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Cruising with toddlers -10 tips for amusing toddlers on a cruise

17/10/2018 By Savanna Robinson Leave a Comment

We just returned from our second cruise with our toddler daughter and thus this has been top in my mind. Cruises are great cost effective holidays but what is there available on a family cruise when cruising with toddlers to do and how do you keep them occupied for a week or longer? These are the 10 tips for cruising with toddlers that we discovered and used.

#1 Choose a family friendly cruise line.

Some are better than others at catering to the needs of your whole family. Our last 3 cruises have been with Carnival Australia Cruises on the Carnival Spirit from Sydney, and they are just brilliant for the littlest members of your family. Do your research first to check they have great options for your toddler.

#2 Utilise Kids Club.

Cruise lines that cater for children generally have a Kids club option included. Although your child can cruise international waters from 12 months old, the kids club will not take them until 2 years of age. We still found plenty to keep our daughter amused when we married on a cruise just before she was 14 months old. Check the details of what they allow with their Kids club (do they change nappies, provide meals/snacks, only open certain times at sea and at port?). Carnival Spirit was a good fit for us with a 2-year-old (approaching 3). We just provided nappies and wipes for any changes needed during her time there. We had an old-fashioned mobile to carry with us so we could be contacted if she needed us.

#3 Set dinner time in the dining room.

If you are able to get a set dinner time where you go to the same table each night for dinner it so much easier with toddlers. Even if you end up with the late seating as we did (which was a struggle when cruising with a toddler, but we made it work with late rising), a permanent seating is so much easier as the waiters get to know you and the kids by name. They miss their own families from being at sea for 8 months, so will do their best to help entertain or distract upset toddlers, or even take them on a walk around the dining room so parents and other family members can eat dinner without running around the whole time. On our first cruise with her, she got cheap plastic kids sunglasses to wear at meals from the Maitre d’. This time she was into colouring, so got about one menu/colouring book a day, plus two rubber ducks and flower lei. And lots of photo opportunities with staff who just adored her being around.

There are usually several different types of eating places on board. Buffet style, sit down restaurant, café, fancy high priced restaurant. And all had things that fussy toddlers will eat. And are willing to get different dishes if something is not liked. On one occasion when Miss 2 wasn’t in the mood for eating when her meal came out, they even got a fresh one brought out when she started to get hungry again.

#4 Stairs are your friend.

Believe me, there are SO many stairs on a cruise ship, and your toddler will love to go up and down them all multiple times. Even if the ship is being a bit rocky. Of course, this is much easier with toddlers that have been walking for a while. I personally tripled my usual step count every day on the cruise just by following her around. And you get the added benefit of burning off those 3-course meals too! There are lots of levels to explore and take a long walk if that’s what’s needed to burn off some excess energy.

#5 Shows

The productions shows that are for general viewing are enthralling for toddlers with the lights, music, and dancing. Our little darling even clued into the fact that shows happened after dinner, and where they happened, so would try to sneak out early from the restaurant and start heading that way seeing they were both on the same level.

#6 Shore tours

Little kids enjoy tours at ports of call just as much as adults. A lot of the bus tours through Carnival take under 3 for free if sitting on a parent’s lap. And baby carriers are so useful for walking around and exploring the surrounds as a family. (I may have even jerry-rigged a sarong as a wrap to carry a tired toddler when I left my carrier onboard for one port).

#7 Elegant night

Toddlers can get dressed up fancy too! It is something a little bit special that they probably don’t get to do too often. Be sure to pack a bib or similar that will cover their outfit for if they decide ‘that spaghetti bolognese is life’ like our toddler did. And they will be so cute you will want to take heaps of photos, which leads me to #8.

#8 Photo opportunities

Cruise ships ALWAYS have photographers snapping shots at different moments on board. From coming onboard, to dinners, to ports of call to elegant/formal nights. So many opportunities to buy some great formal shots or just take your own candid ones. Most toddlers love to see photos, even if they won’t cooperate for all snaps.

#9 Free movies screening

Toddlers really seem to love anything on the big screen! And you can easily whisk them away if they start to get bored, unlike your usual movie theatre. In-room channels usually offer movies on rotation too. ABDKIDS was even shown on Carnival Spirit when the satellite was cooperative and in range.

#10 Opportunity to meet other little travellers

If you are on a family friendly ship, you are very likely to meet other families with little ones too. Our toddler made friends with a couple of boys a bit older than her seated a couple of tables away at dinner. It was such a delight to see them play around in between dinner course and chat with others from their family. Our little extrovert was not at all shy about telling everyone about her day and showing off her latest outfit.

As you can see, although toddlers can prove challenging at times, you can still find plenty of things to keep them amused on a cruise. Please come back and let me know of any other cruising with toddlers activities to do on board!

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How to stop breastfeeding a toddler (who doesn’t want to give up)

05/10/2017 By Savanna Robinson 1 Comment

Learning about how to stop breastfeeding a toddler is a tricky task! There isn’t a lot of information on stopping at this age! Even going to the Early Childhood clinic nurses they didn’t have much helpful advice to share. It’s all advice about continuing to breastfeed a baby. So here’s my thoughts on the whole process.

Not in a million years did I ever think I’d still breastfeeding a toddler of nearly 20 months! It hasn’t been uneventful either with grazes, vagospasm and blocked ducts, and a few times I’ve wanted to just give up on it all. But I’m quite proud of this achievement we’ve reached together. How to stop breastfeeding a toddler

Breastfeeding with toddlers is trickier

Toddlers are NOT like babies when breastfeeding. They’re wriggly! They have some teeth (which they seem to forget every time a new one pops up)! And are super distractable! It is not a task for the faint of heart to breastfeed a toddler! They can feed from any position- sideways, upside down, downward dog- you name it, a toddler can probably breastfeed that way. For the last 9 months I’ve had to feed her in a quiet room most of the times or she just stops and starts for hours. How to stop breastfeeding a toddler

Baby #1

With my first daughter I decided at 14 months that I wanted to wear pretty bras again, instead of nursing ones, and by 15 months she was weaned. But she was also only on 3 feeds a day from the age of 9 months when I went back to work full time. And it was fairly easy to do. How to stop breastfeeding a toddler

Baby #2

My newest addition is more stubborn. She really loves the comfort of breastfeeding. At 11 months old I managed to get her down to three feeds a day, and separated them from sleep times, thanks to a 4 night stay at sleep school. And a week later was teething again, and that all went to pieces- the sleep and the feeding! How to stop breastfeeding a toddler

We have lasted through a relapse of my multiple sclerosis, requiring me to have high dose IV steroids and a hospital stay. Luckily the hospital supported my breastfeeding rights, and arranged for her to room in with me. When I met up with my new neurologist and MS nurse it was recommended I should go back onto medications to help with the MS, which then meant weaning her. How to stop breastfeeding a toddler

Lack of good advice

All the advice I could find was to either completely stop cold turkey (which I didn’t like with my tendency to get blocked ducts and the risk of mastitis) or to just let her wean when ready, or to not refuse if they ask but not ask if they wanted it. What I’ve ended up doing is just trying to drop one feed a day for a week or two and then trying another. It’s not a perfect method, but is better than being in pain with engorged breasts. How to stop breastfeeding a toddler

I’ve had mixed feelings about this. Yes, it would be nice for her to be finally weaned! But on the other hand, I also miss that closeness you get nursing a little one who so enjoys a breastfeed.

How we’ve gone so far

Anyway, my little miss had other ideas. She is highly resistant to weaning. It took me months to get her back to 3 feeds a day, then to two. Now 6 months later, she’s down to one feed a day in the morning. Of course when sick, or upset, she tries her best to get another one. Toddlers know where the boobs are hidden and try their darnedest to get at them! (And are VERY determined!). How to stop breastfeeding a toddler

And as the end of this breastfeeding journey nears, I get more and more sad feelings about it. Yes I know it is best for my health to go back on disease modifying medication, but I will miss it! She is my last one and this won’t be experienced again. I will miss being a breastfeeding mum. How to stop breastfeeding a toddler

The positives in this

But we have had the best possible start to her life! It has helped with any illnesses she’s caught in 19 months, including a doozy of a flu virus we had locally a couple of months back. It’s also been found to be best for MS to breastfeed at least 12 months and more if possible. And should reduce my risk of breast cancer in life. I think those are all great things to have achieved with my two girls! How to stop breastfeeding a toddler

In the meanwhile I’ll continue trying to wean my girl, so other things can start.

Update – we finally weaned at just past 22 months in December 2017. It was sad to stop, and pulled at my hand in the future months when occasionally she’d ask to feed out of the blue, but I couldn’t due to now being on medication that is not good with breastfeeding. How to stop breastfeeding a toddler

How have you found weaning from breastfeeding? Easy or hard? Comment below.

Want to read more about breastfeeding. Come check it out here!

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Being a mother is tough – working out this parenting gig (again)

06/08/2017 By Savanna Robinson 8 Comments

Being a mother is tough some days! Real tough! You just want to give it up, throw in the towel and go do something less stressful. Memories of days where you could eat a hot meal in peace are just that- a distant memory. And I’m not saying parenting can’t be tough for the guys too. But a lot of it is still dealt with by mothers. Although Stay at Home dads have increased in numbers in recent years, they still are a minority. Mums are known for having to think 6 billion thoughts about the needs of others, before themselves. Breastfeeding- nope, my husband can’t do that and the determined toddler has refused a bottle since she was 6 months old. Settling- when at her worst hysterical moments, only mummy can calm her down. Organising meals- yep, you guessed it. Mummy again. Sorting out the next season’s clothes. Wondering which school they will go, if they’ll make friends easily, and how you’re going to afford it. The whole world of motherhood is hard.

Being a mother of a toddler

My latest moment of finding being a mother hard was this morning. I sat down to breakfast, after dealing with the rigmarole in getting a 3 course toddler breakfast (well toast, cereal and fruit counts, right) and this happened. Eleanor lost control of her cereal bowl and it spilled cereal and milk over the corner of the table, my legs, my slippers and the floor. My little one sat there in her highchair going ‘Oh! Oh!’, whilst milk dripped further down my leg.

I sat there in shock to start with, and then tried to figure out how I could mop up this mess without making it worse. Of course there was not a wipe in reach (a rare event when you have a toddler in the house). And not even the packet of serviettes was in range! And no one else is at home! I can scarcely ask the little one to pop over to the sink and grab some paper towels. She’s safely strapped inside her high chair. And it’s a slim chance she could follow that instruction just yet.

So of course my toast was very cold when I finally got everything cleaned up. Eleanor wanted to have some of that too, even though she had the same thing, Vegemite toast, right in front of her… apparently mine is better. Why do they need to eat everything that mummy has? Although I guess it might help with my weight loss plan that she demands every snack I have. In reality it’s probably just an easy way to see something isn’t poisonous. Mummy is eating that one, so it’s okay. Heavens knows what this stuff in front of me could have in it!

Then we get to dressing for the day. The toddler is dressed by mummy. Thankfully she’s not yet at the age where they insist on dressing in the most weather inappropriate clothes. I realise halfway through getting myself dressed that I have completely forgotten how to dress as a normal non-breastfeeding person. Which is rather strange as she only feeds mornings and evenings now. But my mind still insists on dressing in accessible clothing as it’s just been so long since I dressed any other way. If I had to return to teaching work right now, I don’t know how I’d cope! Or be able to be dressed before 9am for that matter.

At least today we have avoided the excessive toddler grumpiness, over-tiredness and refusals to go to sleep. I’m sure that last night as I tried to get her to sleep for the umpteenth time that I was practically banging my head against the cot rails questioning why I ever thought having another was a good idea. I love her more than words can express, but sleep deprivation is torturous…especially when the person keeping you up can’t express why they won’t go to sleep. Is it teeth hurting, nightmares, the cold winter night or just wanting to snuggle with mummy?

And so ends my day. With those numerous thoughts still running through my mind, and finally a few moments peace to myself as both girls are in bed. I’m sure I should be in bed myself, but that’s not going to happen! Too many things I want to do that can’t be done whilst in mum mode. And even though I’m exhausted and frustrated with those little things when they happen, I just have to look at my girls to know that I’ll gladly do it all again for them tomorrow and the next day. Yes, being a mother is hard! But the rewards of spontaneous hugs, wet kisses and baby snores are pretty damn good too!

Want to read more about my parenting adventures?

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