Traveling with a baby in tow can be an exhausting, overwhelming and emotional experience – whether you’re on a long-haul flight around the world or a 2 hour road trip to the next city! However, making sure you pack for traveling with your baby properly will remove a huge amount of the stress, making both yours and your baby’s journey as relaxing as possible.
Here’s how to make packing for travel with baby a total breeze.
Your Baby Travel Checklist:
Making a list of everything you need is the best way to stay organized. Here’s what you need to bring.
1. Diapers
When packing diapers make sure you factor delays into your journey. If you’re stuck on a plane or in a car with no spare diapers, you’ll be in trouble. A good rule of thumb is one for each hour plus extras for delays.
2. Blankets
Planes are often cold so a couple of blankets is essential. You can layer them up if your baby is cold, as well as shading them if it’s sunny.
3. Plastic Bags
For rubbish, used diapers and wipes. Make sure you have a range of sizes and remember that it’s better to have too many than not enough.
4. Rash Cream, Baby Lotion & Basic First Aid
If you’re not going away for long, decant these into smaller bottles to save space. A basic first aid with band aids and medicine is also essential.
5. Toys
Long journeys and bored babies are not a happy mix! Bring their favourite toys, plus extras so there’s always variety. You’ll appreciate the piece and quiet.
6. Extra Clothes
Always pack for the worst case scenario. If your baby is going to make a mess on itself at any time, you just know it’ll be mid-way through the journey. Extra clothes are an essential.
7. Sling or Carrier
Being able to go hands-free in airports or at train stations will save you huge amounts of energy. In crowded place you can keep your baby close to you, helping the both of you to settle.
8. Travel Changing Mat
You can’t always find a changing mat where you’re going, so make sure you bring your own. Keep it in a designated changing bag along with your extra nappies, wipes and cloths.
9. A Baby Monitor
If you’re going on holiday, you’ll want a baby monitor so you can check your baby settles at bedtime.
10. UV Screen
If you’re on a road trip and going somewhere sunny, a UV screen which attaches to the window of your car is a must have. It’ll protect your baby from the UV rays and help them stay cool.
11. Baby Food
If your baby is on solids then bring enough baby food to last the journey, plus extra in case of delays.
12. Your baby’s passport
It’s hard enough remembering your own passport, let alone a baby’s! Your baby needs a passport if you’re flying.
How to Pack?
Once you know what to pack, the real work begins – packing it! The first step is to have everything ready and laid out to pack in advance, so you’re not cramming things in last minute. The essentials should be easy to access in your bag – so bottles, formula and your changing kit should all be near the top.
Plan each of your baby’s outfits, then bring spares. While this may seem a little over the top, choosing their outfits in advance means you won’t over, or under, pack. Packing each of your baby’s outfits in separate zip lock bags will save you time, as you won’t be digging around in your bag trying to find that teeny tiny sock!
If you’re worried about lack of space, roll your clothes instead of folding them. This saves huge amounts of space, and you can pad out extra areas with rolled up clothes.
If you are flying, pack your baby’s essential bits and bobs in your carry-on. If your luggage gets lost in transit, you’re going to want a few spare diapers on hand. Do the same for your own essentials. A toothbrush, moisturizer, a phone charger and a spare pair of socks can be a lifesaver after a long journey.
Once you’ve got the first trip out of the way, packing and traveling with a baby gets easier and easier. The first trip however, needs a little more planning and if you can rope in some extra help then do so. Ensure you prepare well in advance and you’ll find the trip feels easier. There’s nothing more likely to make you forget something than working yourself into a last minute panic!