Nevan's first international vacation....Travel with babies

"Wow, it was Great" is what I can say after our first trip with Nevan....though before this one, we did go out for a weekend get away for Nevan's six month birthday but it was very different from this one.

We went to Sri Lanka and covered Colombo, Kandy & Bentota. Though we realized after going that it wasn't the best idea to travel to a destination wherein we had to do road trips to three different places in our tour; but it was manageable for us as we were travelling with our family.

So, Nevan had loads of fun....he loved the 'Stranger's more than us throughout the trip. In fact I can say that he ruined the breakfast of a neighboring table every morning during breakfast as he was more keen upon talking to them than letting them eat (But in the bargain he was distracted & used to finish his breakfast quickly too!!!).

Well, he is a water baby so apart from his love for the pools he experienced the beach for the first time & he loved every wave more than the previous one.....he was amazed initially by the waves but gradually loved them and wanted to touch them as they came & his first session ended with him kicking the waves as they were coming......oh it was so much fun to see him enjoy the beach!

And then came another aspect of our trip which were animals....before that I must confess am a big time animal lover myself & not scared of holding, touching any of them, even the scariest of the lot! So my son (& I am proud to say this) followed the tradition and was more keen to touch the elephants & the tortoise during our conservatory visits than any of us. He wanted to put the 'hatchlings' in his mouth & eat them and sit on their parents :)

Memories......

So in all there are a few pointers I would like to list for your travel with the baby:

Air Travel: 

• Put in the request for a bassinet seat (for 1yr below) kids
• Reach airport in advance to ensure you get them
• Carry baby food & drinking water; they are permitted on both national & international flights
• Carry your baby's favorite toy and one change of clothes for emergency
• Carry cotton to put in the baby's ear to avoid ear pressure
• Carry a stole/blanket as flights get colder for the baby

Travel:

• Carry basic essentials of the baby including diapers, sanitizer, baby food ,etc
• Carry a full sleeves/ jacket type of a cloth even if you going to a warm place just in case it rains or weather changes or the air conditioning is too strong.
• Carry some new toys so that the baby is more attracted to them
• Finger foods are a must to keep the baby busy for interim periods in between, which will also give you some breather
• Do not make any rigid or time constraining itinerary's; out of my personal experience he will poop as soon as we are about to step out so the whole scheduling goes for a toss
• Always carry the baby pram/stroller/baby carrier as it's very handy even if you don't use it always.

If there are other pointers which you any one can add....it would be great!

Applying for the Passport of your new born

Nevan will soon be having a passport now; so his first official document, after his Birth Certificate.... It's not that we are flying out next month but thought it would be better to get the documents ready to have it handy in case of need.


Well to my surprise government has now made everything easy & smooth by putting it online. So no long ques to get the form or getting hold of touts to assist you for a hassle free procedure. It was so simple & hitch-free that I still have my fingers crossed till we receive the passport. ;)

This post is specifically to assist all the new parents with the simple steps to get a passport for their lil ones. Pls read the below carefully

Step 1: Log on to http://www.passportindia.gov.in/

Step 2: Download the e-form for a Fresh Passport from: http://www.passportindia.gov.in/AppOnlineProject/online/downloadEFormStatic

Step 3: Fill the form & in the end click on 'Validate & Save' option. You will automatically generate the saved form an xml file which would have to be uploaded.

Step 4: Register on the Home Page of the website by clicking on 'Register' under the 'Apply' section.

https://portal2.passportindia.gov.in/AppOnlineProject/user/RegistrationBaseAction?request_locale=en

Step 5: Login with the newly generated Login Id

Step 6: Upload the file generated in Step 3 above (xml format & not pdf format) through 'Upload e-Form' along with other supporting documents through the link provided which in case of minors passport are: an address proof, parents passport and annexure H (pdf format with file size not more than 1MB).

Step 7: Re-check your final documents & click on 'Pay & Schedule Appointment' on 'View Saved / Submitted Applications' screen

Online Payment is to be made for getting an appointment. Fees for normal passport is 1000 INR and for tatkal is 3000 INR, We opted for tatkal for which we had to pay 1000 INR online and the balance 2000 INR in cash at passport seva kendra. The online payment can be made through:

• Debit/Credit Card of both Visa & Mastercard
• Internet Banking is avaiable only for State Bank of India, State Bank of Bikaner and Jaipur, State Bank of Hyderabad, State Bank of Mysore, State Bank of Patiala & State Bank of Travancore.
• SBI Bank Challan

Step 8:  As you make the payment you will be asked for your choice of location  & an automated date-time of appointment would be scheduled for your visit.

Step 9: Click on 'Print Application Receipt' link to print the receipt with the Application Reference Number (ARN) / Appointment Number

Step 10: Visit the Passport Seva Kendra (PSK) where the appointment has been booked on the dedicated time.

Important documents to carry for the appointment:

• Application Receipt
• Photo (Do carry a passport size photo of your lil one in white background )
• All the documents uploaded in Step 7 along with their self attested photocopies.
• Only one parent is compulsory to accompany with the baby

Hope this post is helpful for obtaining your lil one's passport!!!

What's in my DIAPER BAG?

As the baby grows, you wanna get back to your life and setting back to schedules. And a Big Big FIRST STEP is going out of the home and moving away from the shackles of being home bound. Now moving around is not as easy as it was before having a baby......So today I will pen down a list of Must Have's for your Diaper Bag.

25 MUST HAVE's in your DIAPER BAG

1. DIAPER's : Maintain at least 3 diaper's in the bag at all times.
2. PLASTIC BAGS: At times you don't have a waste bin at hand so it's easier to wrap the soiled diaper's immediately & dispose off later on. It can also come handy when you have wet/dirty clothes & don't want to mess them with your fresh clothes/food, etc
3. CHANGING MAT / MACINTOSH: They are very important while changing. Also it is not recommended to make your little one lie just anywhere even if it is a feeding station
4. DIAPER RASH CREME: To use post every diaper change
5. BABY CREME / BABY POWDER: Cremes very important in Winter & Powder is very important in summer to avoid sweat to harm the little one in their creases below
6. WET WIPES: An all time essential
7. TISSUE PAPER: Sometimes dry tissues also come handy
8. HAND SANITIZER: Another all time essential
9. BUG SPRAY/ MOSQUITO PATCH: Specially for the spring and rainy season
10. BIB's & BURP CLOTH: Feeding process is a messy process, so bibs are required to avoid clothe's changing getting into the picture & Burp Cloth is for the really lil ones post their every feed to avoid a spill back on your clothes
11. BABY HAND TOWEL's: Soft cotton hand towels come in handy for all the drools all around
12. TEETHER/ TOY: You travel without a teether/toy for once and you will realize this is most essential to keep the baby away and distracted from touching, pulling & eating everything he can get his hands on.
13. MILK POWDER in DISPENSER: For preparing a bottle feed on the go
14. TWO BOTTLES - Cleaned & Sterlized with Bottle Covers: Even if I know I am going to use only one bottle , I still keep two for just in case one gets dirty or falls on the floor I have a back up.
15. WATER SIPPER: For all 6 m+ 
16. BOILED WATER in a FLASK: Hot water is required right from preparing milk to further on preparing a meal, so the flask ensures that it stays warm & you have a supply for home-boiled water
17. BABY FOOD: Ready to eat food, again for all the babies who have started with semi-soli's
18. TRAVEL BOWL + SPOON: For the feeds
19. TWO EXTRA SET of CLOTHES: I carry one set of formal clothes and one of night wear, spl if we are going out and know will be back late night. So post his night feed I change him and put nighwear on so that the whole sleeping & waking cycle doesn't re-occur when we are back home.
20. SOCKS + FOOTWEAR: Important on the go, esp if the baby has tarted to walk
21. CAP: Summer / Winter Cap according to the season
22. COTTON SHEET/ BLANKET: Again to comfort the baby while he is asleep: a cotton sheet or a blanket according to the season. I carry a cotton sheet in peak summer's too as my lo's mostlyin shorts and at times the air conditioning is very strong outside so he feels comfortable with a sheet on
23. FIRST AID KIT - Just the basics - I carry a band aid & crocin drops
24. A FEEDING CLOAK/ DUPATTA / SCARF: For public feeding
25. Your PERSONAL STUFF to avoid carrying two bags: At times it's cumbersome to carry the baby, diaper bag & then your own handbag. So a lot of times I misuse his diaper bag by keeping a lip gloss, keys & mobile in it.

Hope this is useful for you all and in case there is anything I have skipped, I would love to know.