No you will not pack as if you are Indiana Jones... though you will be exploring soiled diapers and hunting fallen pacifiers in dank, dark airplane floors.
My wife and I have completed three trips so far with Mari.
That means six separate flights. One was a short flight to San Francisco, the others were cross country flights to the east coast. We faced a cancelled flight, taxiing on the runway for hours (both on departure and arrival), changing diapers stealthily at the gate before departure and a bevy of other obstacles. In the end, we made it to our destination and we made it home. Whew! Now looking at an upcoming fourth trip with Mari, my wife and I feel like seasoned parent travel pros (the keyword is “feel”, there is always more to learn grasshopper).
Here is what I’ve learned from traveling with baby so far. Hopefully it can help you on your own travels with the little one.
Note: this will be a multi part series. More to come :)
What to Pack
1. Baby Clothes
Bring more onesies, pants and bibs than you think you will need. Whatever clothes we pack for Mari initially, I add 50% more to feel safe. Why? Because food will fly. Spit up will flow. The unexpected can and will happen. You need to be prepared.The bonus is that packing a lot of baby clothes does not take up a ton of space. Kind of like traveling with a leprechaun!
Also bring a sweatshirt/sweater for baby even when flying somewhere warm because the plane can get cold.
2. Diapers
Duh. How many? Enough to make you feel safe. I bring at least 8 per day. And I am a fan of the moisture indicator.
Planning on going swimming? Bring a baby suit for baby of course, but also don’t forget the swimming diapers. Bonus points for bringing a floating activity center!
3. Baby wipes
Soft. Gentle. Sanitizing. I like the Costco brand, so much so I may even use them myself.
4. Changing pad
You are going to need to change diapers in the airport and on the plane so get used to it. Be prepared by bringing a changing pad loaded with 4 diapers (that’s roughly 8 hours of coverage) and some butt wipes.
5. Bottles for milk
Depends on your situation and whether the wife is breastfeeding. I bring plastic bottles so there’s no risk of broken glass. I like Dr Brown’s because it has the contraption that reduces air in the milk and makes baby less burpy.
6. Breastfeeding
If your wife is breastfeeding, you will need a bevy of other fun products. For example, a breast pump (hand operated or battery powered), a breast pump bra, breast milk bottles and a small portable cooler to store the milk.
7. Solid food
Is your baby eating solids like mine? If so, the easiest meal we bring is a banana and avocado. Take half an avocado, mash it up with ⅓ of a banana and you have an instant baby meal!
We also bring pureed carrots and sweet potatoes packed in reusable plastic squeeze bags which are amazing. These bags are great because you can literally squeeze the food into baby’s mouth with minimal mess and no need for a spoon!
8. Food carry on bag
This is a carry on bag just for food. Make it easy to feed your baby when the time comes. And include some treats for yourself during downtime when baby is napping. I like beef jerky and Kind bars.
9. Body lotion/ointment
It gets dry on the plane. You need to keep baby’s skin moist! I bring a travel size tube of Vaseline or Aquaphor to slather on cheeks, arms and legs when necessary. Also CeraVe is great for baby’s with sensitive skin.
10. Scratch Me Not sleeves
Mari has a tendency to scratch herself and at times causing injury to herself and others. Her fingernails are like tiny razor blades. It is adorably painful. For a brief reprieve, cover up with soft, silky Scratch Me Not sleeves. Don’t leave home without them!
11. Sleep sack
Because your child needs a blanket for sleep time that also keeps her safe, no need to worry about suffocation. Plus sleep sacks make babies look like little mermaids. Adorable. They should make them for adults.
12. Pacifiers
Also obvious but beyond crucial to soothe frayed baby nerves. Nothing more comforting than a good pacifier besides mom’s buzzies.
Pro tip: get the pacifier clip so you can latch it to baby’s bib or outfit to avoid it from falling on the floor every few minutes. Yuck.
13. Toys
Need to keep baby entertained throughout the trip! Nothing like good old Sophie to help provide comfort during a meltdown.
14. Collapsable stroller
The stroller consists of two pieces: the seat and the stroller frame, which folds up for storage. You need both. Note: you do NOT need the car seat base which is convenient to secure the car seat in your car but heavy to lug around. Instead, leave the base behind and install a baby seat in the car with the seatbelt alone- it’s perfectly safe.
15. Ergobaby
Having both hands free is a life saver on the plane. Make it happen with the Ergobaby 360. The added bonus is baby gets all warm and snug and will sleep for longer stretches than normal. Time to watch some in-flight movies!
16. Large suitcase
Before having a baby, I was used to packing light. Give me one backpack and a small suitcase and I’m good to go. No more. Your baby requires a lot of stuff to make a trip go smoothly. You are after all caring for another human being. Bags will need to be checked. Get over it.
There is surely more to mention, but these are the items I’ve found incredibly helpful on trips with baby so far. I’ll make it a point to update this list as I make more discoveries.
Next up: the day of departure!