When you have small children, a trip to the mall becomes a bit of an expedition.  You have your diaper bag, stroller, snacks, drinks… you get the picture.  Well, imagine a trip across the world!  Vacations to India do require a lot of planning.  Nowadays, due to globalization, you can get many items in India that were formerly unavailable.  However, you don’t want to waste precious time searching for them! 

A few months before you leave

o    Book the airplane tickets as soon as possible, especially if you plan to travel during peak travel periods, such as the summer vacation or winter holidays. 
o    Make an appointment with your doctor’s office, so you can get all the necessary travel immunizations and precautions.  Depending on the traveler’s age, these include hepatitis A and malaria.  Nowadays, many offices have special travel clinics.  Don’t postpone this appointment, as some immunizations or medications must be taken weeks in advance to be effective!  You can also check out http://www.cdc.gov/travel/indianrg.htm for updated travel recommendations for South Asia. 
o    Gather medical records, eyeglass prescriptions and treatment plans (this is important if one of you has a chronic illness, such as asthma).  Also make sure you have your health insurance cards and contact information for your doctor.
o    Procure all necessary visas and passports as soon as possible.  You don’t want to wait until the last minute.  Trust me, I say this from experience!  It’s not easy dragging your kid to the Indian consulate, unless you make a fun family day trip out of it.  If you need travel documents in a hurry, there are companies that may be able to get them for you, for a fee of course.  Do an internet search for “visa in a hurry” and take your pick!  Oh, those little passport pictures make cute mementos for your baby’s album.  For information on obtaining a U.S. passport, check out http://travel.state.gov/passport/get/get_840.html.  If you need to obtain an Indian visa, visit http://www.indianembassy.org/consular/visa_guide.htm.

A few weeks before you leave

In addition to buying the requisite chocolates and perfumes for your family, stock up on these items:
o    Diapers.  Indian diapers aren’t always as absorbent as ones available in the U.S..  Try to take them from here.  On your return, you can fill that space with all the nifty stuff you buy in India!  If you cringe at the thought of carrying 500 diapers in your suitcase, you could take just enough for nighttime use, as that requires extra absorbency.  Or do what some parents do – ship your diapers in advance!  If you plan ahead, you can ship them via seamail to save money.  It’s better than paying extra for excess baggage!
o    Baby wipes.  These are handy for travel, to wipe dirty hands as well as butts!
o    Formula.  If your baby drinks formula, take it from here.  You never know how they will react to the Indian brands.  If you are nursing, you might want to take a small supply just for emergencies, in case you are incapacitated and unable to feed your baby.  If you can, get your child used to drinking formula cold or at room temperature.  This will save you a lot of headaches during the long flight!
o    Milk products.  As some pediatricians advise against consuming dairy products in India, you may want to consider these shelf-stable milk products: Horizon TM single serve milk, Pediasure TM, or Parmalat Long-Life Milk TM.  (Make sure you talk to your pediatrician before giving these to your child.)  They can be stored at room temperature, so they will also come in handy during your journey!  Introduce them to your child a few weeks before you leave, to ensure that she will drink it.
o    Breast pump and bottles.  If you are nursing, it may be advisable to take a manual breast pump (The Avent Isis TM is a good choice.).  That way, you don’t have to worry about the electrical connection! 
o    Baby food.  If your child eats this, you may want to take baby food from here.  There are, however, many babies who discover tastier home cooking once they reach India, so you may not use those jars, after all!
o    DEET mosquito repellant.  DEET is the most effective mosquito repellant, and therefore recommended for use in areas where malaria is prevalent.  You can find milder concentrations, especially made for children, but those will require more frequent applications.  Children under two months old cannot use DEET – get mosquito netting for their infant carrier/carseat/stroller.
o    Sunscreen, ideally a gentle children’s formulation.
o    Hand sanitizer, like Purell TM.  This will come in handy when you’re traveling to India (or even around town) and don’t have easy access to hot soapy water.
o    Travel medical kit
Disclaimer: Please go over this list with your child’s pediatrician, to obtain specific recommendations based on your family’s needs.

Some useful items include:

o    A comprehensive children’s health guide, which includes basic first aid.  Sears and Sears’ The Baby Book was a lifesaver for us!  There are several self-care guides on the market.
o    1% hydrocortisone cream.  This can be used on insect bites or to relieve general itching.
o    Diaper rash ointment
o    Antibiotic ointment, like Neosporin TM
o    Bandaids
o    Anti-diarrheal medication
o    Electrolyte solution, such as Pedialyte TM.  This is used to prevent dehydration, if your child has diarrhea, for instance.
o    Infant or children’s acetaminophen.  Ask your child’s doctor for the appropriate dosage.
o    Children’s cold/flu medicine
o    Teething remedy
o    Thermometer
o    Medicine dropper
o    Tweezers (to remove splinters)

In addition, get extra refills on all your medical prescriptions.  Resist the urge to get cheaper medications in India.  There is less regulation there, so you can’t be 100% sure that it’s the same.  It’s simply not worth the risk.

The week before you leave

This is the time to do the final packing and checking to make sure you have everything you need.

o    Clothing.  Light, airy, long sleeved clothing is preferable, for protection from the sun and mosquito bites. 
o    Sunglasses and sunhats
o    Toiletries, if your child requires special products that may be hard to find in India.  You don’t want to risk an allergic reaction!
o    Stroller 
o    Carseat
o    Sling, frontpack or backpack baby carrier
o    Must-have snacks, especially if you are blessed with picky eaters

Don’t forget the all important travel diaper bag!  That will be discussed in the next article in our Indian Family Travel series: Surviving the Flight. Don't forget to visit http://www.babyhindustani.com.

|