Some babies love riding in the car and they fall asleep every time while some babies may cry. Planning a trip with a baby can be difficult, but road trips are one of the most flexible ways to travel.
Four month old babies can be great road trip buddies. Plan to stop more frequently, about every 2 hours when traveling with a 4 month old. An adult should ride next to the baby to be sure that they are comfortable and breathing well. Pack plenty of clothes to keep the baby dry and be sure to grab diaper rash cream and a white noise machine.
It is important to stop every two hours and get your sweet baby out of the car seat. The main concern is positional asphyxia.
Babies can slip down into their car seats into a position that makes it difficult to breathe. Babies at 4 months may not be able to reposition themselves and it can cause trouble breathing.
This is why it is important to have an adult ride next to the baby and to be sure to take them out of the car seat at least every 2 hours.
If your baby was born prematurely or has other health issues, run this by your pediatrician. Ask them how long your baby can be in their car seat on a road trip.
I recommend limiting overall car seat time to 6-8 hours a day. We take a lot of road trips and all my kids are pretty fried by the 6 hour mark.
I will tell you the truth, 4 months is a tough time. They are no longer newborns, but they are not the curious 6 month old that can be distracted with toys.
If I have a baby that cries in the car, do your best to schedule driving during baby’s nap or sleep times.
I do not recommend driving through the night because then when you arrive the baby is wide awake and the parents need a nap! This is a recipe for grumpy parents.
There are a few tips that can make the trip easier on everyone. Here are all my best tips for a stress free road trip with a baby.
How long can a 4 month old travel in the car?
A four month old should not be in their car seat for more than 2 hours at a time. This is the recommendation from the American Academy of Pediatrics. It is recommended to avoid positional asphyxia, or trouble breathing due to their position in the car seat.
If your baby is sleeping and there is an adult sitting next to them to monitor their breathing, you may choose to drive for longer than 2 hours. Use your best judgment and be sure to monitor the baby closely.
I recommend that you plan to drive 6 hours or less in a 24 hour period, with breaks every two hours. This is just my opinion.
While some families push to 8 -10 hours in a day, in my experience this is too much for young kids and babies.
There are no strict rules for how many hours a day is safe, so keep a close eye on your amazing baby and stop when they are no longer consolable in the car seat.
The American Academy of Pediatrics Travel Safety page has a few tips that you may want to check out before you hit the road.
How To Plan A Road Trip With A 4 Month Old
Now you have to plan a trip with stops every 2 hours! How will you find places to stop that often?!
I think the best way to travel with young kids is to:
- Leave early in the morning
- Plan a long lunch stop
- Put in a few more miles before bedtime
If you travel 4 hours in the morning and then 2-4 more after lunch you will have a much more pleasant trip. It is also easier to plan one big stop.
I have a one page road trip planner that you can print on the linked post. There are also some great tools that will help you divide up the trip easily.
If you need ideas for places to stop check out the linked post, there are some creative ideas in that post.
What to Pack for a 4 Month Old
When you are taking a road trip with a baby don’t feel guilty for overpacking, but if you forget something you can always stop.
These are the must haves that I have found super helpful on road trips with a baby:
1. Blankets
Baby blankets are really helpful on a road trip as you can use them for:
Blocking bright sun
Wiping up spills
Covering a diaper changing table
A clean space for tummy time
An emergency diaper
I like to pack 2-3 a day for each day of the trip (or until I have access to laundry). It may seem like a lot, but I have never regretted packing this number.
2. White Noise
Many babies like the car because the road noise provides that soothing white noise, but I have found that some of my kids need SUPER white noise, especially at this age.
The noise of the road plus a portable white noise machine has been good for my irritable babies.
We have had this portable white noise machine for over 4 years and it is still serving us well. Be sure to hold down the power button to turn it on (I tried to return it and the cashier showed me how it worked…oops).
3. Extra Clothes for Mama
Be sure that you have a change of clothes that you can get to easily. Between car diaper changes, bottles or nursing and potential car sickness, a new outfit can make the trip much more comfortable for mama.
An extra outfit or two for baby should also be in the baby bag. Keep baby dry to avoid any uncomfortable rashes.
4. Your Regular Diaper Rash Cream
Be generous with diaper rash cream or other wetness barriers during diaper changes. Since your baby will be sitting in the car they may be more prone to painful rashes.
I like to pack the cream that we use at home. It is not a good idea to try a new product while away from home. Even a mild reaction can be painful in the diaper area.
5. Manual Breast Pump
Breastfeeding moms I think the manual breast pump is a necessity on a long trip. Four month old babies are often still feeding very regularly, but the car may make them too sleepy to nurse.
This can make the ride uncomfortable with engorged breasts, and could lead to a clogged duct or painful mastitis.
Pumping while you are driving allows you to relieve the pressure, maintain supply and possibly make bottles to use at stops if your baby enjoys bottles.
Bringing bottles on a road trip can be a big hassle as there is no place to wash them. You can use pump cleaning wipes or wait to get to a sink.
Short term I have used the pump to just pump and dump and wash the parts as soon as I can. A microwave sterilization kit can make it all cleaner.
Expectations for Road Trips with a Four Month Old
Traveling with a baby is very different from traveling kid-free, but it can still be a memorable adventure.
Keep an open mind and get excited about making frequent stops. You will enjoy the journey and get to see more than when you push through long travel days.
Babies often make you think differently about the important things in life, slow down and enjoy the journey.
