Packing for yourself is hard enough, but packing for a BABY on a plane ride?

Yikes! I’m normally an if we forget it we can just pick one up somewhere kind of girl, but being limited to what you can find in an airport can change that mentality. Therefore, I find myself looking for the perfect balance between “always prepared” and “crazy bag lady”. You don’t want to be the one toting a 50 pound diaper bag through the terminal while trying to balance  your fussy babe, push a stroller and not spill that Starbucks. But… you also don’t want to randomly forget diapers.

That brings us to the reason behind this post. Originally it was for myself, but after multiple successful flights I decided I had to share!

So what IS in my diaper bag?

First of all the diaper bag itself is the single most important piece to the packing puzzle. You have to have something you’re going to be comfortable with. Some people love cross bodies, others love their standard tote, and then there are those of us that have transitioned to the backpack.

There is just something about being able to have both hands free to attend to the babes that makes the backpack ideal. Pair that with the ability to hold a lot of things in a seemingly small package and you’ve got the perfect travel diaper bag. “Once you go backpack you never go back…pack”.

*This post contains affiliate links to products I’ve used and love. I was not paid to use these products, but if you make a purchase through these links I may receive a small commission – no additional cost to you!

 

 

 

This is the Itzy Ritzy Boss Backpack Diaper Bag Backpack in Coffee and Cream. When you’re traveling you have to leave the standard diaper bag at home and go with a backpack. Hands free, huge compartments and way less cumbersome than the average tote.

I have owned quite a few diaper bags, more than I would like to admit and way more than my husband would like to know about, but I absolutely love this one. Besides being the most functional diaper bag I’ve had it’s also the best looking. It’s so stylish I would even carry it without the baby!

Here’s what goes in to the ultimate traveling diaper bag.

At the end of the post look for a free pre-travel diaper bag checklist!

For Diapering:

Diapers. more than you think you need. Normally I say no worries. If you run low you can always stop and pick up more. Not 30,000 feet in the air you can’t! So pack enough for a change every 2 hours of travel (plus an extra for luck) to be safe.

Diaper – or doggy – bags. Double duty for both dirty diapers and the inevitably messy outfit. These diaper baggies can be used for so many things.

Wipes. I love this wipes pack from Huggies because it keeps the wipes moist, and can fold and fit in to nearly anything.

Diaper Cream. Babes may be in a diaper longer than you would normally leave them in. It’s important to protect their tooshies! Diaper rash is so much easier to prevent than to heal.

The Essentials:

Extra clothes for baby. See above. There will be a messy outfit. There is no question. You don’t want to be the mom with a half naked baby on a plane because there was a poo incident.

I like to pack and extra pair of jammies as well as just a plain onsie and pants.

Bib. For everything from drool to food to baby using it to chew on. Just one or 2 are good.

Tylenol or Motrin. Don’t forget the syringe! Just in case those little ears start bothering them, a tooth makes a surprise pop through or babe happens to get a little fever on the trip. I always have baby Tylenol in my bag. AND in a pinch even adults cant take it!

Extra top for mommy. Travel in layers (stay tuned for What to Wear on the Plane as a Breastfeeding Mom). Messes happen, but you’ll feel like super mom when you’ve got a clean top to change in to.

Swaddle blanket. These are my favorite blankets from Aden + Anais . They can be used for everything from keeping baby warm to covering up while feeding and cleaning up little spills. Multi tasking is key!

Sanitizing wipes. Because babies touch everything and everything is gross! Great for wiping down tray tables to lay out their snacks, arm rest because they eat them, or anything really. If you really want to be extra careful you can always pack some of these disposable mats. Especially around flu season I like to be extra careful. This coming from the mom who lets her baby eat dirt on occasion…

 

Snacks for baby and mommy: 

Yes, snacks get their own section due to the level of importance. Hangry babies and hangry mommies are major problems with easy fixes! Luckily if you get in to a pinch with something in this section you can easily grab something in the airport, but who wants to spend that much on snacks?!

Puffs. Those no spill containers that they can stick their little hands in are great, but they take up a lot of space. Instead just bring a little baggy of puffs or cheerios.

Teething Crackers. There is not a lot of nutritional content in these Happy Baby teething crackers but they are great for occupying a busy baby and all organic simple ingredients. The best price I have found is the bulk pack from Amazon. We go through them almost as fast as puffs at our house.

 

As you can see this kid would be perfectly happy with a carrot, celery or a piece of cardboard… but those teethers seem to be her favorite!

 

Granola Bars. For both mommy and baby! Sophia is loving these right now.

Squeeze Pouches. I love squeeze pouches because they eliminate the need for a spoon! And I may have eaten one in an extreme hunger moment. Breastfeeding makes anything sound appetizing and the flavors of those pouches are delicious these days.

Gummies. We don’t do a lot of extra sugar at our house, but these are a fun treat to have and they double as edible toys for the baby. YumEarth Organic Fruit Snacks

Sippy cup. We bring an empty sippy cup to the airport then grab a water bottle before we get on the plane. I know you can bring a certain amount of liquid for babies, but it’s worth the extra couple dollars not to have to battle security. Just make sure you also bring some of these Sippy cup holders. I don’t know about your babes, but mine loves to throw things right now. Just attach this to the tray table and no more playing pick up!

As you can see I left out things like bowls, spoons, or any other bulky items. These are things you can toss in your checked bag to use at your destination, but you don’t necessarily need in your diaper bag. They just take up space and add weight.

Entertainment:

Small Books. Depending on what your babes is in to you could either bring one of those soft, crinkle book or a lightweight short story book. Our babes already seems to be interested so we bring little books we can read to her with.

Small Toys and Dropper Stopper. Think cheap, mostly soft, and ones you – and baby – wouldn’t be too upset about if babes lost them. Those same sippy cup holders can work for keeping rogue, flying toys contained, or you can buy ones specifically made for toys like this one.

Paci or Chewy. If you’re not nursing this one is especially important! When taking off and landing make sure you have something, ANYTHING, in babes’ mouth. Nipple, bottle or paci. Something to suck on to keep their little ears from getting clogged.

For Mommy:

Wallet with ID. I always make sure I carry a bit of cash with me as well as my debit card, one major credit card, and our insurance cards.

Baby’s Birth Certificate. If you’re traveling with a baby under 2 and didn’t pay for a separate ticket this is especially important. Good news is they also accept the baby’s latest doctor’s visit paperwork. Basically anything that proves babe’s age. Trust me. Even if you are traveling with a 3 month old bring the papers. There’s bound to be one person along the way who says it’s their policy to make sure the baby is under 2. Silly people…

Pen. Simple enough

Headphones. For that rare occasion when baby falls asleep and you can listen to a few minutes of your favorite station or podcast.

Cell phone. Most people wouldn’t need this on their checklist, but I am notorious for leaving my phone places. Hubby makes me double check that I haven’t lost it constantly.

Lip Balm. Those cockpits can get dry. Plus its just something else for baby to play with.

Sunglasses. 

Motrin or Tylenol. Traveling can bring up all kinds of aches and pains so I always carry some Motrin for the adults. Headaches, stiff backs from sitting or even clogged ears!

Tide to Go. You have a baby… I don’t need to explain why you need this.

 

All of this might sound like a lot, but most of it is what you’re normally carrying in your diaper bag anyway. It fit so nicely in my Itzy Ritzy and believe it or not I still had room for much more. One of our flights I even used the baby’s diaper bag to pack all of her clothes and essentials for a week long trip. The airline we were flying charged for every bag, including your carry ons. A good money saving trick is that the majority of airlines don’t charge for diaper bags! Hey, if it saves us money on traveling I’m in.

I’ve also created a much shorter version of this that I use as my pre-travel checklist. Click here for you free download!

 

 

Let me know if you would be interested in seeing how I packed everything for babe’s week long adventure in one bag! And stand by for a list of must haves when traveling with baby including our favorite stroller that YOU CAN STORE IN THE OVERHEAD!

Don’t forget to sign up for updates and free articles from Living Life Loving Us!

First Name

Email address:

Leave this field empty if you're human: