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We just got back from our biggest adventure to date with the babes. Three flights totaling more than 24 hours, taxis, a cruise and of course miles upon miles of walking. We went from Florida to London to Copenhagen and all of Norway. This baby got around!

Traveling is such a big part of our family’s lives. Finding new experiences and exploring new places is something my husband and I did as a couple for year before the baby, so when babes came along we knew we #1 wanted to keep doing the thing we loved and #2 would probably have to make some changes to accommodate for the little human.

With quite a bit of trial an error (and many trials and returns) I narrowed down my list of most useful items to bring when traveling with babes. You don’t need to bring them all. Some you may use more for air travel, some for road trips, and some for the stay at Grandma’s, but all of them are quality items.

Our family focuses on budget, and I will admit that some of these items are not super budget friendly. However, as with most things I believe in having quality items that will be used and last.  If you look at the amount of use and calculate cost, it is most definitely worth the investment. Our stroller has been on nearly 20 flights, bounced through the mountains of North Carolina, over cobblestone streets in Savanah and Copenhagen and used daily at home from the time the baby was in the infant car seat. In my mind that’s much better than going through the nearly disposable $60 strollers any day.

On to the list!

1. Boba Wrap

If you baby, or even a toddler, this is our number one traveling MUST HAVE. Very lightweight, comfortable for both mom and baby and much easier to travel with than the traditional carrier. I easily carried babes in this for over 18 kilometers per day! There are seemingly endless ways to wear it but my favorites are facing in or away from you and the side carry.

It makes maneuvering through airports a breeze too. You’ve got both hands free, less people are trying to squeeze her, and there’s no need to take babes out of the carrier in security checks. You simply go through the xray machine with babes attached!

2. Mountain Buggy Nano Stroller

This stroller was seemingly MADE for traveling. It’s compact, lightweight but very sturdy. And the best part? It fits in the overhead compartment of the airplane! Eliminates the risk of getting it broken when you check it at the gate and allows you to use the stroller if you have a layover. It fits kids up to 44lbs and can even work as a travel system with nearly EVERY carseat without needing to purchase additional attachments.

3. The perfect “diaper bag”. For travel you NEED a backpack and this backpack is not only functional but ridiculously stylish in my eyes. The Itzy Ritzy Boss Backpack Diaper Bag Backpack in Coffee and Cream has been my go-to diaper bag for all of our travels. I even did a packing tutorial with it. It’s got enough space for everything you want to carry without being overly bulky. That and it’s neutral enough that hubby will carry it for me with no problem!

When traveling with kiddos, especially by plane, it is so important to have your hands free. Between trying to search for your travel documents and chasing a toddler around the airport, it’s nice to have one less thing to worry about. Both my husband and I carry a backpack. I carry babe’s diaper bag and he carries a little more manly one The North Face Jester Backpack with room for the ipad or laptop plus we usually have one little carry on bag like this Travel Duffel Bag. The diaper bag is a FREE item on nearly every airline so why not take advantage!

4. Good rolling luggage Would you rather be click clacking along dragging a heavy piece of luggage or gliding seamlessly across the terminal with one finger pushing your bag? No brainer right? PLUS we used ours to transport baby! Win Win.

As the kiddos get a little bit bigger and can be trusted to hold on by themselves this  adorable ride along suitcase is also a great option!

 

5. Sanitizing wipes. Something so simple made your top must haves?! Just hear me out. They may be simple, but OH SO IMPORTANT. Those babies like to put everything in their mouth. These are perfect for wiping down toys, pacifiers, seats, ANYTHING! Throw them in the diaper bag and go.

6. OXO Tot On-the-Go Drying Rack with Bottle Brush, Teal

Breast or formula fed. Doesn’t matter. You’re going to have some sort of bottle or sippy with you. As I looked at the hotel towels laid out across the counter with bottles, sippies and the like spread out to dry I thought there had to be a better way. This little drying rack comes with a brush and allows the bottles to dry so much faster than my towel method.

7. Britax Car Seat Travel Cart

If you’re going to be bringing your car seat along this little cart will be your saving grace. Car seats are awkward and there’s never a good place to grab them. This cart lets you pull the car seat right along. You could even put the kiddo in the seat or pile other luggage on top.

If you are going to bring a car seat I suggest you check it at the baggage counter and not at the gate. It saves you a whole lot of lugging around and from trying to get the carseat through the conveyor belt at security. PLUS you can check your car seat for free!

Once you drop off the carseat, that cart is open for your carry on luggage! And it can very easily be checked at the gate for no extra fee.

8. If you don’t feel like wheeling something around but also still need to bring the car seat, this could be a great solution. Whether you strap the car seat to your back like a back pack or check it at the gate, your car seat will be protected. The padded car seat cover provides enough cushion to protect the seat from damage while being light enough not to add extra weight to an already cumbersome baby item.

Need a car seat but the thought of lugging your expensive and large car seat around sound scary? What if it gets lost?! The Cosco Scenera NEXT Convertible Car Seat is your solution. It doesn’t have all of the extras you normally look in a car seat, but that is PERFECT for travel. It’s lighter (only 5 pounds!), compact and you can let go of your worries because this little gem is less than $60!

9. Gro Company Gro-Anywhere Portable Blackout Curtains

These are perfect when traveling and a genius idea! It’s hard for us to adjust to new environments, especially if there is a time difference, and even harder on babes. These help baby stay asleep longer and more peacefully, and they easily adapt to nearly any size window or opening. With the seemingly endless daylight in Norway, though it was beautiful, it was so hard to get baby to sleep at night. I’m not sure what we would have done without blackout curtains.

10. Skip hop tuck away travel bib  and an assortment of snacks. Toys were good, but the best thing to distract fidgeting and restless toddler is food. –also works for husbands-  This may be #10 but very easily could have been #1. Our favorites are puffs, popcorn, cheerios, food pouches, baby gummies, teether biscuits, pretzel rods and a sippy of water.

In order to keep babes from looking like a hot mess, the bibcomes in handy.

 

Other not needed but pretty cool products

CARES airplane safety restraint system. It’s FAA-approved and the only restraint system that is!

hiccapop Inflatable Toddler Travel Bed . With built in safety bumpers it gives your kiddo a comfy and safe place to sleep.

Lotus Travel Crib AND Portable Baby Playard. This folds up and can be carried as a backpack. Multi-purpose item, especially for kiddos who need their own space to sleep but aren’t quite big enough to sleep in bed.

North States Supergate Portable Travel Gate. I don’t like bringing much when we fly, but if we were driving to our destination, HECK YA. These gates can be so helpful at wrangling the kiddos away from dangerous “no no” areas.

Noise Machine. If you don’t feel like leaving your cell phone by the crib as a noise machine like we did, you can always bring along a compact travel noise machine such as.

What are some of your favorite travel items? What are items you think you should buy a less expensive version of and what are the ones you are willing to splurge for?

Every family is different and so are their needs, but sometimes it’s nice to have someone test the items out before you do. Let me know if you’ve used any of these items and how you like them!

 

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