Traveling with a baby can be overwhelming enough in itself. To top that off, if I had to prepare a list before traveling, I could sense a feeling of doom hovering around.
A readymade list can always help us, parents, to take a deep breath and start packing without worrying about missing important things.
I know that feeling when you must carry the whole nursery when stepping out, even for groceries. With this thought, you feel so overwhelmed that you hardly want to leave your home with your baby.
Let alone the never-ending list of things to carry when planning a trip!
So, parents must have a list of things when traveling with their babies. It also should be easily accessible so you don’t have to search for the list whenever you travel.
Here’s our free, editable, printable list of things to carry while traveling with a baby.
Essentials for Traveling with a Baby Baby Travel Gear
1. Strollers and Carriers
Strollers
When you’re traveling, you should always do a little research about how “stroller-able” the roads are. In Niagara, you’ll get pretty stroller-friendly roads and paved paths. But if you are going to Yosemite, some hikes you plan to do are not stroller-friendly.
Usually, all-terrain strollers work fine for hikes. For non-strenuous light hikes, jogging strollers are more suitable. If your stroller has an adjustable handlebar, anyone in your group can push it, leaving you a little time to enjoy the beauty around you.
However, if you are going on a trip to New York City or accessing the happening beaches of San Fransisco, you will need completely different strollers.
You can buy strollers with swivel wheels or compact strollers for city trips. Umbrella strollers are also an option for those who already own one. But I personally don’t like them.
Most retailers like Walmart and Target have reasonably priced umbrella strollers. But the one I got from Target was flimsy and didn’t help much on my city trips.
Even though it was extremely lightweight and compact, my baby felt highly uncomfortable. She didn’t want to sit in it. My husband and I had to carry her on our lap for most of our first New York trip. So I wouldn’t recommend one.
So, it is wise to carry a stroller that perfectly fits the description of the roads of your trip. Your baby should feel comfortable inside the stroller and not cry their heart out when you try to seat her.
Carriers
When you go on a hike, it’s always better to carry your child in front of you or on your back, depending upon the length and time of day of your hike. Strenuous hikes for long hours demand proper baby-carrying gear.
On the other hand, you can trust baby carriers, slings, or wraps for short trips.
I have always found my very active bff, Tiya and her husband use a baby carrier while working or going on short hikes. Her baby was happy cooking, shopping, or hiking with his mom and dad and never complained of discomfort.
Note:
If you’re traveling by air please keep your hands free, instead choose a baby carrier. Otherwise you might reach the gate after your last call. As we did. Avoid carrying stroller by all means.
2. Diapers and Diaper bags
Diapers and babies are best friends. Wherever your baby goes, diapers go along. You can never miss out on this essential part of your packing list. Now, you’ll have to find out what the best diapers for your baby are.
I bought a Diaper Bag when my baby was two months old. I have been using it for five years now. My friend Shil mocks me, saying it has become a part of my body.
I swear, I am never carrying any other bag again until my baby, who is not a baby anymore, stops telling me, “I’m hungry,” wherever she pleases. Just find out what’s the best diaper bag for you, and bring your best friend home!
I always have wet wipes and paper towels in my Diaper bag wherever I go. Trust me, it can carry a mom’s world! All mini-sized essentials can be carried along with you wherever you go. Even abroad!
Diaper, changing mat, wet wipes, paper towels, food, bottles, spoons, burp cloths, extra change, lotions, medications, hair ties, lip balm, lipstick, sanitizers… phew! I have a never-ending list. On a short trip/hike, you can also carry snacks for yourself and your otherwise grown-up partner (mine needs snacks even if you’re going for a grocery trip)!
Even if you forget to enlist your partner on your next trip, do not forget your loyal diaper bag!
3. Travel Cribs
When traveling with your baby, carrying travel cribs and bassinets helps when you and your baby sleep separately. I know many families where babies sleep comfortably in travel cribs or play yards at home. I have seen my friends carry their travel crib even abroad when traveling with their babies.
It’s a safe and hygienic option because you never know how clean the bed or crib mattress allotted by the accommodation is.
If you don’t have one, it’s good to invest in one so you and your baby can sleep peacefully after a long day. I didn’t have one back then. But I really wish I had. Oh! To have a worriless sleep after that 4/5 hours of drive.
On-the-Go Feeding Essentials
Whether your baby is breastfed, bottle-fed, formula-fed, mix-fed, or has just started solids, you must carry many things when you go out. Keeping a list on your phone is always better, so you never miss anything.
1. Bottles and Formula
Whether you are expressing milk or you’re mixing formula in bottles, regardless of whatever you do, you have to ensure that those bottles are sterilized before each use. That, my friend, is a headache when traveling.
It’s best to calculate the hours needed to travel. Then, assess how many feeds your baby would need during travel. If it’s a matter of 4/5 hours, you can carry regular sterilized bottles you use at home.
You can opt for disposable bottles and liners if the long hours are. These liners work as a savior when you cannot sterilize bottles on the move. Getting disposable bottle liners and bottles for long travel hours with babies would be best.
Bottles can be packed neatly in your very efficient diaper bag with designated space to hold bottles. Always try to place bottles where you can quickly take them out whenever necessary.
2. Breastfeeding Supplies
If you encourage feeding directly from the breast, there are a few essential things to carry while traveling with your baby.
The most essential thing is to dress up in feeding-friendly clothes and wear a nursing bra. Secondly, it would be a nursing cover.
To date, I recall one incident which still makes me feel regretful. I was bringing my baby home from the hospital after my c-section. I didn’t have a feeding-friendly dress or a nursing bra. Halfway homeward, my baby started crying uncontrollably because she was hungry. I could do nothing but withstand her plea for food. I dread that moment even today.
So my plight to all the new moms is to forget everything but never forget to wear a “feeding-friendly”/ nursing dress and a nursing bra.
3. Baby Food And Snacks
Remember that viral picture of Beyoncé and her daughter, where Beyoncé carries a juice box and snacks for her? If you haven’t yet, “Google it”!
Well, my point is… Once a mommy, always a mommy! So whether it is baby food or snacks, you cannot escape from it. Carry as much variety as you can. Babies or kids usually aren’t keen enough to eat while on the move. There are exceptions, though!
If your baby is like my munchkin, they would prefer variety over quantity. So get ready to buy or make travel-friendly foods and snacks to keep that “Hungrysaurus” tummy from rumbling.
You can buy yogurt tubes or cups, mashed veggie/fruit cups, rice cereals, or whatever your baby likes. But try to carry food that will survive at room temperature for a few hours.
Or if on a long trip, try carrying a cooler, which would help you immensely. In case of air travel, freeze those ice packs and carry them in an insulated lunch bag to keep your food from being spoilt.
Note:
In case you’re traveling by air you shouldn’t have to worry about what is allowed to be taken as baby food or snacks. TSA allows you to take anything and everything after performing a little test; unless it’s a hazardous materials.
Comfort and Entertainment
1. Clothing and Blanket
Choosing the proper clothing for your baby is the key to comfort during travel. To do that, you’ll have to check the weather of the place where you are headed.
Cotton is the best material for your baby. Put layers over cotton clothes, if need be, but always buy clothes made of cotton. Cotton is light, breathable, and very soft. It shall keep your baby comfortable for hours.
Carry two to three changes of clothes if traveling far. That way, your baby will stay fresh. Wipe their face, hands, and feet between each change. It shall soothe them.
Wherever I travel, I keep a blanket with me. It helps my kid to fall asleep. It has had a calming effect on her to this date.
The more a baby is comfortable, the more they are prone to falling asleep. Good and routined sleep has proven to beat jet lag in kids.
Choose comfortable clothing and a light blanket to help soothe your baby to sleep.
2. Travel Toys and Books
Kids, regardless of their age, will get bored while traveling. They are not interested in watching people or waiting long hours on flights or in transit.
Either they will start crying their heart out in protest, or the relentless rant of “Are we there yet?” will at one time get the better of you, and either you’ll reluctantly pass the iPad or phone over to your kid.
So, if you want yourself to be at ease while traveling, you should always carry something your kids love to be engaged in. It can be their favorite toys (at least two or three) or their all-time favorite storybooks. If they are teething, a pair of teethers is a good choice.
Carrying proper items to engage your kids is essential for traveling with a baby.
Safety and Health Essentials
1. Baby First Aid Kit
Never forget to take medications for minor injuries or fever.
I always carry an anti-itch cream, an antiseptic ointment, colic medications, and fever medications wherever I travel. I also carry some bandaids, just in case of a minor boo-boo. If your baby has other daily medications to take, note them down and pack them so you don’t miss out.
If heading to a sunny destination such as beaches or tropics, carry a sunscreen lotion or spray with the proper SPF for your baby. Carry a hat and a pair of glasses if your baby can wear one.
2. Hygiene Products
I have been carrying the ever-loyal wet wipes wherever I go for five years. You can never go wrong if you carry them in your bag.
A diaper blowout or a messy taco situation will save you everywhere. Those tiny hands touch germs even where germs do not know that they exist. So yes, I will always vote for those wet wipes.
Also, carry Ziplocs for sticky situations such as being unable to find a trash can nearby. Trap those smelly diapers in the sealable bags, and you can even put them inside your tote or diaper bag. Once you find a trash can, you know what to do.
Post covid era, wherever we travel, we take sanitizers with us. Even if we forget our mobile, we don’t forget sanitizers. Remember to tick them off your packing list when you’ve packed them to avoid over-packing and last-minute jitters.
Essential Travel Tips and Hacks for Traveling with a Baby
- Create a list before you start packing.
- Do not overpack; follow your list.
- Use a washer/dryer when your travel period is over five days.
- Use packing methods and techniques to avoid messed-up luggage.
- Use packing cubes and compression bags to maximize space and minimize bulk.
- Keep a separate bag for food so that maneuvering through TSA becomes easy.
- Carry a binky for smooth take-off and touch-down if traveling with a baby on a flight.
- If possible, book a long-haul flight at night so that your baby mostly sleeps through the journey.
- If traveling by car with your baby, start your journey early in the morning to reach your destination in the evening, at least, so that they can sleep peacefully at night.
The very thought of “How to survive a long-haul flight with your baby” can be overwhelming!
Navigating airports with kids can feel challenging, too!
But knowledge is power, and you now have all the essential knowledge to go forward confidently.
With the powerful knowledge of what to carry when traveling with a baby, you are all set to conquer the world.
Happy journey!
