5 Tips To Survive Traveling To Mexico With A Baby Or Toddler

So you have a family vacation to Mexico on the calendar, do you?  

Oh, you just can’t wait to bury your toes in the soft, warm sand, feel the salty breezes on your sun-kissed skin, sip ice-cold margaritas at sunset, and dance the night away under the stars…..sigh.

Wait. Snap back to reality.

Maybe that was how you used to take a vacation, but you are a parent now, and few things can strike fear into the heart of someone with young children more than the anticipation of traveling with their young dictators!

But have no fear. As parents, and Canadian expats who now call the Riviera Maya home, we’ve got you covered with the local intel and advice to take the stress out of traveling to Mexico with your baby or toddler, and get you back to what taking a vacation is supposed to be about: fun and relaxation!

Baby bottles and breastfeeding on a plane

You probably already know that the way to save your little one’s eardrums during takeoff and landing is by giving them a bottle or a boob because the swallowing will help them relieve the pressure in their ears. But the best advice that we ever got about flying with our son was to hold off on giving him that until we were actually about to take off. You can start taxiing down the runway only to find yourself sitting in a line of airplanes for an hour, and by that time your baby is either asleep or isn’t hungry anymore. No bueno.

How to entertain a toddler on a plane

Surviving a flight to Mexico with a toddler in tow requires patience and bribery. Prepare a stockpile of brand new discoveries for your little one: books, travel games, apps and movies that they have never seen before. This will be your ammunition for the travel battle. A new offering for your toddler should buy you at least 15 minutes of peace. Present each new gift as needed.

And you do not have to break the bank or bring a separate suitcase to store all your loot. Remember that toddlers are simple creatures who are easily entertained by a pack of post-it notes or deconstructing an old magazine.

What baby equipment do you really need to bring to Mexico?

Believe us, we understand. Even the Huffington Post will tell you that you need your stroller! And how about your car seat, crib, pack-n-play, baby swing, jolly jumper, high chair, baby gates, bumbo, baby monitor, portable potty, puddle-jumper, a hundred toys and your little red wagon. These are items that you can’t possibly take a vacation without! But just imagine the process of trying to get those big, bulky necessities down to Mexico with you!

Newsflash: Now you don’t have to! There is an amazing baby equipment rental service available to you if you are traveling to Los Cabos or the Riviera Maya. Whatever your baby needs, they’ve got it. They are called Beachfront Baby Gear and we cannot recommend them enough!  The company is owned by the loveliest expats who understand our Western standards for safety and cleanliness with their baby equipment, and when it comes to customer service, they will exceed your expectations. Imagine traveling with only the bare essentials, and then arriving at your destination to everything your child needs. Ahhhhhhh. How much stress does that relieve?

Scared to take your child to Mexico?

Traveling to Mexico with your child can stir up a lot of worries and the fear-mongering found in the media doesn’t help. What if they get sick? What if they get bitten by something? What if they swallow the water? How do you keep them from getting too hot? You are going to have tons of questions and concerns, and there is no better place to go for answers than to the experts: Parents who are living in the region you will be visiting. Any major tourist destination in Mexico is going to have a strong community of expats, and among those expats will be young families (like ours!) who will be able to speak with local knowledge about the safety of the area or refer you to the best pediatricians, dentists, pharmacies, and who will probably recognize the signs of the most common ailments. Simply search your question on Tripadvisor about safety in Cancun, for example, or post a question on a local Facebook forum. We will probably put your mind at ease about visiting with your baby.

How to find a babysitter when traveling to Mexico

The true key to surviving a trip to Mexico with your baby or toddler is to allow yourselves some time away from them! Enjoy your vacation as if this was your honeymoon in Mexico; close your eyes and soak up the sun in peace and quiet, wander the colorful streets of Mexico without chasing after a human tornado, or enjoy those carefree moments on a swing at the beach bar having a real conversation with your spouse — even if only for a few precious hours!

Get yourselves a babysitter! We have two great babysitting services in the Riviera Maya;

• Kangaroo Babysitting
• Little Bear Care

…or you can ask your hotel concierge for their recommendation. Yes, the sitter will understand at least a little English if you request it. Yes, they will be certified in CPR, and have a background in childcare. Yes, they will play with your kids. So relax, plan that date night, and dance to the mariachi under the stars!

We can’t promise that every moment of your trip is going to be pretty, but armed with the advice above, we can guarantee that you will survive.

So get excited! You’re coming to Mexico! And remember, it’s always the ugly moments that make the best stories later on.

And while you’re in Mexico, why not have family photographer capture your vacation? Indulge in a photo session on the beach with a professional family photographer, so that you can capture this precious, crazy moment in time, and go home with more than just selfies to share! For the best family photographer in Playa del Carmen, contact us today. We are Fun In The Sun Weddings, the best wedding and lifestyle photographers in Riviera Maya, Mexico.