepy.
What I understood from this trip at this age is that we need to maintain his meal and nap time, so that they don’t become cranky and we all have a memorable vacation.
Going out with your toddler for a full day or half day also requires planning and packing your bag accordingly. Keeping a checklist of items on what to pack will make packing hassle-free. I prefer to pack my bag a day earlier or the first thing in the morning, to avoid the last-minute rush. Kids’ packing list differs from person to person. A packing list for the day might be different from one for a road trip or when travelling by flight or train. But there are a few things which you will always require no matter where you go.
2 things to keep in mind before packing kids’ bags are:
1. The Destination:
If you have not been to the place do try to find out about the place. Are you going to a friend’s or relative’s place or for a fun outing, to attend some event, going out shopping, or going to the beach? One needs to pack your kid’s bag accordingly.
2. The Bag:
What type of bag to carry? A large tote bag, diaper bag, or two separate bags, one for your toddler and one for yourself. I prefer to carry one large bag which will fit everything, instead of two separate bags. Have a look at Tote bags: tote bags and diaper bag
Diaper Bag
Kids packing list: Checklist of items to carry
1. Clothes:
Always carry an extra set of clothes keeping in mind the weather conditions and the destination. 2-3 hand towels or cloth- napkins/paper napkins or wet- wipes. Buy wipes here: wipes
2. Water:
I always prefer to carry water from home. I found this leak-proof water bottle very handy. This insulated water bottle can be used to store hot/ warm water and it will be very useful during winters.
Insulated Water Bottle
3. Food:
Even if your child is big enough to eat outside food, do carry some snacks with you because you never know when they will feel hungry or in case they refuse to have the food served at the venue. Snacks like protein biscuits, dry fruits, cakes can be easily carried in a small container with lids. And they easily fit into your bags also. Have a look at containers with lid: Tupperware Tropical Plastic Container Set, 230ml, Set of 2, Multicolour
4. Diapers:
Carry a few diapers if your little one is still using one. My son was well potty trained by 18 months, so I didn’t carry any diapers. I made him eat papaya in the morning and he cleared his bowel very leaving the house( I was so relaxed). One can even carry this portable baby child potty urinal emergency toilet. This will fit into a large tote bag.
5. Toys:
Carry one or two small toys in case they get bored or you are stuck in traffic.
Other Essentials to include in kid`s packing list
These are some other essentials that you might require: Face Cream, Mosquito repellent, Umbrella, Hand sanitizer, Mask and Trash bag
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