We love traveling! And after having visited 15+ states, 3 countries and taking over 50 flights in Cayson’s first 12 months of life- we’ve figured out exactly what you need when traveling with a baby or toddler! I’ve done my research by trial and error, and these are my official travel necessities with a baby!
- Snooze Shade :: This thing is a game changer when you know you are going to be sharing a room with your little one. The Snooze Shade allows Caleb & I to hang out in our room without fear of Cayson staring at us while we enjoy our evening or his nap time. This “blackout shade” makes Cayson’s crib almost completely blacked out, while still giving him plenty of fresh air. With this, Caleb & I can enjoy a glass of wine in our room without distracting Cayson from sleep. There are multiple versions and companies that make these, but I prefer this one because it takes up very little space & is easy to travel with.
- Sound machine :: Cayson sleeps so well with his sound machine. It helps block out any other sound in the room. Meaning, Caleb & I can chat without fear of Cayson waking up from our noise. This one is small and loud. We use it at home and when we travel!
- Travel crib :: I did SO much research on travel cribs and kept finding the same top 3 cribs. But, this one is almost identical to the Baby Bjorn, but a fraction of the cost! And it actually weights less. It’s the ultimate winner and I highly highly recommend it. It fits into small spaces which is often a must have when traveling to cities or on cruises!
- A monitor :: At home we use a video monitor, but when traveling I’m thinking about getting just an audio monitor {$27}, since he often sleeps with the Snooze Shade and we can’t see him anyways. It’s nice to be able to listen to him if we rent a home or put him in a different room from us!
- Babyzen Yoyo :: We also did tons of research on this. I went to a dozen baby stores and literally every.single.one recommended the Babyzen Yoyo. It’s pricy, but so so worth it. If I were to start all over again, I actually might ONLY get the Babyzen Yoyo and skip my big stroller. Don’t get me wrong- I love my big stroller, but we use the Yoyo 90% of the time.
- Baby carrier :: When Cayson was under 6 months we used the Wildbird sling 9 times our of 10. Now that he is older we use the MiaMily 99% of the time.
- Stroller Hook :: I keep one of these on our stroller at all times. You never know when you might go shopping or have left overs!
- Packing cubes :: Game.Changer!! I’ve tried them a few times for me, but didn’t love them. But for Cayson, I LOVE them!!!! I break them down by pre-arranged outfits in one cube, extra pants/shorts in another cube, extra shirts/jackets in another. These cubes also come with a clear TSA approved bag for carryon liquids.
- Ziplock bags :: You never know when you might need ziplock bags. From dirty clothes to new snacks. There are always 100 reasons to use zip lock bags! I pack gallon size bags because you can choose not to fill a bag 100%, but you can’t make a small bag fit more than it has space for.
- Thermometer :: You never want your kid to get sick, but if they are- you want to know their temperature. A thermometer takes up little to no space and it’s better safe than sorry.
- Tylenol & Motrin :: Again, teething stinks and getting sick stinks. So be prepared for either by carrying both of these in your bag!
- Nail clippers :: Seems silly, but his nails grow so fast!!
- Baby Shampoo & Body Wash :: We always pack a travel size baby shampoo & body wash.
- Breast pump or formula ::When Cayson was under 1 year I brought my breast pump with my anytime I traveled. Breast milk was my safety net when Cayson was throwing a temper tantrum or was struggling during a long flight. I ALWAYS had an extra bottle of breast milk on me when traveling. And the one time I didn’t I was wishing I could purchase formula somewhere- but I was in an airport and stuck. I used the Spectra S1 pump and a small manual breast pump to catch drip-age . You never know when you will need a bottle- for a date day, a crazy day out or all the in-betweens. Be prepared.
- Schedule :: We follow a schedule at home & stick to the schedule as best we can while traveling. Obviously, we give lots of flexibility, but we do our best to follow as best we can. Meaning, if it’s nap time and we are out- maybe we try laying down Cayson’s stroller and turn on his sound machine. If it’s lunch, we eat. There’s only so much you can do when traveling, but following a schedule helps Cayson to sleep well at night. But if he doesn’t nap when we want- so he doesn’t nap when we want. He’ll nap when he’s really tired. At the very least, we tried! Do you best, but be flexible!
Basics You Should Remember
- Diaper bag backpack :: We personally use the Azaria & FAWN. We love them both!
- Sun hats :: We’ve purchased from Amazon & Walmart. Cayson doesn’t like sunglasses, so at least hats keep sun out of his eyes!
- Sunscreen :: We love Aveeno!
- Diapers :: If possible, I always packed enough for a couple days and had a box of diapers delivered to the hotel or airbnb so I didn’t have to waste space in my suitcase.
- Wipes :: We use Babyganics or Huggies!
- Diaper rash cream :: We use A&D!
- Pacifiers :: We’ve used these from day 1 and love them!
- Bib :: These are washable & catch food that falls!
- Rubber placemat :: We use these every meal- out and about or at home!
- Sippy cup :: They don’t leak and Cayson loves them!
- Snacks :: I always pack an avocado and clementine when traveling so Cayson gets fat, protein and vitamin C. But Cayson also loves Happy Baby teethers, puffs and yogis when he starts getting fussy- we always pack at least one these just incase he gets crazy.
- Phone numbers :: Your pediatrician, local pediatricians, local emergency contacts. I like to be prepared with any numbers possible!
Need tips for traveling with a baby?
Find
25 tips for flying with a baby here,
20 tips for flying solo with a baby here,
14 reasons why you should travel with a baby here
& International or big time change travel tips
Bring Bunya and Pop Pop (Grandparents) too! Very helpful…..
stunning photos…never would have thought to have diapers delivered!
We NEED that black out curtain!! Just ordered it! Thank you!
Why did I never think of a travel placemat?! Genius!
It is so great you are still able to travel with a baby. I have never heard of the snooze shade. That seems like it would come in handy a lot! Zip lock bags are a great thing to bring for any traveler, I know I use them all the time!
This is such a cool list for traveling with a baby. My kid is 6 years old but I know I need some of these things even now like the packing cubes and ziploc bags. Ziplocs always come in handy. I learned quite a few new things from your post. I would have loved to have a snooze shade and a sound machine when he was younger. So helpful.
Such a great and thoughtful list! Packing cubes are my all-time favourites, but I must agree I haven’t heard about half of these products before reading this post. There are so many innovative things to make your life easier while travelling with a baby. I’m not a parent yet but I’ll be sharing this information with my friends who travel with their babies.
What a great idea for a post! I’m sure this will be helpful to a lot of young (and older) traveling couples. I still travel solo and perhaps it’s too early to read this kind of post but I guess it’s never too late to start preparing :) Thank you for sharing and keep up the great work
Wow, this is such an useful post. I do not have kids but a few of my friends really struggle while travelling with their babies. Will send this article to them. Packing cubes and breast pumps are quite useful it seems.
Well, my sister had been messaging me on what to bring for their upcoming trip to HK. It’s their first international trip with their baby and your post is just so timely. Thank you for sharing this. I sent the link to your post to her as well.
+1 on the ziplock. I no longer go out without one. LOL
I’ve traveled with a baby and now she’s a toddler! It has its own set of challenges, but indeed its awesome to travel with that little human!
Baby Carriers have saved us so many times, esp., when traveling to those places which are not stroller friendly like Malta or Greece! I have 4-5 carriers with me still.
I just play her usual sleepy song on mobile instead of using the sound machine. I’ve read so many rave reviews of BabyZen Yoyo, but I already have 2 strollers and getting one more would be too much, now that she’s already walking and doesn’t like to be strapped down.
I’m gonna check out that crib shade. Hearty hearty love to Cayson.
I travel with my children and even though they are big, I find some of the things very useful. I always carry zip lock bags, packing cubes and many more stuff to get organised my things. I never heard of sound machine and it would be great to use if somebody is sleeping in the room and others can talk freely. Snooze shade must be useful while camping out and also if the place is full of mosquitoes.
Loved the family portrait at the beach, so cute! This is quite the comprehensive list too. I don’t have any kids myself, but will definitely be forwarding this to all my mommy friends!