10 Essentials When Traveling With Your Baby

 Traveling with a baby (or two), can be sooo stressful, especially when it’s your FIRST time! Sean and I just went to the ocean with our family for a week and in fear we would forget something, we brought E V E R Y T H I N G! Definitely over packed to say the least, haha!

We were driving down, which was roughly a 12-hour car ride, so we wanted to make sure we were prepared for anything that could occur. We also wanted to make sure we had as smooth of a trip as possible with the girls.

Traveling was successful and so was our week spent at the beach! I know being amply prepared aided in that. However, as I previously stated we packed wayyyy too much and could have definitely cut down the packing to a minimum. But hey, now we know for next time, and now we can help you, too! This list is our list of absolute MUSTS for your next (or first) trip with a baby!

Without Further ado, our Essentials List

1. Clothes- You are probably thinking, “duh, clothes. Why wouldn’t we bring those?!” But making sure you have plenty, especially in the car for blow outs is SO important! Our girls had several blow outs on the way down AND while there. It was nice having ample outfits to toss them in. Preferably bring comfy clothes for back ups while in the car because you want your baby to remain comfortable on such a long ride!

2. Toys/books- Toys and books=our life savers!!! Trying to keep 8 month old twins entertained for 12+ hours seemed like an unattainable task, BUT with ample toys and books it was possible! My sister drove down with us to help keep the girls entertained, and when they seemed to get bored with one toy we would give them another and so on. They love love love books so giving them those and reading to them helped, too! I will never travel without these.

3. Food- Also may seem like a no-brainer however, making sure you have enough food is key! You have no idea, truly, how long your trip could take, how often the baby(ies) will get hungry, so you need to be stocked up on food! We had all our bottles ready to go in a bag, ample amounts of formula, and bottles of water too so that when they seemed hungry we could quickly whip it up. Also, we brought teething wafers and yogurt melts to give them little snacks in between since other food is a bit too messy for the car!

4. Diapers/wipes/portable changing pad- Literally, you can never have enough for a trip. Our girls are pooping fiends and it seems like we are always changing diapers! The last thing anyone wants to do is run out, especially on the road!! Our portable changing pad makes it so convenient and easy to change the baby anywhere, whether it be in the car or in a bathroom. I feel much more comfortable with the portable changing pad especially when using a public changing area. You never know how clean those really are, and you can easily clean yours down after each use!!

5. Empty grocery bags- Before we left for our trip I told my husband to toss a ton of empty grocery bags in the car in case we had poop explosions and needed to change clothes. I am SO THANKFUL I thought of that, because boy did we utilize those!! I have no idea what we would have done with the poop-filled clothes had we not had those bags. Such an essential!

6. Aveeno wipes/toy cleaning wipes-I absolutely love these wipes!! They go everywhere with us. The aveeno wipes are so soft and nice for wiping off the baby’s face, hands, etc. when you need to. They work SO well, too! If your kids are anything like ours, they are constantly dropping their binkies or toys and the Muchkin pacifier wipes are amazing for quick cleaning on the go! A definite must!

7. Pack and play- Lets talk about pack and plays…Sean and I got a twin pack and play with bassinets for our shower and I have no idea why I asked for that! Unless you are going to be traveling immediately with newborns, regular pack and plays are much nicer. Our girls obviously sleep separately, so we had to buy an additional one. These were amazing because they definitely mimic their crib, having covers for them and nice sheets, will help to make it feel like they are at home. They are so easy to set up which makes it convienient and nice!

8. Portable black out curtain- These are the greatest things EVER! Being that they stay up with suction cups, they can be taken anywhere. Our girls cannot sleep without these curtains because they always makes it seem like it is nighttime. It is impossible for them to sleep when it is light or sunny out, so these are lifesavers no matter where we are!!

9. Baby monitor- Our summer baby monitor is so nice and easy to take on trips. The actual monitor where we can see the baby has a nice clear picture and sound so that we can be anywhere and still see/hear them. Whether we were sitting downstairs, on the deck, or by the pool, we had peace of mind in the fact that we could see them and hear them. No worries to be had!

10. Stroller-As I have said over and over the BOB stroller is A M A Z I N G! Every parent needs this stroller. It is so easy to pack up and take anywhere, it’s comfortable for the babies because it is soft enough and the seat is adjustable so if they fall asleep it can be reclined. It is durable and able to be driven anywhere-on a run, through rocks, through sand, etc. I will never use another stroller.