407 - Out and About

Dr. Carole Keim explores how to travel with your baby in this episode. What is best for going out and about or abroad with your baby? Dr. Keim starts right from the first trip of your baby’s life - going home from the hospital - and covers everything from safely riding in the car, diaper bag supplies, and longer-term travel necessities. There is a lot out there so Dr. Keim carefully narrows down all the products to highlight the most important items. 

Dr. Keim shares what to look for in a car seat and what your baby should and should not wear under the strap to ensure a secure fit. She covers how to keep an eye on your baby in the back seat, when to use blankets, and what exactly should be packed in a diaper bag to ensure you’re prepared for your baby’s needs while out of the house. She talks about different baby carriers, what to pack in a travel suitcase versus what to leave home and just buy on location, and also touches on travel vaccines. This episode will give parents peace of mind about heading out on adventures with a new baby.

In this episode:

Hospital go-bag: 

• Check out Episode 4|04

For the car: 

• Car seat and base - Doona: https://amzn.to/3CiOlZq | Evenflo (cheaper option, separate car seat and stroller) https://amzn.to/4hunybB
• Stroller 
• Mirror to see baby
• Seat protector (when they are walking) 
• Don’t need: all-in-one car seat, screen for child to look at, car seat cover, blanket, NO puffy jackets in car seats 

Diaper bag: 

• Diapers 
• Cream - Desitin: https://amzn.to/4aqXBat | Aquaphor: https://amzn.to/4hKRekX
• Wipes
• Ziplock bags (gallon size)
• Baby clothes
• Extra shirt for mom
• Burp cloth
• Changing pad / muslin blanket
• Pacifier
• Baby toys / teething toys
• Hand sanitizer
• Snacks
• Sunscreen
• Bandaids
• Change purse / money
• Pen
• Chapstick
• Water bottle

Travel: 

• When it’s safe to travel 
  • Breastfed babies - after the first round of vaccines
  • Formula-fed babies - 6 mos after the primary series is complete and they have flu/covid vaccines 
  • in a car - any age, but remember car seats are not designed for safe sleep so you need to plan very frequent stops
• Clothes: 1.5 outfits per day, socks, sleep sack (kaiya baby)
• Feeding supplies: bottles, silicone bowl with suction back
• Carriers - ring sling, clip carrier, boba wrap, carrier shirt - For mom: https://amzn.to/3EjucCX | For dad: https://amzn.to/3Wv1pBY
• Travel vaccines, closed bottle of liquid medicine (tylenol/ibuprofen), vitamins (infant tri-vitamins, Emergen-C)
• Don’t need: playpen (most hotels have them), high chair, too many consumables like diapers/formula/snacks, toiletries 

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Dr. Keim has extensively researched the information presented in this episode. She is pulling on the knowledge of hundreds of thousands of new parents, other pediatricians, doctor moms, the Academy of Pediatrics, and breaki