How to nail your baby’s first car ride

I still remember my ten-minute drive taking about forty minutes because of the double, or in some cases quadruple checking of everything – from the child safety harness to the angle of the back seat car mirror – ensuring everything was just right.

And then there was the drive itself, making my husband drive at least 10km/h under the speed limit, that we slowed down for traffic lights and roundabouts as gradually as possible to avoid abrupt stopping while I also craned my neck to look at my daughter’s face for the entire drive just to ensure she was alive (she was).

While both my children's car rides home proved uneventful (both slept the entire way), not everyone’s experience is like this, so as the Scout motto says: be prepared!

Firstly, and most basically and importantly, ensure you have an approved child safety seat for a newborn and that it has been installed by a professional (you’d be surprised how many stories I’ve heard of people forgetting to do this before their baby arrived).

When it comes to other items, well many of these are really up to you and what you and your baby may prefer.

In saying that, when speaking to some of my friends, nearly everyone said that the back seat mirror was a must, especially for their first baby, as it helped create peace of mind, although may conceded by their second and subsequent children, they used it less and less as their confidence grew.

A comfort blanket and hanging toys can also be handy for a baby, creating security for them and keeping them occupied while on the road.

Sunshades on the rear windows are a must, especially if your car’s windows aren’t tinted. Sunlight shining directly into your baby’s eyes won't do anyone any favours, especially if you’re on a long drive and are hoping they might sleep.

Many sunshades also protect from UV rays so that their delicate skin won't get burnt.

Speaking of sleep, white noise, a sleep soundtrack or in my case, Taylor Swift’s Red CD can be a win if your baby isn’t a fan of car rides or needs some help nodding off. It is also good to have it there on your phone, just in case.

Wipes! Wipes! And wipes! Practicality is essential when it comes to babies and baby wipes become like an attachment to your hand as a parent in the first few years. Whether it’s some dribble from teething, a poo explosion or good old projectile vomiting, some sort of mess will undoubtedly need to be cleaned from your baby, their clothes, the car seat and probably your car too, so having a pack of these in your boot or glove box is smart.

While we are on this, a spare change of clothes and nappies are also a great idea to have on hand. I used to keep a car nappy bag with all of these things, which stayed in the boot. This was always handy if I forgot my main bag, or in any other mass mess emergency.

Finally, as the airline safety visits say: you need to put on your own oxygen mask first before helping kids. So, don’t forget to factor you in too, especially if you have had a more challenging birth, or c-section because sometimes, car seats and bumpy car rides can be uncomfortable or even downright painful.

If this is you, ensure you pack a doughnut cushion for the car seat and while wearing your seatbelt any other way but how it is designed is illegal, you can still roll a towel up to put over any incision sites to help alleviate direct rubbing and pain.

Good luck!

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