Umrah!

Asalaamu'alaikum!

In April, I spent three weeks in Saudi Arabia for Umrah with my family. As a mum of a 20 months old baby boy, I was concerned with the must haves during the trip and browsed the net. Sadly, except for help from BabyCentre sisters, I could hardly find a complete list of essentials. I hope my post is helpful to all those planning the trip with a child (or 2) in sha Allah.

Yes, you are going there for ibaadah. But unless baby is used to long hours of travelling, it may be hard for him to adapt to a new climate/ environment/ sleep pattern. As a mother, you have to brace yourself. Umrah with baby means not as much ibaadah as everybody else. But effective planning helps. (I.E leaving baby with your husband/ family while you spend some time in the mosque in between prayer times, taking baby to the mosque so he gets used to the environment outside nap time.)

The flight.
If you are breastfeeding baby on the plane, remember to carry a shawl or book a window seat if possible. It can get  cold on the plane so make sure baby is properly equipped. You can carry his favourite toy so he does not get too bored (mine was a 6 hour flight to Dubai, 20 hours there plus another 3 hour flight.) My handbag on the flight was just baby bag, filled with nappies, wipes, powder formula, a few clothes) My husband carried formula and the feeding bottle to the flight attendants who kindly helped him prepare the milk.
So you're there!

If you are landing in Jeddah, you will have to be patient, for there could be many people queue up, and keeping baby busy in his stroller is the way to ease your long wait.

If you are lucky enough to stay in hotels which are inside/near the Haram, you can at times pray inside the prayer rooms if more convenient as you reach Makkah/ Madinah.

Madinah is a calm, peaceful place. You will surely enjoy the safety and comfort with which you can shop around with a stroller.

Makkah, as I left it one week ago, was dusty and crowded (owing to the construction phases.) You can buy medicines from pharmacies there, but it would be better to carry medication you usually use for baby; antibiotics if any, painkillers, cough syrup etc. Stay inside the hotel or mosque or shopping centres- avoid crowds and dusty areas. Cover your mouth and your baby's with masks in Makkah. Yes, I speak straight away of medication because ear infections and flus are common there, both for adults and babies. If possible, vaccination against flu before you leave is a necessary precaution. (Ask your doctor for further advice.)

Now about the list of essentials:

My list of must haves starts with a Mothercare harness/ baby rein depending on the age of your toddler. I bought mine from Dubai. This is something you'll probably use during strolls, or in the masjid. I used to tie it to my son's wrist and wrap the other end around my foot while I prayed so he could roam around, but not stray away.

An umbrella stroller is a must have, complete with the sun protection gear: a large hat, sunglasses and sunscreen. however, note that strollers are not allowed inside the masjid. I used to pray outside the masjid with the stroller by my side in case my baby was sleeping. My husband at times left the stroller outside the masjid and went in to pray with our child.

(In case you forget your stroller, Mothercare stores are found both in Madinah and Makkah. Bought mine from the Madinah store.)

what you carry in your baby bag to the masjid will much depend on whether the hotel is near (so you don't have too much stuff on hand) nappies, changing mat (you may not deem appropriate to change baby inside the masjid, but you may do so outside) baby wipes, drinks,water containers, fruit juice, milk to keep baby hydrated biscuits, a small toy to keep him busy

 a shawl in Madinah, can get cold.

when you go to the mosque, you'll meet absolutely generous people who will offer sweets and snacks to your child. While the people are doing it out of generosity, always be careful whether your child can actually eat that stuff. (My son was given jellies, chocolates, crisps and at times pistachios If not, just wrap it in a tissue and keep it for yourself.

choose the section for women with children. This is important because you can allow your child to play safely, feed him freely and why not speak to other mums!

If you are going back to the hotel after the compulsory prayers, avoid the rush to the doors by waiting some 5 minutes for people to leave.

Note the door number when entering the masjid and leave by the same door. If your child is too old for a harness or stroller, ask him to wait near that door in case he wanders away while playing. You may want to make him carry a card which contains your name, hotel, phone number etc.

I would advise you to be accompanied when going for tawaaf. While after esha there is not so much of a rush, crowds can quickly gather when not expected. So for your ssafety and your child's you may want to be accompanied. If your child/ children are old enough, you can opt to push them in wheel chairs so they don't feel the discomfort of the crowds.

Shaving your child's head can be done in the hotel by your husband.

Do not carry too much clothing for yourself if you intend to shop a lot. abaya prices in Madinah are incredibly affordable, ranging from SR 70 upto SR 150 for more dressy ones.

P.S You may carry your baby to all prayers if you deem convenient, even when he sleeps. (I did not always carry mine, A lot of women do that. You will always find a place to keep him secure as you pray. Make sure to carry a prayer mat for yourself in case you have to pray outside the mosque, or in case you have put baby to sleep.

I hope in sha Allah that you make the most of this trip for which Allah has invited you. Feel no frustration, what matters is the quality of your prayer, not the quantity! May Allah accept your prayers.