With our next vacation right around the corner, I thought it would be helpful to share our favorite baby travel essentials! By the time Marina is 14 months old she will have been to 6 different states and 3 different countries!
Traveling with a baby or multiple kids for that matter, can be so exhausting but it is so rewarding! We truly love taking Marina to see different places, experience different cultures, and explore new environments. I know she is still so young and won’t remember these specific trips, but these trips are helping to shape her into the girl shes going to become!
Best Travel Stroller
We love this stroller! I did so much research before our first trip by plane and this one does not disappoint. Here’s why it’s our favorite:
A. The price point! We already have a “big” running stroller at home and we just couldn’t justify spending a ton on a travel stroller.
B. Folds down to carry on size! Okay this is my #1 favorite feature of this stroller. It folds down small enough to fit in the overhead carry on bins on the plane. That means you get to have a comfortable spot for your baby all the way until you board and not to mention an extra place to hold items. TIP: We usually keep a blanket and a few toys for the plane in the basket under the stroller since we don’t typically have room for them in the diaper bag!
C. Not only is this stroller amazing for the plane, but we keep it in our car all the time! It is so small that it takes up barely any room and we always have a stroller with us for those unplanned stops at the mall or for when you just forget to put it in the car (which happened to me so often those first few months).
Car Seat Travel Bag
To be competently honest, traveling with a car seat is a straight up hassle. We have taken one trip without ours and I will 100% never do that again! Car seat safety is so important to me and if it means having to drag ours along to keep my little girl safe, I will! This bag not only keeps your car seat clean while traveling, but it doubles as a backpack which makes things so much easier! This is the one we have!
Diaper Bag
This one isn’t travel specific but has made our travels so much easier! The first diaper bag I purchased was nice and inexpensive but I found that things just ended up stuck in the bottom of the bag instead of in a specific place. When you have a crying baby the last thing you want is to have to empty out your whole bag to find one little thing. This diaper bag is a game changer. Here’s a few reasons why I love it:
A. It’s a backpack! Okay, most diaper bags these days are, but for those of you who aren’t using a backpack diaper bag yet, seriously make the transition, you won’t regret it!
B. It has “rubber bag feet”. My first diaper bag was so gross on the bottom from having to set it down outside the car, or on the floor in the restroom. This one has rubber “feet” on the bottom that keeps your bag clean!
C. Storage! This bag has everything. I am definitely an over packer and this bag keeps me organized! It has 17 total pockets (10 internal and 7 external, including two insulated bottle pockets).
D. It comes with a changing pad labeled “Head” and “Toes” and has its own specific pocket to keep it in!
E. It comes with straps so you can hang the bag from the handles of your stroller! This is especially convenient for travel days when you have your car seat backpack on your back and can clip the diaper bag onto your stroller!
Pack N Play
Skip the classic Graco pack n play and get this one from the start! Its lightweight, comes in a convenient carrying case, and can be set up in minutes! I pack my carrying case INSIDE my largest suitcase for trips. It does take up like 75% of the suitcase but I can still fit things like diapers, wipes, and clothes around it! One thing I will say is that if you are going to a hotel and they have cribs available, leave yours at home and just use theirs (I like to bring my own sheets for the hotel cribs though)!
Multi Use Cover
This cover can be used as an infant car seat cover, breastfeeding cover, shopping cart cover, or a highchair cover! I actually have 2 of them (one for nursing and one for the highchair/shopping cart) and have them in the diaper bag at all times! PLUS they have the cutest patterns!
Beach Tent
Okay this one is obviously dependent on what type of vacation you are going on, but most of our vacations usually revolve around the beach! I love this tent for a few reasons! It gives Marina a place to play that is shaded and sand free – I don’t know about your kid, but mine likes to eat anything and everything… including sand. It also gives me a place to nurse her! It would be such a hassle having to pack everything up to go inside and feed her and its typically too warm for her to be under our nursing cover if we are outside so this tent is the perfect answer!
Baby Carrier
We have used this baby carrier since the beginning! It is comfortable, and there are a few different variations on how your baby can be put into it! I usually wear it front facing and have Marina face towards me and she sleeps the whole time! It also has a little protective piece that you can put over their head to protect them from the sun! This was super convenient for when we hiked in Arizona!
Packing Cubes
If you’ve never tried packing cubes before, you need to! We have used plastic bags in the past and those work great too, but when you have a sleeping baby and you are looking through 15 plastic bags looking for the one labeled “onesies” it gets to be a little noisy! These are inexpensive and make staying organized while traveling so much easier! I use them for myself too!
Silicone Placemats
These placemats are definitely a favorite of mine! I love using these anytime we go out to eat! Marina is able to sit in her high chair (with her high chair cover of course) and still eat independently like she does at home without me having to just put her food right on the table. We always bring a plastic bag to put it in after meals and wash it when we get home or back to our hotel room!
Snack Cup
We use these on a daily basis! Whether we are traveling or just hanging out at home, Marina loves having one of these in her hand! We have found that if she has a few finger foods for lunch like goldfish and yogurt bites, she will eat every single one of them if they are in her cup. These are also a lifesaver in the car to keep them entertained!!
These are a few of my favorite travel items and most of them are budget friendly which is a huge plus! Please let me know if you have any questions about any of these products!!
Love, Nicole B
*Some of the above items include affiliate links! I only share products I use and love.
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