We are enjoying the cool (and dry!) mornings and nights of Nairobi after spending a total of one month in hot and humid India and Sri Lanka.  Nairobi is a bustling city with lots of things to do with little ones- my toddler is currently signed up for gymnastics, art, and ballet classes, and also tried a Zumba for Kids class last week, which she is just a little too young for right now.  So, I’ll break up these Nairobi and Kenya posts by outings.

Our first week in Nairobi we kindly stayed with our dear friends, Laura and Matt, who have lived in Nairobi for almost the past two years.  They also have a 7 month old baby who was born in Nairobi, so they are also in the learning process of what is kid-friendly around the area.  Laura was also kind enough to put together a list of fun activities around Nairobi, and to take us to a few things around Karen, which is a relatively green and pleasant suburb of Nairobi.  Here is Laura’s “Ultimate Day in Karen” described below, although we broke this up across two days since full days of activities with a toddler and infant are not really feasible anymore- naps are becoming much more precious these days!  If you have older kids (let’s say age 5 and up), it is much more doable in a day.  All of the following activities I would say are fun for adults and older kids, interesting in short doses for toddlers, and easy to bring babies and toddlers along for the ride.

Morning: Visit an elephant orphanage and see babies feeding!

Baby elephant orphans feeding

The elephant orphanage is definitely a must-visit in Nairobi.  The elephant orphanage cares for infant and toddler elephants that have lost their mothers, sadly mostly due to poaching.  After paying the entrance fee (500 Kenyan shillings per adult and child/ free for infant), we were led down a path which opened into a spacious dirt area with ropes around it.  Twelve large bottles (the size of a human torso) filled with milk There were warthogs wandering about and rolling around, which delighted my toddler, as well as a baby impala.  There are lovely views of the Nairobi National Park stretching out beyond.

The caretakers of the elephants bring the orphaned elephants out into the roped in area, and it is delightful to see the little elephants suckling from over-sized bottles.  They proceed to roll around in the mud, play with each other and sticks and balls around the area.  Some of them are quite friendly and will come up to give you a sniff.  The staff also describe each elephant’s situation and provide information about elephants, conservation efforts, etc..  They also explain that it costs US$900/ month to feed each elephant.  For US$50/ month you are invited to adopt an elephant to contribute to these costs, and in exchange you will get monthly email updates about how your adoptee is doing (but they aren’t pushy about it).  If you  have  adopted  an  elephant  you  can  also  request  in   advance  to  watch  your  adoptee  to  get  final  feeding  and  be  put  to   bed.

I will be honest in saying that I think the adults enjoyed it a bit more than the children.  My toddler loved seeing the baby elephants for the first 10 minutes or so, but then grew bored and was tired for her nap.  Lessons learned for bringing small toddlers/ infants: 1) bring sunhats and sunscreen as you will be standing outside in direct sunlight for at least an hour; 2) bring baby carriers for everyone; 3) bring camera with video capability as you will likely have some very cute animal and kid moments to capture; and 4) don’t be disappointed if your toddler grows bored- they all have short attention spans; accept and encourage playing with sticks in dirt while you continue to enjoy the show.

Visit the Elephant Orphanage website here for more information about the Trust, adopting an elephant, directions, etc.

Veda feeding a giraffe at the Giraffe Center

Lunch: Karen Blixen Coffee and Gardens

It has beautiful gardens here.  Our Nairobi friends recommend the  “kauchos,” which are  the  Kenyan  version  of  nachos   and  are  ”yummy.”  Also, the  The  Karen  Blixen  (“Out  of  Africa”)  museum  is  also  just  down  the  road if you want to pop in there.

Visit the Karen Blixen Coffee Gardens website here.

Afternoon: Visit the Kazuri Bead Factory, Giraffe Centre, and/or Marula Studios Recycled Flip Flop Art

At the giraffe centre you can feed,  observe  and  learn  about  the  reticulated  giraffe.  It was great fun feeding the giraffes and having them lick food pellets out of the palm of our hands with their long black tongues.  My daughter wasn’t quite sure if she should be delighted or scared, but we all enjoyed ourselves.

If   you  go  right  after  the  elephant  orphanage,  it  will  likely  be   crowded.  If we were to do it again, knowing that we only spent about 20-30 minutes total at the giraffe feeding because my daughter had her fill in that time, we  actually could have down it in the morning around 9:30AM before heading to the elephant orphanage, or you can do it later in the day to avoid the crowds.

Visit the Giraffe Center website here to learn about the giraffe and conservation efforts.  

Flip flops waiting to be recycled into animal art

At Marula Studios you can get a small informal tour of their workshop where old flipflops are cleaned, dried, organized by color, then glued together and finally sculpted into lions, rhinos, warthogs, turtles, giraffes, zebras, etc.  It is an amazing colorful feast for the eyes, and a wonderful teaching opportunity for reusing unwanted, used stuff to turn into creative creations.  It has a lovely shop with lots of goods to buy, including other crafts made by other entrepreneurs around the Nairobi area.  I bought a little flipflop lion and warthog there for each of my children’s travel treasures chests.  I also bought a little handmade bed with a momma bear, baby bear, and tiny pillows and quilts made by seven HIV+ single women in the Nairobi slum, Kibera.

There is also a little play structure with flipflop pieces underneath rather than stones, which is fun for little ones to tromp around in.  Additionally, there is a little outdoor cafe/ lunch area near the play structure if you want a moment to have a coffee while the little ones run around.  We saw an amazing chameleon there while we had lunch.

Visit Marula Studios website here to learn about how they recycle flip flops and glass to make beautiful artwork.

At the Kazuri Bead Factory you can get a  tour  and  learn  about  the  gorgeous,  handcrafted  beads  and  ceramics  that  provide   livelihood  generation  for  low-­‐income  women  in  the  area.  There  is  a  store  on  site.  Be   prepared  to  be  overwhelmed  by  the  options  of  jewelry!

Visit the Kazuri Bead Factory website here 

The bride and groom

I just left to Colombo, Sri Lanka after a two week stay in Kerala, India with my two year old and three month old.  We met my husband there on the way to Kerala (at our connection in the Abu Dhabi airport) and stayed with his mother and sister at their home in Kerala.

Much of our time in India we spent working remotely and visiting with family.  We were able to get away for a quick mountain retreat in the shockingly green, ever-ending sea of tea plantations in Munnar (the subject of my next blog).  We also had the honor of going to a beautiful traditional wedding, which required that I wear a sari.

Saris are beautiful, and I was looking forward to my husband’s sister assisting me fold, pleat, wrap, and tuck the large rectangular piece of cloth.  I chose to wear a traditional Kerala sari, which is white with simple gold and red trim.  However, I was a bit nervous about how I would breastfeed both my infant and my toddler wearing my sari in public at a formal wedding celebration, particularly considering how conservative the general public in this area of the world is when it comes to breasts, women showing skin, and breastfeeding.

Breastfeeding Surya in a sari

I at first thought I was doomed to sitting in a hot dark corner, or worse a bathroom, unpinning my sari and sitting on a toilet seat feeding my baby- and nursing my toddler would be impossible.  However, when I inquired with my sister-in-law how I would manage, she shrugged and showed me how to just keep the sari blouse unclipped for easy access. There are about six metal loops that hook into the front of the sari blouse, so it’s closed in the back and hooked up in the front.  The sari material covers this entire area with the folded material, anyway.  So, I simply hooked the top two clasps, and the bottom.

When I needed to breastfeed, it was actually quite simple- I just unclasped the bottom hook and lifted up my bra.  It seemed, actually- and probably- that saris are quite well designed for breastfeeding.  The sari material across the chest perfectly covers the nipple area and drapes across the chest perfectly.  So, even my fussy 3 month that does not like his head covered I could position perfectly so he could nurse freely without his head covered, but the material provided just enough coverage that it appeared almost as if I was just holding him and not nursing him at all.

However, if I were to design a completely breastfeeding-friendly sari, I would simply make the bottom part of the sari blouse stretchy elastic.  Instead of unclasping the hooks and keeping it open (with a gaping hole showing my breasts and bra, even though covered by sari material), one could easily just pull up and stick baby’s mouth on.  But I won’t be wearing saris often enough to make that a big deal, and I am sure the breastfeeding women who do wear them often enough are pros at quickly flicking the clasps to make way for baby.

Wedding lunch feast

When we arrived at the wedding ceremony in a large hall, I was admittedly still cautious about where I would feed my little ones.  As much of a public breastfeeder I am, I was already drawing enough unwanted attention due to the color of my skin and didn’t care for drawing more attention.  But as my infant began to fuss the milk fuss, and my toddler began to whine, “want mommy’s booby juice,” I glanced over to a quiet corner with empty chairs obstructed partially by a large column.  There was a mother sitting quietly with her two year old in her lap contentedly breastfeeding just below her sari.

So I sat next to her and nursed my infant a we exchanged quick glances and affirming smiles while my husband provided a little bit of shelter from the curious gazes.  And soon after, if it was time for a delicious lunch feast.  By the time I arrived back home, though, my sari was a mess after a day of my children in my lap, under and over my sari.  My mother-in-law was right when she shook her finger at me and my toddler earlier that morning and warned me, “Children spoil saris.”

My sari was indeed spoiled, but having my children close by me and experiencing the wedding through my toddler’s eyes made it all the more fun to wear a sari for the day.  And now I have a new respect for how breast-feeding friendly those not-so-complicated saris are.

With three full time work contracts, a toddler, a newborn, and loads of international travel, I am looking to outsource just about anything I can these days, so I was pretty excited to check out the service.  There are different plans, and I chose the one that costs $45 per month, for which I receive 15 tasks that I request help with.

In the past month or so, I have requested help with the following tasks:

- Arrange a large enough SUV taxi for two adults and two children with car seats and enough room for 4-5 large suitcases to pick me up and take me to Chicago O’Hare.  Please call and confirm the taxi will be on its way an hour before scheduled pick-up.

- Identify a 3 bedroom apartment for a two week stay in Colombo, Sri Lanka that has an outdoor kids’ play space, indoor gym, swimming pool, and is close to the Grand Cinnamon Hotel where my other work colleagues will be staying.

- Identify options where I can buy toys for my two year old in Haiti and leave them there with a local organization (such as identifying organizations that assist children in need where I can donate her toys after she is finished playing with them there).

- Find the cheapest and most direct flights from Colombo, Sri Lanka to Nairobi, Kenya around May 5 (with flexibility in dates).

- Call Etihad Airways, request a bassinet seat in the bulkhead for both flights to Cochin, India, and confirm Asian vegetarian meals for all passengers.  Also merge my reservation with my husband’s who currently has a separate reservation and make sure he is sitting with us.  Make sure he has aisle seats so he isn’t super grumpy to travel with, and please have Etihad email him a confirmation with his specific aisle seat assignments.

- Identify the hardware knobs (picture attached) on my existing kitchen cabinets so I can order matching ones for my new cabinets in my pantry, then order them and have them shipped to my address.

I have used up all of my 15 tasks per month for a slew of help with travel arrangements and confirmations.  It is worth every penny of my $45 per month.  It is super easy to email in a quick request, and I can, for example, just attach a travel reservation document rather than taking the type to explain in the email.  The people on the other end are VERY responsive, quick, and they know their stuff.  The few times where I wasn’t quite satisfied with the response/ choices given, they responded quickly to my satisfaction.

Fancy Hands has probably saved me at least 40 hours of my time in assisting with arrangements and logistics over the past month or so.  That is HUGE, as it lets me focus my time instead on my work and more importantly, on my kids.

If you are a busy traveling parent, Fancy Hands is a huge help!  If you are a busy parent at home, Fancy Hands is still a huge help!  Do you want them to set up a dentist appointment for your kid?  Research birthday party venues?  Find the best nanny options in town?  Find a dog sitter?  They can help, and they are totally on top of it!  Weddings, parties, travel, work assistance, home assistance…Fancy Hands is the next best thing to “mother’s little helper,” or even better.  They certainly have helped me from losing my mind in the past few weeks!

Check them out, busy parents- if you want to take them for a spin it’s $25 for 5 tasks over a month!  And no, they did not pay me to write this blog.  I just really, really love them and they have made my life infinitely easier!

Yellow Fever Card- yellow fever vaccination is contraindicated for breastfeeding mother

In a few weeks I will set off to Haiti with my toddler and my newborn, both of whom are still nursing (aggressively).  After that we’ll also be traveling to Sri Lanka, India, South Sudan, and Kenya for a good part of the year into July.  In South Sudan, there have already been 40 confirmed cases of yellow fever this year.

For anyone who has traveled to some countries in Asia and Africa, proof of yellow fever vaccination may be well-known as a requirement to obtain an entry visa, or may be checked in order to pass immigration.  For travelers who do not have proof, they may be forced to receive the vaccination at a health clinic inside the airport (usually with a high price tag) before entering the country.

Check out the list of recommended and required yellow fever vaccination countries here.

Getting the yellow fever vaccination is something that is not only required for many sub-tropical countries, but is generally a good idea to get.  The disease is transmitted through mosquito bites; at its mildest it can cause a mild flu-type illness that eventually passes, but at its worst it can cause multiple organ failure and result in death.  There is no treatment for yellow fever, either.

Check out the Center for Disease Control (CDC)’s web page on yellow fever here, including information on the symptoms, treatment, and the vaccination.

I had the yellow fever vaccination back in 2001 before I traveled to South America.  Technically, a booster is recommended every 10 years.  However, studies point to evidence that the vaccination, which is 100% effective in preventing yellow fever, is actually effective for 30 years.  So, I should be good.  However, there is a high likelihood that I will be required to show evidence of my yellow fever vaccination at some point in my travels, especially following my trip to South Sudan.

I have three problems: 1) I lost my old yellow fever card, and since it was given to me over a decade ago, it might not be accepted, anyway; 2) it is recommended that nursing mothers not receive the vaccination (along with pregnant women and infants under nine months of age); and 3) I have been in a perpetual state of pregnancy or breastfeeding since 2010, and since we plan on having two more children, will most likely be either pregnant or breastfeeding for the next 6-8 years (yikes!), so it will be a while before I can safely receive the vaccination.

Check out the CDC’s information on who should not receive the vaccination here.

Not enough research has been done to really determine how safe it is to take the yellow fever vaccination when breastfeeding or nursing, and there have been two documented cases of breastfeeding infants that have had neurological damage attributed to the yellow fever vaccine after their mothers were vaccinated.  The vaccine is a live virus, so it can potentially do some serious damage to a little baby.

The CDC states “Yellow fever vaccination has not been known to cause any birth defects when given to pregnant women. Yellow fever vaccine has been given to many pregnant women without any apparent adverse effects on the fetus. However, since yellow fever vaccine is a live virus vaccine, it poses a theoretical risk. While a two week delay between yellow fever vaccination and conception is probably adequate, a one month delay has been advocated as a more conservative approach. If a woman is inadvertently or of necessity vaccinated during pregnancy, she is unlikely to have any problems from the vaccine and her baby is very likely to be born healthy.”

I called several travel clinics who told me I shouldn’t travel if I am breastfeeding (what!?), that I shouldn’t receive the yellow fever vaccination, and were generally super judgmental of me for taking my children to places with so many diseases.  It’s not like I’m vacationing in South Sudan- I am going their for my job.

Luckily, the travel nurse and doctor and the Children’s Memorial Travel Clinic here in Chicago were helpful.  The doctor said that since I already had the yellow fever vaccine in 2001, I should be protected against the disease for the next two decades.  He then signed a yellow fever card for me, stating that I shouldn’t receive the vaccination since I’m breastfeeding. That wasn’t so hard, was it?  So, now I have reassurance that I am protected against yellow fever, and a yellow card that may or may not get me into a couple of countries, but hopefully that will do the trick.

If I had not been previously vaccinated against yellow fever, I would be worried, but I still wouldn’t risk getting the vaccine pregnant or breastfeeding.  All of the places that have yellow fever also have malaria, so I am going to need to take precautions against mosquito bites, any way.  That means wearing long sleeves and pants, staying in closed and air conditioned sleep places, and wearing mosquito repellent.

Of course my one month old, who will be around six months by the time we reach South Sudan, is too little to have any  travel vaccinations beyond immunoglobulin, which is just a general immune booster.  He will also be taking 1/8 tablet of Mefloquine weekly as an anti-malarial).  Plus, he has my breast milk to also give his immune system a boost, plus he won’t be eating solid food or drinking water when we’re traveling, so some things won’t be as worrisome as others (like cholera in Haiti), but I’ll definitely be quarantining both my children in air-conditioned close spaces, plus bed nets, plus long sleeves, plus baby-safe mosquito repellent to be extra careful.

The bottom line, though, is that if you are breastfeeding or pregnant, and you must travel to a place where there is a risk of yellow fever, it may be advisable to take mosquito precautions rather than get the vaccine- just in case.

Related Pages

Health and Safety

Sunscreen Recommendations for 2012

Getting Baby Immunized

Never Leave Home without a Health Kit

Six Reasons to Choose Breastfeeding on the Go

Five Tips to Practice Water Health Safety with Baby

New Anti-Malaria Prevention and Treatment Recommendations for Pregnant Traveling Mommas

Our newborn son, Surya

I am taking time in this blog, for those interested, to tell the birth story of our recent arrival and new addition to our gypsy family a few days ago, as well as to apologize for my five week blogging absence!

First, to get my apology and excuses out of the way, I have had “write a blog” on my to do list for several weeks now.  Although I’ve been busy and distracted, I certainly could have and sat down several times, but I’ve had major blogger’s block.  For one, I’ve been completely preoccupied with the then impending birth of our son.  I’ve also had “HAVE A BABY” on my to do list for the past couple of weeks.  For most of the third trimester we were worried he’d come pre-term (but alas, he stayed in until 39 weeks on the dot), so I was anxious and obsessed.  Second, I’m currently juggling three work contracts and have also been trying to work like mad in order to have more time spend with my little one once he arrives.  And lastly, because we’ve been home in Chicago since October hibernating as we were waiting for the newborn, travel has not been on the forefront of my mind so I wasn’t feeling particularly inspired about writing on the subject of traveling with babies.  I do apologize for my extended absence, and am planning now on writing one blog per week from here on out.

Gypsy Momma in birthing tub half hour before birth of Surya

And now, for the birth story of my son.  Since 33 weeks I was having noticeable (and sometimes regular) contractions, enough to put me in L&D shortly before 34 weeks to get steroid shots to mature his lungs in case he came early.  Since my daughter was born at 36.5 weeks combined with what seemed to be early labor coming on, everyone was convinced that he, too, would come early.  By the time 37 weeks came and went I started to feel like I was overdue.  It was nice being off modified bed rest at that point and back to exercise and some sense of normalcy.  But my husband and I started getting really anxious and eager to get the show on the road- especially since we have planned travel coming up soon in February where we will part ways.

Then at 38 weeks I got hit with a nasty cold/ flu thing.  I had my flu shot and tested negative for the flu, but I had a fever for four days I had to keep down for four days, muscle aches, and I horribly violent cough with a sore throat.  At that point I was hoping labor would stay away until I recovered.  Last weekend the fever dissipated and I was feeling much improved, although my violent cough still lingered, and out of that so did laryngitis (and I am still without my voice today).

Holding Surya to my chest immediately after birth

On January 22 I woke up with some noticeable contractions and later that morning told my husband that this was the day.  We had an appointment with our midwife that afternoon, and when she checked me I was 3.5cm dilated and 70% effaced.  I told her I didn’t mind if she stirred things up a bit as she was checking so she did a quick and mild “sweeparoo” as she called it.  After 5 weeks of contractions and anxiousness, I was ready to gently help things along.

I continued noticeable contractions after that, and by 6PM they were regular enough that I began to time them, and called my midwife at 8:30PM to tell her they were coming 5-8 minutes apart for about a minute each, and were fairly strong.  She told me to come in right away, so our friends came over to care for our toddler, and off we went to the Alternative Birthing Center (ABC) at the West Suburban Medical Center in Oak Park, just outside Chicago.

We arrived to L&D triage by 10PM, and after a short stint of monitoring to make sure that baby and I were both doing well and my midwife checking me to see I had dilated to an almost fully effaced 6cm, I was admitted to the ABC room.  I told my midwife it was go-time and my goal was to push baby out in a couple of hours by midnight.  I was quite excited since I had planned a water birth here with my daughter two years ago, but was not able to have one since I was 2 days shy of being considered “full term.”  The ABC room is spacious with a microwave and fridge/ freezer for food, a Queen sized “family bonding bed,” dimmable lights, a birthing ball, and a large birthing tub.

I walked around for a half hour to keep things moving along.  By 10:30PM I was really having strong contractions less than three minutes apart.  I got into the shower in the bathroom- it felt great to have the warm water pour over my body as I went through strong surges.  My husband stayed next to me, and we were left alone besides the lovely nurse who came in periodically to check on baby’s heart tones, which were great throughout the labor.

Gypsy Papa with Surya settling into for the night

By 11:30PM I was cranky and told my husband to get rid of the coffee he had as the smell was making me nauseous, and I felt like pushing so he should get the midwife.  The midwife and nurse came in, and when the midwife checked me I was dilated to a fully effaced 8cm.  She had already prepared the tub, so in I went.  My midwife and the nurse sat across the tub from me, and my husband beside me with my water bottle.  It was so heavenly to be immersed in the warm water as the surges took over my body.  I gripped onto the handles on either side of the tub and gently moaned through my laryngitis during the surges.

Between contractions I drank lots of water and I rested in a half-sleep state with my eyes closed, in a complete state of relaxation.  My midwife told me that when I felt the urge to push go ahead and do so and listen to my body.  By 11:40PM I felt the urge to push with my contractions, and I could feel his head making his way down lower.  I used all of my energy for those 1-2 minute surges to bear down and push, and it was wonderfully encouraging to feel the progress being made, and hearing my husband and my midwife tell me they could now see his head.  I was feeling tired and as he was crowning it was painful, but I just told myself that if I give the next push all I had he would be out soon.  The water all around me was incredibly soothing, though, and definitely took the edge off.

Our two year old holding our newborn for the first time

Shortly before midnight I pushed my son’s head out, rested once more, and with the next contraction pushed the rest of his body out of me.  It was amazing relief to have him out of me, and my midwife gently pulled him up out of the water and laid him on my chest.  Everything was so peaceful and gentle.  He snuggled up on me quietly, then a minute later let out his cry.  My midwife was quite excited that he had come out of the birth canal with his bag of waters still in tact around him, and that he had one true knot in his umbilical chord- both I am told are a sign of a “lucky” baby.

I was feeling like a lucky momma after having gone through less than three hours of active labor and 20 minutes of pushing.  After it was over my husband and I looked at each other and laughed.  I said, “That was it??”  He responded by saying, “Let’s have a couple more of these.”  After what I can only describe as an amazingly powerful, gentle, peaceful, and transcendental birthing experience in the bath tub, I’d be happy to have a whole litter more.

We all laid down together in the family bed, and as soon as I brought my little one to my breast he latched on like he had done it a thousand times before.  He started chowing down, and three days later he is still at it with a vengeance.  My husband and I promptly ordered pizza.  I was so curious about how my body would work with breast milk since I am still breastfeeding my toddler.  Indeed, my milk went away, my colostrum came in after he was born, and three days later I am engorged with milk for newborns (which my toddler is thoroughly enjoying as well).  Our bodies are amazing.

My son, Surya Oscar, was born at 12:02AM on January 23, 2013.  He weighed 7 pounds, 9 ounces and was 20 1/4″ long.  His name, Surya, is Sanskrit for “the sun,” and his middle name was my grandfather’s middle name.  He is already lighting up our lives, and our hope for him is that he continues to live as gently and peacefully in the world as the way he entered it.

We were eager to get home quickly to our two year old, Veda.  Originally we were planning on having her come and meet us immediately after the birth.  Because of the flu going around now, though, the hospital just implemented a policy that no one under age 18 would be able to visit.  Both Surya and I were doing great, so we were discharged as soon as possible the next morning of the 24th.

Our daughter is certainly rising to the occasion and doing a wonderful job as big sister.  She was so excited when we brought him home that she was spontaneously singing “Happy Birthday, Surya,” dancing around and giggling, and smothering him in gentle kisses.  The first time I breastfed them together she gazed lovingly at him and stroked his cheeks gently as they both quietly nursed.  I love my children incredibly, and I feel so lucky to be the mother of two beautiful little beings.

We are re-adjusting with ease to life with a newborn- it seems so easy to have this little thing who lays around and sleeps compared to our strong-willed toddler!  Cleaning poop off a penis is a whole new adventure for us, though.

After a few days of rest and family bonding, my husband and I are now back in travel-planning mode, both with impending departures for work a few weeks away.  As of Monday we will be able to get Surya’s birth certificate, and after that it is time for passport, visas, vaccinations, and all other things travel marathon.  Stay tuned as I delve into an entire year of travel with my two year old and newborn with Pakistan, Haiti, Sri Lanka, South Sudan, Kenya, France, Spain, and South Africa on the itinerary from February through September/ October of this year!

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Gearing Up for a World Tour with a Newborn and a Toddler

I recently accepted (three) work contracts that will take me and my little ones to Pakistan, Kenya, and potentially Sri Lanka, Southern Sudan, and Colombia (still to be determined) from February 15 through end of July next year.  I also have two other potential contracts that may take us back to Kenya plus Ethiopia after that.  This will be 4-6 weeks after Surya is born, and just enough time for our family to adjust to life with “Baby Yaya” on the outside.  We head to France for my friend’s wedding in July, and will likely be traveling after that, as well.  Next year will indeed be action-packed for all of us.

Sadly, my husband has work commitments that will be taking him to other parts of the world while I set out for work with my newborn and toddler in tow.  As of Feb. 12 he will be heading to Lesotho for a month, and may or may not be able to meet up with me and the kidlets wherever we find ourselves in the world in mid-March.  He will basically come and meet us wherever we are as his work schedule allows, and we are all meeting up in France for the wedding in July.

This also means that I will have to rely on alternative childcare as I travel and work.  Luckily I have a fantastic nanny helping with Veda at the moment who can travel (at least part of the time in the beginning) with us. Having that consistency of someone I can rely on and trust is key to my mental health throughout all this, although I will have to find another reliable child care provider to travel with us for much of the year beginning in April.

Here is my to-do list in anticipation of baby and travels to come:

1) Wash and sort newborn and one-size cloth diapers for Yaya (done!)

2) Sanitize all pumping gear, milk storage bottles, and bottles (done!)

3) Wash and organize all newborn- 12 month baby boy clothing that I will need for upcoming travel next year (done!)

4) Pack in travel organizing cubes 1 cube for: 3-6 month clothes, 1 cube for 6-9 month clothes and 1 cube for 9-12 month clothes- all for hot/ humid weather.  I can easily throw these into Yaya’s suitcase when the time comes for us to leave the country

5) Pack in a compression sack one-size diapers and Flip diapers for use after Yaya is big enough as we set off on our travels (at home in Chicago I will use newborn cloth diapers until he is big enough to fit in one size)

6) Figure out child care for travel times (juggling between nanny and husband when he is not traveling elsewhere)

7) Get travel visas to all countries for myself, my toddler, nanny, and husband

8) Set up travel clinic and immunizations for myself, toddler, and newborn

9) Purchase additional suitcase and packing cubes for Baby Yaya (Done!)

10) Pack hospital bags for me, Baby Yaya, and toddler

11)  Identify accommodations in each country that will be comfortable for my family + nanny

12) Identify emergency medical/ health care providers and hospitals in each destination we will be visiting

13) Identify activities for toddler in each destination we will be visiting

14) Fill out as much paperwork as possible before he is born to apply for Baby Yaya’s passport, visa applications, and social security number

14) After Baby Yaya is born begin paperwork galore process immediately including:

- Hounding hospital to submit birth record to county records so we can get copies of his birth certificate ASAP

- Get newborn passport photos taken of Yaya ASAP

- Apply for expedited passport for Baby Yaya ASAP (expedited should only take a day or two)

- Apply for social security number for Baby Yaya (although this is NOT necessary to get passport or visas)

- Apply for visas for all countries we are traveling to for Baby Yaya (ASAP) as soon as his passport is received

- Set up regular check-ups and immunization schedule for Baby Yaya; identify immunizations we will have to get while traveling, where to get them (based on recommendations from local contacts in each country) and if we need to travel with any immunizations for him

- Pump and freeze milk supply to bring with us on travels for when I will be away from him for work, and identify the best way to transport frozen milk with us overseas

- Purchase infant-in-lap seat for Baby Ya ya for all trips, and separate seats for my toddler and nanny next to us

I plan on packing as lightly as possible, even knowing that it is likely that when we leave home in February, we may not return home for another 10 months.  Still, I plan on packing no more than 1 suitcase for each of us (1 for me, 1 for my toddler, and 1 for my newborn).  I’ve learned from two years of traveling with my daughter since birth that the lighter everything is and the fewer things to pack, the better.  I won’t be bringing any cribs since we do the family bed, no high chairs, and a minimal amount of toys- we can always buy cheap things wherever we are and leave them behind with locals’ with kids.

I am hoping to have as speedy a recovery from child birth, and as healthy as a baby as my experience with my first so that all goes -relatively- smoothly!  I’m a bit exhausted just thinking about all the logistics, but checking off things on my to do list to get as much done before Yaya comes so I have more time to enjoy my new baby afterward.  Perhaps I am a bit too over-confident that everything will go okay after spending the past two years traveling the world with my toddler, but I do think it will be okay.  I also know that traveling with Baby Yaya will be the easy part.  He will be breastfeeding and sleeping a lot.  It’s traveling with my two year old that will be more of a challenge- from making sure her food and water is sanitary to keeping her busy and engaged!

Nesting + travel planning is jerking me in so many different directions!  I think I need to add the following to my list:

- Schedule in some prenatal massages

- Practice Hypnobabies meditation every night

- Breathe and know that everything will work out as best it can!

Related Pages

Plan Your Trip

Packing for Baby

20 Steps to Prepare for International Travel

How to Apply for a U.S. Passport for Baby

Gear and Products

Travel Health

Getting Baby Immunized

Six Reasons to Choose Breastfeeding on the Go

Enjoying the Ride

Is it safe to carry my newborn in a Baby K’tan? Yes! The practice of babywearing keeps babies in the safest place possible — a parent’s arms. Baby’s face should always be visible to the carrying adult so that baby’s breathing and positioning can be regularly monitored. Babies are vulnerable in their first few months of life and they require constant supervision, which is why babywearing is a wonderful tool to assist in the well-being of infants. In order to ensure a safe, comfortable and cozy babywearing experience, be sure to read and follow all warnings, instructions and safety tips found in your manual and online before placing your baby in the Baby K’tan. My newborn does not yet have head control; what positions can I use? How do I support baby’s head? The Kangaroo and Hug Positions can be used with an infant that does not yet have complete head control. The fabric of the Baby K’tan can be used to support the back of your baby’s head. After placing your baby in the carrier, spread the fabric at your shoulder to create a head support for your baby. Ensure that the fabric is supporting the back or side of your baby’s head and does not cover baby’s face, nose or mouth.

My baby is less than 8lbs. Can I use the Baby K’tan?
As per the Baby Carrier Industry standards, the minimum weight limit on the Baby K’tan Baby Carrier is 8lbs. This minimum assists in stressing the use of extra care and safety when using a baby carrier with a newborn infant. While worn properly, the Baby K’tan can be very beneficial for newborns and kangaroo care with preemies – consult an expert or doctor if your infant was born with a low birth weight, such as a preemie or twins, or if your infant has respiratory illness or other respiratory problems. Extra vigilance is required with these babies.

How do I know my baby is positioned correctly?
Baby carriers are meant to mimic the way you would hold your baby in your arms. Check your baby’s position after placing him/her in the carrier by embracing baby in your arms; baby’s position should not shift significantly in your embrace.

Check to make sure you can fit your finger between baby’s chin and chest to ensure that baby’s airway is not restricted.

How do I know my baby’s face and neck are positioned correctly? You should be able to see your baby’s face at all times. Make sure that your baby’s face is not pressed into your body or into the fabric of the carrier. Your baby’s head and neck should be supported, with baby’s chin off chest. If baby’s chin is pressed tightly against his chest, this can restrict baby’s airway. When positioned properly, you should be able to fit your finger between baby’s chin and chest. Check often to ensure that baby’s airway is not restricted and that baby is breathing regularly. If you hear that your baby is snoring or grunting, reposition baby to a more upright hold. How do I position baby’s legs for proper hip development? - Kangaroo Position: When placing your baby in the Kangaroo hold, baby’s knees should to be tucked to tummy in a “froggy style” position. A simple rule is to keep baby’s legs in the shape of the letter “M”, with baby’s bottom making the dip in the middle of the letter and baby’s knees making the two peaks. - Hug, Adventure and Two-Hip Positions: When placing your baby in a position where legs are free, baby should be in a natural seated position with knees bent and hips spread – straddling the wearer. Spread the fabric of the Baby K’tan between baby’s legs so that it reaches the bend in baby’s knees.

Once my baby is positioned correctly in the carrier, am I done?
No. Babies can shift their positioning in the carrier, especially during walking or movement. Parents should attend to and check on baby often, especially those less than 4 months of age.

Can I safely nurse in the Baby K’tan?
Yes, but please keep in mind that every individual is different and some may find it easier than others. After nursing in the Baby K’tan, return your baby to a proper carrying position with head above the breasts and face free of fabric and turned away from the mother’s body.

Check out my guest post over at Onya Baby’s blog here on tips for family travel during the holidays.  It’s focused on how to make car or airplane travel less stressful and the holidays more enjoyable, with tips on packing light, keeping toddlers busy, and leaving behind bulky stuff.

Enjoy and happy travels!

Related pages:

Plan Your Trip

Logistics

Packing for Baby

Enjoying the Ride

My husband is going for about two weeks.  I am making 10 days my limit- this just seems like the magic number of days that I just can’t go another day without my daughter (notice I didn’t say the number of days she can’t go without me).

This will be the first time that both my husband and I are leaving for a trip without her.  She has traveled with us to over  7 countries globally on over 2 dozen trips as we traveled for work over her life.  My husband has traveled without us several times, and for the first time last month my husband and daughter were solo for almost two weeks without me.  But this will be the first time that both mom and dad take off.

We decided that this time around it would be best.  First, it is a relatively short trip, and both of us are going to be incredibly busy with work.  Second, we are going to Pakistan with security concerns so if we brought Veda she would basically be stuck in our guest house the entire time, and probably get really bored.  In Chicago she has at least one class a day between ballet, soccer, French music, swimming, and tumbling.  Plus there’s the Shedd Aquarium and Chicago Children’s museum to keep her busy.  She’ll just have more fun at home.  Third, we have to prepare quickly for an eminent departure, and trying to secure visas and travel arrangements for her and the nanny would be both a huge logistical nightmare and a huge cost, especially now that Veda requires her own seat.

Luckily, my mother is available to come and stay in Chicago with Veda. Our fabulous, wonderful nanny has also agreed to move into our house while we are away- so Veda will have two people in the house that she loves, is comfortable with, and that we trust with her.  This makes it easier to leave.

Here is what I am doing logistically to prepare for mom and dad being away from our toddler:

1) I am arranging a personal chef service to cook healthy lunches and dinners for Veda, my nanny, and my mother while we are away.  It’s actually not that much more expensive than buying groceries, and than I have peace of mind that everyone is eating well.  We certainly aren’t wealthy, but to me it’s worth the small additional expense.

2) My husband and I both signed a medical consent authorization form granting authority to both my mother and nanny to authorize medical treatment for Veda.  I have left this along with our insurance card and Veda’s birth certificate in a folder.

3) I have left emergency phone numbers, pediatrician and Children’s Hospital phone numbers and addresses, and directions on when to call whom.  I have also left phone numbers of other close friends that can be contacted in the event of an emergency.

4) Even though the nanny and my mother know Veda well, I have left detailed notes on everything from how to wash her cloth diapers, her favorite bed time songs and stories, typical meal times and favorite foods, and what to do if she complains of a tummy ache.  It also includes the class times, locations, and directions on how to get to all of Veda’s scheduled classes.  The title of this document is “Guide to Surviving Veda.”

5) I have left detailed notes on the house, from where to take out the trash and how to operate the dishwasher to how to open the windows top down for safety and turn off our steam heat radiators if it gets too hot.

6) I bought a new small manual breast pump.  My Lansinoh handheld manual pump traveled the world with me and held up remarkably, but I am now missing some parts.  We are also expecting our baby boy in the next 6-8 weeks, so I need a new one anyway.  I just purchased a new one so I can easily pump and dump while I am away to keep my milk supply going.  I am not leaving any pumped milk behind.  Breastfeeding at this point is more for comfort than anything for my daughter.  But I do want to continue breastfeeding after I return.

7) We got our nanny a credit card linked to our account that is in her name.  That way she can buy groceries or incidentals as needed and we don’t have to worry about her having enough cash to do so.  It’s also good in an emergency.

8) Yes, this one is morbid, but practical.  Both my husband and I are, after all, getting on an airplane together and going to a country with security concerns.  So this week we are having our wills drawn up, including identifying whom will have legal guardianship for Veda if something should happen to both of us.  It’s best not to ignore potential calamity- just in case.

Here is what I am doing emotionally to prepare for mom and dad being away from our toddler:

1) I started talking about mommy and daddy going away for a little while.  I talk about it every day.  I tell her we are going to leave on an airplane (and she sadly says, “Veda too?”), but that we’ll be back really fast.  I tell her we love her and want her to have lots of fun at home while we go bye-bye.  I tell her the nanny and “nina” (what she calls my mother), are going to stay with her and have lots of fun with her.  Every time I talk about it she seems to understand, and does express some slight anxiety (she says “Veda too,” “Veda airport,” and wraps her arms tightly around my neck).  However, she understands things a lot these days, and I think it’s better to prepare her and talk about it rather than just disappear one day for almost two weeks.

2) We have Skype set up on the Kindle Fire that Veda uses.  We will make sure to get lots of daily face time on Skype with Veda so that she knows we are still “present” in her life.”

3) We have asked that some close friends that Veda knows, is comfortable with, and enjoys, to pop in for visits to provide more consistency and a little love network for her while we are away.

4) We have reinstated the “no boobies when the moon is out” rule.  My daughter still likes to breastfeed to sleep and still wakes in the night to feed.  This week my husband has full bed time and night rousing duties.  We hope this make for an easier transition next week when I am away so she is not even more upset by my absence when she wakes to find no boobies available in the night.  It will also make it easier for my nanny and mother to comfort her.

5) I have purchased and wrapped small gifts for her each day we are away.  I am talking about individually wrapped markers, stamps, stickers, kid binoculars, a Dora the Explorer plate/ bowl set, coloring book, bed time story book, etc. These are little wrapped gifts that I want her to open each morning.  She will be told it’s from mommy and daddy and that we’ll be home soon.  Usually we have lots of cuddle time each morning, and although stickers certainly can’t replace that, I hope that her anticipation and the little joy I know she’ll get from the little presents will start the day okay without us, remind her that we aren’t there but are “present” and coming back, and that hopefully will provide her with a little positive distraction from the separation anxiety or sadness she might be feeling.  We are also, sadly, missing her second birthday on Dec. 7.  She doesn’t realize this at this age, but it’s a bit difficult for us being away from her for this huge milestone!  So, the little presents are also my way of quietly honoring her birthday each day until we get back and can have a proper celebration.

6) Although we haven’t begun packing yet, we are going to do it this week while she is napping or away from home at a class.  She knows the packing drill well by now and usually starts packing her Trunki with toys and putting things in a suitcase.  I am going to keep the suitcases out of her sight, even on the day we leave, because I know it will only result in lots of tears and a meltdown when she realizes she isn’t packing a suitcase and coming with us.  Talking about leaving is one thing, but I really think the visual of the suitcase will be too much for her.

I know that there will be tears, on my end and her end, although based on my first separation from her last month for work, I am pretty confident that there will be more tears on my end than on hers.  She will be just fine.  She is a busy little bee and will be surrounded by people that love her dearly and lots of fun.  But this is still another experience of growing pains for my husband and I as parents.

Related Pages

I Wish I Were Homeward Bound: Two Weeks Away from My Toddler

The Art of Hand Expressing Breast Milk

My Incredibly Boring and Happy Jet-Setting Life

The flight was easy (and cheap!), and probably the last time I will be flying with my -almost- two year old on my lap, which is fine with me since at 30 weeks pregnant my belly is swelling with her little brother.  It really wasn’t a big deal to have her nap on my for the two hour flight, using my belly as a pillow.  The only annoying part was being told by the flight attendant several times that I need to move her foot out of the aisle (it was sticking out two inches) to make room for the beverage cart when the plane hadn’t even let the runway yet.

My dear friend from college lives in Steamboat, CO, but we decided to rent a little two bedroom cottage in Chataqua, Boulder for the weekend.  It’s a quick 30 minute drive from the Denver airport, and beautiful.  Our cozy little craftsman cottage was perfect the weekend, nestled right along a hiking trail leading up to the Flatirons.  It’s a merrily busy hiking area, with lots of trail runners and families enjoying the outdoors at all times of the day.  Add in the fluffy white snow fall we got on Saturday that dripped over the tree branches and mountains, plus the warm gas fireplace, and I’d say we had the perfect scenic romantic getaway.  The only thing missing was my husband, hot cocoa, and Christmas carols.

On Friday we drove 10 minutes from our cozy Chataqua cottage to Pearl Street Walking Mall in Boulder.  Veda loved it, primarily because she could leap and bound across the wide brick pedestrian boulevard, stopping to climb over strategically placed rocks for toddlers and animal sculptures.  Who needs swings and slides when you’ve got rocks?  We also spent some time in the children’s section of the Boulder Bookstore on Pearl Street, with lots of fabulous books and games to choose from, as well as little rocking chairs and a cozy atmosphere.  It was pleasant just hanging out for an hour or so browsing at things before we settled on a few new books for Veda.

Over the course of the weekend we sampled some yummy food, including Nepalese at Sherpa’s Kitchen (yum!), and packed a lot into a little less than our three days there.  We checked out the Boulder’s World of Wonder (WOW) Children’s Museum.  Although the weather was gorgeous most of our weekend, we had wone cold rainy afternoon, and Veda thoroughly enjoyed the tap dance studio, little grocery store, music room, train set, and sand box here for a few hours (and probably would have enjoyed staying longer).

We strolled through the pleasant Boulder County Farmer’s Market Saturday morning and had brunch at the Teahouse.  We sat on a raised platform on pillows cross-legged, which Veda enjoyed enough that we had leisurely 2 hour brunch.  It’s a beautiful, sublime restaurant with soaring colorful ornate ceilings and woodwork.  The entire building was built in Tajikistan and shipped over.  I had a hard time deciding what to order with options ranging from Indian Curry Omelette and Masala Dosa to Orange Foccacia French Toast.  The Chai latte is delicious.

We spent one afternoon strolling through Sanitas on a wide hiking trail.  The snow was freshly fallen and covering the pine trees.  It was just cool enough so the snow stuck, but warm and sunny enough to be comfortable to spend time outside.  I strapped Veda to me with my Onya baby carrier on my back and she took a long afternoon nap while we enjoyed the fresh brisk Colorado air.  I saw a mom pushing a baby in the stroller up a hiking trail and I was dumbfounded as to why someone would push a heavy stroller up a somewhat muddy hiking path instead of just strapping on baby like a backpack??

We also spent an afternoon at the Denver Aquarium.  It’s definitely not the Shedd, but still really cool and worth a visit.  We were pretty excited to see the unexpected tiger come out for a feed in the rainforest exhibit (Veda wanted to “pet the meow”).  Veda’s favorite exhibit was the small little aquarium where we observed little fish that were burrowing holes in the rocky sand, sucking up rocks to make a deeper hole, coming out of the hole, than spitting the rocks out in a growing pile next to their hole.  I’ll admit I was pretty fascinated myself.  She also insisted on trying out the hurricane simulator, which she wasn’t so excited about in the end.

Visiting Boulder with toddlers or kids?  Check out more fun things to do outdoors and inside with toddlers and kids in Boulder here!