One of the things my family and I enjoy most is traveling and exploring new places. Our love of travel has not been slowed down by diabetes. In fact, because my husband and I were the only ones that knew how to manage Gabi’s diabetes, we started traveling with our children when they were very young. Some might think we were crazy for taking our children with us on every trip, but we love showing them the world and teaching them about different places and cultures!
Traveling with diabetes has its share of challenges and is not always easy. It requires tons of planning and the key is to not be caught unprepared. We have learned so much about managing diabetes in our travels and in a series of blog posts I will share with you tips and tricks we picked up along the way.
(As always, consult with your doctor or health care professional before you make any changes to your diabetes management routine.)
Packing
My motto when packing, “Expect the worst and hope for the best.” Always bring more supplies than you think you will need, you can always bring them home if you don’t use them.
Air Travel
Flying is hard enough as it is but going through security with supplies and managing blood sugars when things are not always in your control adds another layer of complexity. After many airports in several countries, I’ll share my experience with you on how we make traveling less stressful.
Read more about traveling internationally https://www.themamamaven.com/traveling-internationally-with-a-child-with-type-1-diabetes/
Road Trips
Sitting in the car for long periods of time can wreak havoc on blood sugars, especially if you or your child with diabetes is not normally sedentary. I’ll discuss how we use the pump and CGM to counter high blood sugars and how to make healthy food choices on the road.
Sight Seeing
Exploring new places usually means tons of walking and possibly low blood sugars if you or your child with diabetes are not accustomed to this level of activity. In this post, I’ll give you tips on what to pack in your daypack and how to keep everything safe from pickpockets, in addition to avoiding lows before they happen.
At the Beach
Sand. It gets EVERYWHERE. Add in sun and saltwater and you have a recipe for disaster with all the supplies and equipment you need for someone who is insulin dependent. Learn how we manage fun, long days at the beach even with diabetes tagging along.
Cruising
Thinking about taking a cruise but overwhelmed with all the logistics of managing diabetes onboard? I will walk you through how we have done it on multiple cruise lines and even a rare perk of having a child with diabetes on certain ships.
Eating Out
Food is meant to be enjoyed, especially on vacation. Just because you or your child has diabetes doesn’t mean you can’t sample all the delicious local cuisine even it is not the healthiest option. It’s all about balance and a lot of SWAGing.
Staying Hydrated
Staying hydrated while on vacation is important for anyone, and more so for people with diabetes. In this post, I’ll discuss tips for getting plenty to drink on the go and how to manage ketones should they develop.