Toddler visiting prison?

I'm the legal guardian of a 2 yr old, we will call her G. Mom went to prison when G was 6 weeks old and won't be released until she's 11.

Mom hasn't done much to maintain a relationship with G. (I get it, it would be hard.) She gets a free video visit every week and usually wastes it with G's dad, only using for G every 8-10 weeks. It's a slap in the face that she even talks to him. I've told her "if he's not doing right by G, he shouldn't be doing right by you either." I thought that goes without saying, but I guess not. She's currently at a prison about 5 hours away and has been asking me to bring G to visit. Also saying, "I know she will act strange at first, but I'm hoping she warms up after a few visits." I work and I have 2 other kids in sports, it's not a trip I would be able to make regularly. Quite honestly, I think it's a BIG ask to make the trip once but I'm willing to if it's for G's benefit.

I'm looking for lots of opinions. Is it worth taking a 2 year old to visit 1-2x a year? Is it better to start visits now so she gets familiar? Or is it better to wait until she has a better understanding? Will she "just know" that's mom and it will be okay? If she acts strange or cries through the entire thing, do we try again to show her its okay? Or do we wait a couple years?

This is all new territory for me. I've never visited a prison, never raised another person's child, and never coparented with an inmate.