Celine Brewer - Baby Can Travel: New York City--A Travel Guide Made For Parents

Baby Can Travel: NEW YORK CITY

By Celine & Dan Brewer

www.BabyCanTravel.com

Second Edition, December 2015

ISBN: 978-0-9939856-2-1

Copyright 2015 by Inspiring Travels Publishing Inc.

All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

Photographs:

All photographs contained within are 2015 by Inspiring Travels Publishing Inc., unless otherwise noted.

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This book is presented solely for educational and entertainment purposes. The authors and publisher are not offering it as professional travel advice. While best efforts have been used in preparing this book, the author and publisher make no representations or warranties of any kind and assume no liabilities of any kind with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents and specifically disclaim any implied warranties of merchantability or fitness of use for a particular purpose. Neither the authors nor the publisher shall be held liable or responsible to any person or entity with respect to any loss or incidental or consequential damages caused, or alleged to have been caused, directly or indirectly, by the information or advice contained herein. Every individual is different and the advice and strategies contained herein may not be suitable for your situation.

Table of Contents

Introduction

Congratulations on your new arrival! You may have been told that your travelling days are over, but we are here to tell you that you CAN travel with your baby! In fact, travelling with a baby is fun, rewarding and easier than you think!

Life completely changes when you welcome your first child into your life, but that doesn't mean that you have to stop doing everything you love to do. Sharing your passions with your child is one of the greatest gifts you can give your baby. Travelling with your child brings you closer together as a family and increases your level of confidence as a parent. Exposing your baby to new experiences and cultures is one of the best all-round developmental activities you can do.

Your days of showing up at your travel destination with only the clothes on your back are over (at least for the next 18 years!) as travelling with a baby requires more planning. The challenge for new parents is finding destination specific information about travelling with a baby. The internet is full of useful blogs about 'surviving the flight', but there is no information about what you need to know when you get there. The Baby Can Travel eBook series fills this gap and makes travel planning for new parents significantly easier.

This eBook is not meant to be a full service travel guide, but rather as a companion to your guide book. Baby Can Travel eBooks provide the missing information about travelling with an infant that the other guide books leave out. This eBook guides you through the whole travel process: from planning your trip to seeing the sights. Every step of the way we provide the information you, as a new parent, need to know. Having this information makes you a more prepared and confident parent who spends more time enjoying the trip and less time dealing with things you didn't plan on.

Baby Can Travel has not received any free goods, services or compensation related to the information provided within this travel guide. As a result, you can be assured the information you receive is impartial.

It is common in the travel industry for attractions and service providers to provide a small commission to people who refer them business. We participate in some of these programs. Any internet links which are connected to these affiliate programs are identified with a "*". If you'd prefer not to click on one of these links, the normal, non-affiliate URL can be found at the back of the book. Simply copy/paste it into your web browser and you are on your way. It's important to note that the affiliate programs do not impact the prices for you, the customer.

Planning Your Trip

New York City Is a Great Choice

One of the great things about travelling with an infant is that you can pick the destination based on what you want to see and do. Your baby will not have an opinion about seeing the Empire State Building vs. the Eiffel Tower - they just want to be with you! That said, there are still important things to consider for your infant when picking your destination:

Is it safe?

Does it have access to good health care?

Is the weather appropriate for your baby's health (e.g., not too hot or too cold to be outside)?

Does it have good transportation options?

Is it a walkable city? Can you push a stroller on most of the city streets?

If your baby is breastfed , does the local culture accept breastfeeding?

Fortunately, New York City is a great choice as a destination for travelling with a baby!

NYC is a safe city.

They have a good first world health care system. Be aware of your coverage or lack thereof before you leave home.

The weather in spring and fall is warm, but not too hot. Summer may be off-limits though.

It has a great public transportation system.

It is a very walkable , stroller friendly city.

It is baby & breastfeeding friendly.

There are enough world-class attractions to fill a week or two of your time.

One potential downside to consider is that petty theft can be troublesome (pickpockets, etc.).

Understanding and Predicting Your Baby's Needs

The first step in planning your trip is to think about the needs of all the travellers - including both the baby and the parents. Having a solid idea of each of your needs will help you make thoughtful decisions about your trip.

It is fascinating to watch infants grow; their skills and personalities change so rapidly. For these reasons, you need to spend a bit of time anticipating what your child will be like on the date you travel, as they will certainly change from the time you book your trip. Will they be eating solid food? How long will they nap each day? Will they be crawling?

By considering what your child may be like at the proposed time of your trip, you can plan accordingly. The information below provides guidance on what your child may be like at the age of travel. Every baby develops at their own pace, so treat these as guidelines only.

Amount & Location of Sleep: Your baby's need for sleep will be one of the biggest factors in how much time you will have sightseeing at your destination. Very young babies tend to have the most naps, but are generally able to fall asleep anywhere and anytime. As they become older, they become more aware of the world around them and may have more difficulty falling asleep on-the-go, especially if your destination is very stimulating. As they get even older, their need for multiple naps dwindles and becomes less of a factor in your daily planning.