Must Have Items for Traveling with Baby

Our baby is turning one soon – wow!  Where has the time gone?  In the past year we’ve gone on a number of trips with our baby and have tried many different baby travel products.  A lot of people ask us what it’s like traveling with a baby and how we do it.  After all of our trips we’ve learned what baby travel items work and which don’t, so we’ve put together this list of our must have items for traveling with baby!

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Our Top 20 Must Have Items for Traveling with Baby

When we travel with our baby we try to pack light and limit ourselves to only bringing the following baby travel essentials.  Below is a list of all our favorite baby travel items separated into categories.

Best Baby Travel Products for Eating On-the-Go

Portable High Chair: Minimonkey Minichair

This is one of my favorite baby travel products and has helped me so much!  People always ask me where I got it and comment how genius it is.

It is super tiny and I carry it around in my diaper bag everywhere we go.  You never know if a restaurant will have a high chair so this always comes in handy!  It attaches to any chair, you just need to adjust the straps to fit the chair properly, and converts it into a high chair!

We recently stayed in an Airbnb that didn’t have a high chair, but it was no problem with this!  The only time it won’t work is if you dine at a place with booth seating.  However, we actually don’t encounter that very much so it hasn’t been a problem.

Bib: Bella Tunno Silicone Wonder Bib

We love these bibs so much and they have the cutest sayings on the front!  They fold up easily to fit in my diaper bag and I love that they are silicone. They rinse off easily when we are traveling, then I just wipe them down and put them back in my bag to be reused.  The pouch collects everything our baby drops so that we don’t end up with a big mess on the floor in the restaurant or airport.  She also likes to reach down into the pocket and eat her crumbs haha.

Disposable Placemats

Our baby doesn’t quite get how to eat off a plate or bowl, yet.  She often would rather pick up the plate and play with it.  It’s much easier to feed her off her highchair tray but when traveling you usually have no choice but to use the table.  I always bring Lysol wipes with me to wipe down the table surface, but we’ve just discovered these disposable placemats that stick onto the table. 

It feels cleaner to have her eat on these when we are traveling and then we can just fold it up and throw away the mess!  I also like that they actually stick onto the table so she doesn’t toss it on the floor like other placemats.  They come in a box of 20 and I just keep one in my diaper bag at all times.

 

Drying Rack: Boon Trip Travel Drying Rack

I love this smaller version of the popular Boon drying rack.  It comes with two small bottle brushes and folds up nicely so it is easy to pack in your luggage.  It’s perfect for when you need to clean bottles or pump parts at the hotel.

Dish Soap: Babyganics Foaming Dish Soap for Travel

Don’t forget the dish soap!  We’ve traveled before with the Boon travel drying rack but then forgot the soap to wash the bottles with.  So now I always travel with travel size dish soap!

Pump

Now this may not apply to everyone traveling with a baby, but if you are a pumping mama then I have a few recommendations for you.  I’ve brought both my Lansinoh Manual Breast Pump and my Philips Avent Single Electric Comfort Pump when traveling.  I like to pack my manual pump in my carry on in case my luggage is delayed or lost.  It’s also just great if we are only going away for one or 2 nights and I don’t need to pump much.

My single electric pump is great for longer trips and is still small enough to pack into my luggage.  It also has the ability to run on batteries which is perfect for travel in case you need to pump in the car or anywhere else where you can’t find an outlet to plug into.

I also always bring my Haakaa Silicone Manual Breast Pump with a lid. It is very small, lightweight, and a great way to collect extra milk without any effort!

Insulated Bag: JJ Cole Bottle Cooler

I always bring along an insulated bag to transport extra milk for our baby.  As I’ve explained in Flying with a 6 Month Old Baby, mothers are allowed to fly with as much milk as they need for their baby.   Frozen gel ice packs are allowed as well.

The insulated bag we use is the JJ Cole Bottle Cooler. I like it because it is compact, fits two bottles, and has an external pocket which I use to put extra breast milk storage bags for when I pump.  It also comes with a freezer pack. The bag has a carry strap that can be attached anywhere so it’s perfect for travel when you need an extra hand.

 

Best Baby Travel Products for Sleep

Sleep Sack

Our baby has luckily always been an awesome sleeper and we attribute a lot of that to our bedtime routine.  We’ve always put her in a sleep sack before bed time so whenever we travel we make sure to pack it along.  This keeps things consistent for her.

During the winter, she loves sleeping in her HALO SleepSack Winter Weight. It is super warm and cozy.

During the summer we used the Happiest Baby Sleepea Swaddle invented by Harvey Karp, the author of the popular book The Happiest Baby on the Block. It has mesh panels making it very breathable for the summer months.  It also has snap-to-close arms so baby can sleep with arms in when they are younger and not rolling yet, and then sleep with them out afterwards. There is also a velcro strap that wraps around the chest area that can hold the arms down like a tight swaddle, making baby feel more secure 🙂  Our daughter really loved it and slept super well like this.

Our baby also loves her Parade Organics Kimono Gown. It is open at the bottom which makes it easy to change diapers. The cuffs also fold over her hands which was handy when she was younger and would scratch herself.  It comes in a bunch of different prints and we get a lot of compliments on it 🙂

White Noise Machine: Skip Hop Moonlight and Melodies Nightlight Baby Sleep Soother Elephant 

Another part of our baby’s sleep routine is white noise, which we make sure to replicate when we travel.  We have the Skip Hop Moonlight and Melodies Nightlight Baby Sleep Soother Elephant and I always pack it in our checked luggage. While it is bigger than their Stroll & Go version and needs to be plugged in, the one big advantage why we use it is because it has the ability to run continuously all night.  The on-the-go version only runs for 60 minutes max.

The version we have does have a USB cord so if you are traveling somewhere with different plugs and don’t have enough plug adapters the USB plug comes in handy.

Lightweight Travel Crib: phil&teds Traveller Crib

This phil&teds Traveller Crib  is PERFECT for traveling.  It is ultra-compact and only weighs 6 lbs!! It is even small enough that you can carry it on the plane.  When you are traveling and already have enough things to pack this is a great space and weight-saver! It comes with a self-inflating mattress, too.

It’s also really quick and easy to set up!  It usually takes me only 5 minutes.  Check out our assembly video below.

 

Blackout Curtains

Who else has a baby that will only sleep if it is totally dark?  I hope it’s not just us!

If you do have a sensitive sleeper, these Baby Travel Blackout Curtains are a life-saver!  They have suction cups for easy installation onto any window. Afterwards they fold up easily and fit nicely back into the included travel bag.

 

Must Have Baby Travel Items for the Airplane

Disinfectant Wipes

We all know babies like to touch everything and put everything into their mouths.  When you are cooped up in a confined space on the airplane disinfectant wipes are a must have when traveling with baby!  We like these Travel Size Clorox Disinfecting Wipes because the package is small and resealable. I always wipe down the tray table, arm rests and window area as soon as we sit down before our baby starts touching everything.

Small and Quiet Toys

If I were to choose what is the most important thing to bring when traveling with a baby it would be a handful of entertaining, quiet travel toys!  Babies get restless sitting on your lap for a long time on the airplane and I know when my baby gets bored she starts complaining loudly.

We always make sure to pack a variety of travel toys, including at least one that she has never used before.  Check out The Best Travel Toys for Babies for a list of all our favorites that have kept our baby entertained on our travels!

Car Seat Travel Bag: J.L. Childress Gate Check Bag for Car Seats

To minimize damage to our car seat we always gate check it after putting it in our J.L. Childress Gate Check Bag for Car Seats. We love this car seat travel bag because it has an easy drawstring closure, a carry handle and a spot to write your name on it. When not in use, it folds up nice and small. Best of all, it’s really inexpensive on Amazon.

Using the travel bag has kept our car seat from getting dirty.  It has also helped keep it from getting soaking wet at times when we’ve arrived/departed in the pouring rain and the luggage trolleys were not covered.

Compact Travel Stroller: Babyzen Yoyo+ Stroller

Okay, hands down, this is probably my favorite baby travel must have!  We absolutely love our Babyzen Yoyo+ Stroller.  It is super lightweight and compact, easy to maneuver, and best of all, it folds up with just one hand into a bag that is small enough to bring as a carry on in the plane (as shown in photo above)!  That fact alone sold me on buying this stroller. 

It is on the pricier side but it is totally worth it.  We also use it as our full-time stroller at home, not just when we are traveling, so we saved money on not having to buy two different strollers.

It’s also compatible with a number of different infant car seats so you can use it as a full travel system if you don’t want to purchase the separate newborn pack. We just bought the car seat adapters and can easily snap on our Nuna Pipa Car Seat 🙂

Diaper Bag: Matt & Nat Raylan Diaper Bag 

A good diaper bag with smart compartments, and that can double as a purse, is ideal when traveling with a baby. I absolutely love my Matt & Nat Raylan Diaper Bag because not only is it fashionable but it has a ton of compartments, comes with its own matching changing pad, and it’s 100% vegan!  It has adjustable straps so you can wear it cross-body, or like a traditional purse. My husband doesn’t mind wearing it, either.

I know a lot of people prefer the backpack style diaper bags but personally I love this one more. It matches with anything I’m wearing and I just love the way the compartments are laid out.  There are magnetic closure compartments, zippered compartments and open compartments, depending on what kind of access you need for your items. 

Baby Carrier

My Baby K’Tan Original Baby Wrap Carrier is another baby travel item that is in my top 3 must have items for traveling with baby!  It has served me so well and I never leave the house without it.  I’ve tried a number of different carriers but this one is still my favorite.  It is super quick to get on and does not involve any tying or buckles.  It’s almost like a shirt, so you have to buy the correct size to fit to your body (not to baby).  I find it very comfortable and baby feels very snug and comfy in there, too! 

Since it consists of only cotton fabric, it folds up nice and small and I can just store it in my diaper bag wherever we go!  Another great thing is it is easy to wash as you just throw it in the washing machine and dryer 🙂

It can be used for babies up to 35 lbs and can be used in 5 different positions.  I always wear baby in this carrier when getting on and off the plane so I can be hands free.  I wear it in both summer and winter; it fits nicely either under a jacket or on top of a sweater.

Ryan, on the other hand, prefers our Ergobaby Omni 360 Carrier. He likes the adjustable, padded straps and feels more comfortable wearing baby on his back with this carrier.  It’s great for when we want to do some hiking while traveling with baby or will be wearing her for longer periods of time.  It also has a nice UPF 50+ hood to protect her from the sun and wind, or just cover her up when she wants to take a nap. 

If you will be doing some extended babywearing on your trip then I would recommend packing this one in your luggage 🙂

Wet Bag: Bumkins Waterproof Wet Bags 

You never know when babies will have an accident or make a mess so it’s great to have a wet bag to throw soiled clothing into while you are traveling with baby!  For some reason our baby always like to have a blowout as we are boarding the plane or during takeoff/landing.  It’s great to have a wet bag to throw those wet/damp clothes into until you can properly wash them! We love all the different patterns for the Bumkins Waterproof Wet Bags!

 

Must Have Baby Travel Items for the Car

Backseat Mirror: Skip Hop Style Driven Backseat Baby Car Mirror

A backseat mirror is super helpful especially on long road trips!  We love being able to see baby and checking when she is napping and she loves to look at herself, too.  This is one baby travel item that we pack when we are traveling somewhere we will be renting a car or if we are going on a road trip. 

Tip: If you are renting a car, make sure you remove the backseat mirror before returning the car!  It is one of the most forgotten items left in rental cars.

We love our Skip Hop Style Driven Backseat Baby Car Mirror because it is easy to adjust, rotates easily and has a wide angle view.

However at night it is hard to see so I sometimes wish we had gotten the Brica Day & Night Light Musical Car Mirror. That one has a remote controlled light AND music. With the soft light you can check on your baby to see if they’re sleeping or help put them to sleep with the music 🙂

Lightweight Car Seat: Nuna Pipa Car Seat

A lightweight car seat is one of our must have items for traveling with baby!  I mean, who wants to lug around a huge, heavy car seat through the airport?!  Not I.  This is why we use our Nuna Pipa Car Seat because it is one of the lightest car seats on the market at only 8 lbs!  It’s also a great travel car seat because, although it comes with a base which we use at home, it can be easily used with just a seat belt.  This makes traveling in taxis or Ubers super easy!

I also love its “Dream Drape” which helps protect baby from the sun. And like I said, it’s compatible with our Babyzen Yoyo stroller so it makes the perfect travel system 🙂

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