Taking Baby to Mexico

TRAVELING WITH BABY

Traveling with a baby to Mexico

The first thing you should know about traveling with a baby is that some people do get sick when flying in an airplane. It is like sea sickness, not everyone gets it. In fact only a small percentage of people suffer from altitude sickness, which affects the head and sinuses.

After effects of air-travel for some people include, headaches, ear-aches and flu-like symptoms.

Headaches associated with air travel appear to be a “huge and painful problem”, Israeli researchers report.

In a study of 906 men and women who had traveled more than once by plane, nearly 6 percent reported that they experienced headaches associated with flying.

Based on 3.3 billion seats available each year on commercial flights, with 70 percent occupancy, Dr. Israel Potasman and colleagues from Bnai Zion Medical Center in Haifa estimate that more than 100 million people suffer from flight-associated headaches annually.

Among the flight-associated headache sufferers, 19.2 percent said they had headaches every time they flew. Nearly a quarter said their headaches got worse as the plane climbed, while a fifth said the pain became worse as the plane descended to the Dead Sea, which is about 400 meters below sea level, suggesting that barometric pressure may be a factor.

If you’d like a bassinet not available on all airlines be sure to request one when you make a reservation. You’ll need a bulkhead seat for a bassinet, but be warned, the seat trays in the bulkhead usually fold out of your chair arm and are impossible to use with a child on your lap. Bulkhead seats may not have their own overhead bins, and there’s no storage space in front of you – a major inconvenience.

It can also get rather chilly on an airplane. It is advisable to bring warm clothing/blankets for baby.

More information about traveling with kids can be found here: TRAVELING WITH CHILDREN

WHAT TO BRING FOR BABY

  • Cleaning disinfectant that is baby safe.
  • Electric kettle for boiling water.
  • Bed Sheets
    Hotels do offer cribs [advisable to clean before letting baby use]. How many cribs a large resort keeps on hand we have no idea. Bring your own bed sheets for the crib.
  • Stroller
    Lots of people bring strollers which they find most useful. You should consider bringing one with a mesh cover or umbrella.
  • Sling or Baby-Pack
    If you plan on taking baby on any tours you would want to use a sling or baby-pack because the stroller would be hard to use on some of the surfaces you traverse.
  • Toys
    Best to try not to bring babies favorite toys because things are easy to loose on a vacation. If you can, get a bunch of substitute toys for the trip.
  • Swimming Pool
    We can tell you right now that you will be totally blown away taking baby into one of these tropical swimming pools, watching them splash around. On a beautiful day underneath the exotic vegetation in the warm pool water, babies get very excited! Bring a baby-float, safety vest or baby-wings.
  • Beach
    Some people bring beach-tents. The bucket and mini-shovel are standard as well as balls and things that float.
  • Hats and SPF T-shirts/beach-shirts
    Best to keep a baby as covered as possible at the beach because the sunlight is also reflected off of the water and sand thus increasing the potential for quick sunburn.
  • Suntan Lotion
    Apply suntan lotion at least half an hour before you go outside. Coat the stuff on all over, then let it dry. Do not rub it in for at least 15 minutes. Let it dry first then rub it all over. Then apply a second coat and rub this all over, let dry. Once the second coat is done you are ready. Keep in mind that the water will wash the suntan lotion off so you have to reapply it after going into the water. You must do this everyday.Even with loads of suntan lotion on your baby can still get a sunburn if left in direct sun too long.If they get sunburn the best thing to use is pure aloe Vera or aloe Vera with a cooling agent.It is recommended to use a natural suntan lotion to help protect the marine life.
  • Baby Food
    It is advisable to bring enough baby food to last your entire visit. Supermarkets and convenience stores carry baby food but may not carry your specific brand(s).Other Possibilities…
  • Baby B’Air
    A Baby B’Air is a restraint vest that the baby wears in the plane. It attaches to the adult’s seat belt.
  • Car Seat – Child Safety Seat
    If you plane on bringing a child safety seat you should get one that you can use on the airplane as well.

  

TOP BABY PRODUCTS FOR YOUR VACATION

BABYSITTER

Mexicans love babies. There are more babysitters in Mexico than anywhere else on earth except maybe China. All major hotel/resorts on the Mayan Riviera and Cancun have a babysitting service. Check with the front desk.

DIAPERS

Some hotels sell them in one of their stores but some hotels do not. If you are staying at a resort on the Riviera then you should not depend on the hotel for diapers.

Disposing of the diapers can be a bit of a hassle because the maid service may not come around to your room sometimes until the afternoon but you can always find a maid on duty near your room who can take the diapers away.

DO BABIES TRAVEL FREE?

  • There is no charge for babies at most hotels.
  • Attractions do not charge admittance for babies.
  • If a baby takes a seat on a tour bus/van going on a tour then the baby is charged for the seat. If you carry the baby then there is no charge [if there is an available seat then just lay the baby down, the tour operator will not charge you].
  • Airport transfer requires that all seats be paid. If baby needs to sit in a seat then there is a charge for the seat.

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