Adoption Transitions #5 When Travel is Required.

by Anna Glendenning | More from this Blogger

09 Feb 2006 04:42 PM

Traveling with a newly placed adoptive child who has never been away from his or her neighborhood, or been outside of the orphanage--let alone the state or country--is stressful for any child or person.

Parents adopting a child internationally, or even a child from another state or part of the state, face an added obstacle during transition. Travel and relocation is stressful for adults and children no matter the circumstances, but when it includes building, a new family the situation can be nearly unbearable for everyone.

When adoptive parents have to travel to transition their child, all the same issues apply that do with any adoption transition with a few added details. When possible parents want to do their best to keep the routine the same and allow their child to hold on to their familiar cloths, toys and blankets. Parents want to provide a slow and gentle transition from the life the child has known to life with you.

Prior to starting transition adoptive parents should consider the time and method of travel home. Traveling with babies and small children usually requires a great deal of lifting and holding. Ordinary parents grow into the weight and size of their children. Adoptive parents go from no lifting and suddenly find themselves with 20 or 30 pounds--or more, of child to carry through airports, train stations, and taxi's.

It is a great idea to use the weeks before transition to add some weight lifting and exercise to your routine. If you plan to use a baby sling, I advise advance practice with a bag of potatoes. I found the first several weeks of holding my one-year-old to be very draining and painful body shock. My chest and collarbones were bruised and at one point during transition, I hurt just holding my bouncy new son on my lap. I would have been much happier had I been more physically prepared.

Travel Tips:

• Giving children Benadryl will probably not help much. If you're considering this option, make sure you try it out in the hotel first, since 1 in 5 kids have a "paradoxical" reaction to Benadryl where they get agitated and over active instead.
• Eating while on board an airplane, train or long car ride can help children relax. Pack lots of the regular fun, and tasty snacks your child is accustom to eating. While traveling, food can be a lifesaver.
• For older children, bring activities and toys for the long trip. It is a good idea to bring them out one-by-one. Distractions work and parents need to be ready to do a lot of distracting during the trip to the families new life.
• Ears and pressure changes, many parents worry about this more then they should. The truth is there's nothing you can do about it. Sucking and eating on ascent and descent is helpful but, overrated--crying may help just as much!
• Keep a change of clothes for everyone in a carry on bag. Bodily fluids are usually involved when traveling with babies and small children. Bring plenty of hand wipes, and hand sanitizer for the trip and use them frequently during your travels.
• Enjoy the experience, learn about your child's native culture, and collect souvenirs along the journey. Take as many pictures as you possibly can.

Try to keep your focus on having a nice trip and nothing else. Don't read anything into the behavior you see with your child during the journey home. Most people, including adults, and new parents are not their usual selves while traveling. Simply enjoy the trip--as well as possible--and wait until you get home to start worrying about settling in together as a new family.

For more information about Transitions:

• Getting Ready For Your Child's Arrival
• Adoptive Parents WAIT!
• Transition is All About the Baby or Child
• Starting you Child's LifeBook
• Planning For Transition
• Transition of Siblings Anna's Story
• From Orphanage or Institution to Home
• From Foster to Forever in the Some Home
• Toddler Transitions

Photo credits for this article: (no use restrictions)

Special Needs and Adoption-Related Terms: A | B | C | D | E-F | G-H-I | J-K-L | M | N-O | P | Q-R | S | T-U-V-W-X-Y-Z

For more information about parenting special needs children you might want to visit the Families.com Special Needs Blog and the Mental Health Blog. Or visit my personal website.

Learn more about Anna Glendenning

Anna Glendenning is a mother of four. Two biological children grown and out of college, and two siblings and adopted together in 2003. Anna's Personal Website http://www.adoptiveparentsnetwork.

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