Becoming a father is lot like queuing up to ride a rollercoaster. First, there’s excitement as the wait begins. Then, there’s tedium as it drags on. The last few steps often feel like an eternity. Finally, you’re beckoned. The ride begins and you’re put through an emotional wringer that sees you come out the other side feeling giddy, relieved and ultimately thankful.

However, that’s where the comparison ends. When you step off a rollercoaster, you leave without a care in the world. As a new dad, you’ve got huge responsibilities to live up to. A lot of fathers spend their first few days asking the internet all kinds of questions about keeping their child safe at home, but what about when you’re out in the big wide world?

We’ve got you covered. Listed below are a bunch of essential tips for new fathers who are traveling with a baby for the first time.

Take a short, quiet journey to start

That first traveling journey with your newborn baby can be nerve-wracking, but you can do it. It’s simply a case of taking baby steps, much like your son or daughter will be doing in nine to 12 months’ time.

Take a short trip around the block and ease yourself in to begin with and avoid busy, crowded spaces such as shopping malls or main roads. Public transport can also be daunting, so pick a quiet time – perhaps midday on a weekday – to get used to traveling on trams, buses and trains. The same logic applies if you’re going by car. Tuck your baby into the backseat in a high-quality car seat (in a position where you can see them in the rearview mirror) and slowly trundle around some quieter roads. Stick to 30 MPH zones until your confidence is in the right place.

Grab a top-notch stroller

For your sake and your baby’s, a first-rate stroller will make a hell of a lot of difference when you’re heading out together for the first time.

Fold-away strollers are perfect because they’re quick to (dis)assemble and can be stowed away easily in the trunk of your car or alongside you when you’re on board public transport. Just make sure that you grab the right model. Some strollers are only suitable for babies when they have the ability to sit up, so take the time to pick out a design with a flat-lying seat. Models with built-in sun canopies can also help shield your child in the hotter weather. Test the strollers if you can, as this will enable you to get a sense of the quality of the model’s wheel grip and maneuverability.

Take diaper duty seriously

Buying high-quality diapers by the bucket-load isn’t always cheap, but it is always worth it. The more comfortable your baby is, the more comfortable you will be.

As invigorating as being a new father can be, you can also end up feeling a little bashful when you’re carting around a new kid with diapers and baby food in tow. You can solve this problem by packing away all your baby stuff in designer diaper bags, which you can get from http://www.skiphop.com/diaper-bags. These bags offer ample room for everything that you need and a stylish way to store it.

Baby belongings

It can be tricky to know exactly what to bring along on your first travel journey with your baby. The best way to be prepared is to remember the letter “B” before you pack.

Pretty much all the essentials begin with this character:

• Bottle (and milk).
• Blanket.
• Bibs.
• Blackout blind (for the car).
• Ball (or another sensibly-sized soft toy, though not too small).

A few other items worth taking for the trip include sunscreen for hotter weather, extra clothes, a changing mat, and of course, the diapers.

Ask other dads

Fellow fathers can offer invaluable advice about taking babies out for the first time. Remember that they’ve been through it all before and have had the exact same fears and reservations that you’re currently turning over in your mind right now. Express your concerns to your buddies who have young children and you’ll get the right kind of guidance from people who are in the know.

Like a fresh pair of kicks or a new ale on tap at the local bar, taking your baby traveling will take some getting used to. However, don’t sweat it – in a few weeks, you’ll wonder what you ever worried about.

Oh, and congratulations, dad.