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As summer approaches, you may be thinking about your family vacation. If you are driving to your vacation spot and breastfeeding your child, there are a few things to keep in mind. As with any change in your regular nursing routine, careful planning can prevent problems.
Once you've decided where you will be going, it is time to get out the map. Older children will be especially interested in planning a route, so remind them that frequent stops will be needed when planning the drive. There are a few things to consider when bringing along a nursling.
Take your baby's comfort into consideration first. Write down each nursing session you and your baby have for the next week. See if you can find a pattern and then plan your drive accordingly. If your baby nurses every hour towards the middle of the day, plan to take a few hours during your day time drive to stop and keep that pattern. Parks and recreation areas are great for picnic lunches and hiking for the older kids. Try to find a spot where the entire family can get out of the car for a few hours while you nurse baby and relax.
How long will your baby be able to sit in a car seat? Think back to longer trips you have made with your baby and evaluate how easily your child can fall asleep in the car. If you estimate your child can handle four hours in the car, plan to stop every three hours to stay ahead of the game. Find towns, parks, or recreation areas on the map where you can stop every three hours.
If you will be driving through deserted areas, or over mountain passes where stops will not be easy to make, try to make those stints at night or early morning when you child may sleep. Also, if your drive will take more than 20 hours of travel time, try to cut the drive in half - driving ten hours one day and ten the next. Spend the night in a hotel or with friends and family.
Nursing while the car is moving is extremely unsafe. Even if your child is strapped into a car seat and you are agile enough to position your breast to his mouth, an accident can cause you to smother your baby. Pulling the car to the side of the road is also not a great idea as other vehicles will still be traveling past you at high speeds. Pull off the highway or freeway and park your car where it is not in danger of being hit.
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