Traveling with a baby can feel like a daunting task—especially for first-time parents. You feel like you pretty much have to bring everything and the kitchen sink with you just in case you or your baby might need it. In actuality, you’ll find yourself not touching half of the things you brought, and instead, you’re feeling more stressed from carrying everything there and back.
There are baby items that you’ll need that go without saying. For example, diapers, wipes, clothes, pajamas/sleep sacks, breast pump, and food (breast milk, formula, bottles, or snacks). But there are some not-so-obvious items that I honestly could not travel without. They helped make our last trip across the country with our son (who was 7 months old at the time) so much easier, less stressful, and more relaxing! Here are my 10 travel essentials for baby. Hopefully, this will help you during your next trip!
Travel Essentials for Baby
1. DockATot
Liam loves his DockATot. He has slept in his Deluxe DockATot since he was born, and he recently upgraded to the Grand since he’s outgrown the Deluxe. He sleeps in his DockATot at home for every nap and every night. This made it an easy, no-brainer option for us for travel.
I love that the DockATot is portable, so no matter where you go, whether you’re going down the street or across the world, you can bring baby’s bed with you. They even have a travel bag to easily check it at the airport or store it in the car, and it won’t get dirty.
I recommend that you bring with you an extra cover just in case. Accidents happen!
Sleeping somewhere new can be stressful to a child, but having their bed with familiar scents and familiar touch helps baby calm down and feel right at home. Liam had no problem taking naps or sleeping overnight with his DockATot in a hotel and at my aunt and uncle’s house. It’s a major travel essential for baby!!
2. Fawn Design (Diaper Backpack)
While traveling with baby, you need as many hands as you can get. A diaper bag is obviously a travel essential for baby, but a backpack diaper bag is even more helpful. The Fawn Design backpack is a favorite of ours since it is large enough to store everything we need for baby. It’s all faux leather, so it’s completely wipeable if anything spills, the gold zippers are nice and sturdy, the bag is well made, and I love the overall design.
Yes, I have a boy, but I chose pink because I’m the one that’s going to be wearing this thing. I might as well get my pink fix. And it’s so cute! How could I not?!
3. Toys and Pacifier
Whether you are traveling in the car or traveling on a plane, you need things to keep baby busy, distracted, and happy. Bring some of your little one’s favorite age-appropriate toys with you. We brought some books, musical toys, teethers, and his pacifier. An iPad or smartphone can also help in a pinch when you need the big guns! Liam actually did well on his first flight, but he refused to nap. A pacifier really helped him settle down and remain calm. We all know that babies cry, but I always try to make the traveling experience enjoyable for everyone on the flight—minimizing the crying as much as possible. Most people appreciate it when they see you’re trying. 🙂 These toys can help!
4. Travel Sound Machine
Hotel rooms, bed and breakfasts, and new houses can make different noises during the day and night and sometimes even be noisy. A portable sound machine is a must-have travel essential for baby because it will help lull your baby straight to sleep. It’s great to use in the car, wherever you and baby are when it’s time to go to sleep. You’ll be so grateful!!
5. Baby’s Brew
If you’re bottle-feeding your baby breast milk or formula, you may want a bottle warmer to bring along. Some babies refuse to drink cold bottles, and trying to find warm water while traveling can be tough until now. The Baby’s Brew is a great option for families traveling or busy parents on the go because it’s the world’s first battery-powered bottle warmer.
If you’re formula-feeding like I was, I recommend the Portable Bottle Warmer Pro Set. It comes with their portable bottle warmer and formula dispenser. Their formula dispenser is simple to use. Fill it with your baby’s formula and push the button at the base of the dispenser when ready. One push equals 1 scoop of formula. Not only does Baby’s Brew make heating your baby’s bottle a snap, now you can make it a mess-free process preparing it, too!
Baby’s Brew portable bottle warmer utilizes slow-heat technology to ensure that all nutrients are preserved, and there are no hot spots in your baby’s bottle. Safety is their top priority. The warmer fits most wide-neck bottles. However, if it’s not compatible with your bottle model, they have adapters to make the perfect fit.
I love that you can adjust the temperature function to get it just right for your little one:
- 80F – For when you are trying to get liquids to room temp
- 98.6F – Ideal for breastfed baby’s
- 103F – Made for all other liquids besides breastmilk
- 110F – Perfect temp to help with reflux
You can expect your baby’s bottle to be ready in 5 – 10 minutes! Not only that, it maintains the temperature for up to 5 hours. You can have your baby’s bottle ready when they give you the first sign that it’s time to eat!
6. Wet Bags
Baby’s spit-up, have accidents, and spill things—that’s just a day in the life of a baby. Normally I have a wet bag with me in my diaper bag, but when I’m traveling, I recommend a larger wet bag that can hold all of your baby’s soiled and dirty clothes during your whole trip. You might not have access to a washer and dryer and not be able to wash your clothes while traveling, so this wet bag will at least separate your baby’s clean clothes from the worn and dirty clothes in your diaper bag.
Buy Now ($70)7. Doona
I’ve known about the Doona car seat/ stroller for years and always thought it looked very cool, but once we tried it, then used it during our last trip with baby, I was hooked! I can’t imagine traveling any other way with baby. A true travel essential for baby! Rather than bringing a car seat and a stroller to travel safely with baby, Doona has made it even easier and more convenient for all parents. They combined them both!
I cannot tell you how many times I had people ooo-ing and ahhh-ing at it as we passed by. Even my own family we were visiting thought it was the coolest thing and needed the details about it.
This product took a lot of stress off of me because I knew that we would be safe with baby in any car we rode in, and we could easily grab the Doona car seat and begin strolling him around in a stroller. It’s amazing when one product has dual purposes and does an amazing job at both. Two major thumbs up!
8. Disinfecting Wipes
Airports and airplanes are filled with germs. It’s common for people to get sick when traveling, and that is the last thing you or your baby want to experience. If your plane seats are leather, I recommend wiping them down with a disinfecting wipe. Honestly, anything your baby comes in contact with at the airport or airplane, I recommend wiping down. You will be surprised by how dirty everything is. Keep those germs at bay and have baby feeling healthy all trip long.
Buy Here9. Snot Sucker
My son’s little nose is used to the humid air in Houston, TX, so when we landed in Minneapolis, MN, his nose dried right up and needed constant relief. Poor baby. Luckily I brought his saline spray and Nosefrida with us. I had to use it every day during our trip, and I’m so glad that I did.
Your baby may experience allergies or different reactions in new places. We all want our babies to breathe and sleep comfortably, so be sure to pack your snot sucker with you.
Buy Here10. Travel Drying-Rack and Baby-Safe Dish Soap
If you’re exclusively breastfeeding, then this is something that you won’t need to worry about. But if you’re bottle-feeding (either pumped breast milk or formula), you need to think about how you will clean those baby bottles you brought. This travel drying rack kit and baby-safe dish soap are the best! It compactly folds and holds the bottle brushes that you need to scrub those bottles properly, and this travel-size baby-safe dish soap is a perfect size. It really came in handy for us!
Buy HereIs there anything that you would add to the list? Please share with us!
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