This is a topic almost every parent can relate to. Whether the road trip is to visit family, head to the cabin, or go on an extended trip, it is very likely you will be doing some sort of road trip within the first year of your baby's life. And although there are many variables that you cannot control, we've learned a few tips to help it go as smooth as possible!
When our oldest was 3 weeks old we did our first road trip to the lake (2 hours away). It went next to perfect as she slept almost the entire time and didn't make a peep. Here we thought we had the perfect travel companion! But on the way home three days later, she cried almost the entire two hours. We stopped at a gas station halfway to change and feed her, then we pulled over and I sat in the back with her, but nothing helped. We introduced a soother not long after that trip, and luckily she took it well, improving future road trips. However, our youngest daughter (now 9 months) doesn't take a soother at all-a good reminder that advice is very dependent on the baby.
This past summer we embarked on a five week (9100 km!) road trip to the Yukon with our 2 year old and 6 month old. Leading up to the trip, to say I was intimidated with the amount of driving, was an understatement. But the girls pleasantly surprised us with their road tripping abilities. It's not to say there weren't many times that both were crying, needing food, or driving us crazy, but we definitely had more good driving days than bad!
So here are a few things that helped us on the road:
We tried to time our driving to be a couple hours after they woke up, giving them lots of time to burn energy
Snacks/a good nursing session and a diaper change right before hitting the road
Tinted windows/ sunshade helped create a better napping environment
Having a bag of (small) toys and books for your toddler and handheld toys for your infant that you can easily access
Having snacks (lots!) on hand for your toddler including a full water bottle
We found 2.5-3.5 hour stretches to be the longest range we could comfortably drive before a break, especially if we had a long driving day
Ideally plan your rest stops to be in a town that you can refuel (gas, food, water, coffee!) minimizing the amount of stops you will need.
Stops should also include time for your child to play or run around. We found it was not enough to get out of the car and sit in a new environment. Taking time for activity helps counter the long stretches of sitting. (Sometimes this meant finding a hike or playground to explore for a driving break.)
Embrace the fact that you will get to see soooo many more unique stops along the way and enjoy watching your children explore!
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