Planning your first vacation with you baby is essential to the success of your trip.

We have provided 10 tips to consider when you are planning your vacation.

1. Anticipate where you will get food and water for your baby. It may not be an issue if you are traveling to a popular tourist destination, but it may be if you are going to a more remote area.

2. Medications. Anticipate what small ailments may occur to your child during the trip, and pack a small kit with the medicine that will help you to easily treat an upset tummy, a slight fever, an ear-ache, any rashes and so on.

3. In the past when it was just you and your spouse traveling on your own - you may have been on the go for the most part and you didn’t spend much time in your room. Things will be different now. Every day your baby will be napping and on many of those days it will be in your hotel room - or in your cabin on a cruise ship. Give yourself a place to spend the time that your child is napping - consider upgrading your room so that it has a balcony that you can relax on while your child sleeps.

4. Reduce your expectations. Anticipate that your vacation will not be as jammed packed as it used to be. Plan your day’s events around some time to stop and play and exercise with the baby. Identify the vacation places that each of you really want to see or visit on the trip - and then agree upfront that each of you will have times to see what they want to see while the other parents looks after your baby.

5. Our babies love to sleep in the stroller. That is great when we are at home - but not always so great on a vacation. If your baby is in their stroller too much during the day they may end up having too much daytime sleep making it difficult for them to sleep at night. During the day plan for regular breaks to get the baby out of their stroller and play with them at a park, or place a blanket on the ground and spend some time playing with them outside of their stroller.

6. Takes direct flights when flying. When possible avoid connecting air flights. Flying for babies is not always easy. The change in air pressure during take-offs and landings can be hard for babies.

7. If you plan on bringing a travel bed with you on your trip don’t wait for the vacation to get the baby accustomed to sleeping in it. A couple of days prior to your trip let the baby start sleeping in it to get them used to it.

8. Car seat. If your vacation plans include renting a vehicle then think about bringing your child’s car seat with you. Having your on car seat means that your baby will be comfortable in it and you will be comfortable knowing how to put it into the rental car and knowing that your child is as safe as they would be at home.

9. Vaccinations. Check with your baby’s doctor 6 to 8 weeks before the trip to ensure that your baby has all the necessary shots before they travel.

10. Make a list of the items that you will need for the baby during the trips. Things like diapers, wipes, face cloths, and so on. Review the list before you go and make sure that you have everything with you that you will need.