Every parent can and should get out of the house at some point; traveling, even just around town, with your infant can at first seem to be an intimidating task, so here are a few things to keep in mind.

You don't need to pack everything - in fact, less is more! For every hour that you'll be out and about, pack one diaper, plus an extra. Take a small package of wipes. If you're breastfeeding, you can forgo bottles of course, but you might choose to take a small bottle of water or juice.

If your child is eating solid foods, throw in a couple of unopened jars of babyfood, or a couple baggies of cereal or fruit. Pack things that travel well and, depending on how long you plan to be out, remember that there are stores and restaurants available too.

Take an extra set of clothes, just in case, and a bib or two. You want to be prepared, but not over-burdened. As you probably already know, a baby in a carrier or carseat can become quite heavy over even a short period of time, no sense in adding a twenty-pound diaper bag.

If you're planning to visit for some time at the home of a friend or relative, remember that many people will want to hold your baby, yourself included, and you already have a carseat or carrier to lay the baby down for a rest. However, if your child is a bit older and taking more obvious naps than a newborn, a port-a-crib is a wonderful investment. Babies can even sleep in these overnight and save you a crib charge at a motel. Don't forget a sheet or light blanket.

Babies need toys but, again, don't go overboard. One or two toys attached to a carseat to keep an infant occupied is plenty, even for long trips. Presumably, you will stop and hold and feed your baby from time to time, or switch seats and ride alongside her, perhaps reading to her, for a spell. While an adult would quickly become bored with just two distractions, babies' find many things quite endlessly fascinating.

Bring a couple more toys along for the port-a-crib, but be sure to leave room for the baby - and remember, anything you bring along, you have to remember to pack up and take home. You'd hate to leave a favorite behind because you were packing so many toys and accidentally missed one.

Newborns, of course, sleep a lot, and it isn't until a baby reaches two or three months of age that he takes anything resembling a regular nap. This may be the earliest you wish to tote your baby around anyway, as very young and tiny infants shouldn't be exposed to numerous people - and their assorted germs. Try to schedule trips around those naps. Folks may want to spend time with you, but they also would like to see your baby - and much more of him than a bump under a blanket.

Many babies sleep in the car, sometimes quite handily, so if your baby takes a two-hour nap and you're traveling for two hours, leave at naptime. When you arrive, Baby will be wide awake, ready to eat and play. For shorter trips of a few minutes or miles, wait until Baby is finished napping.

Even stay-at-home moms do leave the house occasionally, and, of course, they bring the baby too. Just remember, you don't need everything but the kitchen sink, so pack lightly and enjoy your time out. Relax, and learn to make do with less - this will be applicable to many things in your life, especially as your family grows.

Learn more about this author, Robin Tidwell.
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