It’s not uncommon for parents to travel with their babies. Traveling with a baby is a rewarding experience as you watch your little one smile and look at new scenery. It can also help bond parents with their babies, as memories are priceless. Nonetheless, there are some aspects of traveling with a baby that does need to be looked into.
Respect the US traffic regulations: if you are traveling with an infant between the ages of 6 months to 4 years, you are required to use an infant seat. At Sixt you can opt to rent one along with the car and includes seats that face the backseat instead of the driver’s seat. This position is a great safety feature for in the rare instance that you slam on the brakes or get into an accident. Look for seats that face the backseat and have strong locking clips for safety. For more information about Child Seat Laws inside the US, please visit The National Safety Traffic Administration.
Baby Travel Tips
- There are some babies who instantly fall asleep while on the road. You can choose to drive during your baby’s nap times. A great idea is to leave as early in the morning as possible, ideally around 5-7AM. This way, your baby can still sleep in the car in the morning, play with his or her toys during the day, and drift in and out of sleep throughout the journey.
- Also, pack a bag full of your baby’s favorite toys. Buy new toys to distract your child longer. Make sure to buy some straps to keep the toys in place. It will be a nuisance to make frequent side stops to pick up baby toys. If you have someone in the back seat, this won’t be an issue. Every few hours you can switch it up so that one person can entertain and look after the baby while the other person drives. If your baby still uses a pacifier, look for one that has a clip to attach to a bib or the car seat. This way, your baby has easy access to the pacifier.
- Also, take frequent bathroom breaks so that your little one isn’t wearing a soiled diaper for too long.
- It’s also a good idea to bring a cooler. You can buy pre-packaged instant infant formula and if you need to open it during travel, you can keep the opened formula inside the cooler. Also, come prepared with pre-washed baby bottles and cleaning supplies. Bring several bottles of boiled water as well if you need to run out of instant formula on the go.
It can be stressful to travel with a baby, but it doesn’t have to be when you prepare everything in advance. Spend the day before fine-tuning all of your travel gear and extra items for your baby. If you take these precautions you will be in perfect condition to travel with your baby!
Rent a Car With Babies on Board?
Sixt Rent a Car offers additional services when renting a vehicle in the US, such as Pay upon arrival, Express Toll Service, Personal accident protection, Navigation System guaranteed and more, but if you would like to book for traveling equipment like baby car seats, keep in mind that you have more options, depending on the age and weight of your little ones:
Sixt Car Rental Child Seat Options:
- Baby seat guaranteed (0-13 kg / Group 0+)
- Child Seat guaranteed (0-10 kg, 9-18 kg / Group 0/1)
- Booster seat guaranteed (15-36 kg / Group 2/3)
There are a lot of places to see throughout North America and a great way to get to see all these attractions is to rent a car from Sixt Rent a Car.
