Travel Problems & Solutions

I'm so excited that my little crib contraption arrived today! I have a plan....   My hotel doesn' t have cribs and they are harder to come by in India, but I want a place for my babies to sleep. It has to be at a safe angle as their primary sleeping place, and car seats at a 45 degree can occlude breathing so aren't ideal for sleeping...especially with preemies who have more apnea risk. Twins and preemie's also often  need to sleep on a tilt to help with any reflux issues early on. But packing an crib/bassinet is not very feasible.

All the travel bassinets I looked at cost $40 and were not looking sizeable enough for two.

So my solution is to pack the mattress for our Graco Pack n' Play which folds into fourths and will fit in the suitcase. This is firm enough, because adult mattresses are too soft for babies and not safe because there are typically blankets and adults on them. Some people may find me paranoid but it is a real risk, and so I'm just being practical and careful within reason based on the latest research. I have have heard the screams of parents who found their babies who had died of SIDS, and it stays with you whether you want it to or not.

The second part of my plan is to use the contraption below that I ordered off of Ebay for $7.29!

http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Foldable-Baby-Crib-With-Mosquito-Net-Tent-Bed-/270941661191?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3f1561a807

I'll bring some little clips to attach the sides of the mattress to the little mosquito net crib, but this gives us a light and packable crib that keeps insects out and a more secure space for our two little ones that is portable and large enough for two. With the clips I can roll up a towel under the mattress and tilt the whole thing at an angle if need be for reflux issues.

I've also figured out other solutions for our sterilizing issues in India due to water supply and not wanting to go through tons of bottled water rinsing and sterilizing. I'm not buying some "bottle system" with a custom fitting sterilizer contraption. I have mismatched bottles as well as pacifiers and other items that will need sterilization.  I won't have a microwave, so I bought the Baby Bullet Turbo Steamer. It can sterilize and plugs into the wall (converter must be used for India) and can also defrost frozen baby food or breastmilk, as well as steam other foods. It will use less bottled water too. For sterilizing on the plane Boots makes portable sterilizer bags, but I'll just use ziploc bags, a bottle of water, and some Milton sterilizing tablets.

I hope to fly back on the airline that has the double bassinets that hook on the wall, but if not we'll use my homemade Moby wraps I guess. Some carriers have baby carriers, so I'll have to research that more before we buy a return flight.

I'm bringing a hot plate to India and will buy a pot there, that way we can cook and bring our own meals if we want and boil something to sterilize it if we so desire.  For bathing the babies a boiling pot won't work I assume, so the Puj foldable bathtub should work just fine.  It uses magnets to clip it in the bathing position, but then it folds out flat. It is made of a semi-soft and waterproof foam. Excellent!