The reality of your first holiday with a baby, according to parents
Your first holiday with a baby is one of those milestones that comes with a lot of planning, a lot of packing and a lot of questions. What do you actually need to take? How do you keep them settled while travelling? Will naps still happen? And how are you meant to relax when you’re thinking about feeds, sleep, sun protection, airport queues and whether you packed enough changes of clothes? It’s a special trip, but it can also feel like a lot before you’ve even left home.
New parents are already in holiday planning mode
Searches for “summer holidays with kids” have jumped by 81% over the past week, while searches for “how to travel with kids” have also increased as families start preparing for trips away.
For parents planning their first holiday with a baby, there is often a lot to think about beyond simply booking the trip. To help parents understand what that experience is really like, we surveyed 2,000 UK parents about the highs, stresses and realities of travelling with a baby for the first time.
The results show that, for many parents, a first holiday with a baby feels very different from the relaxing break they imagined.
Two in five parents said their first holiday with a baby was equally stressful and enjoyable, while one in seven said it was actually more stressful than enjoyable overall.
Only 12% described their first holiday with a baby as relaxing from start to finish, while nearly four in 10 admitted they did not properly switch off until several days into the trip.
Travelling with a baby is a very different experience
One of the biggest surprises about travelling with a baby is how quickly the practical side of parenting takes over the holiday.
You can picture the pool, the beach or the nice family meals before you leave, but once the journey starts, most parents are thinking about very different things:
Will the baby sleep on the plane?
Have you packed enough nappies in the hand luggage?
How do you keep them entertained during a delay?
And what happens if everything falls apart halfway through the journey?
According to our survey results, 45% of parents worry about keeping their child entertained while travelling, while 42% feel anxious about their baby crying on a plane and disturbing other passengers. Queues and delays also add pressure, with 76% saying airport waits increase anxiety when travelling with a baby.
That is usually the point where practical travel products stop feeling optional and start becoming the things that help the whole trip run more smoothly. Lightweight travel systems, compact pushchairs, pushchair toys and familiar comfort items often end up being the things parents rely on most while moving from one place to another.
Holidays quickly start revolving around sleep
Sleep is one of the things parents think about most when travelling with a baby. Thoughts like these are very common: Will they nap in the pram? Will they settle in a different room? What happens if they miss a nap completely?
For many families, the answers to those questions end up shaping the rest of the day. According to the survey, 71% of parents say poor naps can affect the entire day, while 69% try to plan journeys around naps or bedtime to avoid overtired meltdowns.
That can make even simple plans feel harder to manage. A delayed lunch suddenly matters because nap time is approaching. Dinner feels more stressful if bedtime has already slipped too far. Even a busy afternoon out can feel difficult if your baby has not properly settled all day.
It is also why familiar sleeptime products become such an important part of travelling for many families. White noise, travel cots, comforters and familiar bedtime routines can help babies feel more settled in a completely different environment, especially after long travel days or busy afternoons.
Sarah Murphy, Infant Sleep Expert and Qualified Maternity Practitioner at The Happy Baby Expert, says many parents put pressure on themselves to keep routines exactly the same while they are away.
“The important thing for parents to remember is that you are your baby’s safe space. They don’t need perfection or a rigid routine on holiday, they just need familiarity, reassurance and a little extra support while they adjust.”
And for a lot of parents, hearing that probably takes some of the pressure off too.
Packing for a baby holiday takes more planning than most parents expect
Packing for a holiday with a baby is very different from packing for yourself. Even for a short trip, it can feel like every part of the day needs planning in advance!
Nappies, bottles, spare clothes, feeding products, sleep essentials, sun protection, toys, medicines, comforters, carriers. The list grows quickly, especially when you are trying to prepare for delays, weather changes or anything unexpected that might happen while you are away.
In our survey, 68% of parents said they pack more for their baby than for themselves, while 74% admitted they overpack for holidays altogether. Even then, many still end up buying extra products while they are away “just in case”.
A lot of that comes down to wanting the trip to go as smoothly as possible. You are not just packing for what you expect to happen. You are packing for the things you hope to avoid too.
That is why smaller, travel-friendly baby essentials can make such a difference once families start travelling more regularly. Compact strollers, portable feeding products, UV shades, pushchair accessories and easy-to-carry sleeptime products can help you feel prepared without trying to take everything from home with you.
The good news? It does get easier with time
If you found your first holiday with a baby harder than you expected, or you are preparing for your first one now and feeling slightly overwhelmed, you are definitely not the only one.
A lot of parents in our survey said the same thing, especially when they were adjusting to travelling around naps, feeding, packing and trying to keep routines together away from home. But there is also reassurance in the fact that most parents feel it becomes easier with time and experience.
More than half said holidays start to feel more enjoyable than stressful once children reach the age of five. By then, journeys often feel easier to manage, routines are usually less fragile and there is less pressure around every part of the day.
Until then, most families are simply figuring out what works for them as they go. Some naps will not happen properly. You will probably pack too much. Plans will sometimes change at the last minute.
But there will also be the moments parents remember afterwards. Watching your baby see the sea for the first time, falling asleep in the pram after a long day out, or managing a journey you were nervous about beforehand.
Get holiday-ready with the right baby travel essentials
When you are travelling with a baby, having the right products often makes more of a difference than simply packing more.
From lightweight travel systems and compact pushchairs to pushchair accessories, travel toys, sleeptime products and feeding essentials, practical travel-friendly products can help journeys feel more manageable without trying to take everything from home with you.
At The Baby Room at Smyths Toys Superstores, you can explore a wide range of baby travel essentials designed to help make family holidays feel a little easier, whether you are planning your very first trip or getting ready for another adventure away together.
Sarah Murphy, Infant Sleep Expert and Qualified Maternity Practitioner at The Happy Baby Expert, with over 20 years of experience, comments:
“One of the biggest worries parents often have before travelling is that a new environment will completely ‘knock off’ their baby’s sleep or routine, particularly if they’ve fallen into a nice settled rhythm at home. The reality is that babies are highly sensitive to changes in stimulation, environment, temperature and routine, so it’s completely normal for sleep, naps or settling to look a little different while away. Even positive stimulation like busy family holidays, sightseeing or being around lots of new people can feel overwhelming for babies.
"The important thing for parents to remember is that you are your baby’s safe space. They don’t need perfection or a rigid routine on holiday, they just need familiarity, reassurance and a little extra support while they adjust.
"Rather than trying to recreate your entire home environment, focus on keeping a few familiar ‘anchor points’ in place. A consistent bedtime routine, familiar comfort item, sleep bag or white noise can make a huge difference in helping babies feel secure.
"Most importantly, try not to put too much pressure on yourself. If you need to do things a little differently while you’re away, you won’t ‘break’ your baby. Holidays are temporary, babies are incredibly adaptable, and once you’re home, you can gently return to your usual routines.”