If you are travelling with a baby from 0 – 24 months, you can say goodbye to travelling light. Even after 2 years, a lot of travel essentials with baby remain in use for the toddler years. I have put down a comprehensive checklist for baby travel so that there is no scope for a vacation disaster. You need items for clothing, feeding, sleep, health and others in your baby packing list.
But do remember, the more you take to create the same environment for your baby as at home, the more stuff you have to lug around. So be a bit realistic about what are travel essentials with a baby, and what is merely good to have, and then decide.
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The Complete Checklist for Baby Travel
Baby Travel Gear: The Big Items
Despite being big in size, you cannot wish away some of the travel gear for a baby. It will make a world of difference on your vacation. Both the baby and you would be comfortable.
Baby Carrier
Taking a baby carrier / sling keep the baby comfortable and your hands free. It should be ideally something that both parents can wear comfortably. You should opt for something light weight and ergonomic.
Browse through Baby Carriers / Slings here.
Baby Stroller
A lightweight foldable stroller would keep your baby and you happy on the trip. This is one of the important air travel tips for infants. Your baby can take a nap, see around at will, and leave you free to enjoy the vacation. If you are travelling alone with your child, a lightweight stroller can be a life saver.
This will be useful further as a toddler as well. Look for easy to carry, light weight, folds down for storage, stroller products. Here arre some options for Baby Strollers.
Car Seat
If you are doing a road trip with your family, then a car seat becomes essential for the baby. There are occasions when you can rent a car seat (or a car seat booster later in toddler years) from the car rental company, but be sure to confirm this in advance. We rented a car seat along with the car while in Cappadocia in Turkey, for our 3 day Cappadocia itinerary.
If renting at the vacation spot is not an option, you do need to carry a car seat. See some car seat options.
Travel crib
Your hotel or resort may provide you with a travel crib. Else you need to carry a lightweight crib along with other travel essentials for your baby.
See some options for a lightweight crib for travel.
Foldable High Chair
Do confirm with your hotels or resort if they have high chairs for babies. Most often, they would have that. But if your baby can sit up and eat and your hotel doesn’t have one, you may want to add a portable high chair to your baby packing list.
If it is a short vacation, my opinion is that this is good to have and not essential to have.
Clothes for Baby Packing List
Unlike for adults, clothes can’t be taken in the ratio of 1:1 with vacation days. As in, you can’t take just 1 set of clothes for each day. Travelling with a baby requires you to carry extra clothes. And also pack at least one change of clothes in your carry-on. If your flight is long or involves a long layover, carry 2 sets for the baby.
Basic Clothing items
The material, cotton or knit leggings depends on the weather. You will get sizes for boys and girls in 0-3 months, 3-6 months, 6-9 months, 9-12 months, 12-18 months and so on.
The essential clothing for your baby whatever may be the vacation spot. Full-sleeve or half-sleeve options are available for both arms and legs.
Dresses for baby girls: You may want to carry a few dresses, in cotton or other material for your baby girl.
Baby Shorts: Again, a few shorts are needed for both girls and boys to go with their tops / onesies.
Socks: These are travel essentials for any baby.
Shoes: There are so many options available to keep your baby’s feet comfortable.
Other items
Hat or cap: Depending on the weather, a cap may be required to be packed as clothing essential for your baby. This is not just for cold, but may be needed for sum protection as well.
Swimsuit: Going for beach vacation? You can’t forget to pack one swimsuit or maybe two. Again, think of sun protection while selecting a swimsuit.
Pajamas: Comfortable nightwear is important to be added in the baby packing list.
Feeding Items that are Travel Essentials with a Baby
I travelled to Maldives with my 3 month baby when she was exclusively on breast feed. Bliss! No extra feeding equipment to be carried. This bliss was short-lived though. A lot of feeding equipment needs to be carried both in carry-on and check-in baggage while travelling with a baby.
For Milk and Formula
Bottles: Preferably the one that your baby is used to at home.
Bottle Sterilizer: Baby Bottle Sterilizer and Drying Machine is not a small item to carry, but it will give you peace of mind especially for a newborn baby.
Bottle Cleaner: Before sterilizing, you will need to clean the baby bottles with a brush and some soap.
Bottle wipes: It is a good idea to carry a packet of bottle wipes in your carry-on bag.
Nursing cover: This is absolutely essential for feeding a baby in public spaces, planes etc. Choose something that is light, breathable, preferably cotton.
Breast pump: You have to think depending on the length of the vacation and your daily habits whether you would be pumping milk or not. I would totally give up on this for a short vacation. Storing and carrying breast milk may require a good Cooler bag.
Formula: If your baby is on formula, this is a must on your baby packing list.
Bib: Yes, babies will make a mess while eating and drinking
Sippy cup: Do put this in your carry-on bag.
For solid food
Travel feeding spoon: If your baby has started eating solid food, taking a feeding spoon is a good idea.
Snack catcher: It is good to have this in your carry on with some snacks for your child.
Good to have –
Drying rack for bottles (Too much to carry in my opinion. Just put a clean tissue and turn the bottles upside down to dry),
Health essentials for travelling with a baby
You do need to carry all the medication required for your child. Don’t depend on buying it at pharmacies at your vacation spot.
Diapers: To lug around a huge volume of diapers is challenging. Do confirm if you can get extra supplies near your hotel / resort.
Dirty diaper bag: Keep some disposable bags for dirty diapers.
Wipes: Essential both in check-in and carry-on baggage. To clean the baby, to clean all surroundings.
First aid kit: This is not an essential travel item. Most hotels / resorts do keep a first aid kit, but that is often for adults.
Medicines: Your checklist for baby travel is incomplete without carrying whatever medication your baby is on.
Sunscreen: Super important to protect your baby’s skin. Buy something that is safe, natural, and hypoallergenic for children.
Mosquito repellent: If you are visiting a tropical climate area, then do keep this.
Baby shampoo and wash: Choose something that is hypoallergenic and safe for soft baby skin.
Baby comb: Whatever your child uses at home.
Good to have –
Travel tub. An inflatable one that is easy to carry is a good idea for vacations.
Potty Seat: Depending on the age of the cild, you may need to carry a separate potty seat or a potty seat for toilet.
Sleep items for checklist for baby travel
Take the favourite blanket of your baby while packing for a family vacation and some of the favourite toys. But don’t go overboard with the toys. Babies and toddlers are inherently curious and will find objects to occupy them in most places. Some things to consider in the travel-with-a-baby checklist include:
Play mat: Babies love to play with colourful play mats. And having one on the vacation could keep them engaged in a safe way.
Small toys: Like I said, keeping one or two favourite toys in the carry-on and check-in bags will be helpful.
Pacifier: Absolutely essential. Keep one in the diaper bag. And another in the check-in bag.
Blanket: the blanket that your child uses at home can be useful. Again, use your judgement. If you want your baby to get used to different environment on a holiday, that’s fine as well.
The Perfect Diaper Bag for Travel with a Baby
A handy diaper bag with pockets for all travel essentials with a baby is a life saver. As you may have noted, several items in the baby packing list go on in carry-on luggage. A diaper bag is the most important carry-on item with you on a family vacation. From pacifier to feeding bottle to sippy cup and diapers, the diaper bag needs to hold it all.
Invest in a good diaper bag for travel.
Travel Tips for vacation with a baby
Travelling with a baby can seem daunting. Lack of familiar food and surroundings, lack of rest, long airplane travel, all can unsettle your baby and the parents. So, it is best to be prepared before any vacation. While the above baby packing list will help you pack all travel essentials to keep your baby comfortable, there are some other travel tips that you can consider before a vacation.
Choose your pace of travel. Are you looking to relax or explore? You will note that beach vacations make the easiest family vacations, especially with a baby or a toddler.
You will need to choose the country and the vacation spot depending on the hotel standards and the facilities. I found basic facilities like availability of drinking water, toilets, packed food are better in Europe, the US and main cities in Asia.
Choose the accommodation and activities. Hotel or airbnb? We found hotel service useful with a baby, see my review of Taj Exotica Maldives with my 3-month baby. But when my daughter was 4-5 years old, we found staying in airbnbs useful in big cities to have some space for all of us.
There are so many useful travel tips for getting your baby settled in a plane or a train or a car ride. Read this guide on Travel Tips with a baby or a toddler before planning your family vacation.
Here are more Family Travel Tips:
Baby on Flight: Top Tips for flying with a baby
Travel activities for kids
Beat Jet Lag like a Pro: Tips & Trick for no Jet Lag
Traveling the world with a Toddler
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