Traveling with a baby can be a bit more challenging but it can absolutely be done. In fact, traveling with a baby can even be enjoyable! If you’re nervous for your first trip with a little one, we are here to help. We’ve put together 10 helpful tips for traveling with a baby.
If we had a quarter for every time we were told to “travel now, because once you have kids it’s so much harder” we could afford a pretty long vacation. Hearing that over and over made me nervous for our first trip with our baby. Fortunately, I survived to tell you it is possibly! If you are considering taking a trip with a baby I encourage you to book that trip!
With some extra planning and helpful tips, traveling with a baby can be fun and exciting! Here are our top 10 tips we’ve learned while traveling with our baby to help you have a smooth trip.
10 tips for traveling with your baby
Don’t try to do too much
Traveling with a baby does require more planning. We’ve found that traveling slower and planning to do less is much more enjoyable and relaxing for everyone. Plan only a few activities each day so you can fully experience each thing.
If you are planning a road trip, plan for 1-2 hours of driving each day. Any more than that and it takes too long to get from point A to point B and can really cut down on the amount of time to explore your destination.
Buy diapers and wipes at your destination
You can buy diapers and wipes anywhere! Pack enough to get to your destination, plus a few extra for those unfortunate events, and plan to buy at your destination. There’s no reason to pack a week’s worth of diapers. Save room in your suitcase for other necessary things ( like shoes 😉 ).
Consider renting big baby items
Baby gear rentals are everywhere! Instead of packing everything needed for your baby, consider renting it instead. We’ve done this at multiple destinations and it’s very convenient! They typically deliver your items and pick them up wherever you are staying. I always rent a travel cot/pack n play and sometimes a play mat, stroller and/or baby bath if they offer those.
A simple google search should help you find a local rental company. Here are a few we’ve used and loved.
- Barcelona – StrollAround
- Berlin – Pusteblume Kinder + Baby Second Hand
- USA – Babyquip
Use a slumberpod if room sharing
A Slumberpod is basically a small travel tent that creates a dark sleeping environment for your baby anywhere, and it’s safe for babies 4 months +. It sets up and tears down quick and easy and collapses small so it’s easy to pack. If you are room sharing this is a great way to give baby a good nap/sleep environment and still have the rest of the room to use and enjoy. Otherwise you may find yourself hiding under the covers with your computer or phone while your baby naps.
Go for a VRBO/airbnb over hotel room
If your baby typically sleeps in their own space at home, that’s how they will sleep best while traveling too. A VRBO or Airbnb usually gives you more space.
A baby doesn’t necessarily have to sleep in another bedroom. All baby needs is a separate space. Think outside the box and consider using an extra bathroom, laundry room or closet as their sleeping space.
Also, renting a house or apartment gives parents more space to hang out after the baby goes to sleep! Unless you want to go to bed at 7pm too, we’ve found this option is best.
Consider getting a travel stroller
A travel stroller is a specific stroller that collapses small enough to fit in the overhead compartments of an airplane. They are also very light (about 10-14 lbs) to make traveling with them easier. We found using a travel stroller was so helpful!
I didn’t want to have to gate check our big stroller because I was worried about it getting damaged. Plus it’s big and heavy. I’ve read too many stories about families getting their stroller returned broken. We could collapse our stroller down right before boarding and put it in the overhead compartment so we knew it was handled with care the entire time.
A well rested baby is a happy baby
It’s easy to want to be going all day every day while on vacation. But it’s important you allow your baby time to rest and recharge. Have a flexible routine while on vacation and try to get one good nap in the crib a day. Naps on the go are okay sometimes, but not all the time. Have you ever taken a nap in the car or on a train? I bet you didn’t sleep as well as you do in a comfy cozy bed.
The stroller or baby carrier can come in handy for naps on the go! Watch for sleepy cues, time wake windows and follow a nap time routine as much as possible to offer a nap in the stroller or carrier when it’s time.
Bring a portable sound machine
We never go anywhere without a portable sound machine! It helps with naps on the go and to calm a fussy baby. Our baby sleeps with a sound machine at home so we try to follow that routine when we are out and about. Hearing the white noise helps cue to her that it is nap time. Plus it helps drown out background noise to help her have a more peaceful and uninterrupted nap.
Plan travel around nap times
Obviously it’s going to be easier to drive or fly with your little one if they are sleeping rather than trying to entertain them for hours. If possible, book your flight during their nap time or choose an overnight flight for long haul flights. If you’re doing a road trip, plan to drive during your baby’s nap time.
Follow your routine
Baby’s love a routine. While you’re out exploring, don’t forget to follow your routine. Of course you won’t be able to follow your routine to a T and that’s okay. A modified routine will do the trick too. For example, simply reading a book or singing a lullaby before a nap while out exploring will help tell your baby it’s nap time if that’s what you typically do at home.
There are our top 10 tips for traveling with a baby. We hope these tips help make your vacation with a baby fun and enjoyable. Of course if you have any questions or comments, we’d love to hear from you. What tips do you have for traveling with a baby? If you enjoy this post, please pin it to save it for later.
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