Traveling with a 1 year old

[virgaux78]

Hello all,

We are taking a Disney Cruise at the end of this month with my folks and hubby's folks and our dear daughter who will be 1 year old. Both my parents, hubby and I have cruised before, and I'm sure the in-laws can figure out what they need, but I am stumped as to what I need to bring for our daughter.

Certainly diapers and wipes go without saying, but can anyone help me come up with a list of must-haves for a 1 year old on a week-long cruise? Thanks!

[kitty9]

Any of her favorite toys, lots of clothes and any special snacks that she likes. Also, talk to her doctor and see if there are any "just-in-case" meds you should bring along for her in case she should get sick. Nothing worse than a sick infant on a cruise. I know some babies tend to get ear infections which can come on more quickly after flying. Plus, if she's teething and drooling a lot, bring lots of bibs.

[I&MsMom]

I strongly agree with the previous poster - speak to her pediatrician and ask what they would recommend giving her if she had a fever, a cold, an allergic reaction, etc. Also, I would write down the proper dosage for each, and how often to give it to her. Doubtful you'll find infant motrin on the ship, especially in the middle of the night!

 

I ALWAYS travel with the powder form of pedialite. Little packages formulated specifically for kids: just add water! Several months ago I found it in our local chain drug store, I think made by Gerber. Prior to that, I had to go to our non-chain store and the pharmacist would order it for me (Kaolectrylyte, or something similar :confused: ).

 

When my kids were really small, I also traveled with an old fashioned rectal thermometer. Just beware - it may cause problems if it's in your carry-on. I once almost missed a flight because they kept re-scanning my luggage and insisting I had a sharp instrument. In desperation, I took everything out and put it through piece by piece. Ended up being my little medical kit for the kids and the thermometer was the culprit (the mercury probably looked like a stiletto) :p In retrospect, it seems obvious, but at the time, it was very frustrating!

 

I would also bring twice as much sunscreen for her as you think you'll use. You don't want to have to use something on her you haven't tried before.

 

I have a small container of foam building blocks that has been a great travel toy. I've seen similar blocks lately, just with many more pieces. If that's all you could find, I'd buy the big set ($20) and take out enough to comfortably fit in a gallon ziploc. They weigh next to nothing, but provide all the fun of blocks with none of the noise! Trip after trip, they are huge (it helps they only get to play with them when we're traveling!) DS is now 7, and he still plays with them. DD is 3 and loves them as well. At 1, you can build a tower, and she can knock it down...great fun! Another great travel toy, even when that young, is the smallest version of the MagnaDoodle. You might think she's too little, but I bet if you give it to her, she'll be happy with it for awhile!

 

I love the disposable changing pads. Also, the Huggies Overnight diapers are great for plane rides and embarking/disembarking when you may not always be able to change her at a specific moment. They are good for HOURS! (DD is potty trained, but I put her "goodnight" underwear on for the plane ride and any long car travel. If she has to go, she has to go, and if we are experiencing turbulance, or just passed a rest stop and have another 18 miles to the next one....)

 

I'm assuming she's probably transitioned to milk, but if she is a young 1 (rather than close to 2), I would probably bring some powdered formula and buy a couple of bottles of water before embarking. Call me paranoid (I am), but I'd worry about some bizarre scenario where the ship has no electricity for 12 hours and all the milk spoils, or they pick up a "bad" shipment (all beyond their expiration date or something). :rolleyes:

 

I pack the kids outfits in ziplocs (clothes, underwear, accessories, then wrote which port on the bag). I used the empty ziplocs to contain dirty diapers in the cabin. No smell!

 

The individual boxes of cereal from the Lido are great as take-along snacks when getting off the ship (you're not supposed to take things like fruit into the ports). I'd stock up a bit at the beginning. On a couple of cruises "Cruncheroos" were hard to come by the last couple of days!

 

If your cabin has a refrigerator, stock it with some of the little cartons of milk, some yogurt, a banana. Great for snacks and to tide them over while you're getting ready for breakfast. If no refrigerator, I would consider packing a collapsible cooler. In my experience they almost all leak eventually. Just "borrow" a tray from the Lido to put under it.

 

The last piece of advice I would give you is: choose your stroller carefully! We once blew out a wheel on our stroller on the cobblestones in San Juan (pre-cruise!) and spent the entire cruise with a gimpy stroller - the ONE thing duct tape was of no use for!! The cruise immediately following that, I brought our all-terrain stroller with the big, sturdy wheels. Forgot to consider it was too wide to fit through the cabin door. Had to fold it up to bring it in the cabin (problematic if child inside had fallen asleep!) It wouldn't fit under the bed or in the closet, and took up so much space in the cabin, it should have been charged a 5th passenger rate! No doubt, made the cabin steward say a few choice words!:eek:

 

I suggest a stroller which: folds easily and compactly, has good wheels, has a roof (for sun shade, and to support either a bug net or rain cover), has a five point harness system and adequate storage. I think you'll find you use a stroller on the ship and in the ports a lot more than you think you will. When DD was on her first couple of cruises, we'd even put her in it to go to dinner (we left it in the hall outside the dining room.) Those ships are big, and that's a lot of walking for little legs!

 

Hope you have an absolutely terrific cruise! Enjoy!!:D

[Seabee]

Perhaps coincidence, but the thread just below this one was "What do I need bungee cords and duct tape for?". Maybe we should combine these two threads.:D

[clarabell]

I got a lot from your advice! Thanks! We are taking a 1 1/2 year old and a 3 year old on a Nov. RCI cruise so I am reading the boards for advice such as yours.:o