What to Pack when Traveling with Baby

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Wondering what to pack when traveling with baby? I’m sharing my must-haves to pack when traveling with a baby.

Hi! I’m Jessica, a mom of two and a fairly experienced travel mom!

My oldest son traveled quite a bit as a baby; by the time he was one he had spent the night in 4 different states and had been on at least 10 overnight trips. My second son quickly followed suit and traveled overnight for the first time when was just 10 days old.

What I learned from this is that traveling with your baby can seem overwhelming, but bringing the right gear can make the experience much more enjoyable for everyone.

My babies are now 21 months and 5 months old and we have taken multiple trips with them, both driving and flying.

Besides the essentials like diapers, wipes, clothes and clothes, there are some other awesome baby gear that can make your life a little easier. I’m sharing my tips on what baby travel gear are absolutely must-haves to make traveling with a baby just a little bit easier.

For more tips on traveling with your baby check out my baby travel series:

1. Portable Crib

Pack ‘N Play Portable Crib

A pack ‘n play or portable crib is a great option for your baby to sleep in while you are away from home.

You will want to try to keep your baby’s sleep environment similar to what it is at home. (check out my full post on this: Tips for Getting Baby To Sleep On Vacation)

For us, this means a crib! Therefore, when we travel away from home we always bring a portable crib so that our boys have a safe and cozy place to sleep. Don’t forget pack ‘n play sheets!

2. Travel High Chair

Summer Infant Pup Up High Chair

We love this portable high chair so much and have brought it for travel via the car and plane! This chair folds up small like a camp chair and is easy to pack in a suitcase.

I love that it has its own tray so that if your baby is small or there isn’t a table close by they are still able to eat off the tray. We keep this in our car in case the restaurant doesn’t have high chairs. It has been so helpful!

3. Portable Diaper Changing Pad

Portable Changing Pad

Poop happens! Even on vacation. Many mamas already have a portable changing pad as part of their diaper bag essentials. But, if you don’t it would be a great idea to get one just for your vacation.

A portable changing pad can essentially turn any flat surface into a place to change baby. I even set my down on bathroom changing tables for some extra cushion and so its a little cleaner.

4. Portable Baby Tub

Mommy’s Helper Inflatable Bath Tub

We love this tub for the awkward stage where your baby is too big to fit in the sink but can’t sit up in the bathtub unassisted.

Since this one is inflatable it folds down so small and is great for plane travel. This can also be handy if you are staying in a hotel that doesn’t have a bathtub!

5. Compact Travel Stroller

GB Pockit Plus Compact Stroller

I am obsessed with our GB Pockit Plus stroller and could not recommend it enough!

This stroller folds up so small it can be stored under the seat or in the overhead bin of an airplane.

We got the Plus version (here is the regular version) because it was slightly wider, had a larger canopy, and could also recline. After our trips were done we continued to store this in the car for outings because we had so much more trunk space without our normal bulky stroller.

6. Travel Boon Dyring Rack

Boon Portable Drying Rack

We absolutely LOVE our full size Boon Drying Rack for bottles, pump parts, toddler cups, and everything in between.

I was so excited when I found out that Boon also makes a portable version! We have traveled with portable drying rack in the car and also packed in in a suitcase for multiple plane trips. It folds up so compact and even comes with its own brush that stores inside the case.

7. Portable Sound Machine

Rohm Portable Sound Machine

We never leave home without our Rohm! If you are familiar with the Dohm sound machine, the Rohm is the smaller portable version.

Even if we are just traveling a few hours away and will need a nap in the car, we love to bring our Rohm to help keep 2 babies asleep at the same time. It can also be very helpful if you are sharing a hotel room with your little one and need white noise for everyone to sleep better.

Thanks for stopping by!