Baby travel doesn’t have to be stressful. Doing anything during baby travel can feel uneasy. These essential items will help ease your transition from being home to staying in a hotel, at a friend’s or family member’s house.
In Transit
This thing is a favorite of ours! Especially at restaurants. When we put her in this she just sleeps the whole time.
Clothes
This category will differ depending on the weather, so of course use your judgment.
- onesies – Make sure to bring enough in case of a blowout!
- pajamas
- A swaddle – my baby doesn’t need one every time she sleeps, but when we are out and about and she starts getting fussy, we put her in a swaddle or a swaddle cacoon* to calm her down. Swaddle cacoons are great in a diaper bag because they are so compact and stretch over the baby.
- baby socks
- hats/beanies
- mittens (if you use them)
Blankets
I always pack three types of blankets. You don’t want to put the little one directly on anything in a hotel room, so having a travel baby blanket to lay down first is key.
Feeding
- 3 bottles for any trip length should be sufficient as long as you clean them right after use. (one can be kept in the fridge, while the other is drying, and the 3rd is for emergencies)
- formula – always have extra just in case. This is the one our pediatrician recommends.
- Nursing bras/shirts
- pumping bra – Yes there is a difference between a nursing bra and a pumping bra.
- Breast pump & charger! – If you can choose, make sure to get a cordless one.
- manual breast pump* – If anything happens to your breast pump (like the filter going out and finding out no one carries it in-store) or you don’t want to whip out the works at your friend’s house, this manual breast pump is awesome! What’s great about the Madela breast pump is you can screw the top to a Dr. Brown’s bottle and pump the milk straight in it. I only pack my Dr. Brown’s bottles and the top of this pump in my diaper bag for emergencies.
Cleaning
Diapers
Dog poop bags always come in handy during baby travel when changing a diaper in places that don’t have a trash can (like on the side of the road in the back of your car). Just throw the dirty diaper in a dog poop bag, and sometimes in another bag the dirty onesie, then tie it closed. Boom. Done.
Toiletries
sleeping
A safe place for our baby travel to sleep is essential. We do not co-sleep with our baby, but if you do co-sleep, then pack a Dock-a-Toc. Our bassinet doesn’t travel well, but it does fold up flat and fits in the back of the car. A portable travel system is handy for diaper changes, tummy time, and naps/sleeping safely.
Suppliments
Miscellaneous
Don’t drop a pacifier during baby travel. Make sure it is clipped on somewhere!
We love these when traveling, especially with our baby! Everything fits nice and tight.