The Ultimate Baby Travel Checklist Because The Holidays Are Coming Up

Traveling with a baby is unlike any kind of travel you’ve done before. By comparison it makes everything from paragliding in Peru to scaling El Capitan look easy. Why? Because babies are unpredictable. One minute they could be snuggling you on a flight and the next they could have an explosive diaper threatening while you’re trying to take a selfie at the top of the Empire State Building. So yeah, you probably need this ultimate baby travel checklist.

Included are all the must-have items and accessories necessary to enjoy a smooth and peaceful adventure with your baby. Sure, there are the standard items you’d find in any diaper bag — extra bottles, wipes, dipes. But here you’ll also find some things you might not have thought about. For instance, do you really want to bring your giant jogging stroller across the country for your trip to see the grandparents? If your child can hold their head up, might we suggest opting for an inexpensive and lightweight umbrella stroller instead?

And what about car or inflight entertainment? Even babies get bored. Here we include some products that just might spare you hours of wailing on your next road trip.

So print this list out, grab a pen, and check off these travel go-tos. Your baby will thank you for them.

Must-Have Baby Feeding Travel Items

The key to keeping a baby happy while en route to your final destination is frequent and filling snacks. Trust us, it’s science. An empty tummy does not a happy traveler make. So stock up snacks before you go and be sure you have plenty of bottles, formula and everything you need to nurse as well to complete the ultimate baby travel checklist.

• Snacks for yourself!
• Puffs
• String cheese
• Squeezable apple sauce
• Frozen yogurt tubes
• Dried bread sticks
• Portable high chair
• Baby bibs
• Sippy cup
• Snack cup

Important Breastfeeding/Pumping Items Not To Forget

Breastfeeding or pumping isn’t just critically important to keeping your baby fed inflight, it can also mean the difference between your tiny tot getting plugged ears. Sucking helps minimize air pressure so they can enjoy the flight pain-free. All the more reason to make sure you have your liquid gold, be it formula or breastmilk, carefully stored before take-off.

• Bottles
• Formula
• Breast pump
• Chilled bag to hold expressed milk
• Nursing pads
• Nipple cream
• Milk catchers
• Change of nursing bra
• Milk storage containers

Baby Travel Sleep Items You Must Pack

Sleep can be a deal breaker on a vacation with a baby. If they’re not sleeping, you’re not sleeping, and no one is having any fun. So it’s well worth your time to make sure you have many of these items packed for your trip. Think of what makes your baby comfortable when it comes to sleep. Do they have a favorite snuggle buddy they can’t sleep without? Do loud noises keep them up? Mitigate any chance of sleep loss by putting these items in your trunk.

• Favorite blanket
• Favorite stuffed animal
• Travel crib
• Sleep sack
• White noise machine
• Portable baby monitor
• Inflatable travel bed
• Favorite books

Baby Clothes & Accessories

Just as you do when packing your own bag for a trip, take five minutes to look at the 10-day forecast of your final destination. Sure, you might think the weather where you’re going will be nice since you see clear skies ahead. But what about the evenings? Does it dip down after the sunsets? A light cotton onesie might not do the trick, in that case. The ultimate baby travel checklist is about being prepared for any event. So don’t forget to consider the temperature within your means of transportation. Planes are historically chilly, and babies get cold easy. So pack layers to ensure you and your kiddo stay comfortable.

• Two changes of clothes just for the car or plane
• Multiple layers for the actual trip: onesies, leggings, sweaters, or hoodies
• Sleep sacks
• Socks
• Mittens if it’s a tiny baby
• Hat
• Jacket if necessary
• Soft shoes
• Babiator sunglasses

Baby Transportation Gear to Pack

Just when you thought you have everything covered, there’s more! That’s right, babies practically need their own vehicle to carry all the gear necessary to make even the shortest weekend getaway a success. If you’re having a hard time deciding if one of the following is essential, just think: what will make this vacation easier? If the answer is: an inflatable travel tub, well then, pop it in the bag. Depending on where you’re going and whom you’re staying with, some of these items by be optional, but just in case, this list is worth your review.

• Lightweight stroller
• Baby backpack carrier
• Travel bassinet
• Car seat
• Baby car mirror
• Baby window visor/shade

Travel Diaper Bag Can’t Live Without Items

Oh the diaper bag, moms know it well. It’s a repository for all the can’t operate without items. But this list naturally changes from circumstance to circumstance. For a regular day in your hometown, you might not need to carry so much beyond diapers, wipes, and a few other things. Not on a trip. While traveling, you’ll want this ultimate baby travel checklist arsenal at your disposal.

• Changing pad
• Diapers
• Wipes
• Pacifier
• Pacifier clip
• Travel nursing pillow
• Diaper rash cream
• Plastic bags for dirty diapers/wipes
• Burp clothes
• Extra clothes
• Bibs
• Rattles
• Baby sunscreen
• Blanket
• Portable carrier/sling
• Hand sanitizer
• Frida Nasal Aspirator
• Thermometer

Essential Baby Travel Electronics

Electronics are often looked down upon when it comes to babies, so be sure to check the research on things like screens before you commit. But tech isn’t limited to phones and tablets. There are things to consider like thermometers for the tub, something you might want to check in a hotel bath or while staying at an Airbnb. Not to mention entertainment devices, like music makers. Those can be indispensable on a long car ride.

• Tablet
• Baby headphones/noise cancelling headphones
• Charger
• Cellphone
• Baby Einstein Take-Along Tunes
• Rubber Duck bath thermometer

Great Travel Toys for Babies

Toys! Don’t forget toys. Whoa to the parent who takes off for a trip without packing toys. You’ll find yourself shelling out wads of cash at the hotel or airport gift store otherwise. Grab a few favorites from home or pick up some of these toys that make traveling more fun for babies like a suction cup teether. Genius, right?

• Dimpl
• Teether
• Sensory Quiet book
• Stacking cups
• Melissa and Doug Take-Along Shape Sorter
• Teeth and Twirl Suction toy
• Favorite story books

Welp, think that’ll do it. Oh, wait. Now don’t forget the baby.