I’ve traveled with both of my kids since they were infants. Traveling together was important to Jason and me even before we had kids, so, of course, it’s something we wanted to continue after Caden was born. Because of that, Caden has been on over 2 dozen trips at just 3 years old, and Willow’s not far off! We are grateful for all the special moments we’ve shared with our kids because we’ve chosen to take on the big task of traveling with babies.
Even though we love it, I’ll admit traveling with an infant requires a lot more planning and preparation than when it was just Jason and me. However, if you can get packing down and you’re ready to conquer time zone adjustments, you can handle it. In fact, you’ll grow to love it as much as we do!
To help make traveling with a baby easier for you, I’m sharing the packing checklist I wish I had when we took off for the first time with Caden. Whether you’re planning a road trip with your baby or you’re going straight for international travel with your infant, this list will help give you peace of mind. You’ll know you have everything you need for a relaxing and memorable trip.
Here’s my list of baby travel essentials:
Baby Travel Essentials List
Luggage
Before you pack, you need to choose your luggage. You may think that since a baby is small, and their clothes are small, their items can just go in your bag. However, as you’ll discover as you’re scrolling through this list, infants require a lot of stuff. Way more than toddlers and older kids. Because of this, I recommend packing your baby's items in a separate bag.
I’ve linked below to a couple of my favorite bags that are spacious and high-quality to protect all your items. Within your luggage bag, organize all your infant’s things using packing cubes and reusable storage bags. It’ll make finding things during travel and unpacking when you reach your destination much easier!
In addition to your luggage, also bring a diaper bag. My favorite travel diaper bag is The Getaway Bag by No Reception Club, which you can get at a $20 discount if you use code NMM20. If you’re traveling by plane, make sure it’s packed with all the diaper bag essentials you’ll need for the flight since your checked bag will be unavailable. It’s also a good idea to AirTag all your bags in case they're lost.
- Travel diaper bag
- Beis The Carry-On Roller or July Carry-On Pro
- Beis Checked-In Roller or July Checked Plus
- Compression packing cubes
- Reusable storage bags
- AirTags and keychain
Transportation
Whether you’re flying or driving, you’ll need to pack for getting your baby around at your destination. A car seat, stroller, and baby carrier are all a must. That way, no matter what you’re doing on your vacation (driving, hiking, shopping, etc.), you’ll have an easy way of getting your baby from point A to point B.
Below, you’ll see I included a car seat travel bag. That’s for if you’re checking the car seat at the airport. If you’re going on a road trip with your infant, you can cut that from your packing list. I also included 2 different carriers. Personally, I like the support of a buckle carrier for things like hiking, but I prefer a soft wrap carrier for less strenuous activities. If you’re really partial to one kind of carrier, you could definitely just bring one.
- UPPAbaby Mesa infant car seat
- UPPAbaby Mesa stroller adapter
- Car seat travel bag
- UPPAbaby MINU V2 travel stroller
- UPPAbaby travel bag
- Stroller fan
- Wildbird Aerial baby carrier
- Solly Baby wrap carrier
Sleep
Sleep is an area where you don’t want to cut corners. Bring everything you need to ensure your baby has a great night’s sleep every night. First of all, you’ll need a travel crib/pack-n-play or bassinet. I recommend choosing whatever is most similar to what your infant sleeps in at home. If you can, try to sleep a few nights in whatever travel bed option you’re planning to bring with you to reduce the amount of adjustment time your baby may need when getting to your destination.
Over your crib or bassinet, I recommend a SlumberPod. It creates a private room for your baby that’s dark and quiet for better sleeping . . . especially if you’ll be sharing a space with your infant. (If you’re sleeping in the same room, you probably don’t need to bring the monitor). A sound machine and their swaddle/sleep sack will help set the mood for sleep, too!
- Lotus travel crib or bassinet
- Crib sheet or bassinet sheet (2)
- Lovenest pillow
- Muslin light-weight blanket (2)
- Warm baby blanket
- SlumberPod
- White noise machine
- Ollie swaddle/sleep sack (3)
- Baby monitor
Changing
Diapers are a must, of course. How many diapers your baby needs really depends on the baby and their age. Try to count the total number of diapers you’re using in 24 hours, and then make that (plus a few) your daily total. It helps if you use high-quality, borderline blowout-proof diapers like Coterie. Here’s my full review of Coterie diapers if you haven’t given them a try yet!
That many diapers can take up a lot of space in your luggage, but one of my favorite travel hacks, if you're flying with your infant, is to pack your car seat bag full of diapers. Most airlines let you check your car seat for free, and all that extra space in the car seat bag is also free to use. Go ahead and load it up with diapers to save space in your other bags!
- Coterie diapers (15 per day) Use code NEWMODERNMOM23 for 20% off
- Dirty diaper disposable bags
- Wipes (½ package per day)
- Wipe container
- Wet bags
- Diaper cream
- Travel bum brush
- Changing pad
Bathing
For bathing, you don’t need much. Your accommodations will have towels, but I do like to bring a few baby washcloths just because they’re more gentle on baby’s skin. No matter what, you’ll need to bring baby wash and lotion. I recommend some baby body cream for a relaxing nighttime massage after a long day of traveling or exploring.
Clothing
For clothing, I had a hard time nailing down the exact amounts of each item to bring, because it does depend on your baby, your destination, and if you’ll have access to a washing machine. I decided to list what I did for Willow and Caden, but understand that if your baby spits up a lot or has frequent blowouts/leaks, bringing extra clothes and bibs might be necessary. However, I think this is a good baseline for any infant.
Beyond standard clothes, ensure you also have a swimsuit, swim diaper, and warm weather clothing if the weather turns or you’re going somewhere cold. I also wouldn’t mess with baby socks, just grab a couple of pairs of booties and they’ll be set.
- Short sleeve onesies or rompers (2 per day)
- Long sleeves onesies or rompers (1 per day)
- Pants (2 per day)
- Jackets (2)
- Sleepers (1 per day)
- Swimsuit
- Swim diaper
- Sun hat
- Warm hat
- Warm coat
- Booties (2)
- Drool bibs (2 per day)
Feeding
This is a category where you may not need everything on this list depending on if you breastfeed or formula-feed—and if your baby has started eating solids. For breastfeeding mamas, you’ll see I put a hands-free breast pump and a manual breast pump. Twice now, I’ve not brought a manual pump with me and suffered the consequences. Don’t be me–bring a backup in case something breaks or gets lost!
Below, I also included the best cooler and ice pack combo for storing breastmilk. I tested quite a few combinations and this option was the best for keeping breastmilk cold on flights or long drives.
If formula feeding, do the math to determine how many containers you need to bring, and be sure to bring extras. You don’t want to rely on your destination having your specific formula type available. However, if you’re traveling domestically, you should be able to search local Targets and Walmarts online to confirm whether or not they carry your formula. If they do, you could wait to purchase your formula when you arrive.
- Hands-free breast pump
- Manual pump
- Breast pump cleaning wipes
- Nursing cover
- Feeding pillow
- Drying towels
- Burp cloths (2 per day)
- Travel-sized dish soap
- Large storage container (for washing bottles on the go)
- Hydro Flask cooler
- Reusable ice packs
- Formula
- Formula container
- Bottles (4)
- Bottle warmer
- Travel high chair
- Baby food
- Baby snacks
- Utensils
- Silicone bibs (3)
Safety
Though you can’t prepare for every worst-case scenario without packing a dozen bags, I do recommend you have an emergency kit. This should include basic first-aid supplies and common medications you may need if your baby cuts a tooth, gets a cold, or is a little gassy. You’ll also want sunscreen, your baby’s prescriptions, and cleaning wipes/hand wipes. Keeping everything clean while traveling and exploring will be key to keeping your infant safe and healthy.
- Prescriptions
- Infant thermometer
- Medicine dispenser
- Tylenol
- Ibuprofen
- Benadryl
- Gas drops
- Nose Frida
- Saline spray
- Natural vapor rub
- Antibiotic ointment
- Bandaids
- Nail clippers
- Non-toxic sunscreen
- Disinfectant wipes
- Hand wipes
- Hand sanitizer
Entertainment/Comfort
It doesn’t take much to entertain a baby, luckily. A few toys, a couple of bedtime books, and their bouncer should do the trick! Don’t forget, your infant will also need key comfort items like pacifiers and loveys. If you have backups for these items, definitely bring them too. If you don’t have a backup, consider getting one before you go. It can stay in your checked bag in case their security blanket or pacifier disappears in the hustle and bustle of traveling.
- Books
- Pacifiers (2)
- Pacifier clip
- Lovey/comfort item (and a backup, if you have one)
- BabyBjorn bouncer
- BabyBjorn bouncer travel bag
- Teether
- Rattle
- Stroller toy
- Crinkle book
- Pool float
- Pop-up shade tent
Here are more toy and entertainment ideas!
Documents
If you’re flying domestically, your child only needs a birth certificate, but if traveling internationally, you’ll need a few more items. Bring along their passport and immunization records for sure. Medical records are only necessary if your child has a chronic condition that may need attention while you’re away. Lastly, a consent form might be necessary if both parents aren’t coming along. Store these things in a document holder and keep them in your personal bag!
- Document holder
- Birth certificate
- Passport
- Child’s immunization form
- Pertinent medical records
- Consent form (if not traveling with both parents)
Here’s my newborn passport guide.
Use this packing list for your next trip with your baby!
Successful travel with a baby is all about the right expectations, the right destination, and the right packing list. I hope this checklist helped you get organized and determine what you need to take on your next trip. If you’re still in the planning stages, and you’re not sure what destination would be best, check out my post on the best U.S. travel spots with babies. However, don’t shy away from international destinations. We loved going to Hawaii and Italy with our young kids!
Have a great trip no matter where you go, and remember to check back in with me on the blog and Instagram for more travel advice and destination recommendations. I want to make your family enjoy traveling together as much as we do!
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