Whether it’s by plane, train, or car, traveling with a baby
can be stressful with all the extra baggage to make space for and lug around.
My partner and I have traveled with our baby quite a bit in just her first year
and have learned along the way what is practical and what isn’t to make for an
easier and stress-less trip, so here I will be making a list of the sort of
things we pack for our baby when traveling to give other parents an idea of
what to bring for theirs. Keep in mind what’s practical for some parents may
not be for others as different kids may have different needs. This is just a
guide and what works for us, so when you’re making your packing list, have your
own baby in mind and pick and choose items as you see fit.
Wyatt the Whale
We bring our daughter’s sound and light soother with us to
make her feel more at home. This would not be an essential for most people, however
our baby falls asleep quicker with Wyatt.
Pack n’ Play
We always bring our Graco Pack n’Play for any overnight trip. Our baby does not sleep with us so having a pack
n’ play to act as a crib while we’re away is a must.
Epipen
This is something a lot of parents will not need, but if
your child has any kind of serious allergies, whether food or environmental, an
epipen is something to not forget and to keep with you at all times.
Diaper Bag
The diaper bag is an essential as it is the main thing that
every parent lugs around during the day for their child to keep all their
little things in. I even quit using my own purse so our diaper bag is not only
my baby’s bag, but mine too. I use the Skip Hop Chelsea Diaper Bag in Black.
Diapers and Wipes
Whether you’re cloth diapering or using disposables, diapers
and wipes are a must for all babies and toddlers still in diapers. We choose to
use disposables and how many diapers we bring depends on the duration of the trip.
Formula, Bottles,
Bottle Soap, and Bottle Scrub
Our baby is not breastfed, so bringing formula with us is a
must at this stage as it is still the bulk of her nutrition, and how much we
bring depends on the length of the trip we are taking. Of course we need
bottles to put the formula in, and if our trip is longer than three days, we
always bring soap and a bottle scrub to clean her bottles with.
Diaper Rash Cream
Diaper rash cream is something I like to carry with me on
trips “just in case”. I have never needed to use it on a trip before, but I
like to keep some on hand in case I do need it. Nothing would be worse than to
need diaper rash cream, not have it, and then have to go out and buy some. My
favorite diaper rash cream is the Earth’s Best Organic Diaper Relief Ointment.
Baby Spoons and
Pureed Foods
Once our baby was old enough to eat solid foods, we started
bringing a baby spoon and jarred purees with us along with the formula.
Snacks (Crackers, Fruits,
etc.)
Also after my baby started eating solid foods, I would pack
lots of extra food besides formula. Dry things like crackers, gummies, and
freeze dried fruits are great for snacks on the go like at an amusement park, plane
ride, car ride, etc. I like to save the juicy snacks like berries, mangoes, and
other fresh fruits for the beach or for breakfast at the hotel where I can wash
my baby off more easily.
Bibs and Burp Cloths
This is another thing we would pack more so when our baby
was younger and messier with food, but it is still something we pack even at a
year old. We always bring one of each and use them as we need them, which is
hardly ever anymore.
Gripe Water
When your baby is screaming and fussy and all else fails to
calm them down, that’s where gripe water comes in. We have had to use our Mommy’sBliss Gripe Water on a few different trips, so I always pack it with me. I mix
it in with her bottle rather than giving it to her by syringe.
Toys
I always bring a few small toys with us on trips for my
daughter. We have a pink cell phone for her to watch videos on for long car
rides, and a mixture of little stuffed animals, crinkly toys, and rattles to
play with in the stroller, in the car, while we’re at a restaurant, or to have
her sleep with at the hotel.
Blanket
Now that my baby is older I started putting a blanket in her
crib with a few small stuffed animals to keep her company while she sleeps, so
we do the same for travel as well. A blanket is also good to drape over their
car seat to keep them warm, especially if you have no heater in the car. This
is also more for winter travel.
Sun Hat and Sunglasses
A sun hat is good to bring to keep your baby’s head from
getting burned in sunny locations and baby sunglasses are good to bring to keep
the sun out of their eyes, especially during road trips when your baby is still
rear facing. Nothing hurts your ears more than listening to the effects of the bright
sun shining in your baby’s face for hours.
Swimsuit, Swim
Diapers, Beach Towel, and Sunscreen
Also in sunny weather, families usually like to take a beach
trip or have a relaxing day at the hotel’s pool. A swimsuit and sunscreen are
to protect their skin, swim diapers are if your baby is still in diapers, and a
beach towel for drying them off with.
Body Wash
Body wash is obviously needed to give your baby a bath with.
I don’t like using the hotel options as they always leave my skin dry and the
shampoos leave my hair brittle and greasy. The ingredients in them are terrible
too so I always bring travel sized versions of what we use and will bring a 2-in-1
body wash and shampoo combo for my baby.
Few Changes of Clothes
(socks, jackets, pants, shirt, shorts, pjs, etc,)
How many outfits I pack depends on how long we will be
traveling, but bring how many you think you will need plus a few extra. Some outfits
might get ruined by poop explosions, pee spillovers, or get really stained from
food. Always keep an extra change of clothes with you in the diaper bag when
you’re out an about. We did not do this at Disneyworld and my daughters pants
were soaked with pee and we had no extra change of clothes so half the day she
was sitting in soiled clothes. Another time we were at a restaurant and had a
poop explosion and had no backup clothes so out daughter had to be pant-less at
the restaurant and everyone was staring. Don’t be unprepared. Also check the
weather right before you go so you know what sort of outfits to pack.
Stroller
A stroller is a must if your baby is not able to walk yet.
Your arms would not make it if you tried to carry your baby around all day
while exploring a town or city.
Baby Carrier
Even though we have a stroller with us to push our baby
around in, I always like to bring the baby carrier with us too. Since strollers
are not allowed in lines at amusement parks, a baby carrier is easy to hold
your baby in since your arms won’t get tired. And at a festival once, we ended
up having to put our daughter in a baby carrier since the stroller started
getting too full of merchandise and handouts and we were running out of arms.
Also it just feels nice to keep your baby close to you.
Bottle Cooler Bag and
Icepacks
Our bottle cooler bag was a gift from the hospital we gave
birth at and I love it because it keeps our baby’s leftovers cold while we’re
out and about so they won’t go bad. We forgot we had it so before we started
using this we were throwing out a lot of milk. And of course for the bag you
will need some ice packs. We bring our own from home and freeze them in our
hotel freezer overnight.
Baby Thermometer and
Lubricating Jelly
This was more for when my baby was much younger when she got
colds and fevers more frequently, but I liked to bring a flexible tip thermometer
with lubricating jelly (for checking the temperature rectally) on trips with us.
Again, I’ve never felt the need to use it on a trip, but for some reason it’s
something I just like to keep on hand to use if we feel like she’s about to
come down with something.
Thank you so much for reading! Let me know in the comments
what your travel essentials are for your baby!
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