20 Baby Travel Essentials
Here are some of our top baby travel essentials that we love to have with us no matter where we go! This baby travel gear helps your family travel to be fun for everyone!
Traveling with a baby can be both thrilling and daunting for new parents.
From diaper changes on-the-go to keeping their toddler entertained during long flights or road trips, essential baby travel essentials will help make sure that every trip goes as smoothly as possible.
I have actually moved across the ocean 3 times with little ones, been on 12+ hour road trips, and beach days galore. I have learned a thing or two when it comes to the best travel items for baby.
Here are some of the top baby travel essentials you will want to have to make sure your trip is fun for everyone!
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Best Baby Travel Essentials
This is some of the best travel equipment for babies 0-12 months; but even toddlers will need most, if not all of these things too!
These travel baby essentials saved us from buying things during our trip that we didn’t need, and kept our sanity, so I hope they help you too!
Create a baby travel checklist of essential items to ensure you don’t forget anything important before your trip. Tick off items as you pack them to avoid last-minute stress.
Tons of Snacks and Food
Easy-to-eat snacking food is essential for happy traveling.
Put the foods in individual snack-size bags for easy eating and don’t forget the napkins or wipes.
We like getting spill proof snack containers for our toddlers to give the snacks while on the road or at the beach.
If you are breastfeeding, make sure to have tons of snacks and food for you too so you can feed your little one whenever they need!
Activities and Toys
Keep a few toys or games aside for whenever your baby gets cranky. We don’t really give the toys right away, we keep them entertained with the trip as long as possible before giving some activities.
Books are great options for babies, especially the ones with the crinkly fabric pages. We also like teethers and silicone toys to keep our babies entertained.
These are some must have items for traveling with baby for a long car ride as eventually they don’t want to stay in their car seat.
Extra Clothing
Comfortable clothes are crucial on travel days. Pick loose-fitting clothing and dress your children in layers so they’re fine in any temperature.
Take plenty of clothes, don’t be afraid to overpack; I find it is better to be prepared! You never know when a blowout will happen, but it always happens during a family trip in my experience.
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Cuddly Things
Traveling to a new place can take kids out of their comfort zone, so bring some comfort from home. For a small infant, that can be a pacifier or a lovie.
Take pillows and blankets in the car. On the plane, let your baby carry his favorite stuffed animal or blanket to keep them comfortable.
Diaper Bag
A well-equipped diaper backpack is essential for any outing with your baby. Look for one with plenty of pockets to keep diapers, baby wipes, diaper rash cream, and changing pad organized and easily accessible.
Again, don’t worry about having too many diapers. Once, I didn’t pack enough and had no diapers ready when we had a major blow out at the airport!
This is one of the top travel essentials for infants.
Changing Mat
You never know when you will have to change your baby’s diaper. Plus, the changing stations at rest stops and stores are not very clean either.
I always have a portable changing mat on hand to help make changing a diaper while out and about so much easier!
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Baby Carrier
A baby carrier or sling is a great way to keep your hands free while keeping your little one close. It’s especially handy for navigating crowded airports or exploring new destinations where strollers might not be practical.
I found a baby carrier that helped with my back pain one of the baby air travel essentials. It was so much easier than doing our car seat stroller combo that we tried the first time around.
A baby carrier is a baby must have whether you are traveling or not!
Infant Car Seat
Of course, a car seat is an obvious travel gear for baby, but it needs to be mentioned.
Safety is paramount when traveling with a baby, so make sure you have a reliable infant car seat installed properly in your vehicle before hitting the road.
Travel Crib or Pack ‘n Play
Having a portable crib or Pack ‘n Play ensures your baby has a safe and familiar place to sleep no matter where you are staying, whether it’s a hotel room or a relative’s house.
Having a portable travel bassinet was a lifesaver for our infant while traveling!
Baby Monitor
A baby monitor can provide peace of mind, allowing you to keep an eye (and ear) on your little one while they sleep in another room.
Even if you get a simple baby monitor with no video, it gave me so much peace while we were traveling and helped me so much!
Check out my favorite baby monitor!
Breast Pump
For breastfeeding mothers, a portable breast pump can be a lifesaver when you need to express milk while away from home.
I make sure to bring my Haakaas along, as well as a hands-free breast pump. They are definitely essentials for traveling with a baby!
Portable High Chair
A compact high chair that attaches to a regular chair or has a small footprint is ideal for feeding your baby solid foods while traveling.
We found a high chair that is basically like a camping chair that folds up nicely and was perfect for traveling!
It also worked as a great beach essential for baby too!
First Aid Kit
Be prepared for minor mishaps with a travel-friendly first aid kit containing essentials like bandages, antiseptic wipes, and infant pain reliever.
You never know when something can happen; it’s best to be prepared!
Travel-Friendly Baby Toiletries
Pack travel-sized baby shampoo, lotion, and any other toiletries your little one might need during your trip.
Don’t forget a diaper cream! Lots of times the change in climate gets your baby a diaper rash that is not fun to deal with.
Portable Sound Machine
A white noise machine can help drown out unfamiliar noises and create a soothing environment for your baby to sleep, whether you’re in a hotel room or on a plane and is another one of the travel essentials with baby I always recommend.
Compact Travel Stroller
Sometimes baby wearing is not always possible, so having a lightweight and compact travel stroller is essential for navigating airports, city streets, and other tight spaces with ease.
If you can fit this in, I always loved having the option of a stroller or baby carrier.
For older babies and toddlers, we used a wagon and it was so much easier than a stroller!
Dirty Clothes Bag
Bring along a separate bag for dirty clothes to keep them separate from clean items in your suitcase.
I also like to pack a wet/dry bag for those blowouts or wet clothes that I don’t want to get everything else smelly.
Ice Packs or Cooler
If you’re traveling with breast milk or formula, pack ice packs to keep it fresh during transit.
I like to bring my breast milk cooler because you never know when you will need to store your milk while traveling.
Baby Medicine
You never know when your little one is going to get sick. I always bring some baby medicine or my herbal tinctures just in case our babies get a fever suddenly or need some teething pain relief.
It’s another one of the travel essentials for baby I don’t leave the home without!
Extra Pacifiers
Losing a pacifier on a trip is exhausting and frustrating, so I always made sure to pack extra so we never ran out!
I also used silicone pacifier clips so that it became rare that the pacifiers got dropped and were lost.
If you use pacifiers, this is one of the top essential travel items for baby you don’t want to forget.
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Travel with Baby Essentials Wrap-Up
These are just some of the baby travel essentials that we use and love no matter if we are going to the beach, on a road trip, or flying.
Always tailor your packing list according to the unique needs and preferences of your baby, to ensure an enjoyable travel experience for everyone involved.
With proper preparation and essential baby items in hand, traveling with baby can be rewarding and enjoyable – so prepare now all the travel gear for babies and head out on an amazing adventure!
