When you travel by coach.
If you are traveling by coach, let us hope you are in one of the up-to-date coaches with comfortable reclining seats rather than in one of the not-so-modern coaches found on other trains.
If it is a de luxe coach and if your child is 2 or 3 years of age, you may be able to get a seat reservation for him. Otherwise you will have to hold him on your lap.
Remember, too, if you have trouble, that the Travelers Aid is always willing to help. Its workers can help you locate friends or relatives. They can help you if you lose your tickets or your money, or if any similar emergencies occur while you are en route. They can get a doctor for you if you or your baby become ill. They can tell you of good restaurants to eat in or of places where you can rest or feed your baby. You can even arrange by telegram with the Travelers Aid to have someone meet you at the station from which you are leaving or at which you are arriving to help you. If you are a serviceman's wife, the USO can help you, too.
Plan well and travel light.
—After you have made all your travel arrangements, gather your forces at home. Write out in detail your youngster's schedule and list the food, clothes, and other supplies needed.
Travel light, so far as your own personal belongings are concerned, lighter than you've ever imagined you could.
Your aim is to take on the train enough for essential comfort and not one item more.
Limit yourself to one dark dress or suit. Many mothers have found an apron a convenience, one that could be slipped over their dresses when they were caring for their babies. Additional clothing for yourself can be checked and sent on ahead.
Clothes, diapers, and such.
—Carry an abundance of changes for the baby or toddler. But plan to dress him simply in clothes that are easy to put on and take off.
Remember weather may change and many trains are air-cooled. So take along a warm outer garment, preferably a sweater, and a blanket for the baby.
Unless your baby has completely mastered the art of keeping dry, use disposable diapers if you can possibly get them. If you cannot get them, then the next best bet is a supply of standard diaper linings—specially treated papers about the size of ordinary cleaning tissues, used with cloth diapers.
Many mothers prefer to use cloth diapers at night. Some babies become badly chafed if only paper diapers are used. Used cloth diapers can be wrapped in wax paper and repacked in your suitcase or put into a waterproof bag.
If your baby is sufficiently trained to use his own toilet seat, by all means take it along. He is less likely to be frightened if there is this one familiar thing in his strange surroundings. Some toilet seats come with a carrying case. If the one you have did not, then use a canvas laundry case or a shopping bag for this purpose.
Pack the baby's clothes, diapers, and blankets into a special suitcase or bag. Keep it unlocked and easily accessible on the train.
Milk for the baby.
—If your baby is breast-fed, feeding him is relatively easy. Food for babies who are not breast-fed presents a difficult problem.
Week ends are worst
Trouble ahead!
For traveling, the simplest formula is one of evaporated milk. Milk can be obtained in small cans, and an individual feeding can be made up when feeding time comes. Then no refrigeration is needed. For such a feeding you will need to carry the following equipment, all of which should be assembled in one container, such as a heavy shopping bag or a medium-sized duffle bag:
Bottles and caps—boiled and ready for use.
Take enough for all feedings during the trip, plus some extras for water. Wrap each bottle separately.
Nipples—boiled and put in a boiled jar with a lid.
Can opener (or some other instrument to open small cans of evaporated milk).
Milk in small cans.
The cans should be washed off before you leave home.
Vacuum bottle containing boiled water.
Sugar or syrup may be added to the water if desired.
Funnel—to put water into bottles.
This should be boiled and wrapped in clean paper.
If your baby has not been on evaporated milk, and your doctor agrees that it is satisfactory for him, you should introduce him to it, several days or even a week before you start on your trip if he gets used to new things slowly.
Before you leave home, you can prepare the mixture of hot boiled water, with or without sugar or syrup, and carry it in a vacuum jug on the train. Then mix this mixture and the evaporated milk as you need it. Your doctor will tell you the correct proportions.
Usually the hot water in the vacuum bottle, when added to the milk, will make the feeding the right temperature for the baby. Carry small cans of milk, using whatever is needed for one feeding only. Perhaps you can drink what is left in the can yourself or give it to a fellow traveler. Do not save it to use later.
The one thing you cannot do is to run the risk of giving your baby contaminated or sour milk. Never attempt to carry the milk warm in a vacuum jug. If you do, the bacteria that are present in milk will multiply many times, with the result that when the milk is fed to the baby, it will make him sick.
You can carry boiled nipples in a jar, as already suggested, or you can use nursing bottles with caps that make it possible to reverse the nipples into the bottle and thus keep them sterile.
Water for the baby.
—For baby's protection, it is very important that you do not give him water that has not been boiled. Usually it is better to take several bottles of boiled water from home even though you may find it possible to obtain boiled water on the train. Or plan to use the boiled water from the vacuum jug.
Other food for the baby.
—Orange juice and cod-liver oil usually cannot be carried conveniently. There is no harm in letting your baby go without these during the time when you will be traveling.
Unless your baby is on a special diet, don't load yourself down with canned foods under present traveling conditions. Your baby can get along for a few days on his milk. Plan to use as little food as you think you can get by with.
If your baby is a hearty eater and you fear that he will miss his cereal, then carry dry ready-prepared baby cereal, to which you can add hot water from the vacuum bottle. You will need to take a dish and a spoon in the shopping or duffle bag. Foods that require heating will have to be omitted. Some children do not object to cold food. If yours does not, and if he has a big appetite, you can take canned vegetables or fruits, which he can eat from the can. Take rusks or crackers along for emergency use.
In planning these solid foods, remember that nothing can be heated except by the addition of hot water from your vacuum jug, and that no utensils can be washed on the train.
Boys in the bleachers
Food for young children.
—Meals for toddlers are not so much of a problem as meals for babies are.
Packing a lunch of customary foods will not be difficult for the short trip. This may include bread-and-butter sandwiches, wrapped in wax paper; cookies or crackers; canned tomato or fruit juice; and canned evaporated milk. (Several large paper bags to be used as “waste baskets” are a convenience.)
But for a long trip you may have to rely on getting your meals in the diner even though this is more expensive. Some railroads, however, don't serve meals to civilians until after servicemen are fed, so you may need to take along some food even though you are planning to use the diner. Be sure to go to meals early.
Most little children are thrilled at the idea of eating on the train and tell about the experience for many days afterward. For a toddler's diet the railroads even now can usually supply cooked cereals, baked potatoes, green vegetables, well-cooked meats, fruits, and milk.
Some dining cars provide half portions for children, but if they don't, no one will object if you order a meal for yourself and give part of it to Junior. But in case you are unable to get into the diner, it is wise to take some simple things for your toddler and yourself to eat.
Fun in the diner
Keeping baby clean.
—Mothers sometimes attempt to bathe babies on a train in the washroom basins. Don't do it. It isn't sanitary. It is better to let your baby go unbathed during the trip than to run the risk of infection. Clean his face and hands off with cold cream and cleansing tissues and let it go at that.
Solid food and solid comfort
When changing diapers, use oil and cotton and cleansing tissue. Change the baby where he lies instead of trying to take him back to the dressing room.
Keep handy at all times a small emergency diaper kit in a rubber-lined bag, so you can stop anywhere and take care of the baby if necessary.
Keeping baby comfortable.
—Adjustable canvas seats are available, chiefly for use in automobiles, but they are very helpful for train travel, too. They are light and can be folded and put in a suitcase. Some come in their own carrying cases. They give the child a restful change from the car seat.
Sleeping in the coach.
—If you travel by coach, the chances are you are going to have to sleep with your baby cradled in your arms. You may be able to rent a pillow, which will make the night more comfortable for you and your baby.
In most coaches lights are turned down at night and often babies sleep undisturbed. The night trip will be harder on you than it is on the baby.