WHAT TO PACK WHEN TRAVELING WITH A BABY

Traveling with a baby/kids can be pretty stressful but worth it! Asher went on his first flight at 4 months to Turks & Caicos and since then he’s been to California, Virginia, Canada, and Paris! He’s currently 10 months and will be headed back to California soon for his first cruise!

On our first flight, I packed everything and it was way too much. I’ve learned quite a bit since we’ve traveled a few times now, so now I can finally share my guide on What to Pack When Traveling with a Baby. Below is a list of everything we travel with to make life easier when traveling with a baby.

WHAT TO PACK WHEN TRAVELING WITH A BABY

TRAVEL GEAR: CAR SEAT & STROLLER

We use the Nuna Pipa Lite RX and the TRVL Stroller and absolutely love it! There is a newer model for the car seat which is also a great option and it’s the Nuna Pipa Urbn & TRVL travel system. I love that both car seat sits just on top of the stroller and the best part about the stroller is that it opens and closes with just one hand. This will be super helpful when you’re hands are full. The Nuna Pipa Lite RX is 7 lbs and the TRVL Stroller is 14 lbs, making them one of the lightest baby gears!

The stroller may fit in an overhead bin on larger planes but I have not tried it. Since my hands are already super full carrying his diaper bag, carry-on, my own bags, his car seat, and stroller I prefer to gate-check the stroller and car seat. The stroller comes with a bag cover, and you can also get a car seat cover. You can also store any extra diapers inside this car seat or stroller bag.

I currently use the Away Bigger Carry-On Luggage & have been using this packing cube for many years and love it.

GOING THROUGH THE AIRPORT

When going through the airport a diaper bag and baby food/breast milk supplies do not count towards a carry-on as long as it’s within a size limit, as these are baby essentials. So you can technically bring two bags with you, but since I prefer bringing as little as possible I only have the diaper bag with me which does include his formula, and also in the carry-on. If you’re exclusively breast feeding then you will likely need the second bag/cooler for the breast milk.

I recommend baby-wearing through security, this will keep your hands free when trying to go through security. I have multiple baby carriers but I love the Ergo Baby Free carrier when I travel. It’s not the easiest to put on by myself, but it’s very comfortable, and breathable and it has a pocket where I can put my keys, pacifier, or any small items when traveling.

I also recommend baby-wearing when boarding. This will keep your hands free to pack away the car seat and stroller at the gate as well as getting on and off the plane.

I always have Asher wearing a zip-up footie or the Magnetic Me footie when traveling. It’s lightweight and easy to pull on and off for any diaper changes.

WHAT TO PACK IN THE DIAPER BAG

I love my Luli Bebe diaper bag because it can fit A LOT!! I put all the essentials in this bag, depending on how long the flight is I also have all the necessary bottles he will need during the flight.

10 diapers depending on how long the flight is and the rest in the carry-on. We use Coterie and Huggies. I have a code for Coterie first-time shoppers: TOURDELUST20
Baby Wipes: I always pack a new bag of wipes
Diaper Cream: we love Aquaphor
Sanitizing Wipes: will be useful in wiping down things and baby’s hands
Box of formula & multiple bottles throughout the flight
Travel Stackable Container: I like using this to pack on-the-go snacks & specific amounts of formula that way I don’t carry the entire formula box or snack bag when I’m out exploring.
Sterilizing Bags: need a microwave to use this. I only used this on his first trip
1-2 favorite books: here’s a list of Asher’s favorite books
Spinning toy: this is Asher’s favorite toy when traveling and keeps him pretty entertained
Toy Adjustable Straps: I use these straps on toys during flights and while we travel when he’s in a stroller so the toys never touch the floor
2-3 Pacifiers, Pacifier Clip, and Pacifier Case
Ubbi On The Go Disposable Bag: for soiled clothing or dirty diapers
Tubby Todd: I love this all-over ointment and always have it in his diaper bag
Baby Nail Trimmer: there have been a few times when I needed this so Asher wouldn’t scratch himself from his broken or long nail. I always regretted not bringing it so I always pack this
Thermometer & Baby Tylenol: this will come in handy if by chance your baby might be getting sick but please check with your pediatrician when Tylenol is necessary.
Nose Remover: there are times when I wish I packed this! Babies always have a ton of boogers and can get dried up so this has been in our bag ever since! It’s so tiny so it’s worth packing too.
Teething Toy: make sure to pack a teething toy if they’re currently teething
Extra outfit/onesie for any accidents.
Burp Cloths
Baby Snacks & Smoothie Pouches: Asher loves yogurt melts and I always keep a bag in the diaper bag for him. I have a code for Amara Baby Food. Code: TOURDELUST for 15% off

Items I started adding once he was one:

Straw cups & Snack Containers I love these!
Toothbrush & Toothpaste

Use any small travel bag like this to help organize small items, it will help make things easy to find when you need them. When a baby is fussy or crying, the last thing you will want is not to be able to find what you need in the bag.

If breastfeeding I used Elvie Stride Plus. I was not producing much milk and this was not strong enough for me but I think it’s the best portable option for a breast pump. It’s small enough to put in a zip-loc bag and in the diaper bag. I believe some Health Insurance covers this.

WHAT TO PACK IN THE CARRY-ON

In the carry on I have ALL of his extra formula that we will need on the trip. We currently use Bobbie and he loves it. If I know I can easily purchase diapers and wipes at my destination I will do this, but if not or I don’t have the time to go out to buy them I will pack additional diapers and diaper wipes for at least 2 additional days just in case there are any delays or lost luggage. The last thing you want is to run out of diapers! Here’s what I pack when traveling with a baby in his carry-on luggage.

Tubby Todd Baby Wash & Lotion: make sure to put this in a zip-loc in case it leaks.

Travel bottle brush & drying rack: we love using this travel-size drying rack and don’t forget the Travel-size dish soap (put this in a zip-lock since it leaks).

Portable Sound Machine: Asher has been sleeping well without his sound machine and is used to regular noise so we don’t pack this anymore. When we did use it, it was packed in the carry-on luggage.

Silicone Placemat: this one is easy to roll up and is great! I pack one utensil/spoon and 1 Baby Bib.

Baby Monitor: I only do this if it’s a road trip & I know we have a living room space. We have two monitors; Infant Optic since it’s easy to use, no wifi needed but will need to be placed on a top shelf. We also have the Nanit Travel Bundle and travel with this one.

If you’re traveling for a long period of time or know you’re staying in a place with a washing machine, I suggest bringing baby detergent in a small container.

Extra clothes for 1 additional day in case of delays or lost luggage.

Don’t forget to pack an extra set of clothing for yourself in case your clothes get soiled by the baby.

WHAT I PACK IN MY CHECKED-IN LUGGAGE WITH BABY

For any checked-in bags, this is what I pack when traveling with a baby. I will have all of the baby’s extra clothing, shoes, burp cloths, diapers, and baby wipes (if I plan to not buy them at the destination).

Weather-specific items: sunscreen, hats, sunglasses, winter clothes, beanies, gloves, shoes, etc. I really love this 3 in 1 poncho that works as a cover for a stroller, car seat, and over a baby carrier for winter destinations. I don’t pack this, I use this over his car seat on travel days as a blanket if we’re traveling in the winter.

I don’t carry any portable crib. I always request a crib or pack-n-play from the hotel. If you do decide to bring one this is what I recommend:

Guava Lotus Travel Crib: I heard great things about this one and if we were to get one this will be it!

Slumber Pod will cover the travel crib. This will blackout any light so this would be great for hotel rooms or using portable blackout curtains work too.

If you have a toddler, this BedBox might come in handy! Kids can sit on it, and inside has a mattress and extra storage for additional items. To use this, they will need their own seat. Please check the airline list to see if your airline accepts them.

I hope you found this helpful and if you also have any additional tips, please share them below! You can also easily find my favorite items on my Amazon Storefront.