Taking Baby Abroad
Milton’s new products are particularly useful when out and about travelling with baby. In conjunction with the new product launch, Milton have put together some handy tips to follow when planning a holiday with baby and children.

If you want to download these tips as a PDF file Click Here

• When booking, choose a child friendly airline and find out:
  • Whether under twos can travel free or face a charge.
  • What kind of changing facilities are available.
  • Whether baby bassinettes and infant seatbelts are available.
  • The quality and price of children’s meals.
  • Whether baby bottles and plates etc are supplied.
  • If there is access to toys and games.
  You will find that low cost airlines don’t offer many of the above.
  


• If you are staying in a hotel or a similar type of accommodation, check out the family facilities:
  • Is childcare available? If so, what ages do they cater for? How well trained are the staff?
  • What facilities does the hotel room/apartment provide – is there a cot available or do you need to bring one?


• You will find when booking your holiday that most travel companies offer kids’ club facilities. When selecting which offers the best care, make sure you check:
  • If there’s a minimum age – sometimes there are no facilities for children below the age of two.
  • What qualifications the carers have.
  • What the child to carer ratio is.
  • What hours are the crèche and kids’ clubs available.
  • How the childcare facilities charge – are they free, do they have a one-off charge or do they charge by the hour?
  • The availability of emergency medical help.


• Before you leave, make sure you have full health insurance for the whole family. If you are travelling within the EEC, a stamped E111 form will entitle you to free medical care, but this is not a substitute for full insurance.
  


• Check when your baby is next due a vaccination. If it clashes with your holiday, check with your GP if it is a good idea for baby to have it before or after the trip as different destinations present different dangers.


When you are packing:


• Make sure you include the essentials, such as:
• Nappies (enough until you find a source abroad, taking delays and emergencies into account).
• Washable bibs, bottles, teats, dummies.
• Milton Sterilising Tablets.
• Sun cream (make sure you buy a sun cream with a high Sun Protection Factor and also a 4 star UVA rating), after sun and a sun hat that covers baby’s neck and ears.
• Enough formula, (even if you’re breast feeding – in case illness or dehydration causes your supply to diminish) or baby food to last at least until you find a source abroad.
• A first aid pack which should include infant pain relief such as an infant liquid paracetamol, assorted plasters, mosquito repellent, antihistamine cream and tweezers for splinters.
• A portable folding push chair.
• A sling or other baby wearing device.

When you are travelling:

• If you are still breast or bottle feeding your baby and you are travelling by plane, feed your baby during take off and landing to ease ear pain.
• If you are travelling by car, get removable window shades for car windows to shield your baby’s skin and eyes from the sun. Also, babies should always travel in a rear-facing car seat, preferably in the back of the car. Never put your baby’s car seat in a front seat with a passenger air bag.
• Bring some of your baby’s favourite toys and even a couple of new ones to keep them entertained.
• Make sure you take at least one blanket – airlines will often provide them but something that reminds baby of home can be a great comfort. Blankets are also handy to have when you arrive at your destination as they provide shade and something for baby to lie on when you are out and about.
• When preparing and eating food while travelling on long journeys, keep a bottle of Milton Antibacterial Hand Gel in your travel bag – it ensures your hands are hygienically clean with no need to rinse. It’s also handy for ridding your hands of that grubby feeling that long journeys can cause.

When you are finally there:

• Make sure mum looks after herself.
• Don’t race around and try and see loads of sites - if you slow down you will be less tired and more relaxed.
• Drink plenty of water.
• Eat properly. If you are breast feeding and suffer from food poisoning, you are extremely unlikely to pass this on to your baby through your milk as it contains antibodies that help protect against infection, but be careful not to pass on any bugs through lack of hygiene. If you dip your washed hands into Milton solution you know that they will receive a disinfecting rinse, or even more convenient is Milton’s Antibacterial Hand Gel, particularly handy if you are on the move.

If you are self catering:

• Fruit slices can be soaked in a Milton solution for 30 minutes first to destroy any bacteria on the surface. Also, salad items like lettuce can be washed in a solution of Milton i.e. 15ml to 2 litres to prevent any bacterial contamination.
• Bring Milton Surface Wipes to ensure your holiday apartment is hygienically clean.
• Wash chopping boards in warm soapy water, rinse and wipe over with Milton to destroy onion/garlic smells and to disinfect the surface to avoid cross contamination of foods.

A Milton solution can be used:

To keep teats, teethers and soothers sterile all day. Fill a small plastic bowl with Milton solution and place the items in it. Ready to use after 30 minutes, you will have an available supply all day.
• If you are unsure about the water. Add a teaspoon (2.5ml) of Milton to 8 pints of water, leave for 30 minutes and it will be safe to mix your baby’s feeds.
• To sterilise plastic toys and items such as rattles and building blocks and anything else that goes into baby’s mouth.