What To Pack When You’re Traveling With A Baby
Traveling with a baby on an airplane requires a new level of planning. You can’t check a million bags – one for the cost, and two because you won’t have enough hands to carry everything. So you have to be strategic with how you pack.
Since we were going to Kauai, Kevin’s checked bag was his surfboards, so I went with an oversized suitcase that held all of our stuff. The only negative was that the bag weighed 13 lbs so it put us over weight on the way there (lesson learned). We also brought Margot’s car seat and bought the Uppababy Travelsafe Bag (provides insurance on the car seat for any damage), which we checked in free at the ticket counter with Alaska Airlines. We filled the extra space in the bag with diapers, wipes, and other baby supplies. We were smarter on the way home and packed some of the heavier stuff in the car seat bag, and the lighter, bulkier stuff in the large suitcase.
Once we checked in our luggage, our carry-ons were very minimal. We had a diaper backpack, my Beis diaper pack, baby carrier, and travel stroller. I wore Margot so I could stack the car seat bag on the travel stroller to transport it before we checked it in and after we landed, on our way to the rental car.
Luckily, the Airbnb we stayed at had a pack ‘n play so we didn’t need to bring ours. The only other thing missing was a bathtub since our Airbnb didn’t have one. I started looking into baby travel bathtubs, but in the end, I didn’t get one and opted for towel baths instead.
Carry-on
Ogio Pace Pro 25L Backpack — We used this as our travel diaper bag and it fit soooo much without looking bulky. The organization this backpack provides is unparalleled. Everything had its own pocket and place.
Beis Diaper Pack — My daily pack, aka my purse.
Travel Changing Pad — I wanted an additional changing pad that wasn’t specific to a diaper bag to leave in the room so we always have a changing station ready.
Ergobaby Metro+ Compact City Travel Stroller — Ultra-lightweight (only 13 lbs), fits in the overhead compartment and also reclines.
Ergobaby Aerloom Carrier — Sporty and easy-to-clean baby carrier, almost like a Nike FlyKnit material.
Noise Cancelling Headphones — I got these for the plane to help with cabin pressure but didn’t use them. Still good to have for loud venues and events.
Breastfeeding Privacy Cover — A must for breastfeeding in public.
Mam Bottles and (not enough) Bobbie Formula — The best solution for dealing with the cabin pressure is to feed during takeoff and landing, or use the pacifier. We made the mistake of transitioning from breastfeeding to formula-feeding during this time and didn’t realize she wouldn’t breastfeed, and therefore, did not have enough formula for the flight.
Checked Luggage
Ogio Rig ST Travel Bag — This suitcase is a unit, but if consolidating as much as possible into one bag is your goal, this is your guy.
Unscented Detergent Sheets — I wanted to have a baby-friendly detergent option and this was a compact and lightweight solution.
Munchkin Sanitizing Bags — Comes small and folded up. Each bag is good for 30 uses too.
Breast Pump, haakaa, Milk Storage Bags, and ALOHA Collection Mid-Pouch for storing all of these supplies
Since it was a tropical destination we also packed:
Swim Diapers — These X-Small diapers are the smallest swim diapers I could find and fit babies starting at 7 lbs.
With a 6.5-hour flight there and a red-eye flight on NYE home, we pulled the travel bandaid right off. Our next trip is to Cabo so we’ll feel spoiled with just a 2.5-hour flight!