I’ve always been a planner when it comes to packing and trip preparation, but traveling with a baby requires a whole new level of organization. While I’ve never been someone who can just throw a few things into a suitcase and call it good, going on vacation with my daughter poses a challenge for even my eldest-daughter Type A personality.
Since my daughter was born 14 months ago, she’s been on four flights (one domestic trip, one international trip) and numerous road trips. My husband and I have traveled with her as a young infant and as a burgeoning toddler — and her travel needs have changed dramatically over the past year.
To be completely honest, I have never been a “chill” traveler (well … I’ve never been a “chill” person at all). I love vacationing and exploring the world, but the process of planning, packing, and actually getting to our destination is very stressful for me. Knowing this about myself, I’ve tried to be strategic about how I prepare for traveling with my daughter. I try to think through all of our activities (and I don’t just mean museums and tourist attractions — eating and sleeping count as “activities” now) and prepare for various scenarios.
So all that being said, here are some of my tips and tricks for traveling with an infant or toddler:
Prioritize Sleep
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SlumberPod
Sleeping well while traveling can be a challenge, especially if the whole family is staying in one room. Our daughter started sleeping in her nursery around six months, so when we all had to sleep in the same hotel room, it didn’t go well. My husband and I would sneak around the room in the pitch black, trying not to wake her up after bedtime — it just wasn’t sustainable. Investing in a few good sleep products really helped. The SlumberPod, a private sleep tent that fits over a playard or mini crib, made the biggest difference for us. We also love our Pack ‘n Play® Travel Dome™ LX Playard, our Kyte Baby sleep bags, and our ErgoPouch Drift Away white noise machine.
Prepare for Nursing/Pumping
If you’re nursing or pumping, or bottle feeding with formula or milk, you’ll want to be prepared to transport milk, ice packs, and cleaning equipment. The Willow Portable Breast Milk Cooler stores up to 16 oz of milk at a safe temperature for up to 24 hours, which makes it really helpful for road trips and flights. Another incredible product is the Medela Quick Clean Micro-Steam Bag, which steam sterilizes bottles and breast pump parts using just water and a microwave. If you’re a pumping mom, it can be a good idea to bring a manual breast pump, even if you’re bringing a wearable pump or hospital-grade pump as well. I love the Lansinoh Manual Breast Pump (so much so that I actually don’t use any other pumps, even at home).
Schedule Down Time
If you are a traveler who has a go-go-go attitude, you may need to slow down. Before having a baby, I always tried to hit as many attractions as I could and fill my day with activities, but now I intentionally schedule down time — and it’s actually been really helpful for me, too. My daughter doesn’t nap in her stroller, so we always make sure to have some quiet time in our hotel room or Airbnb, which helps everyone rest and recharge.
Bring a Good Stroller
Having a good travel stroller is a must — and you’ll definitely want one that has the ability to hold both a car seat and a traditional stroller seat. I love traveling with the TRIV Next stroller because it’s really lightweight and I can swap easily between the stroller seat and the car seat. It also has a large basket that can hold a diaper bag, a wearable carrier, or even a small dog (our 20-pound terrier mix loved riding in the bottom of this stroller, although I’m sure that’s not recommended). If you’re flying and planning to rent a car seat at your destination, you could opt for a stroller that fits into the overhead compartment, like the Stokke® YOYO³ stroller.
Pack Versatile Toys
Packing toys for travel can be a challenge, because a lot of kids’ toys are bulky. You want to make sure to choose toys that are versatile, entertaining, and don’t take up too much space. Here are a few of my favorites:
- Bubbles: Good for any age, bubbles are a great addition to any kids’ suitcase. Use them outside wherever you’re traveling, or use them in the hotel bathtub on rainy days (If you’re flying, make sure to get a bubble container that’s smaller than 3.2oz.)
- Baby Einstein Take Along Tunes Musical Toy: This toy has kept my daughter entertained from 2 months old through 14 months old (without annoying me). It has lights and classical music, two sound levels, and it fits easily in a diaper bag.
- Felt busy board book: This lightweight activity book has a variety of educational pages, perfect for teaching toddlers about colors, shapes, seasons, animals, letters, and basic skills (like zippers, snaps, belts, buckles, and shoe laces).
