https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sat, 18 Apr 2026 07:25:59 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/any-tips#post-741759 Thu, 25 Apr 2013 10:53:43 +0000 Rescuemom10 741759@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Sweet T: So very sweet of you thank you!<br /> So far so good. I work full time plus with the LO and everyting else the time has flown by. Over 2 mos down and 16 more months to go! Right now doesnt seem so bad because he is still in the States. But come this summer he goes "in country" and then gone for a year. Just hope the time keeps going by fast!!!<br /> Im prior Active Duty myself, we would miss each other and deployments would overlap and what not. But now even with just him being in, having a LO changes everything. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/any-tips#post-740515 Wed, 24 Apr 2013 17:32:16 +0000 Sweet T 740515@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We've done some really long trips with DS. (The longest was from normally a 16 hour drive.) I made sure to have lots of pacis and I had a CD with a song that always calmed him down. My biggest "tip" would be to expect it to take a little longer than usual. When we stopped for LO to eat, it usually took an hour.</p> <p>I also wanted to tell you that DH was deployed for my pregnancy. He came home for the birth but left again when DS was 10 days old. I know how hard it is to be alone with a newborn while your husband is deployed! If you ever need to talk or vent, I'm here! :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/any-tips#post-740505 Wed, 24 Apr 2013 17:24:05 +0000 Rescuemom10 740505@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Honeybee: Awesome thank you!<br /> The paci tip, whew glad you mentioned that. She is a huge comfort sucker. Also to keep the bag in the front seat. Good call!<br /> I have a mirror. I guess I just need to see where the best stopping point is going to be.<br /> She is usally tired after daycare and takes her best nap of the day. Hopefully I can get about half way there. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/any-tips#post-740107 Wed, 24 Apr 2013 14:15:54 +0000 Honeybee 740107@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I've done 5+ hours a few times by myself with the kids to go visit my parents. I usually plan it around naptime, since I know they'll nap at least 2 hours in the car (usually DS sleeps 3-4). I do it one of two ways: 1) I pack up the car and we go out to lunch on our way out of town. After lunch, we start driving and the kids are usually asleep within 30 minutes. Normally DD wakes up after a couple hours, but she's usually happy for anothe rcouple hours just playing with toys and reading books. After DS wakes up, we stop at the next town for a break. We all get out for about 30 minutes and stretch our legs, and then we get back in the car for the remainder of the trip. 2) We leave town about 1 hour before lunchtime. The kids are usually ok for about 1-1.5 hours in the car, playing with toys and reading books. When they start to get antsy, I stop at the next town for lunch. We spend about 1-1.5 hours eating and playing, and then we get back in the car. The kids fall asleep within 30 minutes and DS will oftens sleep until we get home. DD normally wakes up earlier, but again, she's fine for a couple hours in the car with just toys and books. Using these two schedules has worked well for us, except sometimes DS cried for the last 15 minutes of the trip. Otherwise, both kids do really well.</p> <p>I would suggest to break up your trip into two 3 hour drives or three 2 hour drives depending on how well your LO naps and how content she is in the car. Plan on stopping about 30 minutes for each stop for a feeding (she might need to eat more often, since travel can dehydrate them), a diaper change, and a stretch. I stop at parks when it's nice out. Otherwise, I stop at malls, Wal-Mart, and fast food restaurants with play places. </p> <p>God luck! I hope your trip goes smoothly and that you andLO get some quality time in with your husband!</p> <p>Eta:<br /> One things that really helps us is playing calm music during the trip. For some reason both of my kids are calmed by Josh Groban, so I usually take all of his cds along with a couple peppy toddler cds for their wake times. Since your LO is only three months, you don't really need things to entertain her but a couple cloth books or stuffed animals may comfort her when she can't see you. Also, if you don't already have one, you might consider using a travel mirror for the trip, so you can see her in her carseat while driving. Oh, and I used to pack a million pacifiers while traveling, even though the kids didn't use them much; sucking helps with popping ears if you have to go over any mountain passes. I just keep the diaper bag in the front seat with me so I have easy access to pacifiers, toys, etc... when the kids start crying. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/any-tips#post-740020 Wed, 24 Apr 2013 13:57:04 +0000 Rescuemom10 740020@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mrs. wagon: Yeah I figured I wprobably would have to at one point to feed even. Mall probably is a good stopping point. Have to check the map now...hmm...<br /> Thanks! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/any-tips#post-739767 Wed, 24 Apr 2013 12:35:05 +0000 mrs. wagon 739767@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Rescuemom10: Can you break it up into 2 chunks? Maybe find a mall along the way to stop, eat, visit the restroom, get her out of the carseat for a bit and walk around? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/any-tips#post-739380 Wed, 24 Apr 2013 10:52:00 +0000 Rescuemom10 739380@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>DH has been gone since LO was 3 weeks old. He has been gone 9 weeks now. (6 months training in the U.S then 1 yr in Afghanistan)</p> <p>He just transfered to his next training location which is only 6 hrs away. I am trying to take Friday off and head down after work Thursday to go get him.<br /> Its going to be about six hours in the car. Not worries about the trip back up because he is coming with and then taking one of our cars down with him on Sunday, but on the way down its just me and LO. I hope she sleeps for a chunk of it. Going to leave after I get her from daycare as she is usually tired and needs a good nap.</p> <p>Any tips? Its just a long time in the car for a 12 week old. But the time with Daddy is worth it. </p>