LilSugar

What's Your Worst Mommy Travel Story?

babysugar — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 11:30:41 -0700

Forget snakes. I'm scared of babies on a plane - especially my own! A year ago, I would have felt confident passing on travel tips for flying with infants as my daughter was a dream baby barely making a peep for 6-hour flights. But as we've all learned, just when you think you've got it down, the world turns upside down and mama's back to square one. I had the, ahem, pleasure of flying with my family for the weekend and experienced some of the most grueling hours of parenthood yet. My lil guy is a sweet laid back angel on land but without a crib or the room to move, he turns into a screeching wiggle worm who can't get comfortable and lets everyone around him know it. He didn't actually cry or have a complete meltdown but it was enough to make the eyes roll and comments fly.

To see what made me want to pull my hair out, just read more.

In the end, it was the Bjorn and a trip to the bathroom that saved us from helter skelter. I strapped his chubby legs into the carrier and took him to the lavatory where I sang lullabies and caressed his brow. The trick was keeping the door shut without locking it. Locking it enables the bright fluorescent lights, which startled my already hyper child, but leaving the door unlocked allowed other passengers to believe the room was available. After 10 minutes of planting my foot at the door, swaying and soothing, he finally drifted off to dreamland. I made my way back to the seat and rested for an hour before he was startled all over again. Thankfully the end was near and we all made it to our destination alive and well, let's just say alive.

What's your worst travel story? Do tell in our The Mommy Club over in our LilSugar Community! Here's a detailed guide to posting questions or posts to groups if you are new to the PopSugar Community.

Expectant Mamas Can Fly High Without Worry

LilSugar — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 04:00:12 -0700

Flying the friendly skies just got a bit less burdensome for expectant women. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists has revised its recommendations regarding pregnancy and travel by air, deeming it safe for women who are not considered high-risk. According to the new recommendations:

Since 2001, "a number of observational studies have been published confirming that air travel is generally safe during an uncomplicated pregnancy. These new studies have made our previous recommendations stronger and more detailed . . . When a patient with an uncomplicated pregnancy asks about occasional flying, we should feel comfortable saying, 'It's safe.'"

That's great news for women whose work requires them to travel and for those looking to squeeze in a relaxing babymoon or trip to visit distant friends prior to the lil one's arrival. The new recommendations should also ease the minds of moms-to-be who like to fly themselves, like Angelina Jolie who was piloting her own plane while pregnant with Vivienne and Knox and Gisele Bundchen who recently took up helicopter lessons. How far into your pregnancy did you continue to travel by air?

LilSugar's Downloadable Travel Games for Labor Day Weekend!

LilSugar — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 13:20:04 -0700

Labor Day signals an end to Summer, but it doesn't stop the fun! Before you head out for one last hurrah on the open road, chugging down the tracks or taking to the friendly skies with your family, download LilSugar's fun travel games to keep the kiddos occupied on the journey.

Train Games - an I spy sheet and a train maze will keep your wee ones entertained while they whistle down the tracks.
Road Trip Games - a cool coloring page and backseat license plate bingo allow parents to keep their eyes on the road and put the pedal to the metal while their kids busy themselves in the backseat.
Airplane Games - a foldable paper plane and a tray table memory let mom and dad relax while families ride a mile high.

How Did Your Relatives Plan to Greet the New Arrival?

LilSugar — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 10:00:57 -0700

Your bags are packed and you're ready to go, but how soon can you get there? The birth of a first child is a momentous occasion that friends and family are eager to share with a new mom and pop. While some mamas would prefer to limit their hospital well-wishers, others are happy to spend their lil one's first few days surrounded by celebratory visitors. For close relatives that do not live near the mama-to-be, planning to be present for the birth of the baby is much like a game of chess – strategic planning and all.

A friend on the East Coast is trying to figure out just how quickly she can get across the country once her sister-in-law goes into labor. Not knowing exactly when the baby will begin its decent, she is not sure if she should book a trip based on the babe's due date and just hang around waiting for the arrival, or if she should just plan on paying full-fare and purchasing her ticket when the contraction begins. How did your long-distance supporters plan their visits to greet your new arrival?

Chugga Chugga Choo Choo! lilsugar's Train Games

LilSugar — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 13:15:50 -0700

All aboard! Pack your bags and whistle down the tracks with your tots! lilsugar has new downloadable train games that parents can print out before they head to the railroad station. From a cool coloring page to an I Spy and a train maze game, families can chug along to their destination in peace, since the children can entertain themselves.

If you and your junior jet-setter are traveling by car or plane, check out our other downloadable activities!

Airplane Zingers For Traveling Broods

babysugar — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 14:55:00 -0700

Traveling with youngsters is no easy feat, especially when mama is the only adult in her party. Though the time on board is usually short, a screaming infant and scowling travelers in a cramped space can make it seem like an eternity. When all of the words of travel wisdom have failed, fellow flyers often make their displeasure known with less than complimentary comments. Though we find most jet-setters to be more kind than not, here are some of the toughest zingers we've heard. What's the worst you've gotten?

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Mommy Dearest: Family Assigned Separate Seats on Flight

LilSugar — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 09:00:40 -0700

Mommy Dearest,

We recently returned from a short vacation and traveling home was a nightmare. Our flight was canceled and my husband, son and I were put on a different flight - all three seats were in separate rows. The customer service agent told us the flight attendants would move people so at least one parent could sit with the child. But, once we boarded that didn't happen. One attendant told us to just ask passengers to swap seats. Thinking people wouldn't want to sit next to a four-year-old boy we inquired, but no one budged. The people sitting next to my son said we should have never boarded knowing we were separated. Luckily, another attendant persuaded a man to move after I told her the alternative was to have my son sit on my lap. What would you have done?

– Recovering From Flight

To see the response from Mommy Dearest, read more.

Recovering From Flight,

I am glad that everything ended up working out for your family. I would have assumed that a sympathetic traveler would have aided you in your situation sooner. Perhaps, you'll consider writing a letter to the airline so this doesn't happen to others in the future.

-Mommy Dearest

Submit a question for this feature at the Mommy Dearest Group on TeamSugar.

Six Travel Friendly Sleeping Options For Tots

babysugar — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 06:00:00 -0700

It's sisterhood of the traveling tots! Mamas who are packing up their babes for Summer vacations should check out their wee one's sleeping accommodations before hand. While most hotels provide cribs for vacationing babies, others may leave it up to the visitor to provide the amenities themselves. When that's the case, there are a few portable crib and tent options that are sure to keep baby (and mommy) sleeping through the night.

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Need a Break? Book a Girlfriend Getaway

LilSugar — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 08:00:49 -0700

Pack your bags and don't look back. When some mothers need a break from their daily routine, they plan a night out with friends. Others look for a more extended escape, they gather their friends together for an overnight retreat.

Recent studies show that female bonding activities can help manage stress and may contribute to longer lives. Many women are taking a cue from these studies and booking excursions to spas, beaches and shopping destinations across the country and abroad. Unlike family vacations to similar locations, women find that traveling to these locales allow them to reconnect with friends and leave stress behind. The practice has become so popular that Budget Travel magazine recently launched a supplement specifically for this audience called Girlfriend Getaways.

For our 30th birthdays, my former college roommates and I celebrated with a relaxing long weekend in Mexico. Used to carting a diaper bag and my kids, it was wonderful to adjust to all six of us sharing one bag for the beach. After a few days of uninterrupted conversation, lounging by the pool and toasting rounds of cocktails, I returned home to my husband and children revived and ready to be mom again. Now, I'm counting down to our 35th birthday trip!

Do you indulge in girlfriend getaways?

Nine Ways to Non Voyage!

LilSugar — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 06:00:45 -0700

There's one thing the economy can't affect and that's a family's level of fun. If budget cuts and pink slips have you grounded this Summer, use a bit of imagination to staycation at home with the kids. Whether your children are interested in a sand and sea getaway, boarding a cruise ship or exploring America's big cities, we've got tips and tricks for how you can give them any and all of those experiences while getting a lot of bang for your buck. Skip packing bags or printing out itineraries and check out our choices!

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