On the motorway alone with baby

[firstpregnancy1]

My son is 3 weeks old and in a few weeks time I need to make a trip that would normally take me via the m25, in an area where there is often either heavy traffic or some sort of hold up due to an accident or lane closure etc.

What would you do if you were driving on the motorway alone with a newborn and there was a traffic jam resulting in standstill/ stop start traffic for a period of time. Some queues can delay you well over an hour sometimes longer. If your newborn started screaming for a feed, and you were stuck in stop start traffic, would you just try and hold out? For how long? Would you use the hard shoulder to pull over to feed baby? If it was 100% standstill then you could just feed baby there but 99% of traffic jams aren't just standstill it's usually moving and very slowly which wouldn't be safe to have baby out to feed!!

I've decided to take a slightly longer route to avoid the motorway so as to avoid this potential scenario but it got me thinking about what I would do/what others would do / what the best thing to do would be..

So what would you do?

Baby is due a feed, you're stuck and have been for 90mins, it's stop start traffic and showing no sign of improvement, nearest services is miles away..

Pull over in the hard shoulder?! Please don't ever do this unless you really really need to!
Also your newborn can't be in the car seat for longer than 30 minutes. Even then you have to taken them out and stop for 20ish odd minutes then start the 30 minutes against

Again*

I used google maps to look ahead for traffic. It was stressful, but we managed long journeys

Just to reiterate in case it needs saying again YOU DO NOT PARK ON THE HARD SHOULDER OF A MOTORWAY TO FEED A CRYING BABY

You haven't mentioned it but sure it's prob a given - how long does baby go between feeds at the moment? Plan to feed as the very last thing you do before you go, take the longer route and look at the route to feel confident where you can stop sling the way. Leave plenty of time and travel in daylight if you can.

What ever you do, do not spend the next 3 weeks fretting about this. Life is hard enough atm without fretting about things that you don't need to.

Lots of options
Arrange things so you travel with you DP - one of you sit in the back ideally you.
Take non motorway road a so you can stop more easily if you need to.
Go after a feed - most likely all will be fine.

I would pack the car up so ready to go. Feed and change the baby and then head off on the longer, less stressful route.

I would have planned the route to know stops to be able to feed baby again should the journey be that long.

Leave very early in the morning and research best places to stop. Pre plan all your pit stops every 90/120 minutes so you know in advance where to stop. Enter them in your gps route

When does baby wake? Get on the road early weekend morning eg 5 am - no traffic to speak of .

I’d take the longer route. I’m not sure how you are feeding but mine were breastfed very regularly at that age so I long stretch would not have been possible. Also, it’s really important small babies aren’t left in car seats for too long as it can obstruct their air way. From memory, we were advised they shouldn’t be in one for more than 45 minutes.

How about taking the train if it’s possible.

Drive a route you feel comfortable. Go early in the day when you are likely to feel most rested.
And at least double your estimated journey time, stop regularly
You can put carseat in front passenger seat with airbag off but this might distract you driving.

Lol- it’s always fun watching the tangents people go off on then get worked up about!

Personally with mine I’ve always,
-roped in a spare adult if I can
-used longer routes at times if there’s difficulty stopping otherwise
-taken calming music for when driving through screams to a stop

Have you read the highway code?

No you can't stop on the hard shoulder.

@Krazynights34

Jesus Christ- don’t consider pulling over on the hard shoulder. If your baby needs to be fed, take the next exit, feed etc and rejoin the motorway. You could be killed pulling into the hard shoulder

This. You only need to watch how often lorry drivers in the first lane are distracted and veer onto the hard shoulder to see how dangerous it is to stop there. You are also advised to immediately get out of your vehicle if you have to stop on the hard shoulder, because it’s so dangerous.

Take the longer route or be prepared to listen to the screaming until you can safely park

It would be really dangerous to pull into the hard shoulder to feed a baby.

Also you might want to read this guidance about car seats

www.lullabytrust.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/9-car-seat-factsheet-2019-09-09-1.pdf

Use the longer route to avoid the motorway and just take your time. We did a few longer journeys when mine were that age. It's totally fine, honestly.

Set off when they are fed and due a nap and they will probably sleep anyway. Google maps the route first and find places you can stop for coffee and toilets, or scenic spots you can pull into or whatever. Little breaks to get baby out of the car seat are advised anyway. Just take it slowly and enjoy the drive.

Are the motorways crowded during lockdown? Last time they were desolate

You are very very unlikely to be stuck on the M25 for 90 minutes without coming to a junction! Its happened to me on the M1 but then it was a major accident, the motorway was closed and air ambulance called. People got out of their cars etc. Would be not problem for feeding a baby.

Make sure you have a couple of decent sat navs on your phone. Both google maps and Waze will give you alternatives. There are alternative routes to most on the M25.

If you can go before Lockdown is over, it could be easier. Yesterday was the first time for ages that Sat Nav took us the direct M25 route 1/4 round London, it normally takes us on a alternative to avoid Heathrow/M4 bit.

Are the motorways crowded during lockdown? Last time they were desolate

Not desolate this time, but quieter. M25 okay even in heavy rain on a Saturday afternoon.

@speakout

I thought England was in lockdown anyway? Why is the OP travelling? Unless the journey is for medical purposes maybe?

I doubt we’ll be in lockdown in a few weeks, which is when she plans to take this journey. She’s not going tomorrow.

My god

Don't feed a baby on the motorway. It would just have to cry in that scenario!