Baby Travel Essentials: 15 Must Haves for Travel with a Baby
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the first day of a 9 week trip through central and south america with all 3 kids, including our 5 month old baby
Are you looking for must haves for traveling with a baby? If so, you’ve come to the right place! I have traveled with a lot of crappy products and a lot of REALLY HELPFUL products.
We have 3 kids and have traveled consistently with them since birth. I would say we are well seasoned in traveling with babies. Our youngest visited 7 countries in his first year of life - we spent my husband’s paternity leave in Central and South America!
a view from welcome stone in grenada! (Baby is 10 months here) - click the image to read all about what to do with kids in grenada
To save you time and money, I have created this guide for baby travel must haves that will make travel easier both physically and mentally. So, let’s jump in and see the top 15 must haves for travel with a baby!
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i was flying solo across the country. diaper bag on my back, baby on the front, toddler in the stroller! We made it!
This backpack is the best diaper bag for travel and everyday use. I would rank this as an absolute must have when traveling with baby. We tried regular diaper bags, over the shoulder bags, regular backpacks, backpacking packs, etc. NOTHING WORKED. Everything got disorganized, there wasn't sufficient space for baby/toddler needs, etc.
This diaper bag clips to our stroller, keeps bottles warms, holds a foldable toilet seat/diapers/wipes/toddler wipes/extra clothes etc.
We loved it so much that after a 6 year gap between babies, we bought the Eddie Bauer Diaper Bag again for our third baby!
another solo mom trip. You can see my eddie bauer backpack clipped to the stroller!! A game changer in travel with babies
Our Doona Stroller in Cartagena Colombia
The Best travel stroller for a baby is the Doona. Get your Doona from Amazon HERE or from Target HERE. With my first two babies, the Doona didn’t exist. But with our third, we couldn’t wait to get our hands on this car seat stroller! It is amazing for travel with an infant!
For older babies, we prefer the Mountain Buggy Nano because it has a great shade, folds up tiny, has an under basket, and lays flat with a 5 point harness.
Our doona stroller folds up to be a carseat - here is our baby in an uber in Quito Ecuador
READ NEXT: 10 Tips for Flying with a Baby
3) Soft Baby Carrier (Ergo Aerloom OR Tula Free to Grow):
Find it on Amazon — Ergo Aerloom HERE or Tula Free to Grow HERE:
Find it on Target (get 5% off with REDCARD) — Ergo Omni 360 (Similar to the Ergo Aerloom)
our baby at 2 months old in the ergo aerloom on the nyc subway
We swear by our baby carriers!! We have always kept 3 carriers as our kids grew. They are an absolute must have for traveling with a baby. When I travel alone with my children, I wear one and push one in the stroller. When I only had one baby, my carrier made zipping through airports a breeze! We own (and love) an Ergo Aerloom and TWO Toddler Tulas. (Now, the Tula Free to Grow) Both the Ergo Aerloom and the Tula Grow With Me are able to be worn with children up to 45lbs. These are long term carriers! Soft baby carriers are must-haves for traveling with baby.
I currently use the Ergo Aerloom for my 1 year old and it is SO comfortable and breathable. For the Aerloom and Free to Grow, you do not need an infant insert, the carrier adjust for size!
Wearing my son in a tula while my daughter rides in her GB pockit stroller!
4) Homedics Portable Sound Spa (AKA Small Sound Machine)
our baby asleep with his sound machine in a resort in mexico
Get yours HERE
A noise machine is one of my top recommended travel items for baby. We bring our portable sound machine ON THE PLANE and IN THE CAR to help our kids settle to sleep while we are in transit! I also keep it in the stroller for on-the-go naps while we are out sight seeing. It has helped TREMENDOUSLY! Sound Machines are non negotiable baby travel items in our house and at the top of the list for best travel items for baby.
asleep in the guatemala city airport with his doona and sound machine
5) Slumberpod:
Get your Slumberpod HERE.
The Slumberpod is a sleep game changer for parents. This allows baby to have a dark, safe place to sleep while room sharing on trips. If you’re staying with family or staying in a shared hotel room with a toddler, the Slumberpod can give baby a dark, comfortable space to get into deep sleep without being interrupted by lights.
our baby sleeping in his slumberpod in the twa hotel in new york
SlumberPod is a blackout privacy pod sleep nook that allows babies 4 months and up to get a good night's sleep in any room, day or night. It has a bottomless design to fit over playards, mini-cribs, travel cribs, or select toddler cots or mattresses.
6.) Guava Lotus Travel Crib
Get yours HERE!
Best Travel Crib for Babies: Guava Lotus Travel Crib
We have used our Guava Lotus travel crib and bassinet since our third baby was born. As a matter of fact, its the only bed he used until he was 6 months old and we got a full sized crib for our house.
We have used the Guava Lotus travel cot across 7 countries and it has been amazing to travel with. We actually put inside of our checked bag because it folds up so small. Set up is simple and the pad at the bottom is better than a regular pack n play. Even the bassinet attachment folds easily and packs light!
The guava lotus and slumberpod pack up so compact that they both together fit into one side of our checked bag!
7) Nursery Door Latch Cover Silencer:
Get yours HERE!
You never know what kind of hotel room or Airbnb room you will get when traveling with children. One of the best baby holiday accessories I bring along with us is one or two of these nursery door latch covers!
These Nursery Door Latch Covers allow you to open and shut doors silently which keeps baby calm or asleep. Don’t be surprised by doors that slam shut or are loud to close — snag a couple of these Nursery Door Latch Covers!
READ NEXT: 6 Tips for Traveling with a Picky Eater
8) Clip on High Chair:
Get yours HERE!
He was 5 months old here in guatemala - it gave him a place to sit up and play
Even before our baby was sitting on his own, we brought this clip on high chair with us on our travels. It proved to be an incredible addition to our travels.
We use this clip on high chair for our travels with baby both in the restaurants for a clean place to sit, but also in our hotels and airbnbs so he has a place he can sit by himself.
For added germ protection, I suggest investing in a silicone mat.
The baby in barbados and grenada eating lunches. We also like to add the silicone mat for extra germ protection!
Our little guy on an international long haul flight
For breastfed babies, I recommend this awesome little cooler. It keeps your milk cold and keeps all of the bottles together inside your diaper bag. This cooler comes with a grooved ice pack for keeping bottles cold.
For formula fed babies, I love these formula containers. These containers allow parents to divide out the formula into predetermined amounts for easy on-the-go bottle making.
this container slips easily into a cup holder in a backpack or stroller!
Read Next: How to Successfully Travel with Breastmilk
10) Best Baby Travel Monitors
Get your Owlet Dream Sock HERE:
our baby at 7 months in his guava lotus crib in an airbnb in miami — hes got his owlet monitor on!
I will never travel with an infant without the Owlet Dream Sock. Ever. During our travels to South America our infant got very ill. We were in the ER in 2 countries - it was that bad. One thing that gave me peace was knowing he was ok while he slept. We had is Owlet Dream Sock on monitoring his heart rate and O2 levels. We were able to use the data to show doctors as well.
At 13 months, he still sleeps with his Owlet Dream Sock every single night home or away.
the owlet monitor provides detailed information about your babies sleep in the app.
NOW, as far as Travel monitors go, I like the basic sound monitors. They are easy to pack and if they break - no harm done. I got our second hand at a baby consignment shop, but THIS sound monitor is very similar and has great range.
READ NEXT: Tips for Saving More on Your Next Airbnb
11) Wet and Dry Bags
Get yours HERE!
Little did I know that wet bags are essential for traveling with a baby. These bags are big enough to hold several spare outfits and they clip easily to the stroller or diaper bag. The wet bags are machine washable and the inside is, of course, waterproof.
I have put a lot of miles on our dry bag. It's saved us after MANY blowouts, un planned beach days, random food spills, and accidents that left my kid’s clothes soaked or nasty. I LOVE this neutral print too!
READ NEXT: Ways to Beat Jet Lag in Kids
12) Baby Travel Toiletry Kit:
Get yours HERE!
We found this Pipette travel set just before our third baby was born and I wish we had had it for all three. All of the products are hypoallergenic, free of synthetic fragrance, and cruelty free.
The Pipette products are gentle enough for baby, but great for toddlers and big kids too! I absolutely love the travel pouch it came in too and we still use it today!
13) Braided Pacifier Clip:
Get yours HERE!
I normally wouldn't be such a diva about something like a Pacifier clip, but these are amazing. They can get wet, the clips stay tight and they are very durable. We have lost too many pacifiers while traveling and these help us keep track! We attach them to baby in the morning and voila! No more lost paci!
PSST, if you’re using MAM Pacifiers, you can get these silicone holders to attach the pacifier comfortably to this clip.
14) Car Camera for Baby:
Get yours HERE!
If you’re going to be taking a road trip with a baby, you absolutely need a Car Camera. I did not have this with my first two babies and I wish I did. This camera is less than $30 but will be one of the best investments in your travel gear. (And leave it installed for every day use too!)
dont mind the dust, but being able to see my baby is safe and asleep in the back seat is a game changer for road trips with a baby
The car camera is easy to Install and with the push of a button up front you can turn it on and off. The camera allows you to see your baby in real time as you drive without having to take your eyes off the road and turn around.
The camera is adjustable and if you are the parent of multiples, it has a wide view so you can see more than one car seat at once.
Any parent traveling with a baby in a car needs a car camera for the peace of mind and ease of caring for your baby on the road.
Travel with Kids Pro-Tip: pack the a spare outfit in the bag when traveling with a baby and then you can switch the clean/soiled clothes later. This gives you more space in your diaper bag!
you can see the wide angle of the lens would let you see carseat side by side. i love this car camera
15) Inflatable Foot Rest
Get yours HERE:
Our baby is 5 months old here sleeping on a long haul flight
This inflatable travel pillow has been AMAZING to us. We inflate the pillow on planes so our baby can lay flat to sleep or to keep their toys from falling to the floor every second.
This Inflatable travel pillow takes less than a minute to inflate or deflate, is easily packed into a carry-on bag and is VERY well made. We tried another brand before this, but were impressed with the quality of this footrest! This is one of my must haves when flying with baby on long hauls!
7 months old on a flight to barbados - using his pillow to give him more space
READ NEXT: Travel Cribs; Size Matters
Be confident when you travel with a baby. Whether it’s your first trip with a baby or your traveling with a toddler and an infant, these products will make your trip exponentially easier. Get better sleep, a better napper, a better eater and a better travel experience with the right tools.
As always, we love your feedback!! What are your MUST HAVE travel products for traveling with a baby?
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