trips after baby is born

How I've kept traveling -- even after having a baby

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Before I had a baby, I had traveled to almost 60 countries and was on a plane every other week.

A huge fan of solo travel , yoga retreats with friends and adventurous escapes with my husband, I was always on the move. Thanks to the ability to work remotely, travel was easy. Then COVID-19 hit, and shortly after, I got pregnant .

So life changed, and so did travel.

But now that travel is picking up again , I'm back at it — with my eight-month-old in tow.

Here's how — and why — I've navigated travel with a baby.

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Why I travel with my baby

Because i have to, and so does he.

I live in Europe and my entire family lives in the United States . Like it or not, my child will have to constantly go back and forth between the two continents, and I want this to become second nature for him. I started flying with my child when he was three months old. He's already on his 15th flight and 4th high-speed train ride -- and has a few road trips under his elastic waistband.

Have some flights been really easy? Yes. Have some flights been harder? Also yes. But it doesn't matter all that much either way, because we have to travel if we want to spend time with friends and family back in the United States. And most of the flights, with a few small exceptions, have been great.

Even you don't need to travel with a baby, just know it's possible. It may not always be easy, but you can absolutely do it if you want to.

I want him to experience the wonders of the world instead of material things

My apartment was recently broken into. As violating and frustrating as it was, I realized that I was able to get over the things they took from me (cash and jewelry) relatively quickly, even though some of the jewelry pieces were family heirlooms.

When I'm still traumatized emotionally about having my space invaded, the robbers couldn't take from me what I most valued: my family and our shared experiences, especially the ones we've had traveling.

My hope is that my son will grow up understanding these same lessons and placing value on experiences and connections instead of things. And the best way to show this is by modeling the same behavior for him, which is often what motivates me to plan that next family vacation .

Because it's fun

Playing with my son in the peaceful Caribbean ocean waves, watching him stare at the Chicago skyline with awe or seeing him smile at the iconic Eiffel Tower are memories I'll never forget. Although he definitely won't remember these trips, we will — and we'll have lots of photos to show him one day.

How I make travel with my baby easier

Traveling with a baby isn't always easy. From diaper blowouts during landing and bleary-eyed nights with a jet-lagged infant to nasty stares from passengers if my overtired son shrieks during take-off, traveling with a baby has its downsides and complications. Here are some hacks I use to make it easier.

I bring someone along to help

I know I'll travel alone with my child as he gets older. However, for now, whenever possible, I try to have another adult in tow to help out — whether that be my partner, a family member or friend.

While I'm not expecting a friend to deal with a crying baby or his meltdowns, it's helpful to have someone along to help carry luggage, make sure I don't forget my jacket in the airport, hold the baby while I head to the restroom or help me fold up the stroller at TSA .

These little things can really make a difference when traveling. Once my child can at least walk on his own, I'll start traveling with just the two of us.

I pack as light as possible

It's true that kids — and especially babies — can need a lot of stuff. And there are things I really don't want to be stuck without on a long plane ride like diapers or snacks (more on this in a moment).

When traveling with my baby, I try to bring everything I need but don't go overboard. I swear by lightweight travel strollers and always take along a baby carrier and diaper backpack for a hands-free airport experience.

I like to book rental properties with as many baby and kid amenities already present as possible, such as a crib, high chair and more to avoid taking extra stuff along. I've also used rental companies in destinations for key items such as car seats, too.

Always bring these key items — especially when flying

What you can carry with you when flying is obviously very different than what you can lug along on a road trip, which offers you more space and added flexibility. That being said, these are key items I always take in my carry-on when flying with a baby:

• Extra clothing for both you and your baby (yes, trust me, you need a backup outfit just in case).
• Layers of clothing or blankets (plane temperatures can vary).
• Pacifier and clip (and backup).
• Comfort toy or blanket.
• Extra diapers (enough for an unexpected delay).
• Formula/breast milk/pump.
• Snacks (for you and/or your baby).
• Baby wipes.
• Sanitizing wipes.
• Extra bibs.
• Ziploc bags for soiled clothing (or a reusable, waterproof bag).
• Baby Tylenol or any infant medications.
• A basic first aid kit.
• Small toy(s).
• Anything that can help your baby fall asleep.

For more on what to pack and how to prepare for traveling with a baby, read this article .

Use points and miles for a more comfortable and affordable trip

This may be an unpopular opinion, but I love using my points and miles to fly in business class with my baby .

He's actually better behaved than other passengers in some cases. Also, having the extra space to stretch out makes a real difference for all of us, especially on long-haul flights where sleep is essential for the entire family.

I have also dipped into my stash of points and miles to buy three seats in economy, taking a car seat along so my baby can safely sit in his own seat, even though that isn't required at this age. The bassinet was once an option if I had enough points or miles for just two seats, although now my baby has surpassed the weight limit.

If you want to use the bassinet, always call the airline to see if this option is available and what the weight/size limits are, which can vary by airline or even route .

I verbally prepare my baby for travel

I'm well aware that my baby probably can't understand what I'm saying. But as he gets older, he is starting to recognize words, and I want "airplane" to be one of them as quickly as possible. Whenever we travel, I softly and carefully explain to him what's happening several days in advance each day before the trip.

I tell him we're going to fly high in the sky on a plane, that we need to be calm, quiet and happy. I tell him that we'll be spending time with many other people in a small space, so we need to not scream or kick the seat in front of us and bother other passengers.

I explain that we're visiting a certain destination or specific family members or friends, where we'll be sleeping and for how long we'll be gone.

One day, he'll slowly begin to associate these explanations with the journeys that follow them. Kids ask a lot of questions and want to understand what's going on, so I hope explaining things to him will help him feel safe and in control as he gets older, as well as excited to fly and to travel.

I fly or take a train trip at least every two months with my son

I realize that as someone who's worked remotely for more than 10 years, I'm afforded the flexibility to travel frequently and take my son along with me. I'm teaching my child how to eat properly and sleep well, and will pretty soon potty train, so I'm training him to travel, too.

With the convenience of low-cost air carriers and high-speed trains here in Europe (and a solid stash of points and miles), it's easy to get my baby on a plane or train every few months to get — and keep — him used to travel and make it part of a familiar routine.

I minimize travel stress with early arrivals, elite status and lounge access

Running through the airport with a baby and luggage is stressful and not at all how I want to start a trip.

I find the calmer I am, the calmer our whole family is — especially my baby, who tends to absorb my energy and mental state. Getting to the airport with lots of extra time helps me feel relaxed and in control — and these feelings transfer to everyone in my travel party, especially my son.

Having elite status and lounge access doesn't hurt, either, as I can avoid long lines and hang out in the lounge if I have time to kill before flying.

Both The Platinum Card® from American Express and the Chase Sapphire Reserve card offer lounge access, and considering my home airport of Madrid Barajas (MAD) has several really nice Sala VIPs that are part of the Priority Pass network, I find this credit card perk a valuable one.

My Oneworld Sapphire status makes flying on airlines like Iberia much more comfortable, too, allowing me to use the business class check-in area, board first and check a bag at no added cost.

I plan flights around bedtime and nap times whenever possible

While my son sleeps fairly well on planes, I prefer to plan flights strategically at times where he'll already be fed, calm and rested. Although I can't always make this happen, I do so whenever my schedule and flight schedules permit it.

I organize sightseeing and beach days around naps, too

When traveling, I always try to organize my days so that my baby can either nap at the hotel or vacation rental, or while we walk in his stroller.

Cobblestoned European streets are particularly helpful in coaxing my son to sleep in his stroller, as the vibration is relaxing for him. I also bring everything along possible to encourage sleep while on the road — a portable sound machine in the stroller, a portable night light, his lovey, a tent for the beach , our own sheet for the travel crib to remind him of home — really anything that will help him to nap and sleep, keeping him and the whole family calm and happy.

Bottom line

While I'm not hopping on a flight every other week like I was in those pre-pandemic, pre-baby days, having a baby hasn't ruined travel for me.

I know it can be more restrictive and more expensive, but I now look at travel in a whole new way. I see it as an opportunity to bond as a family, give my son new experiences and help him grow into a flexible, excited young traveler .

My hope is that starting with these experiences while he is young will make travel a habit for him, just like going to school or playing with friends — something he is familiar with and learns to love and do with joy.

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40 Practical & Encouraging Tips for Traveling with a Baby

Home » Blog » Family Travel » 40 Practical & Encouraging Tips for Traveling with a Baby

Adventuring with a little one can be overwhelming, but these practical tips for traveling with a baby will make it feel much more manageable. After reading this article, you’ll feel encouraged and confident to start planning your dream family vacation.

After taking all types of different trips with our daughter in her first year – from National Parks to European Christmas Markets to traveling Scotland by campervan (and so much more!) – we have learned so much about traveling with a baby. 

Why keep all these tips to ourselves when we can share them with you ?!

We know how overwhelming it can be , especially when other people tell you how hard it is traveling with kids. 

But you know what? It can also be amazing, too. 

Traveling with your little one will full your cup, create lifelong memories, and will open your eyes to a totally different way of looking at taking trips. 

While traveling with a baby certainly looks different and requires more flexibility and planning , we’re still able to do some pretty epic things. And you can too (if that’s what you want).

Traveling with our daughter has truly been life changing, and we can’t wait for you to experience this magic, too. 

Guide to traveling with a baby

• Our story: Read about our travel-style and our background so you understand our approach to traveling with a baby.
• Top tips: Wanna get to the good stuff right away? Jump right down to our top tips for traveling with a baby! 

This article is full of practical tips, gear that is actually worth packing, and encouraging advice that will help you feel prepared and confident about traveling with a baby.

We’ll also be discussing some helpful mindsets about traveling with a baby that can transform how you think about it. 

Whether you’re an experienced parent or you’re dreaming of someday traveling with a baby, we’ve got tips and advice that will help you feel confident to plan the family trip of your dreams!

As full-time travel bloggers , traveling is one of our biggest passions, and it’s also both of our jobs. So when we found out we were expecting, we knew that travel wouldn’t just stop for us once the baby arrived (like many people warned). 

We’ve known for a long time that we’d want to start a family, eventually . So over the years, we (almost subconsciously) took note of all the people we saw traveling with their kids.

• On our 4-day Inca Trail hike to Machu Picchu , there was a family with 4 kids, the youngest of whom was 8 years old.
• In Thailand , we saw countless families living nomadically or traveling with kids of all ages.
• We met a family on the west coast USA, living out of their campervan with two little boys (before it was common!).

We stored up all these acquaintances as “evidence” that traveling with a baby is not only possible, but it can still be adventurous .

We saw it as inspiration and started to dream of all the adventures we could take our little one on. Together, we dreamed about how we could open their eyes to the endless beauty and kindness around the world. And we talked about how traveling with a child would create core memories and forge a bond between us that we just couldn’t replicate at home.

We were excited about this new chapter, and confident we could forge our own path despite what anyone said.

That mindset came in handy because soon after announcing we were expecting a baby, we got a mixed bag of responses:

• “Can’t wait to hear all your advice for traveling with kids!”
• “You’re definitely going to be slowing down and traveling less now.”
• “Travel while your baby is young, because as soon as they can walk, traveling will be over!”

The good, the bad, the well-meaning… we got it all.

We expected people to say how difficult it would be . And if I’m completely honest, those “you won’t be able to travel anymore” comments encouraged us to prove to ourselves that we could in fact travel with a baby. And thrive while doing it.

The truth is, we were prepared for people to tell us we couldn’t travel with a baby. Remember, we had stored up all that “proof” that we weren’t the only ones with these dreams. 

Thinking about taking an adventure with your little one?

Be sure to download our  complete packing list for traveling with a baby !  It’s packed with good suggestions and advice for what has personally worked for us on our travels with a baby.

Whether you’re getting ready for your first ever trip with a baby, or you’re a parenting pro just looking for a few extra tips, we hope this baby travel packing list will serve you well!

Why trust our advice about traveling with a baby?

For years, whenever we saw people traveling with kids, we’d look at each other and say, “Wow, that’s badass. Someday I want that to be us.”

And now we’re doing it which feels both surreal and like we’ve been training for this for years. Because we kind of have.

Prior to having a baby, we traveled to more than 50 countries together and built a business around the travel industry. So travel is something we are not only passionate about, but it’s something we feel very comfortable with.

We made it a point to bring our daughter on some epic trips during her first year of life. And we have so many more family trips planned for the future!

In Juniper’s first year of life, she:

• took 19 flights
• traveled to 9 countries 
• visited 14 US states
• explored 4 US National Parks
• went on 2 overnight backcountry camping trips
• lived in a campervan for 4 months

Juniper went on countless hikes, slept in many different places around the world, and made more friends than any other other 1-year-old we know!

She is growing into a very adaptable little human, and we feel so lucky for all of the memories we have already created together.

If you, too, want to travel with a little one, we’re here to share all of the things that have worked for us along the way. 

We hope you take the advice that resonates with you and feel empowered to plan and execute your dream family trips!

Why are you here?

I imagine you’re here because you want to know more about traveling with a baby. Ding, ding, ding!!!

Okay, that was obvious. But the rest is a little harder to determine…

• Perhaps you are already a parent , and you want to start adventuring more with your little one but you don’t know where to start.
• Maybe you already travel with your baby a lot , but you’re constantly seeking new tips and advice. Everything helps, right?! 
• If you are expecting, be sure to check out our list of the best babymoon destinations !
• Or perhaps you aren’t even sure you want to be a parent , and you’re trying to figure out how much, exactly, having a baby would impact your lifestyle and dreams.

You might be feeling excited about the prospect of traveling with a baby. Or confused about how to even get started. 

Maybe you’re skeptical about the whole idea of traveling with a little one. Or you’re feeling defeated after being told many times that traveling with a baby is hard, and you’re just looking for some encouragement.

Feel all the feels. They are all valid.

Wherever you’re coming from and whatever you’re feeling, my hope is that you’ll be able to find some nuggets in this article that will speak to you .

Everyone’s journey is different 

In this article, we’re sharing tips for traveling with a baby that have worked for us. 

That last part of the sentence is important: These are the things that have worked for us , personally. 

I will say that we have been privileged that we haven’t had to deal with any major health issues. Our daughter is (for the most part) very easygoing and adaptable. Some of this we can attribute to things we have practiced and experiences that we have exposed her to. But I also know that some of this is pure luck.

Everyone’s parenting journey is different. And every child is different. 

You know your child and your comfort level better than anyone. Plus, we all have different priorities and goals and dreams and lifestyles. (Remember, traveling is a big part of our job, so things may look different for you.)

Pick and choose the tips that will work for you. Ignore the ones that won’t.

Psst! After reading through all our tips for traveling with a little one, be sure to read my personal note at the bottom of this article.

Our best tips for traveling with a baby

Let’s dive into the things that have worked for us.

Scroll through them all (there are 40!), or jump to the sections that are most important to you:

• BUILD CONFIDENCE: Feel confident about traveling with a baby
• PLANNING: Planning your trip
• TRAVEL TIPS: Tips for while you’re on your trip

Good to know: Most of these tips are geared toward babies and toddlers (aka under 2 years old). As our daughter grows and our experiences change, we will continue creating resources based on our personal experiences.

1. Start small with “mini adventures”

One of my biggest pieces of advice is to start small. And start early.

In my last weeks of pregnancy, we got out a calendar and made “mini goals” for each week after the baby was born.

They went something like this:

• 1 week old: Go to your favorite coffee shop
• 2 weeks old: Go on a long(ish) walk (we went snowshoeing because it was winter!)
• 3 weeks old: Go to a brewery or event in town 
• 4 weeks old: Spend the night away (we booked a cabin in the woods)

More ideas:

• Mini road trip
• Go to a friend’s house for dinner
• Book a staycation in your own town or a nearby city
• Find a nearby soaking pool (with water temperatures safe for a baby)
• Picnic in a nearby park

Everyone will have different comfort levels, but do what feels good to you.

Having these “mini adventures” on our calendar brought some much-needed structure to our weeks after having a baby. And obviously we knew we could cancel if it didn’t feel right at that time. 

These little adventures gave us the confidence to slowly make the excursions bigger , so that we weren’t completely overwhelmed when it came time to board our first international flight.

Note: Even if your little one isn’t a newborn anymore, it’s never too late to schedule some “mini adventures” on your calendar. Base the excursions on the skills you want to practice and the type of trips you want to take.

2. Practice “baby skills” on the go

This kind of ties in with the “mini adventures” above, but make sure that you’re practicing some skills on the go:

• changing diapers in new environments
• napping on the go
• feeding (whether nursing or bottle feeding)

Trust me when I say you won’t want the first time you change your baby’s diaper outside of your house to be at the start of a trip. 

Make a point to breastfeed or bottle feed on a walk near your house.

Change a diaper in the coffee shop bathroom instead of waiting until you get home.

It will feel uncomfortable at first. But since you’re close to home, you can always go back and start fresh another day if things don’t go as planned.

Doing this time and time again will make you feel more confident and know what to expect. Plus, it will help your little one get used to environments other than your house.

3. Master the art of napping on the go

Black out curtains, a humidifier, and a bassinet that rocks babe to sleep are great, but we personally knew that we’d be in lots of situations where these wouldn’t be available.

So we were proactive about practicing napping in different situations from the time Juniper was very young . 

At home, we had an ideal sleep environment in her room, but we also practiced napping in the living room, in a travel sleeper, and while wearing her in a carrier so she could be adaptable.

Once we felt comfy with it, we practiced napping around town, and eventually on mini trips.

She quickly mastered sleeping just about anywhere:

• her stroller
• in a baby carrier
• in our arms
• in quiet places
• and noisy ones too

Being able to have her sleep in different environments has been a game-changer for us (especially in the earlier months!). It allowed us to get out of the house and not worry about being home at an exact time.

It also made the prospect of traveling with a baby seem so much more attainable when we were newbie parents.

One item that has been helpful for napping on the go:

• Travel sound machine (if you forget this, there are apps and Spotify channels with white noise)

4. Refine your diaper bag

These “mini adventures” I keep talking about will help you realize what you need in many different situations, and what items never get used. 

Take note of these things and keep repacking your diaper bag until you have it down.

AKA you have all the essentials (and remember to restock the items that get used up, like diapers and wipes!) and none of the bulk .

5. Put the essentials in a fanny pack diaper bag

Your full-sized diaper bag will come in handy for bringing all the necessities on your trip, so don’t leave it at home. But there will be many times where you won’t want to lug a big backpack around all day .

Wandering historic cobblestone streets of European cities or walking beach trails on a humid island or a hike in the mountains will all be so much more enjoyable without your full-sized diaper bag.

Pack the essentials – diapers, wipes, diaper cream, a binky, medications, small snacks, etc. – into a fanny pack. You can also include any of your personal necessities for the day (chapstick, credit cards and cash, keys, etc.)

I have this fanny pack that is actually made for this purpose (there’s a wet wipes pocket), but you could use any medium to large size fanny pack ( like this one ). Usually, I just string it over the handle of our stroller so I don’t have to actually wear it. This way, we’re prepared but aren’t bringing the bulk!

Psst! This diaper bag fanny is much cuter than mine, but it’s 3 times the price.

6. Don’t buy all the things

As soon as you get pregnant, it’ll feel like you are constantly being bombarded with ads for all this “essential baby travel gear”. 

Plus, there are all these bloggers and influencers who share all the gear that they use (myself included).

And holy cow, it’s overwhelming.

There is just so much stuff out there and it can feel like you need it all. 

Spoiler alert: You DON’T.

It’s hard to know what will really make your life easier and what isn’t worth the money or space. 

Here’s the best way to really get a feel for what baby gear you need:

• Take those “mini adventures”! I sound like a broken record at this point, but they are truly a low-risk way to find out what items you really need.
• Find a handful of voices you resonate with and trust (a friend, a family member, a blogger/influencer). See what items they recommend and see if it sounds like something you definitely need.

Psst! One way to save money is to search for items on Facebook Marketplace or your local Buy Nothing group. Many first-time parents end up with duplicate items or are keen to sell baby gear after it’s lightly used (since many things won’t be necessary as they grow older). We got so many baby items and nursery furniture this way (and we’ve sold/given a bunch of things away on these platforms too!).

7. Create routines that can be recreated anywhere

While you’re at home, try to create routines that you can recreate anywhere. 

Maybe there’s a certain book you read to signify bed time. Or a song before naps. Or the routine of brushing hair and teeth.

These routines are simple and don’t require much, so you can give your little one the cues they look for even when you’re far from home.

8. Pick and choose the advice you follow

As a new parent, it can be really scary even thinking about traveling with a baby for the first time. And it’s even scarier when people you know (and trust) tell you how hard it will be, or how that part of your life is over.

First things first: Tune those people out.

Take the advice that resonates with you, and ignore the rest. 

Our personal experience:

I remember when I was pregnant I kept hearing how hard parenting was. The advice came from people who meant well – and who were probably right in many ways – but it made me feel nervous and unequipped. 

In the midst of all the warnings, one of Ben’s cousins talked about how much fun being a parent was. She went on and on about how, “ yes, it’s work, but it is also the best thing ever!”

In that moment, I remember finally feeling excited rather than scared.

So I decided I would focus on the advice that lifted me up rather than the words that brought anxiety.

Now as Juniper is getting older, we get similar well-meaning advice from people who say things like, “Traveling when they’re this age is easy. Just wait until she is walking. Then, your work is cut out for you!”

The “just wait until ” advice doesn’t sit well with me. So now I just ignore it.

Take the advice that makes you feel encouraged, and leave the rest. 

Yes, that applies to this list . 

The tips we’re sharing are things that worked for us . If something doesn’t sit well with you, ignore it and listen to the pieces of advice that feel right.

Everyone’s parenting journey is different. You’re in charge of yours. Nobody else.

9. Work on your mindset

Read the sentence below and internalize it: 

People have kids in every country of the world. 

Unless you’re going to a really remote region or an active war zone, bringing your child on a trip isn’t anything unheard of. Other people have brought their children to the destination you’re dreaming about, so why can’t you?

If traveling with your child is important to you, you can make it happen.

10. Adjust your expectations

Traveling with our baby has been one of the most empowering and rewarding things we’ve ever done. 

But it has also included moments of exhaustion and frustration .

Like many people, we probably don’t share enough of those moments publicly on social media . (Although I’m trying to work on that!)

I truly think that for most people, traveling with a baby will be a wonderful experience as long as you have realistic expectations…

Think about what travel looked like before kids and what it will look like now. Consider what will be the biggest changes. 

This will help ensure your expectations are realistic and set you up for having amazing experiences with less frustration.

These are some of the differences for us:

• Don’t worry too much though, the flight is just a small part of the journey and we have some tips for flying with a baby that will help a ton!
• Traveling with a baby means we usually need to move more slowly , and we are able to do less each day than we would without a baby. 
• Sometimes we need to cancel plans or turn around from a hike early because our daughter just isn’t having a great day. We’ve found we need to be a lot more flexible and be prepared for some plans to just not work out.
• Good news: We’ve got practical tips for choosing accommodation with a baby ! 
• We can’t just pop into a bar for a late-night drink if we feel like it. And there are plenty of cool bucket list activities that just don’t allow children . (Aka no more scuba diving together for a while!) Still working through my FOMO with this, but there are still plenty of epic things we can do, so I’m trying to focus on that.

11. Think about your why

Between logistics and packing, traveling with a baby requires a whole different level of planning. And it can get overwhelming. Especially when you have family or friends who aren’t all that encouraging. 

When you start to get frustrated or overwhelmed, think about why you want to travel with your baby.

Is it to feel like yourself again and pursue a hobby you love?

Is it to create memories as a family? 

Is it to show your child the world and see it through their eyes?

All of the above?

Focusing on the why will make the process – frustrations and all! – much more bearable. 

Here are some examples of why you might want to travel with a baby:

• It fills your cup.
• It shows your child to prioritize things that make them happy.
• It shows them the world is so much bigger than your community.
• It gives them the opportunity to meet and interact with people different from themselves.
• It teaches them flexibility.
• It creates lifelong memories.
• It may introduce them to a forever hobby or skill.
• It teaches them to cherish experiences over things.
• You can grow and bond as a family.
• You can push your comfort levels together.

And here’s one more that I’ll add to the list:

• It’s easier than you think. (Hopefully this article helps make it feel more doable!)

Write your “whys” on post-it notes and stick them around your house. Journal about it. Set your phone screen to be a picture that motivates you.

Do whatever it takes to remind yourself of why you want to make traveling with a baby a priority.

12 Talk about what makes you nervous with your travel partner

Still have some nerves?

That’s totally normal. In fact, I’d be a little worried if you didn’t have anything that you were nervous about.

It can really help to talk out these feelings with your partner. 

Maybe you just need them to listen to you and validate your concerns. Or perhaps walking through the scenarios that you’re most uncomfortable with together and discussing what you’d do in each situation will make you feel more prepared.

Whatever the case, getting your worries out in the open will help ensure you’re both on the same page and there for each other.

13. Don’t stress too much about the flight

The flight is just one (tiny) fraction of your trip. And in many cases, it will not be nearly as bad as you’re making it out to be in your head. 

Think of it this way: Most people on flights have headphones in (watching movies or listening to music) and won’t even notice if your baby is being fussy. 

That realization made me feel a lot better before taking our first flight with a baby! (Hopefully it helps you, too.)

We took 19 flights (legs) with our daughter before she turned one, and we gathered all our top advice and created an entire guide full of tips for flying with a baby that should help ease your nerves and make you feel confident about boarding that plane!

In short: Don’t let your nerves about the flight prevent you from going!

14. Start with a trip that’s within your comfort zone

Just like we recommend starting with “mini adventures” near home so you can build your confidence, make your first trip with a baby one that is within your comfort zone.

Maybe this means you return to a place you’ve already been to.

Or maybe this means you travel to a country where English is the native language (or widely spoken), so you don’t have to worry about language barriers.

Make the actual trip one that doesn’t stress you out or push your boundaries too much. This way, you can focus on getting the hang of this whole t raveling with a baby thang so that you can plan bigger, bolder trips for the future.

15. Pack as light as possible

This is honestly a tough one because I truly think it comes down to finding a balance between packing light and making sure you have all the essentials (many of which are really freaking bulky).

We’ve got lots of advice on the best gear for traveling with a baby , but in general, less is more.  Make sure the items you’re bringing are going to be used and won’t just be dead weight.

And truly, bring as few toys as possible. You will thank me when you’re traveling around with ease because you ditched half the toys you thought you needed.

Psst! Want to know what baby gear we personally recommend? We’ve gotcha covered with our favorite baby travel gear.

16. Remember: you can get diapers everywhere in the world

Personally, I don’t stress too much about diapers because you can buy them everywhere in the world. 

Bring plenty of diapers for the plane and to get you through the first several days of your trip. But if you’re going to be gone for a couple weeks (or more!), don’t stress too much about packing the perfect amount. 

Just about every grocery store or convenience store should have diapers and wipes available.

If you’re having trouble finding them in your destination, ask the hotel staff to point you in the right direction.

17. Choose your accommodation wisely

Something I’ve learned is that the type of accommodation we book with a kid is much more specific than when it was just the two of us .

There are a lot of other factors to consider, and what might have been a perfectly good hotel for you will be a disaster with a babe.

Lemme tell ya, we’ve learned the hard way what doesn’t work well anymore now that we travel with a baby.

There have been a few very uncomfortable stays and even an Airbnb that we left (already paid for) because it just didn’t work with a baby.

Psst! Read our tips for choosing a hotel with baby so you don’t make the same mistakes!

18. Book places with pack ‘n plays when possible

If it’s an option, try to book hotels and Airbnbs that have a travel crib for your baby. 

Many hotels and many Airbnbs offer this, so keeping it in mind when you’re making your reservations is key. This means you won’t have to travel with your own, which is a huge space saver.

Their booking details will usually disclose if they have a crib available. If you don’t see anything about a crib, it doesn’t hurt to ask. We once asked an Airbnb host if she had a crib available, and she decided to buy one so that she could offer it to future guests.

If you’re not finding any good accommodations with cribs available don’t stress too much. It’s definitely possible to bring your own.

The Guava Lotus pack ‘n play is undoubtedly the best travel one on the market. Trust me, I spent a lot of time comparing, and it’s the smallest, most durable, and made without toxic materials. So if you’re looking at buying one for travel, the Guava Lotus is what you want. (This is the one we personally have.)

Even though it is compact, it is still bulky and another item to lug around. So if you can get away with not having to pack it, that’s a big win.

Our personal experience

During our 3-week European Christmas Market Trip, we stayed at 8 different hotels/Airbnbs, and all but one had a crib available, so we decided not to bring our own. We are comfortable with co-sleeping, so we did this on the nights that we did not have a crib available. 

However, there are some destinations where finding accommodation with cribs is much more difficult. For example, we’re currently planning a trip where we’re mostly staying at Airbnbs and none offer pack ‘n play, so we will be bringing our own.

19. You can rent things on vacation… (but you might not want to)

Lately I’ve seen a lot of articles and social media posts about renting baby items on vacation through platforms like BabyQuip .

In theory, it’s a great idea, and can be really useful in some situations . There’s a lot to be said for not having to lug around bulky gear, after all. 

Examples of items you can rent: 

• high chair if you plan on eating lots of meals at the accommodation
• bassinet or pack-and-play when your hotel does not offer this option
• car seat when it is significantly cheaper than going with one through the rental car company
• hiking baby carrier (if you have a big hike planned for on your trip)
• beach toys if you are doing an ocean vacation but don’t have or want to pack the gear
• so much more!

But here’s my word of caution…

These rentals can add up quickly , and before you know it, you might be spending hundreds of dollars. (Especially if you’re on a longer trip.)

The prices vary depending on what products you’re looking for and where you’ll be traveling, so calculate the total cost to help you determine whether this would be worthwhile service for you or not.

20. Invest in a compact stroller

One of our most-loved travel items is our compact stroller. It is one of the things we’d strongly suggest buying specifically for travel.

On our first international trip with Juniper, we lugged our normal stroller. This stroller was a hand-me-down from a friend and we love it for at home. But we quickly learned that it was an absolute beast to transport.

It was very heavy and still took up quite a bit of space even when it was collapsed.

After that trip, we bought a stroller that was made for travel . It folds up small to be able to easily fit in the overhead compartment on planes, making it a breeze for travel. 

We personally love our Colugo stroller (and have brought it all over the US and the world!) and would highly recommend it as a durable and affordable travel stroller.

21. …and a solid baby carrier

Having a solid travel stroller is great, but there are places and activities where a carrier is far superior.

Here are just a couple of things to consider:

Stroller is better when:

• it’s hot out and you don’t want to baby wear
• the sidewalks are well-maintained and the streets are flat

Carrier is better when:

• you’re in a crowded place
• the sidewalks are not well-maintained (or the streets are cobblestone)
• you’ll be getting in and out of public transportation

We’ve had a lot of baby carriers, and we both agree that the Ergobaby Omni 360 is the best all-around baby carrier. It’s pricy, but lasts for a long time and is good in a variety of situations. Plus, it works for both of us to carry her, even though we have very different bodies!

22. Consider traveling in a campervan

We’re biased and this certainly won’t be for everyone, but we’ve found campervan travel to be wonderful with a baby , especially when Juniper was really young.

We had everything we needed with us at all times, and we could pull over at any minute to cook a meal, change a diaper in the comfort of our own van, or just hang out in our own private space.

In Juniper’s first year we:

• spent 4 months living and traveling in our own campervan that we built from scratch
• we rented a campervan in Scotland for a 2-week road trip (spoiler alert: it was amazing!)
• plus, we rented a campervan in Ireland for 1 week too!

If you’re renting, you’ll really want to look at the space to figure out if it will work for your family. Most campervan rental companies will be happy to help you choose. We also have a whole list of USA Campervan Rental Companies you can choose from that we personally recommend.

Traveling in a campervan with a little one certainly requires a different mindset, and I wouldn’t recommend it as your first trip with a baby if you’ve never experienced vanlife before . But I think camping can be very special with a little one and a unique way to see a destination.

And don’t leave home without our VanLife Baby Gear Checklist . These are the things we always pack in our van that make our lives so much easier and keep our baby happy.

23. Get a baby passport ASAP

If you plan on traveling internationally with your little one in their first year, we’d recommend getting the process rolling shortly after they are born so you are sure it’ll arrive in time. We applied for Juniper’s passport when she was just 3 weeks old, so it really isn’t ever too early.

This is actually very easy to obtain and we have a whole guide to getting a baby passport . 

Good to know: If you have Global Entry and want to continue using it, you will also need to apply for this for your baby. We learned the hard way when we were turned away at Global Entry. “Interview” time slots fill up very quickly, so schedule this as soon as you get the passport.

24. Get travel insurance 

Hopefully I don’t have to explain why here, but we get travel insurance for every trip we take.

Now that we have a baby, it feels even more important to be properly covered.

Need advice on how to go about getting the best policy for your situation? We’ve gotcha covered in this guide to choosing travel insurance .

25. Get an eSIM on international trips

If you are traveling internationally, it’s super helpful to be able to connect to cell service immediately upon landing.

This can be essential if you need to contact your transport or hotel. 

We love eSIMs because you don’t have to search for a physical SIM card (a hassle) and you don’t have to pay crazy international coverage fees from your home phone service.

Our favorite eSIM is Airalo .

Psst! We have an entire guide to how to get an eSIM here . 

26. Renting a car is usually a great idea

We love using public transportation on our travels, but having a rental car is a lot more convenient when you’re traveling with a baby.

You won’t need to carry around your car seat or luggage, and you can go at your own pace, making stops as frequently as you need. Plus, you won’t have to run so you don’t miss that train! (We’ve all been there.)

When in doubt, make it a road trip. And be sure to check out our tried and true 5-step plan for making your road trip a success !

Want some road trip ideas?

Here are our favorite road trips in the world:

• Iceland Road Trip
• Scotland Road Trip
• New Zealand Road Trip
• Australia Road Trip
• Yucatan Peninsula Road Trip
• Costa Rica Road Trip
• Banff to Jasper Road Trip
• European Christmas Market Road Trip
• Oregon Road Trip
• Oregon Coast Road Trip
• Utah Road Trip
• Idaho Road Trip
• Washington Road Trip
• Colorado Road Trip
• New England (fall foliage!) Road Trip

27. Include family in your trips

Again, this is a tip that may not apply to everyone, but you may want to consider including family in your travel planning.

This could be an opportunity for them to create special memories with your little one, and who knows – maybe they’ll give you the gift of a “date night” while they watch baby !

You could either plan a trip together (hint: book a big Airbnb for the most comfortable stay!), or plan a trip to visit friends or family who live somewhere you’d like to explore.

We’ve been lucky enough to take trips with both Ben’s family and mine, and we’re excited to plan more extended family vacations in the future.

28. Move around less

If you’re used to moving around from place to place rather quickly on your trips, you may want to slow it down a bit (or a lot!) when you add a baby into the mix. 

You’ll be able to cover much less in one day, and you’ll need to consider what you’ll do during nap times and when babe needs to go to sleep at night.

You certainly don’t need to stay in one place the entire time (though that’s not a bad idea); but trust me when I say you don’t want to move to a new place every single night .

Our rule of thumb is we aim to stay in places at least 2 nights on trips, but 3-4 nights per place is ideal , in our opinion. 

(An exception to this is when we’re staying at an airport hotel the night before a flight, we only book one night.)

Psst! Read our tips for how to choose the best accommodation for traveling with a baby !

29. Get to major attractions early

Take advantage of your little one’s early wake up call (sleeping in on vacation is something I dearly miss!) and when possible, get to those popular sights before the crowds get there .

Not only will you have a better experience without all the people around, but there will be less commotion and sensory overload for babe. Plus, without all sorts of people around you may feel less self-conscious if your kiddo starts to get fussy.

30. Plan on early dinners (sometimes)

Not gonna lie, I’m a huge fan of late dinners. I like the buzzy atmosphere and I don’t usually get hungry until later in the evening.

But alas, there are many cases where it makes a lot of sense to do an earlier dinner when you’re traveling with a baby.

Popular restaurants tend to be a lot more family-friendly before the dinner rush really begins. That might mean making a 5:00 p.m. or 5:30 p.m. reservation . If you’re like me, you might be rolling your eyes, but getting there earlier means you won’t have to worry about disturbing the late-night dinner crowd with a baby that is overwhelmed by all the sights and sounds.

We don’t always stick to early dinners, but when we know a place is popular or on the fancier side (or if it’s a weekend night), we do like to go before the real dinner rush (aka sensory overload!) begins .

31. Take advantage of room service (or takeout & delivery!)

Pre-baby, this was never something I’d do, but having dinner in your hotel or Airbnb can be really convenient (especially after a long day of exploring!).

We’ve gotten takeout/delivery a handful of times on trips and either have dinner as a family, or eat once our daughter has gone to sleep. It’s can be such a treat.

Money-saving tip: If you book accommodation with a kitchen, plan on cooking at least a couple of nights during your trip.

32. Cook some of your baby’s favorite meals

When possible, I like booking accommodation with a kitchen or kitchenette so I have more control over what our daughter is eating.

We love having her try new foods on our travels, and overall she is a pretty great eater. But we’re not always able to get to a restaurant when she starts getting hungry. It’s nice to be able to whip up some easy and wholesome meals we know she likes at our Airbnb so we can carry them with us throughout the day.

Below are a few meals and snacks that have worked well for us. I specifically chose dishes that use few ingredients that are easy to find in most places around the world, as well as dishes that don’t require complex cooking equipment.

If your baby is eating solids, use these ideas or create your own list of their favorite foods that you can easily replicate on your travels. Use this list to determine what items you’ll need to pack from home.

Insider Tip: Bring reusable baggies ( like these or these ) to store food to easy eating on the go. You could even bring a small cooler so you can carry it with you during a day on the road.

Banana & egg pancakes 

Mash one ripe banana then add one egg. Mix until combined into a batter. Pour this in a skillet with oil (I prefer coconut oil), and cook on both sides, like a pancake.

I like to add a little nut butter and a sprinkle of cinnamon if I have access.

Insider Tip: Pack nut butter packets like these to be able to easily add it to different meals.

Smashed avocado

Super simple! You can add tomatoes too if you want. Serve as is or with rice crackers.

Oatmeal 

I prefer to bring my own premade mix from home in a large silicone baggie . Then I can cook small amounts at a time on the road. All you need is hot water.

You can make it however you’d like, but this is a combo I like:

Quick-cooking oats + hemp + flax + powdered coconut milk + chia + cinnamon + freeze dried berries.

Once it’s prepared, you can add nut butter as well as fresh berries if you’d like.

Chia pudding

This is a nutritious meal that is good to make if you’ll be staying in one spot for a while.

A simple Google search will show you plenty of recipes, but I like chia + milk (almond, coconut, or oat are my preferred milks) + a little maple syrup. I usually add a bit of cinnamon if I have it.

I sometimes pack chia seeds from home if I think they’ll be hard to find.

Scrambled eggs 

This is another go-to as eggs are easy to find just about everywhere. 

Bulk it up by adding other veggies, a sweet potato or avocado.

Rice + beans + corn

This is another easy one using ingredients you can easily find in most places. I’d recommend this one if you’re staying in a place for a longer period of time, as you’ll definitely have a few days worth of leftovers.

Alternatively, order rice and beans as a side at a Mexican restaurant and keep it in a takeaway container to store.

Pasta, peas, & pesto

Whole grain noodles combined with frozen peas and pesto is a quick and easy meal and it saves well for leftovers. You can add cherry tomatoes too!

Roasted veggies

If your accommodation has an oven, simply bake some veggies. Sweet potato is a favorite of ours!

Insider Tip: When you’re in a pinch, look in the prepared food section of the grocery store. We’ve found premade guacamole, what bulgar and veggie salad, fruit medleys, and lots more that has worked for us no matter where in the world we are. Check the frozen aisle too. We’ve found frozen falafel (or veggie burgers) and frozen veggies with hummus is an easy meal.

33. Find out where you stand on sleep schedules

One of the most common questions people ask us is, “How do you stick to a sleep schedule while traveling with a baby.”

Our completely honest answer is: We don’t.

This may be somewhat controversial, but we realized early on that we didn’t want to be super rigid about bedtime while traveling. And we didn’t want to always need to go back to our accommodation for naptime.

This is something that has been gradually changing and adapting a bit as our daughter gets older and her needs change. But during her first year, we had a somewhat flexible bedtime and we did a lot of napping on the go. 

This doesn’t mean we were hitting the town until the wee hours, but we often gave ourselves a 1-2 hour window for getting back to the hotel and getting ready for bed. We got to know her cues pretty well and used them to inform our decisions. 

We also had worked on napping on the go so much that if she fell asleep while we were at dinner, we didn’t stress out. We’d enjoy our meal, head back to the hotel and transfer her into her sleeping space.

Important Note: Sleep schedules are one of the more personal topics when it comes to parenting. And we’re not saying our way is right for you. We’re simply sharing what has worked for us so you have somewhere to start.

34. Do your own research about co-sleeping

Personally, once we felt our daughter was old enough, we practiced co-sleeping every once in a while so that we could use it as a tool if needed. This has come in handy several times on trips.

Ideally, Juniper has her own sleeping space in a hotel. However, in the case that she is having a rough night, isn’t feeling well, or we’re staying in a tiny room, we can co-sleep comfortably and with peace of mind.

We’ve also used this as a tool in our campervan on occasion. She has her own crib in our van, but if she wakes up in the middle of the night, we feel comfortable bringing her into bed with us so she is comforted.

Important note: Co-sleeping is another controversial topic. Do your own research and see how you feel so you can make an informed decision for your family.

35. Help your babe adjust to different time zones

If you’ll be crossing time zones, here are 5 tips for helping your little one adjust easier:

Start shifting time zones at home

Before you leave for your trip, start to shift bedtime 1-2 hours to get closer to your destination’s time zone.

Start slow. A few weeks before the trip, make their bedtime 15 minutes later. Then 30. And so forth until you’ve shifted as much as you’d like.

This can help cut the adjustment time down once you get to your destination. 

Good to know: If you’re going to be changing time zones more than 2 hours, you likely won’t be able to fully adjust at home. But every little bit will help!

Maybe you don’t need to adjust at all

If it’s just 1-3 hours different from your home time zone, you may not even need to adjust at all. 

Let’s say you are traveling from Seattle to NYC. This means you will be 3 hours later than at home. 

Perhaps instead of a 7 p.m. bedtime, you allow your little one to stay on their normal schedule and go to bed at 10 p.m. (which will allow you to have extra time to explore the city in the evening). This will also mean later wake-ups which is always nice on vacation.

If this is just a short trip, this can work really well and will also cut down on the adjustment when you go back home.

While you’ll want to aim for the same amount of sleep they typically get at home, there’s no rule that says you have to abide by their normal bedtime hour.

Use daylight to your advantage

When trying to adjust to a new time zone, use outdoor activity and daylight to your advantage.

Your baby will realize this is daytime, and their body will start to adjust accordingly.

Expect jet lag to last one day per hour time change

There’s kind of a general rule that you should anticipate it takes 1 day per hour that you change time zones. 

So that means if you are going to be changing time zones by 5 hours, it will take roughly 5 days for you to feel “normal” and get over jet lag.

This rule is for both adults and babies, so use it as a gauge for your own travels.

Don’t plan anything big on the first day

If you will be shifting several time zones, we’d recommend keeping your first day (or two) relatively free. 

This will alleviate any pressure and will allow you and your little one to rest up after a long travel day.

Insider Tip: We like these homeopathic “No Jet Lag” pills when we’re traveling through many time zones. These are for parents (not babies), but being adjusted yourself definitely helps deal with helping your little one shift as well!

36. Book a family photo shoot

This is a fun one I wanted to throw in there just because!

Instead of booking a photoshoot at home (like many people do), connect with a local photographer on a trip for a photo session. 

On our European Christmas Market Trip, we booked this photo walk last minute, and were so happy we did. With a baby, it has become more difficult to get good pictures of ourselves. (If you know, you know!)

The pictures turned out amazing, and it was such a special souvenir from our trip. You will never regret having photos taken , after all!

We’re definitely going to continue this tradition in our future travels.

Want to do it yourself? Look on Airbnb Experiences . This is where we’ve found a lot of local photographers around the world. Some cities have more options than others, but it is becoming more and more common. Alternatively, you can try to find local photographers in the city you’re visiting on Instagram . Reach out to them in a DM or via their website to book a session during your trip.

37. Plan on some personal time

This might not be advice you take on your first trip with a baby or even on your fifth. But eventually, it might be something you and your partner want to consider.

What would it look like for each of you to be able to do one experience on your own while the other spent quality one-on-one time with your child ?

Maybe this would be something you used to do on trips in your pre-baby days, like going scuba diving or another adrenaline-fueled adventure. Or perhaps it would be a massage appointment to unwind.

I once did a hot air balloon flight next to Mount Rainier (babies aren’t allowed) while Ben and Juniper hung out in the campervan.

This might not appeal to everyone, but if you find yourself missing your old travel days, this might be just the thing you need!

38. You don’t need to limit yourself to only baby-centered activities

If you’re not keen on the typical baby-friendly trips or activities, like kiddie pools or zoos or chain restaurants, I’d like to pop in for a minute to remind you that travel with a baby can look however you’d like .

There’s no rule that says all your trips from here on out have to be at Disney or on kiddie-friendly cruises if that’s not your style. I know we didn’t like the idea of being relegated to only taking trips that were focused on babies from here on out.

We’ve found that while there are certainly some activities you just can’t do with a baby on vacation (scuba diving being the biggest thing we miss!), there’s a lot that you can do, even if it’s not marketed toward families.

Sometimes this means you’ll need to do more planning in advance, but in our experience it has been worth it to be able to continue traveling the way that feels best to us.

We usually research activities in our destination to determine which ones we personally really want to do. Then, unless it explicitly says children are not allowed, we think about what we’d need to do to make it work for us.

Here are some examples of what I mean:

• Some cocktail bars only allow minors until a certain time, so we will plan to go earlier .
• We pack lots of snacks and a good napping-on-the-go set up for walking tours or food tours (we’ve been on a bunch with her!).
• Sometimes we might have to take turns at an activity , like snorkeling or snowboarding, while the other watches Juniper.
• We might alter a hiking route to make it more doable with a little one.
• Often, we’ll go somewhere with the mindset that we’ll leave if Juniper isn’t doing well . More often than not, she surprises us with doing great.
• We still take public transport, but we’ll give ourselves plenty of time to get from Point A to Point B.

It kind of becomes a puzzle of: how can we still do this activity?

Don’t get me wrong – there are times we turn things down because it’s not worth it to us to make it work. But for the most part, we’ve still been able to do most of the things we really want to experience.

And we’ve been able to take some pretty epic trips that are focused on our interests (even though we have a baby):

• road trip around Scotland
• backcountry camping at Cracker Lake in Glacier National Park
• lived in our self-built campervan for 4 months
• Christmas Market hopping in Europe

As our daughter gets older and has her own interests, the way we plan trips will likely change, but up until this point, this is what has been working for us.

Overall, I’m honestly surprised by how much our trips now are similar to the things we’d be doing before having a baby.

39. Get ready for some really special interactions

Something I wasn’t prepared for before having a child is the sweet interactions it would bring to our travels.

We’ve had so many different types of encounters – from servers at restaurants falling in love with Juniper (see pictures below) to people offering to help out when she’s crabby (this has happened multiple times!).

The last photo in the set above was taken at a Venezuelan bakery in Mexico where I was eating by myself with Juniper while Ben had dental surgery. She was just the slightest bit fussy, and the two sweet women behind the counter insisted that they would cheer her up while I eat my food.

Juniper is quite the conversation starter (she loves waving at strangers!), and has brought a whole new level of sweetness to our travels.

I’m so excited to watch Juniper grow up and experience kindness from different people all over the world.

*Excuse me while I go wipe my tears.*

40. Go ahead and book those damn flights! 

Here’s my last piece of advice (for now!):

Just book it!

Don’t let the voices in your head (or your well-meaning neighbor!) scare you away. 

If traveling with a baby is something that’s important to you, I know you can do it. And I’ll be your cheerleader rooting you on!

The first big trip with a baby can be daunting, but I have a feeling you’ll realize it’s not as scary as you’re building it up in your head to be. 

And you’ll feel like such a badass for turning your dream into reality. 

You might even find yourself daydreaming about your next big family vacation, which will feel a lot more doable since you’ve already got one trip under your belt.

Personal note from Katie

I truly hope this article has been helpful to you and leaves you feeling encouraged about traveling with a baby and motivates you to start planning that dream trip. I also hope you’re able to take away some helpful nuggets that you can put into practice! 

I do just want to say that if you want more content on traveling with a baby, please let us know. 

I have been avoiding writing this article for a number of reasons (which I’ll go into below), but it was readers like you who encouraged me to ignore these thoughts and just write it anyway.

So why did I avoid writing this article?

Lemme spill the tea… 

1. Giving parenting advice always attracts negative comments. 

Anytime I share things we do as parents, there’s always someone to point out why they would do something differently. Or why traveling with kids in general is just selfish.

I’m only human, and negative messages and comments are not fun to deal with. So avoiding the whole “traveling with kids tips” felt like an easy way to avoid the negativity. 

2. Traveling with a baby is very different for every single person. 

Everyone parents differently and there’s no way I could create an article that would resonate with everyone. 

This was kind of keeping me frozen in place, asking myself, “How do I give all parents advice about traveling with kids?”

And then I realized I didn’t need to. I just needed to share what has worked for us. I hope you’ve read this article with that lens. 

Some of these suggestions may not work for you or your child. You know your situation best, so pick and choose the ideas and advice that feels good for you.

3. This isn’t a family travel blog.

We decided very early on that we didn’t want Two Wandering Soles to become only about traveling with kids as soon as we had a baby.

At its core, TWS will always be about responsible and adventurous travel . And we aim to share the best things to do in locations around the world, regardless of whether or not they’re family-friendly. 

That said, we’ve realized that we can create family travel content without that being the only thing we write about.

4. Honestly, I don’t feel like an expert at parenting.

We traveled to more than 50 countries before getting pregnant. 

We lived out of a backpack for years on end, and called many different countries “home” for an extended period of time.

We have years and years of experience, and very much consider ourselves experts in all things travel-related.

But the whole parenting thing is new to us. We have one daughter. And at the time of writing this article, she is just over a year old.

So there’s a part of me who kept delaying sharing our “baby travel tips” until I felt like more of an “expert” as a parent. 

But I’ve come to realize that parenting is something that we’re likely never going to feel like experts at . It is a continuous learning process, and as soon as we feel like we’re getting the hang of it, things change. 

I finally became okay with the idea of creating content about traveling with kids without feeling like an expert. Because with the exception of people whose profession is related to parenting, we’re all just doing what we feel is best for our children.

And that might be as “expert level” as you can get.

Want more advice for traveling with a baby?

• Our top tips for staying at a hotel or Airbnb with a baby
• Feel confident on your flight with these tips for flying with a baby !

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Pin this article so you can easily come back to it…

We want to hear from you!

We hope these tips for traveling with a baby are helpful!

What advice would you add? Any travel hacks that have helped you? What questions or concerns do you still have?

Note: Please be respectful with your comments. Remember, we are sharing tips that have personally worked for us .

Comments (10) on “ 40 Practical & Encouraging Tips for Traveling with a Baby ”

Thank you for sharing your wisdom and experiences in such an engaging and relatable way. You’ve truly inspired me to create unforgettable memories with my baby. Keep the amazing content coming! Greetings!

Insightful travel tips with baby! I loved how you addressed the importance of booster car seats and how they ensure safety while on the road. Your practical advice on traveling with little ones is invaluable, especially for parents like us. As we plan our family adventures, we’ll be sure to consider the booster seat recommendations you shared. Thanks for helping us make our trips safer and more enjoyable for our baby!

Traveling with a baby can be a challenge, but having a reliable travel cot is a game-changer. It provides comfort and security for your little one, ensuring they have a familiar place to sleep and play. Investing in a lightweight and safe travel cot is a must for any parent on the go. Thanks for highlighting its importance in your informative article! -Baby Train-

I feel like I could tear up after reading this – what an invaluable resource! Thank you!

I have been following you both for quite a while & have been trying to implement the tips you’ve shared over the last few months. My baby is 4.5 months old & she is so chill. Maybe it’s her personality, but I also think it’s the way we’ve done things..which has a lot to do with the tips you’ve shared! She can sleep wherever. I’ve practiced changing her & feeding her in different places & she’s been to our local museums & coffee shops more times than I can count. Though I still get nervous about things (like her getting fussy in public, etc), she really makes it pretty dang easy. We’re hoping to spend a couple of months in Europe this summer, so I’ll probably be re-reading it & studying it so I can prepare us as best as possible.

Thank you again. <3

My children are older and I am still terrified of travel, I am so inspired by seeing you travel with Juniper! I am going to start being more brave!

So happy to hear this resonates. I totally get being scared – I am too hehe! Starting with small adventures near home has been so good at building our confidence and hopefully it helps you too. Wishing your family lots of memories and adventures in the years ahead!

As always, you nailed it with your advice and tips…and your honesty. I love what my father-in-law says that parenting is flying by the seat of your pants. So true! And I am a big believer that when you become a parent, you go with your gut because no one knows your kid like you do!

Juniper will grow up with a worldly perspective…what a gift you and Ben are giving her. Travel makes me joyful, too. I like what you wrote about being a better mom when you are happy…so true!

Last year my 21-yr-old daughter was so inspired by my travel blogging that she asked to take some trips with me. So we did and it was special! There is nothing better in this world than when your adult kids want to spend time with you…and in the form of travel!

What a wonderful foundation of love, adventure and joy you are building for your sweet girl.

I know this article will help a lot of traveling parents…and any negative comments you get…tune those right out! YOU are doing it right! Happy travels with your cutie pie baby girl!

Thank you so much for your kind words, Rachel. It means a lot! I bet seeing your kids grow into adults is unlike anything you can describe. And how cool that you get to share a passion with her! Thank you again!

This is amazing and such timely advice! My husband and I are due to have our first baby in May and we have been going back-and-forth about what kind of travel we want to do when he comes. This article has given me so much more confidence about the things that we can do with him and has really helped me see what is possible with a baby. Thank you so much for this! Keep the baby content coming! Your style of travel is so similar to ours and I love to see what you have done with Juniper so far!

Thank you so much, Stef, for the kind words. Truly just brought a smile to my face. So happy to know it resonates with you. And CONGRATULATIONS on this new and beautiful chapter. Wishing your family all the best!

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Help Me, Heidi! How Do I Tell My Mother-in-Law She Can't Be the First to Come Visit Our New Baby?

Latest update:, “i’m currently fighting with my mother-in-law about when the best time to visit our new baby will be — and did i mention baby j hasn’t even made his appearance yet she finally admitted she was upset about not being invited to his birth, but i don't feel like being a host to my mother, grandmother, and mil after having a baby, and nobody wants to get a hotel room. any suggestion for this first-time mama before i cave and let everyone just do what they want” ~ mikala h, get to know your newborn baby.

Help Me, Heidi!   is a weekly advice column in which  What to Expect  creator Heidi Murkoff answers your most pressing pregnancy and parenting questions. She’s tackling the stuff you are desperate to know right now — so if you have a question,  ask Heidi here  or on  Facebook  and she might answer in an upcoming column. (Not sure if Heidi's answered one of your questions? Check out the rest of the columns here .)

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Traveling With a Baby Changes the Way You Vacation—And That’s Okay

By Stephanie Wu

Fear. Apprehension. Uncertainty. These were some of the feelings surging through me on my first post-vaccination trip . Not because I hadn’t taken a true vacation in nearly a year, but because it was my first time traveling since giving birth to my son. I knew from the get-go that having a baby would change everything I knew and loved about traveling— spontaneous flights , packing lightly, days that could change on a whim.

In the haze of new motherhood, I thought of our first trip as a family of three as a bandage to be ripped off. So I came up with some parameters: We wanted a family-friendly destination within a short drive of New York City , where we live. We also wanted to stay at a full-service resort where we would be taken care of—not just a comfortable bed, great food, and some pampering, but also a place where the staff would be well-attuned to the needs of families and babies. We settled on the Mayflower Inn & Spa in Connecticut, a storied 100-year-young resort that had recently been taken over by Auberge Resorts.

I learned a lot on this first trip. Not just about the flexibility required when traveling with a baby, but also the necessity of leaving your comfort zone in order to expand it—especially in order to introduce my child to the things I love most. And the things that I was worried most about, from potentially outlandish requests to those that might be completely welcoming of tiny crying humans, washed away as soon as we were actually interacting with others. Here are a few other tips I picked up along the way.

Overpacking can provide a sense of relief

In our child-free days, my husband and I prided ourselves on being able to fit two weeks worth of clothing into a carry-on. No more: For a three-day trip, we still had my trusty carry-on, but also a stroller , car seat , backpack, tote bag, diaper bag, breastfeeding pillow, pump, and cooler bag. (And there were still things that during the trip I realized I should have brought with me.) The hotel staff didn’t blink an eye when we showed up looking like we were moving in, and the bags were brought up to our room before we had even finished checking in. This was one of the things I was most worried about, but starting with a road trip made all the difference because we didn't have to deal with any baggage limitations. By the time we took our first flight , we were much more aware of what we truly needed—and what we could do without.

Let the experts do what they’re best at

I’d forgotten how much I missed the little details of staying at a hotel: smiling faces at the check-in desk, a freshly made king-sized bed, turndown chocolates. As soon as we stepped through the front doors of the Mayflower, the tension slid out of my muscles with the first sip of the welcome drink. The front desk team wasn't fazed by a single one of our requests; ones I admittedly would have found somewhat outlandish pre-parenthood—from asking for the password to the protected Wi-Fi network for our baby monitor to shifting our dinner reservation back by two hours so we wouldn't have to wake a napping baby. And the service was absolutely impeccable, from the tiny details like a set of baby bath products left in our room to a guest services team that let us know that the indoor spa pool had child-friendly hours in case it was an overcast day. These were small things, but it made a world of difference to know we had a team looking after us. And it was a good reminder that people—especially anyone who has every dealt with a baby before—are more likely to be understanding and friendly than not.

© Monique Aimee

It's okay to break away from routine once in a while

There’s never a great time to test out if your baby can sleep in an unfamiliar space. In the days leading up to our trip, I attempted to mentally prepare myself for the fact that we might be thrown off our schedule, or that we might have a few sleepless nights in exchange for venturing outside of the four walls we had stayed within for many, many months. There’s no point in telling a new parent not to worry, but we were surprised at how smoothly things went. The Mayflower had provided a Pack ‘n’ Play in our room, for example, and our son slept like a champion in it.

On the drive itself, our son got used to the car seat eventually, managing to take a nap in it as we wound our way into Connecticut. As for us? We got used to changing a diaper in the back seat of a car—something we've done many, many more times since then.

Traveling is a chance to try something new

The hospitality at the Mayflower gave us permission to relax. I made time for a massage at the new spa, which was incredibly blissful, in part because I knew that there were plenty of ways for my husband to keep the baby entertained. Being in great hands also gave us the confidence to try new things. We took our baby for his first dip in the pool, surrounded by comfortable loungers, a kid-friendly shallow end, and nearby bathrooms for diaper emergencies. I was nervous that other guests wouldn’t want to share the pool with a baby, but there were plenty of families with little ones there—and everyone was happy to see our son get his sea legs.

Whether we were at the pool or at the restaurant, it was an unexpected joy to be surrounded by others—big families spending time together, couples with their pups. There were so many other young parents with babies that we relaxed throughout dinner in a way I haven't been able to at home, even when our son cried out or needed attention. Seeing other families showed us a road map for the future: that after the first trip, there would be a second, and a third, and eventually, traveling with a little human might start to feel somewhat normal.

Jessica Puckett

Hannah Towey

Karthika Gupta

As dinner turned into dessert—s’mores by the bonfire can be a messy, smoky, daunting event even without a sleeping baby—I exhaled deeply and attempted to pinpoint this unfamiliar feeling. It was one of relaxation, yes, but it was also a sense of comfort. Things would be okay, our son would grow used to unfamiliar situations and learn to love traveling the way we do.

It was also the feeling of slowly gaining back a sense of my identity, one that had been tossed aside amid the anxiety of the pandemic and impending parenthood. That of a carefree traveler, one who moves without the fear, apprehension, and uncertainty that have been so prevalent for 18 months. This reminder of who we once were, and who we might be once again, is hard to come by in the best of circumstances, but requires the type of reset that only travel can provide. Our first trip as a family of three was always going to be a memorable one. But the Mayflower did more than give us unforgettable memories—it reminded us of our love of travel, and that plenty more adventures await as the world opens up and we introduce our son to all it has to offer. And if that means traveling with twice as much luggage, well, there will always be friendly faces who are happy to help.

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9 Tips for Dealing with Visitors After Baby is Born

by Heather | Jan 12, 2019 | Postpartum | 10 comments

Worried about being bombarded by visitors at the hospital after giving birth?

This is one of the biggest worries that many soon-to-be parents do not even consider until they are about to give birth, but the truth is that it’s one of the most important parts of bringing a new baby into the world.

So of course when there is a new bundle of joy born, every family member is going to want to meet that little someone for the first time and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. However, there are some situations where too many visitors may want to stick around for the entire hospital stay and that can make recovery very difficult.

(THIS POST MAY CONTAIN AFFILIATE LINKS HOWEVER, I WILL NEVER RECOMMEND ANYTHING THAT I DO NOT BELIEVE IN OR USE MYSELF. YOU CAN READ MORE ABOUT MY DISCLOSURE POLICY HERE )

This happened to me when my first child was born.

I was expecting to have an all-natural birth and it was going to be perfect, or so I thought. I wanted to have just my husband in the room with me as I gave birth to our daughter and then was planning to let everyone come in to meet her afterward.

Well, that plan fell through and made a huge dent along the way.

I ended up going past my due date and being induced to try to get my labor started. The entire day that I was being induced, my family and my inlaws came in and basically set up camp in my hospital room.

Of course, I was a bit out of it and very tired but I remember being annoyed most of all since everyone was talking while I was trying to relax and deal with intense contractions.

Unfortunately, I never really dilated all of that time and the doctor decided to get our daughter out via c-section. Now, this hospital stay was my first ever. I had never had an IV, any type of surgery, or even stitches before this. So needless to say I was incredibly terrified of being cut open for the first time.

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Once our beautiful baby girl was born I got to see her in my husband’s arms. The nurse then took her back to our room while I was being stitched up and my husband went along with her.

(Don’t worry! He didn’t just leave me. I asked him to go with her to make sure she was okay).

After finally getting back to my room, I was able to see my newborn baby and hold her for the first time. It was so amazing. But I remember also still feeling very emotional and wanting to have someone that I trusted to come in and comfort me.

My grandmother has always been like a mother figure to me so of course, I asked my husband to go and get her for me since everyone was still outside of the room.

What I didn’t realize was that my in-laws were trying to come into the hospital room when I just wanted my husband and my grandmother in there since I was starting to breastfeed for the first time and was still a little emotional from everything that had just happened.

My side of the family was trying to keep them out of the room and this entire thing blew up into a total confrontation between our families.

I honestly had no idea about the whole thing until the next day. But it was because of this and the fact I had so many surprise visitors at all times throughout the day that I didn’t get hardly any sleep or time to really bond with my new baby.

So For Our Second Birth, We Laid Out Some Boundaries

Since we knew we were having a repeat c-section for our second child’s birth, we asked for everyone to wait until we had a few days in the hospital to allow us to have time to bond with our baby and so I could get some much-needed rest before going home with a newborn baby and having a toddler.

1. Make a Plan

The second time around we told everyone on both sides of our family not to come up to the hospital until we had some time to bond with our baby. By making a plan and letting everyone know ahead of time, you can ensure that your birth will be just what you need.

Of course, many parents want everyone there when they give birth to meet the new family member.

Either way, having a plan makes a difference.

2. Have One Person as Your Voice

I was an emotional wreck during my first birth is an understatement. But having my husband who knew exactly what I wanted in my delivery of our baby made me feel much more secure because when I was so overwhelmed, he was able to be my voice and to delegate.

He also was able to be my rock and send people away when I just needed to be left alone to rest.

Assign one person as your delegate to ensure that your needs are being met. Whether it’s your husband, mother, or friend, having that one person who is taking care of what you need makes delivery much easier.

3. Set Visiting Hours

This was a huge problem the first time around. I felt like my hospital room had a revolving door that people just kept walking through. Whether it was a nurse or another family member coming to meet our baby, it was very tiring.

Set up specific hours that are just for visiting and have plenty of hours for rest. And only set up plans for those specific times.

4. Make Time For Crucial Bonding Time

A lot of people do not think about the fact that new parents really need to have time to bond with their newborn baby in the first few days.

This is even more important for moms who are planning on breastfeeding. Having plenty of skin-to-skin time and being able to openly breastfeed helps with establishing a good milk supply.

RELATED POSTS –

• 9 Highly-Effective Tips for Breastfeeding after a C-Section
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5. Remember that You Can Always Change Your Mind

Don’t forget that you as the mom who is giving birth are in charge and if you decide to change your plans at the last minute that is okay.

Especially when you are giving birth for the first time. Sometimes you don’t really know what you need until you are already in labor.

6. Ask For What You Need

Childbirth and recovery are all about the mom and the newborn baby. So if you need more time to sleep ask. And if you need more support and certain visitors then ask.

This time is crucial for new parents to recover and get used to having a baby.

7. Don’t Worry About Hurt Feelings

There are some situations where you just cannot win. Someone’s feelings may get hurt, but with delivering a baby, the most important thing is to have a safe and successful labor, delivery, and recovery.

And if that means that you have one family member in the room with you and not the other that is okay.

8. When You Are Done Visiting Have An Out

Some visitors just may not know when it’s time to hit the road, especially when there is a new baby to see. So try to have an out for when you are ready to say goodbye to visitors so that you can have alone time and rest.

A few ideas may be, “I need to breastfeed now, so I will see you later” , or “I am really tired so I need to take a nap.”

9. It’s Okay to Wait Until Your Home From the Hospital to Have Visitors

With our second child, we originally told our families that we didn’t want any visitors other than our older child to come and visit us at the hospital. And that is okay. Do not feel guilty for asking for these boundaries if that’s what you need.

You can always have them come over throughout the weeks following the delivery to meet your little one.

RELATED POST – 10 Crucial Newborn Essentials That No One Talks About

Do you have any other tips for handling visitors after giving birth? I’d love to hear more ideas from other moms.

10 Comments

I’m pregnant with my first and my induction date is next week. I’m stressing about the hospital stay. My family is out of state, while my in-laws live locally. My mom has already decided that she will be leaving home at the time I’m supposed to be at the hospital for the induction and that she will be picking my sister up on the way and they will be staying at the hospital until after I have my daughter. I want to be able to bond with my daughter and not have the stress of everyone else. I’ve tried explaining this to my mom and even joked around with her that we would wait to tell anyone that we had our daughter until we got home from the hospital. We would like the families there to meet her, but we don’t want everyone there all at once. No matter what I say to her she ends up getting mad. Everyone else seems to be completely understanding with whatever final decision we make.

I completely understand, I would just tell your nurses that you only want certain people there and to please send everyone else away. I know hurting your mom’s feeling hurts you too, but this is your time with your baby and they will be able to see her when you get home or during hours that you want them at the hospital. Good luck momma!

With my first baby I had a very damaging vaginal birth and I had a hard time even walking the first week. My husband had paternity leave which was needed to help me with the first few days with my son. His parents and his sister with her 3 year old son came to visit for a week when my son was just two weeks old. At the time we were in a small two bedroom apartment so we had two air mattresses out in the tiny family room. My husbands father was starting to go deaf and they love to watch TV so the TV was on constantly and turned up so loud it would make the walls vibrate. I’m a hairstylist so my mother in law and my sister in law asked me to do their hair which I should have said no to doing but I was worried about hurt feelings. They also kept inviting their relatives who lived in the area to come swimming at our apartment so I felt like I had to be presentable and try to keep it together for everyone. The 3 year old was a typical 3 year old and it was just hard being a first time mom trying to breastfeed through the night with my home over run by other people. With my second child I made my in laws wait 7 weeks before they came to visit. They are out of state so their visits last a week. I know I hurt feelings but it was what was best for us and I’m so glad I put my foot down. They wanted to come the week she was born and I made it clear that we needed the time to be with our new baby as just our own family. This article is great. Some women would love to have people around when they have a newborn. It just depends on your needs, comfort level, and the relationships you have with relatives. Definitely make a plan and have someone be your voice.

When I had my first baby, I had a very traumatic vaginal birth. My in laws came with their two youngest kids, ages 6 and 8, who proceeded to run around the bed like apes, tripping on my catheter tubing… yes, they were jumping that close to the bed! My cousin decided that she was going to come from Ohio to visit for a week, bringing her husband and two teenage sons, all who require huge dinners and much attention. I called my mom crying, because I was exhausted, in extreme pain, and the last thing I wanted was company… My daddy called my cousin and politely told her that I was not up to company, and to postpone her visit until I was better healed… She didn’t speak to me for almost 4 months afterward… Moral of story… Make rules and stand your ground!

This is my first child, and we have asked all visitors to wait till the day after to visit so we can adjust and have time for skin to skin and breastfeeding without pressure of knowing theres family in the waiting room! You would have thought we were disowning them! It has turned into a mess. I was told they would come when they wanted to in so many words! So in my opinion, they were warned! Im sticking to my plan, so if all they see is the waiting room, thats on them! Baby is coming first.

Make sure you tell the hospital that you don’t want any visitors and to not give anyone your room number until you say so. How are they gonna tell you that they can come whenever they want to?! That is your baby!

I was 37 as a first (and only) mom. We waited a very long time for our baby. Having struggled through fertility issues and knowing when I don’t feel well just want to be left alone we set boundaries in advance. We actually made a no visitor policy. Most people understood. Grandparents were a little hurt, but we gently reminded them they would have plenty of time to visit once we got home. I ended up being induced at 39 weeks, never dilated past 2cm so had an emergency cesarean. Between the nurses checking in on me (had gestational diabetes) and baby we were so glad to have those moments just the three of us. We also set boundary of no visitors for first two weeks. Exception was grandparents. We actually went home 60 hours after our daughter was born. We had one set of grandparents the day after we went home and the other the next day! Protecting that bonding time and setting boundaries in advance was such a blessing. I had trouble with my milk supply and not having external additional stress of feeling as though I needed to “host” anyone was so helpful! Knowing this was our one and only I look back with no regrets and only wonderful memories of how we formed our bond as a family of three!

A letter to your husband: My family was so important to me when I had my first baby. I wanted them to share in that newborn time just as much as my spouse and I did. So I spent hours letting my parents enjoy my new baby. Well the weeks went by and I realized thattmy husband and I gave away half of our newborn daughter’s time away and we will never get that back. Those first two days are unlike any other in her life and I wish I had spent every waking second just staring at her and holding her instead of letting the grandparents in. They will get plenty of time to get to know that baby later. This is your turn. I’m pregnant with my second child, and with the exception of my husband’s parents bringing our daughter to meet her brother for an hour, we will be the only people in our family to get to know him until we get home and settled.

Great advice! I am pregnant with my first and not sure how to deal with the in-laws. I have a feeling that my hubby’s mother will be all over me and the baby and telling me what I should be doing. I am considering telling the family that I don’t want anyone at the hospital but I’m not sure if my husband will be supportive of that. My family love in another country so I know they won’t be an issue..lol. Any ideas of how I can have my husband’s support? It is his mom so I’m a little worried.

I’m in a similar situation, this is my first and was very apprehensive about my in-laws bombarding us at the hospital. My parents are great have made it clear they won’t invade us until we visit them as they don’t live locally. My husbands family doesn’t live locally either but when they visit they stay for weeks and I really didn’t want that straight up after giving birth (and staying at our house for that matter) so I was just honest with my husband and told him how we need time to bond alone with our baby without distractions or over baring first time grandparents. He was completely understanding once he realised the importance of our time together as new family and he broke the news to his mother and she surprisingly took it well. I think just be honest up front and don’t back down! It’s time to be selfish for all the right reasons! Good luck.

Hi I’m Heather

I am the Wife, Mommy, & Blogger behind Very Anxious Mommy! This is where you will find all of my helpful tips for Budgeting, Motherhood, and Parenting kids with Autism without losing your sanity.

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The When, Where and How of Infant Travel

When seeing infants in the office, I have often heard parents ask:  “We are traveling soon.  What should we do (or worry about)?”  It’s a very open-ended question that has several possible answers.  One of the things I’ve found, though, is most parents have the same concern—one we’ll get to at the end of this blog.  (Hint:  it has to do with air travel .)  However, treating providers have a very different set of concerns when advising parents on travel with their infant.  Let’s spend a little time on these sometimes-neglected points.

Although traveling with children (and, one might argue, adults) of any age warrants special attention, it’s a fairly safe statement that the younger the child, the more concerned parents need to be.  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend not traveling by air with a baby less than 48 hours old.  Checking the policies of two major airlines reveals that one will not take a newborn under 48 hours old, and both require doctor’s notes for an infant under seven days of age to fly.  It’s actually not a bad idea to plan to defer travel for several days after the baby is born, if only because so many things can happen in the newborn period—an extended stay to rule out infection, for example.

For those who really want to travel as soon as safely possible after the new arrival, or for those for whom circumstances dictate that they must (for example, I’ve seen military families that needed to relocate a few days after a baby’s birth), it’s worth going over some special risks that traveling infants face, particularly when they’re younger:

• They are more prone to infection. This is due both to their lowered ability to fight infection (that is, lowered immunity), and their inability to receive many vaccines until they’re older.
• Young infants, in particular, need to have a ready food supply (breast milk or formula) for frequent feedings.
• They are more easily stressed by extreme heat or cold—something we’ve all experienced to some degree when we’ve had to play a waiting game on a trip.
• They need special protection from sun and insects. Although sunblocks and children’s insect repellents are generally considered safe, most would recommend a light layer of clothing and application to exposed areas only.  (Spraying the clothing with insect repellent is also helpful.)
• They are more likely to undergo injury in a crowded situation (say, boarding an airplane, with the crush of bodies and bags).

It makes sense that the shorter the trip, the less you have to plan for in terms of trip breaks and supplies.  But have you thought about what to do if your little one gets sick?  Health insurance often isn’t totally set for newborns right away.  This may not be a concern with a provider that knows you (say, from your older children), but a distant urgent care center may want payment up front for a sick visit.  And realize that it’s generally unlikely that a state Medicaid plan will pay for an out-of-state visit.

International travel can be particularly challenging for those with an infant, even an older one.  This is especially true if the trip is outside of developed, non-tropical countries.  Many preventive vaccines (such as typhoid vaccine) and medications can only be given after a certain age.  Thus, it’s important to take special care with food, water, insects and animals.

It makes sense that the automobile, for the most part, is a pretty flexible way to go if you have an infant.  The breaks are easier, and you can always pull off the road if the baby needs to be checked or fed.  Flying can be a little more challenging.  There’s lots of excellent advice on meeting those challenges here ; to this I would like to put special emphasis on considering a seat for the baby.  You can then strap him in an approved car seat for the flight.  Airlines often offer special discounts, but if it’s really not affordable, you may have some luck finding an empty seat next to you—middle seats are often filled last.  You can then occupy the middle seat and, assuming you’ve reserved a window seat, secure the little one in the car seat there.

And now to discuss that question that parents really want to know:  “What about my baby’s ears?”  I’ve not found this issue to be very much on the radar of the pediatric community; in fact, I was in practice for 22 years before I first heard it discussed at a professional gathering.  Airplane cabins are pressurized, and I’ve always suspected that much baby crying during descent is from the surprise of descending (something, incidentally, I don’t really enjoy either).  That said, some ear discomfort is possible, and nursing or sucking may alleviate that.  As far as babies with ear infections go where flying is concerned, the advice appears to be mixed, and it’s a good idea to check and see how your provider feels on that topic.  For the most part, it appears that otherwise healthy infants seldom suffer significant damage from flying with an ear infection.

Your baby has a lifetime to experience the joys of travel. If you do travel with her when she’s young, take a few extra precautions to ensure she’s safe and healthy. And for safety’s sake, you may just want to consider waiting a bit.

Related Posts

After your baby is born you’ll probably want to stay close to home for the first few weeks.

But with upcoming vacations, not to mention other family members desperate to see your precious new arrival, it’s sometimes impossible to avoid traveling with a newborn.

So you may be wondering if you have to wait a certain amount of time before traveling by car with your baby.

The advice from experts is to wait until your baby is 4-6 weeks old before taking them on a car journey longer than 30 minutes.

But what if longer trips are unavoidable?

How often should you stop, and what are the risks of a newborn baby spending too long in a car seat?

Let’s find out.

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How Soon Can You Travel Short Distance With A Newborn By Car?

Newborn car seat time limit, can you travel with a 1 month old by car, 2 hour car seat rule, when does the 2 hour car seat rule end, is a 4 hour car journey with a newborn safe, tips for driving with a newborn or infant.

While there is no universal consensus, most experts recommend waiting until your baby is 6 weeks old before taking them on a long distance car journey.

Fortunately there is no minimum recommended age before traveling with a newborn in a car.

So short journeys are fine – after all, your newborn baby probably came home from hospital in a car.

However, the key consideration is the length of journey time, with 30 minutes being the commonly recommended maximum time for newborns.

Many experts recommend limiting a newborn’s time in a car seat to 30 minutes, as longer periods may lead to your baby experiencing breathing difficulties.

Because a newborn doesn’t have enough neck strength, their head may slump down and block their airways.

Although the number of studies are limited, there is evidence to suggest that when a newborn spends over 30 minutes in a car seat, their heart rate increases and blood oxygen levels fall when compared to lying down in a crib, and this may lead to breathing difficulties.

Yes, a 1 month old baby can certainly travel by car, especially on shorter journeys.

If you’re planning to travel for extended periods, you may want to stop every 30 minutes to lay your baby flat and allow them to stretch and move.

A great way to do this is to lay a blanket on the back seat when you’ve stopped and let your baby have a good move around for approx. 15 minutes.

When your baby passes the 6 week mark you should be fine to take them on longer car journeys.

But one thing to keep in mind is that many manufacturers of car seats, along with the American Academy of Pediatrics, recommend that babies should not sit in a car seat for longer than 2 hours, within a 24 hour time period.

Once your baby is around 6 months or older, it should be safe to embark on longer car journeys.

At this age they will have developed sufficient strength in their neck muscles to control their head, so breathing properly in a car seat becomes easier.

After your baby turns 6 months old you may want to check with your pediatrician about taking longer car trips.

Sometimes traveling longer distances with a newborn is simply unavoidable.

Assuming you can’t take a train or fly, then your only option may be to embark on a long distance car ride with your little one.

So if you have to take your newborn on a 3 or 4 hour car journey, it’s important to follow some guidelines.

Firstly, while this longer distance may not be recommended by health experts, it’s something many parents safely do with their newborns as a one-off, so it’s nothing new.

The key is to break up the journey into several stages so you can build in plenty of breaks to allow your little one to lay flat, stretch and breathe as freely as possible.

• Ensure your baby’s car seat is properly installed, is rear facing and ideally it is placed in the middle rear seat if possible.
• Don’t go beyond the 2 hour rule – even if your baby is fast asleep it’s recommended to take them out of their seat once they hit the 2 hour mark.
• For babies over 6 months, take at least a 15 minute break every 2 hours to allow your baby to stretch and move around freely.
• Use window shades to block direct sunlight hitting your baby.
• Pack plenty of extra diapers, formula or breast milk, spare clothes, blankets .
• Ensure your baby is a comfortable temperature in winter .
• Stay flexible and don’t be on too rigid a time schedule, as the journey may take longer than expected.
• You should be able to see your baby at all times, so if possible an adult may want to sit in the back of the car with your baby.
• Is It Illegal To Use An Expired Car Seat? Do Expiration Dates Really Matter?

Nick is a passionate dad who co-founded Rockinbaby to share his parenting journey with other new parents. He has a BSc and MBA, and works as a senior marketing professional. In his spare time Nick loves watching sports, staying fit and traveling. Learn more about Nick here .

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6 Important Things to Do as Soon as Baby Arrives

It’s no secret that pregnancy comes with a long to-do list. There are the obvious tasks ( setting up a nursery and babyproofing your home ), and the less so (applying for baby’s social security card and buying life insurance). You’ll also be faced with a host of legal and financial decisions, like writing or revising your will. But with a little bit of planning, you can get a head start on these crucial to-dos to save you time (and stress) once baby arrives. Here, six things you should think about now so you don’t have to stress about them later.

1. Apply for Baby’s Social Security Number

Baby will need a social security number for tax purposes, health insurance, a future bank account, government benefits and more. The simplest way to get one is by completing a birth registration form at the hospital (most keep the form on hand) and you’ll receive the card in the mail. If you’re giving birth at home, visit your local local Social Security Administration office and request a number in person. You’ll fill out a form and provide proof of identity along with two documents showing baby’s age, sex and citizenship status, such as their birth certificate and hospital birth record. You should receive a social security card in six to 12 weeks.

2. Buy Life Insurance

You just brought a beautiful new life into the world and the last thing you want to think about is something bad happening—ever. But it’s always better to be prepared, especially for events that have life-changing consequences. Life insurance provides an amount of money, known as a death benefit, that gets distributed to your beneficiaries to help replace the loss of your income in the event of your death. You can opt for a term life or whole life policy: Term life insurance provides coverage for a set number of years, whereas whole life insurance provides lifetime coverage with a cash value that builds over time.

The coverage you need differs per person, but younger parents can obtain life insurance term coverage for themselves or for their children at a relatively low cost. Even if your employer offers life insurance, consider buying a separate policy so you still have coverage even if you leave your job. (A parent who doesn’t work or isn’t eligible for life insurance through their employer can also take out their own life insurance policy.) Every individual and family’s coverage needs are different, so speak with a financial professional or insurance agent about your personal situation.

3. Write or Update Your Will

Estate planning ensures your loved ones are provided for and taken care of according to your wishes. If you haven’t created a will yet, start by taking inventory of your assets, including real estate, investments, retirement savings, insurance policies and business interests. A lawyer can guide you through the process and also help decide who you want to designate as personal representative, and who will care for your child as guardian. You should also discuss who you want to manage the assets inherited by baby. It’s not uncommon to name one person as the child’s personal guardian and another person as financial guardian. Talk to your attorney about your options and whether you should include a trust as part of your will.

4. Find Out About Tax Breaks

You already know baby will bring you unimaginable joy, but that doesn’t make it any easier to handle all the additional costs that come with caring for them. Fortunately, the federal government provides parents with a tax bonus; you just have to do your due diligence when it comes to choosing the one that works for you.

When you add a new child to your family, you can claim a dependent exemption, meaning you get an extra deduction. You may also be eligible for a tax credit, which reduces your taxes dollar for dollar. Two common ones are the child tax credit, which is now worth up to $2,000 per child, and the child and dependent care credit, which, depending on your income, reimburses you for up to 35 percent of the first $3,000 you pay in child care expenses. You must be eligible for these credits and they are only available to certain ages. You might also want to revise your W-4 form with your employer to include your new dependent.

5. Choose a Health Plan

You generally have about 30 days to add baby to your health plan after birth—right when the hospital bills start rolling in—so start thinking now about the best way to get baby covered. Find out the answers to important questions, like which parent’s plan will be the most cost-effective and comprehensive, and whether the plan fully covers first-year pediatrician visits. Decide what makes the most sense for your family so you’ll have the best possible coverage, both for preventative care and if baby gets sick or hurt.

6. Take Time for You and Your Partner

As a new parent, you’re bound to spend almost every waking (and sleeping!) moment thinking about baby, but it’s still important to invest in some quality alone time with your partner. Try to designate at least one date night a month so the two of you can reconnect away from the stresses of new parenthood. After all, maintaining a strong partnership isn’t only beneficial for you, but for baby too.

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40 tips for traveling with your baby or toddler

Take heart – babies and toddlers can be good travelers! Use these travel tips to keep your little one safe, healthy, happy, and well-rested.

When can you travel with a baby?

•  25 tips for traveling with a baby

15 tips for traveling with a toddler or kid

What should you pack when traveling with a baby, what should you pack when traveling with a toddler.

Before traveling with a baby or toddler, you'll want to be prepared. Here's how to pack efficiently and entertain your little one on a flight or road trip.

It depends! There's no standard age when you can or can't travel with a baby, and most airlines allow newborns to fly after the first few days or weeks of life. (Policies vary from airline to airline.)

But because traveling with newborns is risky from an infectious disease standpoint, the  American Academy of Pediatrics Opens a new window (AAP) strongly discourages parents from traveling with very young babies. Most experts suggest waiting until around the 2-month mark.

At this point, "babies are outside the age range for the highest risk of a serious bacterial infection, and hopefully the 2-month vaccines have been given to further provide immunity" says  Chandani DeZure , M.D., FAAP, a board-certified pediatrician and a member of the BabyCenter Medical Advisory Board.

Sticking close to home lowers the risk that your newborn will catch an unpleasant virus. Plus, traveling soon after birth would probably be exhausting for you. It's hard enough dealing with constant feedings, diaper changes, and sleep deprivation when you're at home, much less in an unfamiliar place. Also, waiting a few months before traveling may help you and your baby get into a better routine.

Still, infants aren't as fragile as parents sometimes fear. And by 2 months old , babies are pretty good candidates for travel, as long as the trip is low-key. They feel at home as long as they're close to you. Plus, they can't run around and get into trouble yet!

  25 tips for traveling with a baby

1. prep your packing list.

Think about the items you use to care for your baby at home, then decide which are truly essential to have with you during your trip. "Before your first or any flight with a baby , you need to think like a Boy Scout and be prepared," says Corinne McDermott, an authorized independent travel consultant, family travel specialist, and founder of the website Have Baby Will Travel Opens a new window .

"Since some baby items are difficult to come by while en route, ensure you have everything you need and enough of it to cover any delays, which are unpredictable and very likely to occur," says McDermott. (Here's a handy baby packing list that will cover your bases.)

2. Assemble a first-aid kit

Include all the first aid supplies you might need to deal with minor medical problems while on the road. Don't forget prescription medications, even if your baby only needs them on occasion.

3. Fill out an emergency contact sheet

Include your child's health information, contact names and numbers of healthcare providers, and a list of any allergies your child has or medications they take. That way, everything is in one place if you need it.

4. Bring lots of diapers

Whether you're traveling by car, train, or plane, you want at least enough diapers to last until you reach your destination and can buy more. It's a good idea to pack a few extras in case of travel delays. Also, bring diaper rash cream and plastic bags for dirty diapers.

5. Don't forget a change of clothes

Don't pack all your clothes in checked luggage! Have at least one extra shirt for yourself and a few outfits for your baby close at hand. Store them someplace that's easily accessible, like in your carry-on bag, diaper bag , or an easy-to-grab spot in your car. You never know when a diaper leak, spit up , or another mess might occur.

6. Make sure your child's immunizations are up to date

Check with the pediatrician prior to departure. Following an immunization schedule is critical to protect your baby from serious illnesses they might encounter during your travels.

7. Think about your stroller options

A lightweight stroller is your best bet if you're bringing it on an airplane. Some models are compact enough to fit in the overhead compartment when folded. If you don't have a stroller small enough to bring on board, you can either check it at the ticket counter or gate-check it. 

For road trips, your main concern will likely be what you can fit in your car. An umbrella stroller is always easiest to pack, but a full-size or jogging stroller might be better if you'll be walking a lot at your destination.

8. Invest in a good diaper bag

Look for one with enough pockets to keep you organized but not so many that you can't find anything, says McDermott. "Double-check you have everything you'll need in terms of food, formula , diapers, and changing supplies," she says. (Here's a full list of what to put in your diaper bag for reference.)

9. Consider a carrier

Baby carriers are great for carting around younger babies and keeping your hands free while you navigate the airport.

10. Dress your baby in comfy clothes

There's a time and a place for elaborate baby outfits, but a trip isn't one of them. Many parents find that it's simplest to put their baby in onesies or sleepers for a flight or car ride. 

11. See if you'll need any documents

Although the Transportation Security Administration Opens a new window (TSA) doesn't require children under 18 to provide identification for domestic flights, it's still a good idea to check your airline's requirements before flying with a baby.

Some carriers ask for an infant's proof of age for domestic flights, which could be a birth certificate, passport, or immunization record. Others might not ask for proof of age but may require a boarding verification document (printed for your infant from the ticket counter) even if they aren't occupying their own seat. And if you're flying internationally , your baby will need a passport .

12. Bring a car seat

If you've purchased an airplane seat for your baby, bring an FAA-approved car seat for your child . This is the safest way for kids under 2 to fly. If you didn't buy a ticket for your baby , you might get lucky and be able to use your car seat on the plane if there are empty seats on board.

13. Prep formula

If you're not breastfeeding, bring ready-to-use formula or make a few bottles of formula at home to bring along. (When traveling with formula, you can bring premade bottles in a soft cooler bag, or bring bottles of clean water and a separate container of powdered formula.)

If you're traveling by plane, review the policies for bringing formula on board and hand the formula to security officers when you go through screening. You don't need to put bottles of formula into the standard quart-size zip-top bag, and you aren't limited to 3.4-ounce bottles. Security officers may ask to test the formula, however.

14. Pack baby food

If your baby has started solids , bring as much baby food as you'll need for the trip. You can always buy more once you reach your destination. (Exception: If you're traveling internationally or to a place where it might be tough to find what you need, it may be easier to pack a bigger supply.) The TSA says Opens a new window that baby or toddler food in quantities greater than 3.4 ounces, including puree pouches, is allowed in carry-on baggage.

15. Don't forget feeding accessories

If your baby is eating solids, bring bibs that are large enough to cover most of their outfit, can be easily wiped off, and can be folded or rolled for easy packing. A few baby spoons and forks are helpful, too.

16. Bring your breastfeeding gear 

If you're breastfeeding, pack everything you'd typically need to nurse in your carry-on, such as nursing pads . If you're pumping, don't forget to pack all your pump parts, and if you're traveling internationally, check whether you need any adapters.

17. Anticipate ear pain

If your baby's ears seem to hurt from air pressure changes during takeoff and landing, encourage them to breastfeed or suck on a bottle, pacifier , or sippy cup. 

"I recommend feeding or nursing your baby during this time because swallowing helps relieve the pressure," says Dr. DeZure. "It can be very painful for babies, so expect them to be fussy and cry, but their ears will adjust once the pressure levels off in the sky or on the ground."

18. Adjust their schedule ahead of time

If you're crossing time zones, take steps to fight jet lag. Try shifting your baby's sleep schedule over a few days leading up to your departure and exposing them to sunlight once you reach your destination. Alternatively, you may want to keep to the same schedule in the new time zone if that works best for you.

19. Bring a blanket

Travel with a blanket so when you're in the airport or at a rest stop, you can offer your baby a nice spot to lie down, crawl, roll, or stretch their little limbs. A blanket can also be a helpful layer on chilly airplanes.

20. Pack entertainment

Generally speaking, the older the baby, the more entertainment you'll need to bring. Pack a goody bag containing a few of your baby's favorite toys, plus some surprises. Possibilities include nesting toys, baby-proof mirrors, rattles, musical toys , soft animals, pop-up toys, plastic keys, and teething rings .

21. Prepare for diaper changes

Changing a diaper on a plane is stressful, but a little preparation can help. Make a small bag with a few clean diapers, wipes, a small (or disposable) changing mat, and a plastic bag to store dirty diapers and wipes. Ideally, there will be a changing table in the airplane bathroom, but if there isn't you'll have to use the closed toilet seat – or your plane seat if you're desperate. Changing your baby's diaper right before you board can help limit the number of changes you need to do on the plane.

22. Check the car seat

If you're traveling by car, make sure your car seat is properly installed and fits your baby as well as possible. Check that the harness straps aren't twisted, and they're at or below your baby's shoulders (not above). The top of the buckled chest clip should be at armpit level after the straps are tightened.

 When you try to jiggle the car seat base, it shouldn't budge more than one inch side-to-side or front-to-back, according to the  National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Opens a new window . In the car, your baby should always ride in the back seat, in a rear-facing car seat.

23. Babyproof

If your baby is mobile, find out whether your accommodations can be babyproofed before you arrive. If not, bring your own childproofing kit with the essentials. If you need to travel light, masking tape or duct tape provides a quick fix for most danger zones.

24. Don't try to pack too much in 

Whatever you do, try not to overschedule the first few days of your trip – you can't predict how disrupted your baby's rhythms might be.

25. Decide where your baby will sleep 

If you're staying in a hotel or vacation rental, ask if they have a crib or play yard when you make your room reservation. Another option: Rent equipment (just make sure it meets the AAP's safe sleep recommendations Opens a new window ) or bring along your own play yard or portable bassinet.

Many of the above tips still apply when traveling with toddlers, preschoolers, and school-aged kids – you'll want to pack a first-aid kit and entertainment, for example – but there are also some specific strategies to keep in mind.

1. Pack plenty of toys and games 

Good options include paperback books, stickers, small animal figurines, small trucks, water-coloring books, Slinkys, small fidget toys, and "I Spy" books.

2. Preload their tablets 

Make sure your child's tablet has plenty of downloaded videos, favorite movies, audio books, music, and apps that don't require Wi-Fi – and make sure they've actually finished downloading before you leave the house! (Although the AAP discourages screen usage for children under 2, they also say that "desperate times can sometimes call for desperate measures.")

3. Don't forget the car seat 

If you're driving, make sure your child's car seat still fits them well – if they've grown recently, you may need to make adjustments. If you're flying, bringing a car seat onboard is still the safest option for toddlers or preschoolers weighing less than 40 pounds. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) recommends an approved forward-facing car seat for children weighing between 20 and 40 pounds or a CARES harness for children weighing between 22 to 44 pounds.

4. Consider sleeping arrangements

Before you leave, plan ahead for where your child will sleep at your destination. While preschoolers and older kids are usually comfortable in twin beds or pull-out couches, a toddler who still sleeps in a crib at home will need a play yard or portable cot. Many hotels and rental homes supply these, but check that any gear provided meets the AAP's safe sleep guidelines and hasn't been recalled .

5. Get dropped off

The time it takes to park your car in the airport parking lot and schlep to the terminal adds up, and you haven't even gotten through security yet. If it's an option, many families find that it's most time-efficient to get dropped off at the terminal, or divide and conquer – one parent parks the car while the other waits inside the terminal with the kids and luggage.

6. Consider wrapping new (or newish) toys

Giving your child a few small wrapped items from the dollar store to open can make the trip feel a little more thrilling. For toddlers, even old toys they haven't played with in a while might be fun again. Plus, the simple act of unwrapping something provides a few minutes of entertainment.

7. Don't forget chargers

Make sure you pack charging cords for all your child's gear and have them within easy reach, as well as any necessary adapters if you're traveling internationally. Portable chargers can be a lifesaver, especially if your child's tablet runs out of battery at a crucial moment (like a super-long security or customs line).

8. Plan for bathroom breaks

Traveling with a child who's in the potty-training process or still uses a potty seat can require a little forethought. Portable potty seats (some fold up, so you can easily fit them in a carry-on!) ensure you have options while on the go. 

And even if your child has nearly graduated from diapers or pull-ups, having a few on hand for emergencies is smart – especially if you're traveling overnight. Spare clothes in case of accidents are crucial, too.

9. Pack more snacks than you think you'll need

To keep kids' energy levels up and prevent meltdowns, aim for a mix of fresh fruit, protein, and carbs. A few ideas: Berries, cubes of firm tofu, little packs of nut butter, crackers, pre-wrapped cheese, yogurt pouches, small sandwiches, steamed veggies, pretzels, cereal bars, dried fruit, cucumber sticks, dry cereal like Cheerios, mini muffins, homemade banana bread slices, and puffed snacks. 

While nutritious snacks are best, a few small treats that will be exciting to your child can help them cope with a long travel day. If there's a particular snack they always ask for, consider bringing one or two to dole out during moments when everyone needs a pick-me-up.

10. Bring along cups and water bottles

Thankfully, toddlers and older kids require fewer on-the-go feeding supplies than babies. But some basics, such as sippy cups, water bottles, and snack containers are still helpful. You never know what kind of drinking cups will be available at your hotel or rental home, for example, and it's always better to be prepared with items your child is comfortable using.

11. Don't forget comfort items

Tried-and-true favorites that give your child comfort, such as a lovey or blanket that's precious to them, can help them feel more settled when you get to your destination.

12. Anticipate meltdowns

"By this time, you know your kid and their triggers for outbursts, so it's a little easier to both prepare for them and avoid them," says McDermott. Leading up to the trip, she recommends talking about how exciting it is to travel and giving your child a rough outline of events. "Also, let them know the kind of behavior that's expected during your journey and model it yourself," she adds.

13. Just keep driving 

While it's smart to map out plenty of rest stops along your route, many frequent-traveler families find that sometimes it's better to keep driving than stop unnecessarily. "The best piece of advice on road trips with children is to keep driving if they're happy or quiet," says McDermott. "Even if you've completely mapped out the best rest stops or roadside cafes, unless you'll run out of gas or your bladder will literally burst, if the kids are comfortable and not complaining, keep going for as long as you can."

14. Bookmark fun car games

Road trips are hectic, yes, but they're also great opportunities to connect with your kids. You're trapped in a car together, after all! These fun car games for kids will keep everyone entertained.

15. Watch out for motion sickness

Some kids are more susceptible to motion sickness than others, and it can happen during plane turbulence, too. If you notice signs of motion sickness – a cold sweat and loss of appetite – encourage your child to look up from screens and, if possible, gaze ahead at a spot in the horizon. If your child is prone to vomiting, pack an emergency kit with spare clothes, paper towels, bags for soiled clothes, and wipes, and keep it within easy reach.

When you're traveling with a baby, you'll want to bring plenty of spare clothes (including pajamas, hats, socks, sweaters, onesies, and bibs) in addition to diapering supplies, like a changing pad, diapers, wipes, and plastic bags (to store messy items like dirty diapers, clothes, and bibs). A first aid kid, including a thermometer and infant pain reliever, and personal care items, such as sunscreen and diaper rash cream, are essentials

You'll also need a baby carrier or sling; an infant car seat, if they have their own seat on the airplane; a travel crib or portable play yard; a crib or bassinet sheets; and a larger blanket to play on.

Depending on where your baby is in their feeding journey, you should bring: spare bottles; formula; a breast pump and all its components; other breastfeeding accessories (like nursing pads); snacks; and a sippy cup.  

Don't forget about comfort items like: extra pacifiers or teethers; waddle blankets or sleep sacks; small loveys, toys, and soft books.

You can skip the diapering supplies when you're traveling with a potty trained toddler, but don't forget underwear and a portable potty seat. Plastic bags for storing messy items are still a great idea. 

Keep your tot entertained with small toys, books, and electronics (plus the charging cables and portable chargers) and fed with snacks as well as a water bottle or sippy cup.

In terms of gear, consider bringing a travel crib or portable play yard as well as a car seat. Last but not least, pack those personal care essentials (such as sunscreen, diaper rash cream, toothpaste, and their toothbrush) and a first aid kit. Don't forget about your child's favorite lovey!

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American Academy of Pediatrics. 2023. Flying with baby: Parent FAQs. https://www.healthychildren.org/English/safety-prevention/on-the-go/Pages/Flying-with-Baby.aspx Opens a new window [Accessed January 2024]

American Academy of Pediatrics. 2023. Sun safety: Information for parents about sunburn and sunscreen. https://www.healthychildren.org/English/safety-prevention/at-play/Pages/Sun-Safety.aspx Opens a new window [Accessed January 2024]

American Academy of Pediatrics. 2023. How to Keep Your Sleeping Baby Safe: AAP Policy Explained. https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/baby/sleep/Pages/A-Parents-Guide-to-Safe-Sleep.aspx Opens a new window [Accessed January 2024]

American Academy of Pediatrics. 2023. Car Seats: Information for Families. https://www.healthychildren.org/English/safety-prevention/on-the-go/Pages/Car-Safety-Seats-Information-for-Families.aspx Opens a new window [Accessed January 2024]

American Academy of Pediatrics. 2022. Beyond Screen Time: Help Your Kids Build Healthy Media Use Habits. https://www.healthychildren.org/English/family-life/Media/Pages/healthy-digital-media-use-habits-for-babies-toddlers-preschoolers.aspx Opens a new window [Accessed January 2024]

Federal Aviation Administration. 2023. Flying with Children. https://www.faa.gov/travelers/fly_children Opens a new window [Accessed January 2024]

Mayo Clinic. 2021. Airplane ear. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/airplane-ear/symptoms-causes/syc-20351701 Opens a new window [Accessed January 2024]

Transportation Security Administration. Undated. Traveling with children. https://www.tsa.gov/travel/special-procedures/traveling-children Opens a new window [Accessed January 2024]

Chandani DeZure Opens a new window , M.D., FAAP, a board-certified pediatrician and a member of the BabyCenter Medical Advisory Board.

Corinne McDermott, an authorized independent travel consultant, family travel specialist and founder of the website Have Baby Will Travel Opens a new window .

Kathleen Felton is a freelance writer and editor. She was previously the executive editor of editorial strategy and growth at BabyCenter, the world's number one parenting resource. She is originally from Farmington, Connecticut, and now lives in Sydney, Australia, with her husband and two sons.

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When Is It Safe to Travel with a Newborn?

Tips for safe travel by car or plane with newborns.

Traveling with a newborn can be challenging, especially for new parents. The first question that often arises is this: When it is safe to take a long trip with a newborn?

While there is not a one-size-fits-all answer, there are some general guidelines to consider.

It is generally safe for babies a few weeks old to travel short distances, given that they are healthy. But you will probably want to stick close to home as much as possible for the first few months after your baby is born to ensure his or her safety and health.

Many pediatricians recommend waiting until your child is at least 3 months old before traveling long distances. This allows for their immune system to be better developed, making them more resistant to infections. This applies to babies who are born full-term and have no other health conditions.

“Infant immune systems are precarious at first. You do not want to risk exposing them to an illness during long travel,” says Nicole Gorton, MD , a pediatrician at Scripps Coastal Medical Center Hillcrest in San Diego.

If you are planning a long trip with your infant, prioritize their comfort and well-being throughout the journey.

“Traveling with a newborn requires careful planning and consideration,” Dr. Gorton adds. “Consulting with your pediatrician is a good starting point. Whether traveling by plane or car, prioritize your baby’s safety, comfort and well-being.”

Also, stay flexible and be prepared for delays, changes in plans and the unexpected. Babies can be unpredictable, so maintain a relaxed mindset and adapt as needed.

Air travel with newborn

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends against any unnecessary air travel for babies shortly after birth. Air travel increases a newborn’s risk of catching an infectious disease. Babies born prematurely may have problems with the change in oxygen level within the air cabin.

If you are planning to travel by plane, keep in mind these precautions to ensure a smooth journey:

• Check your airline’s policy regarding traveling with infants, as they may have specific rules and regulations.
• Breastfeeding or bottle-feeding your baby during takeoff and landing can help relieve ear pressure and prevent discomfort.
• Consider using a child safety seat, which is safer than carrying your baby in your lap. You will have to buy an extra ticket, so check for discounts.
• Consider what time zone you are visiting. Shift the baby’s sleep schedule beforehand. Just know this could lead to some early mornings or late nights, depending on which direction you are traveling.

Traveling with newborn by car

When traveling long distance with a newborn by car, these safety measures are crucial:

• Your child should always ride in the back seat, in rear-facing infant car seat that meets safety standards.
• Ensure the car seat is correctly installed to provide maximum protection in the event of an accident.
• Plan for frequent breaks during long car rides to allow your baby to stretch and feed.
• Minimize exposure to crowded places or individuals who may be sick.
• Set up a sunshade in the window. Too much sun can hurt their eyes and skin and make them too hot.

Pack smartly

When traveling with a newborn, a well-packed diaper bag is essential. Make sure you have everything you need, including your child’s medications, if applicable. Pack more supplies than you think you will need, as unexpected situations can arise.

Fill out an emergency sheet with your child’s health history or save it on your phone.

Consider the following:

• Pack enough diapers to account for potential delays or longer travel times.
• Include wipes, diaper rash cream, and disposable changing pads.
• Pack a few extra outfits, including socks, hats, and burp cloths, in case of accidents or spills.
• Carry bottles, formula or expressed breast milk, bibs and burp cloths.
• If breastfeeding, consider a nursing cover for privacy.
• Blankets and swaddles can provide warmth, comfort, or shade as needed.
• Pacifiers and toys can soothe and entertain your baby during the journey.
• Use hand sanitizer before and after diaper changes or handling food.

Related tags:

• Health and Wellness

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Step-by-Step Guide for International Travel With an Infant

Written by:

Barbara mighdoll.

So you've got this adorable new addition to your family and you're itching to introduce them to the wonders of the world. Good news! The third and fourth months of your baby's life are the perfect time to start traveling – road trips, domestic flights in the United States, and yes, international trips too. Your little one can snooze through most flights (especially in a comfy bassinet seat) or car rides, doesn't require their own plane seat, and can be easily transported from place to place in a compact stroller.

But hold on, there's a bit of groundwork for you new parents to lay before you can jet off on international travel. It might seem like a mountain of tasks, but trust me, it's easier than you think! We had grand plans to whisk our firstborn, Caden, off to the South of France or Tuscany, Italy… and then, well, COVID happened. So, our dream three-week family trip got postponed until our second baby, Willow, was born. We learned A LOT about traveling internationally with an infant (and toddler) from our trip to Italy when Willow was 2 months old .

We were so eager to travel that we'd already booked our flights and accommodations before Willow's arrival, so when it came to getting her passport, we had to be quick off the mark. Now, our kids are seasoned travelers, ready to globe-trot with us at a moment's notice. Aside from numerous U.S. destinations, they've explored Mexico, Italy, and next on the list… Portugal. 

Needless to say, we are big fans of travel as a family, and I’m here to show you it can be done with tiny little newborns!  I hope these baby tips and tricks for international travel that we've picked up along the way will be helpful to you.

1. Secure your flights and bulkhead seats before your baby is born

2. obtain your baby’s official birth certificate and social security number asap, 3. complete form ds-11, but hold off on signing it, 4. attend your passport application appointment as a family, 5. select spacious accommodations with home-like amenities, 6. plan a conservative itinerary, 7. add a lap infant to your flight reservation, 8. set up your baby for global entry, 9. schedule baby’s vaccinations at least 2 weeks ahead of your travel, 10. buy the right baby gear, 11. craft a smart packing list, 12. plan for breast milk and formula on the flight, 13. strategize airport security, 14. airtag all your checked baggage, 15. enjoy exploring the world as a family, when to book your flights.

Book your trip far in advance – you aren’t going to want the stress of planning an international trip when you are a sleep deprived, exhausted parent of a 2 week old. Figure out the ideal dates for your trip based on when you expect your baby to be no less than 8 weeks old. You may be asking… how soon can you travel with a newborn? Most pediatricians recommend waiting until your baby is at least 2 to 3 months old since your baby’s immune system is still developing. Check with your doctor for guidance.

You're going to want to buy refundable tickets for travel. Yes, refundable tickets might be a bit pricier, but they're worth every penny for the peace of mind they offer in case either baby or Mama aren't up for international travel. Again, you should consult with your pediatrician before traveling. We haven’t done this, but you may want to consider travel insurance depending on your circumstances.

Seats to reserve

Plus, booking well in advance means you're more likely to snag those coveted bulkhead seats. Of course the extra space is nice, but that's where you can also secure the airplane bassinet so that you don't feel the need to buy your baby an extra seat for long haul flights. Do check with your airline to confirm which seats – the ones by the window or the ones in the center of the plane – have bassinet access. For instance, when we flew United, we initially bought the row of bulkhead seats by the window, only to find out that the bassinet attachments were only available in the center group of seats. So, we had to switch.

You may be having the big debate of splurging for business class. My 2 cents: at minimum get yourself Premium Economy (one class up from Economy Plus). But if you plan far in advance you can take advantage of credit card bonus point deals to upgrade yourself to Business class tickets in time for your trip!

Apply for this credit card to get upgraded on your trip

American express business platinum.

Currently you can earn 120,000 membership reward points if you make $15k in purchases within the first 3 months. Apply now.

• Points Transfer: 1:1 ratio for most airline and hotel loyalty programs
• Flight Upgrades: Use points to upgrade flights on over 20 airlines
• Airline fee credit: Get up to $200 in statement credits for fees including checked bags and in-flight refreshments
• Lounge Access: Includes The Centurion Lounge, Delta Sky Club and Priority Pass Select
• Global Entry or TSA Pre-check: Statement credit up to $100

To apply for a U.S. passport , you'll need your baby’s birth certificate and their social security number. Both of these can only be obtained after your baby is born. In the hospital, you'll likely receive a certificate, but for your baby’s passport, you'll need the “certified birth certificate” (issued by your city, county, or state, depending on where you live). Once you get the official birth certificate, double-check that both parents’ names are printed correctly as it will be used as proof of parental identity. Typically, you'll receive the official birth certificate one to two weeks after giving birth. In some cases, you can request to pick it up instead of having it mailed if you're in a rush and the records office is nearby.

Pro tip: Get in touch with your hospital administration (or whoever handles processing) ASAP once your baby arrives. They usually only submit to the City/County/State once or twice a week, so you'll want to get it in early if you're in a rush, definitely before the weekend. There can be added fees for expediting, but if you're pressed for time for an international trip, ask if there's anything the hospital can do to speed things up.

The DS-11 form is the official application for your infant's passport. You'll need your baby’s social security number to fill out the form, along with the basics like date of birth, place of birth, gender, and contact info for both parents. You can find the Form DS-11 right here . *Important* don't sign the forms just yet — you'll need to sign in person during your passport appointment!

When you submit your application, you'll also need to send both the original copy of your baby’s official birth certificate (don't worry, they'll mail it right back to you!) and a photocopy of it. Both parents need to submit their own IDs. This, along with the birth certificate, verifies that you are indeed the baby’s parents. Your passports or driver’s licenses will work for this. You'll need to bring your passport/license to your appointment, along with copies for each of you.

Pro Tips: 

• If you're in a rush, schedule your passport appointment before your baby arrives. We did this and walked right into the post office when Willow was 7 days old.
• Make sure your identification copies are on white, 8.5” x 11″ standard paper, black and white, and single sided.
• If you've adopted your baby, you'll need to bring your adoption decree and copies of it as well. 

The Passport Appointment

You'll need to schedule an in-person appointment with both parents/guardians present. If one parent can't make it, fill out a “Statement of Consent” (Form DS-3053) for the non-appearing parent and get it notarized. You'll also need a clear copy of the non-applying parent's government-issued photo ID, front and back. In most cases, I highly recommend making this appointment as soon as you have the birth certificate and social security number just in case there's a wait!! Our local post offices only accept appointments 4 weeks in advance. While you wait for your appointment date, start preparing all of the forms and materials you need to bring with you.

During the appointment they'll take your baby’s passport photo, review all your forms, and check your identification. Then, you'll sign the DS-11 form in front of them, they'll attach your baby’s photo to the application, and you'll pay the fee to officially submit it. It’s $100 for the passport itself, and $35 for the processing fee. It’s important to note that the state department is a bit old school, and you must submit a check (personal, certified, cashier's, traveler's) or money order payable to “U.S. Department of State”. Unfortunately, credit and debit cards are not accepted. 

Ahead of your appointment, confirm if the location offers passport photo services because it's time to take that perfect shot of your baby for their passport, but don't worry, there's a bit more flexibility with baby passport photos. It's understood that getting a photo of a newborn with their eyes fully open, looking at the camera, and sitting up is a tall order. For tips on a DIY passport photo, check out tip #3 on this baby passport FAQ .

Tracking Your Baby's Passport Progress

After your application is submitted at your appointment, you can track your baby’s passport application with the government’s passport application tracker . For expected processing times, check out tip #7 on my baby passport FAQ.

Forgot this critical step?

Forgot to get your baby a passport and now have no time before your trip? Don’t panic. There are services for this. There are some qualifying criteria first: 

a) If you have not yet applied, you must be traveling internationally within 14 calendar days. 

b) If you have already applied, you must be traveling internationally within 5 calendar days. 

If one of these circumstances describes you, then you need to quickly find your nearest Passport Agency and call their office to make an appointment. You can find a map of these here . Be aware that these agencies and centers are different from passport acceptance facilities (for example, USPS is an acceptance facility but not going to cut it as a passport agency when you need urgent results).

Pro Tip: If you choose to expedite your passport processing, there is an additional $60 fee. Technically, that $60 additional expedited fee is for once the passport arrives. To avoid issues with mail transit, you should invest in certified tracking or pay additionally to expedite (yes this is on top of passport, processing, and expedited fees).

When traveling with an infant, your choice of accommodation can make a big difference. Instead of the usual hotel room, consider booking a vacation rental that offers more space and home-like amenities.

Having separate sleeping and living areas can be a lifesaver when traveling with a baby. You can put your baby down for a nap or bedtime in a quiet room, while you relax, squeeze in a workout, or plan your next day.

Look for accommodations with a kitchen or kitchenette. Having the ability to store and prepare baby food, formula, or breast milk can make meal times easier and more flexible. Plus, you can save money by eating meals in. We personally love shopping local and cooking meals with fun local ingredients.

Also, consider the location of your accommodation. Staying in a central location can reduce travel time and make it easier to return for nap time or if you forget something. 

Pro tip: check if your accommodation offers baby gear like a crib or high chair. Many family-friendly accommodations do, and it can save you the hassle and space of bringing your own.

Traveling with an infant means slowing down. Gone are the days of jam-packed itineraries, adventurous bucket list checking outings, rushing from one tourist spot to another. With a baby in tow, you'll want to plan a more relaxed and flexible schedule. Our go-to is always TripAdvisor to research the best local spots and tours.

Babies need frequent breaks for feeding, diaper changes, and just to relax and play. So, instead of trying to see everything, pick one, yes I said one, big outing each day. This could mean wine tasting at a beautiful winery in Tuscany, soaking in the sun with a beach day in the South of Spain, or exploring The Louvre followed by a picnic lunch in front of the Eiffel Tower. 

Also, consider your baby's nap times. If your little one sleeps well in a stroller or carrier, you might plan your day around a long walk or a museum visit during nap. If your baby prefers a quiet, dark room, you might head back to your hotel or vacation rental for nap time.

And don't forget to plan some downtime for yourself too! Traveling with a baby can be exhausting, and you'll enjoy your trip more if you're not worn out. So, whether it's a leisurely lunch while the baby naps, a quiet evening cooking dinner with local ingredients in your villa, or even a relaxing bath after the baby's bedtime, make sure to take some time for yourself doing absolutely nothing.

The goal of your trip is to enjoy your time as a family, not to see and do everything. So, take it slow, be flexible, and savor this special time with your baby.

Next up, you'll want to add your infant to your flight reservation as a lap child. Even though your baby will be on your lap for the journey, airlines still need to know they're coming. This process varies by airline, but typically, you can add a lap infant during the booking process or by calling customer service after you've booked your own ticket.

While your baby might not need their own seat, there could be additional fees for a lap infant on international flights, but the cost is nothing compared to an adult fare. So, make sure to check with your airline about any extra costs.

Pro tip: As soon as you walk onto the airplane, ask the flight attendant to set up the baby bassinet after takeoff if you were lucky enough to get the bulkhead seats. It's a good idea to board during family boarding for extra time to get on the plane and get situated in your airplane seat.

Consider setting up Global Entry for your baby. This program can make re-entry into the U.S. a breeze, saving you time and stress at customs.

To do this, you'll need to apply for Global Entry for your baby, just like you would for an adult. The process involves filling out an online application and scheduling an interview.

Keep in mind though, unlike TSA pre-check, even if both parents have Global Entry, it doesn't extend to your baby. Each individual, regardless of age, needs their own Global Entry to use the expedited lanes.

Pro tip: You can actually do your interview upon arrival back in the U.S. from an international trip. This is called “Enrollment on Arrival” and it's a great way to knock out the interview without an extra trip to the airport.

Check to ensure traveling with your infant is safe by your doctor. Ask about the specific vaccinations your destination requires, whether your baby can wear sunscreen or bug spray, and the methods to protect your baby from diseases prevalent in the area you plan to visit

If you plan to travel when your infant is 8 weeks old, you can usually administer most, if not all, of the 2-month shots safely from 6 weeks old. We chose this approach for Willow to ensure her full protection by the time we traveled when she was 8 weeks old. *I am not a medical professional, and you need to consult with your pediatrician on what is best for your family.

The must-have baby gear

You’ll need the right baby gear to make your travel simpler. Here are my must-have travel essentials along with the actual brands we use:

• a compact, lightweight stroller that fits in the overhead bin | UppaBaby Minu V2 with the car seat adapters for the UppaBaby Mesa
• comfortable baby carrier | Artipoppe (but cheaper option is the Wildbird Aerial Carrier ) 
• travel diaper bag | No Reception Club Getaway Bag Code: NMM20 for $20 off 
• car seat travel bag | versatile option from Amazon

If the hotel or vacation rental you’re staying at does not have a crib, you’ll also need to bring a lightweight portable travel crib (we love the Guava Lotus ) and depending on the age of your baby, you'll also want the Slumberpod . However, I strongly recommend booking one that does have a crib so you don’t need to pack this!

The nice-to-have baby gear

Some other items I couldn’t live without: I highly recommend packing the Baby Bjorn Bouncer if your baby is not sitting up on their own yet. It may be bulky to travel with, but you can bring it as a carry on in this handy Travel Bag and it's 100% worth the hassle to have a safe place to set down your infant while you are getting ready, during meals, really any time of the day. Another travel must for me was the SnuggleMe Feeding Pillow , which allowed for hands free feeding on the airplane, and hands free napping on Mama on the airplane or during meals out and about.

Packing list for your infant

Packing for a trip with an infant requires a bit more thought and planning. You're not just packing for yourself anymore, but for a tiny human who has their own set of needs. So craft your packing list well in advance of your trip.

First, make a list of all the everyday essentials your baby will need. Diapers, wipes, clothes, feeding supplies, and comfort items like a favorite blanket or stuffed animal.

Second, think about what you'll need for the flight itself. Pack enough diapers in your carry-on bag for 3 days, and 3 changes of extra clothes – you never know if your flight will be delayed, diverted or canceled.

Third, consider what you can buy like diapers and formula at your destination. But if you are like me, and are very particular about the products you use on your baby or if your destination is a bit more remote, I recommend utilizing the extra space in your checked car seat bag to fill it with enough diapers for your trip .

Fourth, plan for the medical unknowns. Pack an infant thermometer , infant tylenol, infant ibuprofen, infant benadryl, medicine dispenser , nose frida with extra filters, saline spray , natural vapor rub , antibiotic ointment, bandaids, adult tylenol, adult cold and flu medicine, and tums. You can usually find most of these items at a local pharmacy, but pharmacies often don't operate 24/7.

Lastly, pack items that will help maintain your baby's sleep routine, like a portable white noise machine, swaddle or sleep sack. I love how small the new Hatch’s Rest Go sound machine is.

Your packing list

For your own packing list, I know it is HARD, but I recommend fighting the urge to overpack for the “just in case” moments. Instead, build a thoughtful capsule wardrobe to save space in your luggage and minimize shoe options (both Jason and I basically lived in our Birkenstocks for 3 weeks in Italy). It’s a fun project during your middle-of-the-night feedings in those hazy first few weeks of newborn life 🙂

For luggage, we brought 3 roller bags: two large checked bags and one small carry-on bag. My favorite carry-on bags are Beis The Carry On Roller or July Carry On Pro .

Nursing while traveling

If you're breastfeeding, consider your comfort and privacy while on the move. Many airports offer nursing rooms, but on the plane, you might want a window seat for a bit more privacy. A nursing cover can also be a lifesaver (literally every single friend of mine owns this one ). Personally I opted for this with Caden, but with my second baby, Willow, I embraced feeding in public and cared less about modesty.

Pumping while traveling

If you are at all reliant on pumping, bring your breast pumps with you in your carry-on bag. The last thing you'll want to stress about is your luggage getting lost with your pump in it. I also highly recommend bringing a manual breast pump as a backup in case your pump stops working or you lose a part.

I tested multiple coolers and ice packs and these are the winners to bring with you on the plane:

• Hydro flask 20L Carry Out Soft Cooler
• Cooler Shock Reusable Ice Packs

Using formula while traveling

For those using formula, pack enough for the long flight and bring 3 days of extra formula in your carry-on luggage for any unexpected delays or difficulties in finding formula at your final destination. Pack a travel sized formula container and ask the airline for hot water.

• TSA allows you to bring a reasonable amount of breast milk, formula, and baby food for your infant. It's exempt from the 3-1-1 liquids rule, but you do need to declare it at security.
• Pack a few extra bottles, a bottle warmer and portable bottle cleaner and soap.
• Pack these breast pump cleaning wipes for on-the-go pumping.
• To avoid ear pain, plan to feed your baby during takeoff and landing.

Navigating airport security with an infant requires a bit of strategy when you have young children. Jason and I literally talked through the entire ordeal prior to arriving at the airport – who would wear the baby, who would lift the stroller, etc.

If you do not have TSA pre-check check if the airport has a family lane. These lanes are designed for families, and can make the process smoother without having an annoyed traveler giving you dirty looks behind you.

Baby gear like strollers and car seats need to go through the X-ray machine. Decide who will be in charge of folding up your stroller. If you bring your car seat through security, you'll need to clip the straps together and flip it upside down to go through the machine.

Wear your baby in a baby carrier if possible. This frees up your hands for handling IDs, tickets, and luggage. In most cases, you will not be asked to remove your baby from the carrier during the screening process.

Plan to do a diaper change after you get through security, before boarding.

Pro tip: If you are traveling with the UppaBaby Vista, it won’t fit through the X-ray machine. You’ll need to wait for a TSA agent to conduct an extra security check. This stroller is bulky and heavy to be traveling with, which is why I’m the absolute biggest fan of the UppaBaby Minu V2 .

When it comes to international travel with an infant, keeping track of your belongings becomes even more crucial. Airlines, unfortunately, can misplace luggage, and this risk seems to increase with international travel. To help prevent this, consider using Apple AirTags on your checked luggage, including gate-checked stroller bags. Use different colored keychain holders and assign the colors to your Find My app. Make note of which bag is which color. The airline actually lost our gate-checked stroller when we went to Italy and it took 8 days to get it back. By having the AirTag we were able to locate our stroller and help the airline coordinate delivery.

Always make sure to have your most valuable and essential items – like passports, wallets, and necessary baby supplies – in your carry-on luggage. And when it comes to gate-checked items, make sure they're securely packed and labeled with your contact information. 

Once you reach your final destination, expect jet lag to take three days to wear off. We had one of the most magical experiences on our international family trip to Italy during our parental leaves. Will my kids remember it? No, but there is photographic proof they were there, and it was made so much more special because of it.

So, there you have it, a step-by-step guide full of my best tips to traveling internationally with an infant. Follow these steps to enjoy the adventure of a lifetime with your little one. If this still seems too overwhelming, but you're anxious for a getaway, consider a roadtrip (and here are some tips )!

Interested in an extended international trip with your baby?

And if you are ready for an extended international trip, I’m excited to share we’ve booked a two-month “ Boundless Life ” experience next summer. This program is for digital nomad families, with co-working space for adults and daycare, preschool and elementary school for the kids. Want to join us? I’ll be writing more about Boundless Life and our decision to take this adventure soon. But in the meantime, 2024 cohorts are almost sold out, so book an intro call, and use code NEWMODERNMOM for €400 off your trip. 

I live in San Francisco with my husband, Jason, toddler, Caden, one year old baby, Willow, and Bernese Mountain Dog, Bear. I previously held multiple VP of Marketing roles at tech startups before deciding to take the leap to build New Modern Mom full time in an effort to find fulfillment and flexibility in my life. I also was a fitness instructor in an earlier life. I created this space to curate the best products and real advice on pregnancy, motherhood, cooking, travel and more to make doing it all for ambitious moms like me a whole lot easier.

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Becoming a mom introduced a new dimension to my identity, transforming my perception of ambition and success. At 29, I had already achieved my dream role through dedication, hard work, and unrelenting strides beyond my comfort zone. But with the arrival of my first child, the dream job I had so passionately chased suddenly lost its luster. I was caught in the dichotomy of wanting to be present as a mother and seeking fulfillment in a thrilling career. I felt like I couldn’t lean into either side without sacrificing something. So I spun up a passion project, now turned full time career. I built New Modern Mom as a resource to help you simplify the daily chaos of motherhood. But New Modern Mom is more than just a publishing platform, it’s a mission to empower mothers striving to find that delicate balance between a rewarding career and cherishing precious moments of motherhood. It's about living a fulfilled, balanced, present, and beautiful life amidst all the chaos. 

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How Soon Can a Newborn Travel Long Distance by Car?

A recent study that revealed babies have a lower oxygen rate combined with an increased heart rate when in a car for more than half an hour has raised quite a few eyebrows, and plenty of questions.

It’s left most parents wondering if their child can die during long road trips, and when can they travel with their new baby. In short, is it safe to travel with your newborn baby?

The study conducted can be concerning, but there is not enough evidence to support that babies are in danger when in their car seats for long periods of time. 

In this article

How Big Is The Risk?

Head support, the car seat, the risk is small, additional head support, take frequent breaks, make sure someone can see them, mark rest spots on the gps, stop even at night, bring extra supplies (just in case), newborns in car seats: is it safe.

While the previous study mentioned was not large enough to produce conclusive evidence that newborns in car seats can experience a complete lack of oxygen when left in a car seat for an extended period of time, it is a bit concerning.

The main concern that this study brings to light is that newborns have a decreased level of oxygen. This is believed to be due to the angle that their neck is at.

Also because they do not have the muscles in their neck to properly support their head, leading to a decrease in oxygen because of the obstruction. If your little one falls asleep in their car seat, there is a greater chance of suffocation. 

While there is obviously a risk, it often comes down to how big the risk is. This depends on the car seat, the age of the newborn, how strong their neck muscles are, and several other factors. 

When babies are born, they have very little if any control over their head movement. They also are not able to support their own head. This drastically increases the risk of newborn babies in car seats suffocating.

As children get older and develop more muscles in their neck, this risk begins to significantly decline.

While the risk might be minimal for older babies in car seats, most pediatricians do not recommend taking children under one year old on extended car rides if it can be avoided. 

Babies that are able to support their own heads have a significantly lower risk of suffocation than newborns in car seats that cannot. However, this doesn’t always coordinate perfectly with age.

For example, my grandson began to really be able to control his head around five or six months because he was a preemie and was a bit on the smaller side.

My son, on the other hand, could turn his head and hold it up for brief periods when he was only a few days old. He could control his head movement sooner than most other babies could.

So, take a look at your own child to determine how much of a risk is there. 

If the car seat is positioned in an upright position, your newborn is at an increased danger of positional asphyxiation. However, revolutionary car seats are being designed that can lay flat like a cot instead of sitting upright.

This one is one of the more popular versions. They can be a bit pricey, but if you’re one to take plenty of road trips and want to take your newborn along, it can be well worth the additional cost. 

• The Infant Seat That Can Be Used as a Car Bed & Carrier!
• 3 Point Harness with Push Button Buckle.
• Installs Side Facing with LATCH Belt.
• Designed for use by children 5-20 lbs whose height is 19-26 inches.
• 28.75 x 15.5 x 8.25.

Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:

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When you opt for a lie-flat car seat for newborns, you instantly eliminate the risk of your little one suffocating due to their position. In this situation, you can take your little one on long-distance trips as soon as you’re ready to. 

For those that are stuck with a long-distance trip without a lie-flat car seat, the risk is small. According to this study, only 3% of infants died this way in ten years.

It’s still a large enough risk that I wouldn’t be comfortable taking my newborn in a car seat for long periods without taking precautions, though. 

Newborns In Car Seats: Always Take Precautions

Sometimes, it can be unrealistic to not travel with a newborn baby for long periods of time, and the lie-flat car seat hasn’t been delivered yet.

If that’s the case, it doesn’t mean that you’re stuck at home or will have to delay a move. Instead, you can take these precautions for the one-time trip. 

Although car seats do not come with additional head support, and most pediatricians do not recommend them, it would be wise to use them on long car trips.

These provide additional support for your little one’s neck, preventing their head from falling to the side. 

• UNIQUE CUT-OUT DESIGN: The Boppy Head and Neck Support has a unique, patented cut-out. Designed to relieve pressure while keeping your babys head safely cradled. The product is endorsed by a Pediatrician.
• SUPPORT THROUGH TODDLERHOOD: The removable neck ring provides support through toddlerhood. Recommended age 0+ months.
• REVERSIBLE DESIGN: Comes with comfortable cotton on one side and cooling mesh on the other.
• MULTI-FUNCTION: Works with a 3- and 5-point harness system and is simple to install in any stroller, bouncer, or swing. The head support should only be used in the recline position for infants.
• EASY CARE, MACHINE WASHABLE: The head support is machine washable for easy care because little messes happen.

Some pediatricians recommend not leaving a newborn in a sitting up position for longer than 30 minutes. Others state that two hours is acceptable when in a reclined car seat.

Opt for taking a break every hour or two to take your little one out of the car seat. If possible, lay them flat. 

This shouldn’t be a problem for those traveling with a newborn, though. Most newborns need to be fed every two hours and sometimes changed in between.

When you pull over to change your baby, take them out of their car seat and lay them flat on the seat in the car. To feed them, do not cradle them in your arm as you normally would.

Instead, lay them on the seat in the car or in your lap. Then, gently lift their head up to prevent choking. (Feeding a newborn baby in a lie-flat position can increase the risk of choking.) This will give them the break that they need from being scrunched up in a car seat. 

When traveling long distances with a newborn in a car seat, make sure that someone can see them. If more than one person is going on the road trip, make sure that an adult sits next to them.

If not, pick up a mirror and velcro or tape it in place so that you can glance back to see your newborn. 

This will give you both peace of mind and can alert you if there is a problem. Someone sitting next to the baby can notice if the baby stops breathing, or begins to turn purple.

A mirror in the perfect position can let you see if your little one’s head falls over as well. 

• Extra-large convex mirror for a wide-angle view of your baby
• Clear-Sight Mirror for superior reflection and a distortion-free image
• Soft-Touch Frame is lightweight and energy-absorbing
• Multiple attachment options fit most vehicles. Child can see driver and their own reflection
• Crash-tested, shatter-resistant mirror for added safety

Travelling Long Distance With A Newborn

If you’re ready to take the leap and drive across the country with your newborn baby, it’s important that you’re prepared. Driving with a newborn baby is not the same as driving with an older child.

This article is packed with information, from a pack list to diaper changing tips for the car and more. In addition to that list, there are several other things to keep in mind when it comes to traveling with a newborn baby. 

The further you get away from larger cities, the further rest stops seem to get from each other. You might see one every sixty miles instead of every twenty miles.

This can be stressful when you don’t see a rest stop but it’s time to stop for a two-hour break. Instead, strategically plan your road trip by marking rest stops along the way.

If you get there before two hours, that’s fine. You can stretch your legs while you give your little one a chance to lay flat on their back before feeding time. 

Most people will enjoy their baby sleeping through the night on a long road trip, but this isn’t safe for newborns. In fact, pediatricians recommend never letting a baby sleep through the night in their car seat due to the position that they are in.

This makes it essential to stop every hour or two so that your little one can have some time laying flat on their back. They’ll need that break after being scrunched up in a car seat. 

Even if your little one is not sick when you leave, that doesn’t mean that you won’t need a few things while on the road. It’s a good idea to put together a baby first aid kit full of the necessities just in case you need them.

Bring along baby Tylenol, diaper rash cream, fingernail clippers, a thermometer, and other things that might come in handy while you’re on the road. It’s always better to have them and not need them instead of needing them and not having them. 

Traveling with a newborn in an upright car seat for long trips is discouraged, but sometimes it is unavoidable. If you find yourself in this situation, pick up a lie-flat car seat before the big trip.

When that isn’t an option, take extra precautions to help keep your little one safe. 

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December 18, 2018 · Leave a Comment

Essential Things to Do After Your Baby is Born – Need to Know Information

Newborn Care · Postpartum & Feeding

Knowing the necessary things to do after your baby is born is nearly impossible–until you’ve been there. That doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t try and be prepared.

If you’ve finished all of the necessary tasks in the third trimester –you are probably close (ish) to ready. 

I know for me–I wasn’t prepared for the IMMEDIATE things to do after baby is born. I honestly thought about before and after, but somehow the RIGHT after escaped me.

Luckily, I was surrounded by loving family and friends who weren’t quite as clueless as I was. Honestly, some of this stuff CAN’T be prepared for necessarily, but you can at least know what’s coming.

There are plenty of things to do after baby is born–so we have broken it down into sections for you. 🙂

There are affiliate links in this article. Read my disclaimer for more information.

Table of Contents

THINGS TO DO WITH YOUR NEWBORN AFTER BIRTH

There are some things that need to be done after your baby is born that have to do directly with your BABY.

KNOW HOW TO BREASTFEED

I have to admit something. I always kind of felt a little weird about breastfeeding until I was actually doing it. It really is one of the most amazing bonding experiences you’ll get with your baby (at least until they get teeth!)

Take an online breastfeeding course (like this one!) so that you can (hopefully) feel a little more prepared for it. This course is taught by a certified lactation consultant that has been doing it for years, and the course is SUPER thorough and explains everything step by step.

With my first–I was totally clueless. I had read articles over at Kelly Mom about how to breastfeed. While she has a TON of in-depth blog posts, it was an overwhelm of information.

A good hospital has a lactation consultant (actually I think most hospitals do–but it’s worth checking). Although this is helpful, remember that you JUST gave birth. 

Related: 5 Beginner Breastfeeding Tips  

You’re exhausted, messy, and overcome with emotion. It’s not really an opportune time to learn a new skill. Instead of saving this lesson for a thing to do after baby is born, be prepared in advance.

NEWBORN PICTURES

I did NOT do a newborn shot with either of my babies after they were born–and I seriously regret it. Luckily, we got a lot of pictures in the hospital and the weeks following, but there’s nothing like a photo of your sleeping babe in a frog position.

Before your baby is born, take some time researching different newborn photographers in your area. It’s a good idea to find someone EXPERIENCED with newborn photography, as it CAN be dangerous if the photographer doesn’t know what they are doing.

You can try to DIY it, but again–be cautious as some positions could cause you to end up with a hurt baby.

WRI TE IN YOUR BABY BOOK

A baby book is an amazing keepsake, and something your child will appreciate for years. The one my mother made for me is only partially filled out, but it’s still meaningful to me and will one day be for my kiddos.

It’s best to fill this out as soon as possible, as the details of your child’s birth will quickly fade from memory. Giving birth was probably one of the MOST amazing things I have ever done, and I’m sad to say I don’t remember a lot of it.

Even if you don’t buy a traditional baby book, just write it down or type it out. The point is to capture the memory. 

GET AN EMAIL ADDRESS

Thousands of babies are born every day. That means every day, your baby’s chance of getting an email account with their name are less the longer you wait.

We have grabbed our children’s names and have an email account associated with them. Luckily the names we chose are not super common (anymore) so we were able to choose the ones we wanted.

One awesome idea (which I admit we haven’t been great at) is to write out emails to your child and send them to their future email address.

Related: Newborn Hacks for Dads (and moms too!)

That way when you give them access to it when they’re older, they will have a stockpile of emails to read documenting their time growing up. 

TAKE LOTS OF PICTURES

When my first daughter was born, I took pictures of her every day. I eventually tapered off on it (I seriously went a little crazy with it!) but looking back I am SO glad to have so many photos of her as a tiny baby.

For me, I created albums on Facebook documenting her life every week (later it turned into every month). I love scrolling through these pictures.

Even though many look the same (only so many positions for a newborn who can’t even sit up by herself), they brighten my day to scroll through.

WRITE DOWN QUESTIONS

Even if you have read your fair share of baby books, you’ll soon find questions you didn’t even know existed start to pop up.

For us, we didn’t know that babies randomly stop breathing for a few seconds while sleeping. We made a panicked call to the doctor’s office only to find out this was a normal newborn breathing pattern.

As long as you don’t perceive the thing you are questioning to be life-threatening, write it down. That way you can have a list of relevant questions to ask your doctor, without worrying about forgetting anything.

Related: Strange But Normal Newborn Behaviors

Be wary of searching “Doctor Google” for answers to these questions. The amount of misinformation out there is frightening, and your baby’s issue is usually less serious than Web MD sa ys.

FORMS TO FILL OUT AFTER BABY IS BORN

There are plenty of essential forms that need to be filled out after your baby is born, so it’s important to keep this information in mind and organized.

GET YOUR BABY’S SOCIAL SECURITY CARD

Getting your child a social security number (as long as your baby was born in a hospital) is fairly painless. It was actually easier than getting the birth certificate, as we received the social security card in the mail a few weeks after my daughter’s birth.

There was a little box on the birth certificate form that you could check to request a social security number. You are already providing the necessary information, so that’s all it takes.

If you have a home birth, it is a little more work. In that case, you need to fill out an SS-5 and provide two documents that prove your baby’s age, identity, and citizenship status. 

Both parents also need to add their Social Security numbers to the form, as well as send in 2 forms of ID.

FILL OUT THE BIRTH CERTIFICATE

Once your baby is born, a hospital staff member will bring you a birth certificate to fill out and sign.  

The worksheet usually includes your baby’s name, your legal name and maiden name (if you have one), date and place of birth, and Social Security number.  You will also need your baby’s father’s full name, date and place of birth, and Social Security number. 

Keep in mind that it is difficult and costly to make changes to your baby’s birth certificate, so you definitely don’t want to get it wrong.

Most parents finish this form while they are still in the hospital, but you usually have up to five days to get the paperwork turned in.

Remember that filling out this form DOES NOT mean you are getting a copy of the birth certificate. That (at least in my state) requires going in to the health department.

REPORT THE BIRTH TO YOUR INSURANCE COMPANY

Reporting the birth to your insurance is SUPER important (that is, if you don’t wanna have to pay for it in full!) We were definitely worried about this, so we made the call while we were still in the hospital.

Turns out, most insurances just require this within the first thirty days of life (so don’t feel like you have to rush it). It could be different with your insurance so it’s worth a quick phone call.

CREATE A WILL

Now really your will should be completed before your baby is born, but if you haven’t, after the birth is the right time to do it.

Decide who you would want to be the legal guardians of your baby should something happen to you and your partner. Also include the list of assets your child will receive, who will make that happen, an executor to handle the paperwork, and funeral arrangements.

Communicate your wants with the person you want to take guardianship so that you make sure you’re on the same page.

GET LIFE INSURANCE

If you don’t already have a life insurance policy, it’s definitely an important thing to do after your baby is born. 

Unfortunately, there are a lot of life insurance policies that will not begin to cover you while you are pregnant, so if you don’t have a policy now you MAY not be able to get one.

Getting a life insurance policy on your baby is not a bad idea either.

None of us want to think of the implications of something happening to our baby, but things can happen–and sadly, funerals are expensive. It’s always best to be prepared for the worst (I don’t think that’s pessimism?)

KEEP A FILE

Keep a file that you keep all important documents in. Birth certificate, social security card, doctor visits and immunization records are all things that you will want to keep track of.

We purchased one of these to keep all of our important paperwork in. We keep all ours and our pet information in it as well. I am generally a SUPER disorganized person, but this file has been a lifes aver.

THINGS TO DO AT THE HOSPITAL AFTER BABY IS BORN

There are a few crucial things to do after baby is born while you are still in the hospital recovering. This is where I dropped the ball the most I think.

RANSACK YOUR HOSPITAL ROOM

Most hospitals make sure to keep your room fully stocked of meshed undies, pads, and Dermoplast (these are some of the most important postpartum necessities ). 

Before leaving the hospital, make sure that all of these supplies get packed out with you. I frankly told the nurses that I was planning to do this after my second daughter’s birth, and so they brought me even more stuff to take with me.

You may think you have enough supplies at home, or perhaps you don’t think you will need some of the supplies they have. All I can say is I definitely underestimated how quickly I would go through my postpartum supplies.

Don’t feel guilty about letting the nurses take your little bundle of love away while you rest.

This is definitely a personal preference, as some new moms just don’t feel comfortable being separated from their newborn. Personally, I think you should get some rest.

You are going to spend the next few months with little sleep, and this COULD be your last chance. Not to mention having babies is totally and completely exhausting.

You need the time to rest. Remember, you can’t take care of someone else when you aren’t taking care of you.

COMMUNICATE WITH YOU AND YOUR BABY’S DOCTOR

Make sure when talking to your doctor (and baby’s doctor) that you understand when they want to see you again. 

Typically, a woman who had a normal vaginal birth is seen six weeks after delivery–however this varies depending on your situation. 

The AAP recommends having your baby seen within 3-5 days after birth. The doctor appointments for your little one will be very close together at first, but they become less frequent rather quickly.

SEE A LACTATION CONSULTANT

Most hospitals have a lactation consultant on hand in the hospital. It’s really nice to get one-on-one coaching, even if you’ve taken a breastfeeding course.

For me, the lactation consultant was useful to help me understand the correct way to get my baby to latch. There are a multitude of different positions, and they are not all created e qual.

FINANCIAL THINGS TO DO AFTER HAVING A BABY

Taking care of the financial stuff is going to be much easier if you do it BEFORE your baby is born, but it’s easy to overlook.

MAKE A BUDGET

Making and keeping a budget after a new baby can be difficult. The hardest part is KNOWING what to budget for. You’ll find that there are a ton of unanticipated costs that come up.

The BEST thing you can do regarding making a budget after your baby is born is to leave yourself LOTS of wiggle room. Have at least a few hundred extra dollars a month for things you may not have anticipated.

Don’t forget to add things like diapers, wipes, clothing, and formula (if you are not breastfeeding full time). 

START SAVING FOR COLLEGE

Yes, I know it’s a little early–but you will be surprised how quickly the time will go. Not to mention, many banks offer special rates for children’s accounts. 

Our bank gave our children their own piggy bank and gave them an amazing interest rate for their savings account. We didn’t start out with a lot of money, but we add a little to it when we can.

I imagine once we turn the bank account over to them, they will have earned a fair chunk of change. That’s the hope anyway.

BACK TO WORK & BREASTFEEDING

If you have to go back to work eventually, it’s worth investing in a back to work PUMPING course . This is another course from a lactation consultant.

She gives you step by step instructions on the proper way to store milk, your legal rights as a breastfeeding mother, and instruction on introducing a bottle to your littles.

PLAN FOR DAYCARE

If you have to go back to work, it’s a good idea to start saving for childcare costs. It can get SUPER expensive very quickly, so make sure that you are including this in your budget.

When I was working full time, I only netted about 50-100 dollars a day after childcare costs. We decided it was better for me to quit working my current job and start working from home.

Related: Signs of a Bad Daycare Provider

Take a hard look at how much you are bringing home after childcare costs. You may find you are breaking even, which for many of us is not worth the daily grind of out of the home wo rk.

SELF CARE AFTER YOUR BABY IS BORN

Practicing self care is an ESSENTIAL thing to do after baby is born. If you end up in rough shape, 

TAKE CARE OF YOUR NIPPLES

I personally liked this nipple balm , but honestly most brands will work pretty similarly.

If you’re breastfeeding, expect for those nipples to get chapped. Unfortunately, it tends to kind of sneak up on you. One feeding they feel fine, and the next you are bleeding and crying.

It’s no fun.

Most hospitals will give you some of this proactively. If they don’t–ask for it!

Related: Postpartum Essentials for New Moms

MAKE A CHORE CHART

If you are anything like me–you may struggle with communicating your needs when you feel like you are putting someone else out by doing so.

Create a chore chart on a whiteboard. When well-wishers come to see you and ask how they can help, let them pick something from your list of things to do.

That way you are allowing others to feel good about helping you, but you don’t feel like you are asking them to do anything they don’t want to do. It’s a win-win situation.

EAT ALL THE THINGS

Do you miss eating a bloody steak (ew!) or your favorite sushi? Now is the time to indulge and enjoy those things again!

Keep in mind, things like coffee and alcohol CAN be okay in moderation..but it’s something you should discuss with your doctor.

CREATE STATIONS

It’s likely that your house will be in massive disarray for the first few months. Truthfully–it doesn’t get a whole lot better. I have two toddlers and my house constantly looks like a tornado struck.

Decide what rooms you plan to spend time in–and keep a few necessities in them. Purchase a few cute storage baskets that you like.

Our storage baskets included diapers, wipes, diaper rash cream, hand sanitizer, a change of baby clothes, a blanket, and a book. We ended up having three throughout our house.

It’s SO helpful to not have to run around looking for a diaper after a nasty blowout. 

ASK FOR HELP

Nobody likes to ask for help, but we all need it.

You don’t have to limit asking for help with things like the chore chart, or bringing you a meal (although you SHOULD do these things too!)

Related: Postpartum Freezer Meals

Ask a family member to come sit with the baby so you can sleep for a half hour. Or take a bath. 

Simple adult interaction can be incredibly stress-relieving, so ask a friend to come and sit with you. Your friends and family love you, and they want to support you.

Everyone is going to tell you how important self care for new moms is. I also know HOW impossible this feels sometimes.

Remember, self care doesn’t have to be an extravagant trip to the spa. Taking a bath by yourself at candlelight is theraputic. Read a book you like, have your partner get up with the baby, and be intentional with your time.

Related: 50 Self Care Activities for New Moms

It’s little things that will help you keep going during this period with a new baby. Well, that and support from others.

WRAPPING UP THINGS TO DO AFTER YOUR BABY IS BORN

You can’t be totally prepared to bring your new little love home. Do what you can to get ready, but also accept that little hiccups along the way are okay. 

The most important thing is to make sure you are doing what you can to take care of yourself and your new baby. Be patient, stay present, and enjoy. 

The early days of life with a newborn will seem to go by so quickly when you look back at it. Good luck mama!

Did I forget anything? I would love for you to add any additional things to do after your baby is born below!

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A dad keeps going on pleasure trips after baby is born & reddit is flying into a justified rage.

by Thea Glassman

Thea Glassman

pmc-editorial-manager

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A new dad keeps going on trips while his wife is taking care of their 11-week-old baby and Reddit ‘s blood pressure is boiling just as much as yours is about to be. The mom took to the forum to share her frustration with her husband’s travel plans and his demeaning attitude towards her. The first few weeks of maternity leave had been blissful, she began her post. Then, things took a turn.

“Today is the last day of my maternity leave, and I return to a job tomorrow that takes me out of the home 50 hours a week,” she wrote . “…My husband will go out of town for a week, be home for a few days, then go out of town again for another week. Only one of these trips has been for business; the rest are for sport.”

The new mom has tried to be supportive of her husband’s trips because she knows they are important to him. But he’s making it harder and harder for her to not feel frustrated and resentful. “The weekend before this last trip, he was super aloof, grumpy, and distant,” she explained. “He chose to revisit our eternal argument over money and finances, and for the first time he directed his frustration at my spending habits. Essentially, I was left with the directive to stop spending so much money, and don’t I dare make it sound like he’s the one stopping me from spending .”

The husband added: “There are stay-at-home moms everywhere who do this with less money and more kids.” There’s that blood pressure boil point we mentioned earlier. The mom is exhausted . She’s potty training, breast feeding, doing chores and getting ready to go back to work.

“I feel so much rage,” she noted. “When my toddler and infant are both screaming and needing me and I have to use every bit of patience to regulate my own emotions and stay calm, I am left with nothing but anger at the end of the night.” Her husband is returning from his trip tonight and Reddit hopped in with a whole lot of support and a whole lot of fury .

First of all, many, many people could not wrap their heads around the fact that this dad was going on vacations in the first place . “He’s not your partner he is living like a bachelor while you’re holding down the home and raising his children. He’s useless,” one person declared. “He’s going on vacations alone while you have a newborn and a toddler. I can’t believe you’re with this man. Who cares about your spending, how much do these trips cost?” Another added: “Three kids, one a toddler and one a newborn, it needs to be all hands on deck. Husband needs to let his sport hobby go, stay home and support you and contribute to the family management. The situation he’s put you in is unsustainable.”

Dads hopped in to say that there’s no way that behavior would fly in their household. “My wife would literally have had divorce papers waiting for me, taped to the front door that had its locks changed while I was gone,” a husband wrote.

We really hope this mom is able to get the emotional and physical help she so very much deserves right now. And, as one other Reddit user sagely noted, “When someone shows you who they are, believe them.”

These celebrity moms revealed their pregnancies in some awesome ways.

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More stories from parenting, soccer star alex morgan on motherhood & the mental-health goal she has for her daughter, brooke shields’ lookalike daughter grier turned 18 & looks adorable in throwback photos, bindi irwin’s childhood dream came true when she took daughter grace to this special place & the video is pure joy, keke palmer shares sweet insights into her life with baby leo as a single mom, rihanna shares her ‘biggest hack’ for dressing sons rza & riot — & we have so many questions.

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The Definitive Guide on How to Road Trip With a Baby

Taking a road trip with a baby can be a fun and exciting experience for families. But it also requires planning and preparation to ensure a safe and enjoyable journey.

In this article, we will cover everything you need to know about road trips with babies at different age stages. From newborns to toddlers, we include tips for packing, traveling, and making the most of your trip.

The Ultimate Guide to Road Tripping with Your Baby | A Comprehensive Guide for Every Age Stage

So, what is a baby, technically? A baby is a young human from birth to the age of two years. In the context of this article, a baby refers to a child from birth to 12 months old. Read on to learn what to pack for a road trip with a baby. For even more information on child passenger safety, please visit the CDC website.

The sections below will show parents how to survive a road trip with a baby, at any stage. 

When Can You Road Trip With a Baby | Pre-birth

Many new parents want to know when can you road trip with a baby. We answer this in detail, but it’s never too early to start planning your road trip with a baby. Before your baby is born, consider the following tips to ensure a smooth journey.

It is generally safe for a pregnant woman to go on a road trip as long as she takes certain precautions and her pregnancy is not considered high-risk. However, it’s important to consult with your healthcare provider before making any major travel plans, especially if you are in your third trimester.

Here are some things to consider when planning a road trip while pregnant:

• Comfort: Pregnant women often experience discomfort while sitting for long periods of time, so it’s important to plan regular breaks to stretch your legs and move around.
• Hydration: Staying hydrated is important for both you and your baby, so make sure to drink plenty of water throughout the trip.
• Nutrition: Eating a healthy and balanced diet is important for maintaining a healthy pregnancy, so pack healthy snacks and plan for regular meals during your trip.
• Safety: Make sure to wear your seatbelt and adjust it so that it fits properly across your lap and across your chest.
• Emergency preparedness: It’s always a good idea to be prepared for emergencies, so make sure to have a well-stocked first-aid kit and a plan for what to do in case of an emergency.

In summary, it is generally safe to go on a road trip while pregnant as long as you take certain precautions and consult with your healthcare provider. However, it’s important to be mindful of your comfort, hydration, nutrition, safety, and emergency preparedness while on the road.

Would you rather fly or drive with baby? Let Nationwide Auto Transportation ship your car to your destination, while your family flies. Find out about their Same Day Car Shipping , and get a free quote at the same time!  

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Baby on Board | Newborn to 3 Months

Newborns are the most fragile and require the most attention during a road trip. But what to take on road trip with baby? Here are some tips to help make the trip comfortable for both you and your baby.

Choose the right time

Try to plan your trip for a time when your baby is likely to be sleeping or calm. This is usually after a feeding or during a nap.

Check your car seat

Make sure your car seat is installed correctly, and is up-to-date with current safety standards .

Pack essentials

Bring plenty of diapers, wipes, formula, and baby food.

Make sure your baby is warm and cozy in their car seat by adding a blanket or a bunting bag.

Plan rest stops

Stop every two hours to give your baby a break and allow you to stretch your legs.

Learn how to keep your car clean with kids , and everything you should know about child car safety !

When you need your car shipped fast –  Unlock the Top Benefits of Expedited Car Shipping Today!

Road Trip With Baby | 4 to 8 Months

At this stage, your baby is becoming more active and may have different needs during the road trip. Consider the following professional advice before setting off. 

Encourage play

Bring toys and games to keep your baby entertained during the trip.

Plan for naps

Make sure to plan for regular naps and bring a comfortable blanket or blanket for your baby to sleep on.

Introduce solids

If your baby is eating solids, bring their favorite foods along to keep them happy and full during the trip.

Road Trip With Baby | 9 to 12 Months

Does anyone really know what to bring on a road trip with 9 month old baby? Your baby is now a toddler with more independence, which makes road trips a bit easier. However, they still require plenty of attention and preparation. Here are some tips to keep in mind.

Pack entertainment for Your Road Trip with Baby

Bring along books, videos, and toys to keep your toddler entertained during the trip.

Plan for potty breaks

Make sure to plan regular potty breaks, especially if your toddler is not yet potty trained.

Stay active

Encourage your toddler to stretch their legs and play during rest stops.

Ask the Road Trip Pediatrician: How often do you need to stop with a 6 week old baby during road trip?“As a pediatrician, I would advise that during a road trip with a 6 week old baby, to stop every 2 hours for a break. At this age, babies need frequent feedings and diaper changes. Stopping every 2 hours will help ensure their comfort and well-being.

Additionally, taking regular breaks can prevent your baby from getting fussy or over-stimulated. Furthermore, it provides an opportunity for both you and your baby to stretch your legs and rest. Overall, it’s important to prioritize your baby’s needs. Be flexible with your schedule to ensure a safe and enjoyable road trip.”

Essential Car Safety Checks for Moms to Know on Mothers Day

What to take on road trip with baby?

• Be patient and understanding. Nursing strikes are often temporary and can be caused by changes in routine, stress, or other factors. Try to remain tolerant, and do not force your baby to nurse.
• Offer alternative methods of feeding. If your baby is refusing to nurse, try offering formula or pumped milk from a bottle. You can also offer solids if your baby is ready for them.
• Keep to a routine. Try to maintain your baby’s usual feeding schedule as much as possible, even while on the road. This can help to reduce stress and promote comfort.
• Take breaks. Taking regular breaks during the road trip can provide an opportunity for your baby to nurse or to be fed in a different way.
• Consult with your pediatrician. If your baby’s nursing strike persists or if you have any concerns, it’s always best to consult with your pediatrician. They can provide additional guidance and support to help you and your baby through this time.

Remember, every baby is unique and what works for one may not work for another. It’s important to remain patient and flexible, and to prioritize your baby’s comfort and well-being.

How to survive a road trip with a baby

• Flying can be quicker and more convenient, but it can also be more stressful for both you and your baby. Especially with security checks and the confinement of being in an airplane. You’ll also need to bring your baby’s car seat as an extra item. Make sure it’s approved for air travel.
• Driving can be a more relaxed option. It allows you to bring along more essentials and take frequent stops as needed. However, a long road trip can also be tiring and stressful, especially with a young baby.
• Consider your baby’s needs and any underlying health conditions. It may also be helpful to discuss the options with your pediatrician to determine the best course of action for you and your baby.

General Road Trip With Baby Q & A

Q: how to road trip with a baby.

A: Make sure your car seat is installed correctly and is up-to-date with current safety standards. Plan for regular stops for feeding, changing, and rest. Bring plenty of essentials, such as diapers, wipes, formula, and baby food. Consider the baby’s age and stage to tailor your preparations accordingly.

Q: When Can You Road Trip With a Baby?

A: You can start planning a road trip with a baby from pre-birth, but it’s recommended to wait until the baby is at least a few months old. The best time to road trip with a baby is during a time when they are likely to be sleeping or calm, such as after a feeding or during naptime.

Q: Would you fly or drive to Disneyland with a baby?

A: See the answer for, Is it better to drive or fly with 3 month old baby?  

Q: What to do with a nursing baby road trip?

A: When traveling with a nursing baby, it is important to make sure both you and your baby are comfortable during the journey. Here are a few tips for a successful road trip with a nursing baby.

• Plan ahead. Pack all the necessary items, including a nursing pillow. Also, research rest areas and parks along the way to make pit stops for feeding and diaper changes.
• Wear comfortable clothes. Nursing tops or nursing dresses can make it easier to nurse while on the road.
• Make sure to use a car seat that is appropriate for your baby’s age and weight to ensure safety during the trip.
• Consider a breast pump. It might be a good idea to bring a breast pump to maintain your milk supply.

Remember to stay relaxed and enjoy the journey. With proper planning and preparation, you and your nursing baby can have a successful and enjoyable road trip.

Car Shipping and Flying | Better Than a Road Trip With a Baby?

In a nutshell, traveling with a baby can be a challenge, but it doesn’t have to be. While driving with a baby can be a fun and convenient option, car shipping can offer even more benefits.In particular when it comes to long-distance trips.

By shipping your car, you can eliminate the stress of long hours on the road. This allows you to focus on the comfort and well-being of your family. Furthermore, flying can be a quicker and more relaxed option, allowing you to reach your destination faster and more efficiently.

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Tips for a Road Trip With a Baby: How to Survive the Long Drive

Setting off on a road trip with your little one? I know – it sounds like a mission. Trying to figure out nap times, packing enough but not too many toys, dealing with sudden mood swings (and that’s just from the parents!) – it’s enough to give anyone a slight headache. “Will my baby be okay? How on earth am I going to keep them calm? Did I pack enough diapers?” These questions whirling around in your head are perfectly normal, and I’m here to help with my tips for a road trip with a baby.

Over the years, I’ve taken my kids on so many road trips, I’ve lost count. Short weekend jaunts, epic cross-country adventures, you name it. And you know what? Every single one was a learning curve. Sometimes, it felt more like a rollercoaster than a curve, but that’s parenting for you. I’ve had my share of forgotten essentials and messy surprises, but each hiccup has helped me perfect my road trip routine.

Don’t worry – by the end of this blog post, you’ll be a lot more confident about hitting the road with your little partner in crime. You’ll know what to expect, what to pack, and how to handle those inevitable bumps along the way. I’ve done all the hard yards, the late-night packing, and the frantic roadside diaper changes. Now, you get to benefit from my road-tested wisdom and plan a trip that’s all about the fun stuff.

Table of Contents

Road Tripping With an Infant FAQs

I know how different it is to take your kids with you on a long drive compared to a fun and spontaneous road trip as a couple . Especially if you’re taking a baby with you. And if it’s your first trip as a family, you’d be forgiven for feeling overwhelmed and nervous . 

Jumping in the car to explore the country can be such a fantastic memory-making experience. Plus, showing your kids (even the teeny tiny ones) magical places is part of what all parents dream of doing. 

So to calm your worries and help you plan a fabulous vacation, I’ve gathered some of the most frequently asked questions and answered them as best I could. 

Have another question? Or a tip for new parents about to hit the road? Let us all know in the comments, and keep the support going!

What to Expect When Traveling With a Baby

The question most parents would love to be able to answer with a crystal ball; I promise, even if you have a few hiccups on the road, at the end of the day, the memories will be worth it. 

A road trip with a baby under 12 months isn’t the nightmare that some may make it seem, as long as you prep properly . Your baby has their usual routine, space, and expectations in their daily life—all of which go away once you put them in the car for an extended period of time. 

You definitely should expect them to be a little fussy , possibly get bored, and very likely make a bit of a mess . With a few important steps, you can ensure the ride is pleasant for the baby and parents. You want to make fun family memories , which means enjoying the journey just as much as the destination .

I’ve been using Roadtrippers for years to help me plan out my trips and find fun stops along the way. Use my code “BTR5QTP” for $5 off when you sign up!

What is The Best Age to Road Trip With a Baby?

This depends on your baby, of course. Generally, it’s best to start planning your family road trip only once your baby is about three months old. Between three and six months , babies are in their developmental stage and will begin to gain more head and neck control. 

This means they can sit in a car seat and be comfortable for slightly extended periods. They’re also typically on better sleeping schedules at this age, allowing you to plan accordingly. 

You can entertain your baby between three and six months with bright, colorful, and noisy toys. They’re interested in the world around them but not yet crawling or walking , so they won’t be too antsy to get out of their seat for the whole ride.

Also taking Fido? Here are some tips for a road trip with a dog .

How Often Do You Have to Stop With a Baby on a Road Trip?

When you’re planning a road trip with a baby, your stops will need to be planned around their routine . You’ll likely need to stop for feeding, diaper changes, and as they get fussy . You may find that a stop is needed as they wake up from a nap or before they fall asleep. 

On average, I would say plan for a stop every two to four hours . Try not to go longer than this, for the whole family’s sake. Although, if you’re driving overnight and your baby sleeps through, you may be able to extend this a bit. 

The shorter driving times when you’re traveling with a baby may just give you the perfect excuse to stay over in more small towns. Driving four hours and then retiring for the night at a quaint hotel or BnB only adds to the entire road-tripping experience is one of my best tips for a road trip with a baby.

How Do You Occupy a Baby in a Car?

Unlike older kids, babies are not going to be interested in games of I Spy or a traveling trivia quiz . So how do you keep them busy for the ±four hour stretches of driving?

One way is to play music in the car — not the latest pop songs, but nursery rhymes and calming tunes. Sing along and make it a fun time for the baby. Give them a rattle to play with as well, as this will help stimulate them. This is ideal when on a road trip with a baby and toddler, as it can entertain both of them at the same time (I used this trick many times on drives).

You can also set up a sort of mobile in the car, with animals and colorful toys for them to look at and grab. If their heads can’t reach the windows, give them a plastic handheld mirror or position a mirror to help them see the fun sights outside. 

If all else fails, chatting with your baby is normally always a winner. Play peek-a-boo , describe your journey, and tell them where you’re going. Even if they don’t seem to understand it all, your attention and the sound of your voice are often enough to keep them engaged. 

Make sure to reserve your rental car ahead of time! I love using Discover Cars for my trips.

Can You Give a Baby a Bottle While Driving?

The short answer is no. 

It might be perfectly fine to have your older kids snacking while driving, but the risks are too high for an infant. You shouldn’t have a baby drinking from a bottle without your attention being fully focused on both the baby and the bottle . 

Even if you are breastfeeding, it’s not safe to do so while the car is moving . So it’s best to plan your stops according to the baby’s feeding schedule . 

How Do You Calm a Crying Baby on a Road Trip?

There’s always a reason why your baby is crying. First, check that they’re not uncomfortably hot, cold, or perhaps have a dirty diaper . It’s also good to check that they’re not hungry . 

If their basic needs are met, and they are still crying, they may just not be enjoying the drive as much. Try playing soothing music, talking to them, or giving them a toy to distract them . If none of that works, then it may be best for everyone to stop the car at the next safe spot, get out, and cuddle the baby until they are calm again . 

Are Car Seats Uncomfortable for Babies?

As long as your car seat is properly installed and has all of the right cushioning, it should be comfortable enough for your baby to sit in during a drive. Sitting in one for too long for a more extended, cross-country drive with a baby can become uncomfortable . 

Staying in one position for extended periods of time will agitate anyone, and babies are no different. There are a few ways you can ease this discomfort until you stop, though:

• Keep the car’s temperature pleasant. 
• Give the baby a little extra cushioning where you can. 
• Distract them with toys and excitement. 

How Long Should a Baby Be in a Car Seat on a Trip?

Even though babies can’t walk around yet, they still need to stretch during road trips . If you’re doing longer newborn travel by car, you should aim to take them out of the car seat every two hours or so (a very important tip for a road trip with a baby). 

If your perfectly planned road trip falls within the three- to six-month sweet spot, then two to four hours is fine . Be sure that when you’re stopping, you’re taking the baby out of their car seat and letting their bodies stretch in different positions for a bit. 

What Do I Do If My Baby Hates the Car Seat?

So, your baby cannot stand when you put them in a car seat — are your dreams of a family road trip over? Not necessarily. 

First, I would check with a doctor if anything makes the baby hate sitting in the car seat. If there are no medical concerns, then it may just be personal preference. You can slowly introduce long road trips with a baby and make the experience more pleasant. Both my kids hated drives at first, but they got used to it the more I traveled with them.

Don’t begin right off the bat with a 15-hour trip from LA to Lake Tahoe ; begin with an hour-long drive and gradually increase the time and distance . Doing this will allow you to test out a few soothing options and hopefully find one that works. Driving while the baby sleeps is also an option. 

What Should I Pack for a Baby on a Road Trip?

You can read my full family road trip packing list for a more detailed list , but here are a few essential items to include that are important road trip with baby tips: 

• Extra diapers — Pack a little more than you think you’ll need. It’s better to be overprepared with a little one than scramble to find a grocery store while on the road. 
• Wipes and rash cream — These should be with your diapers, but again, pack a little more than you think you need in case of emergencies. 
• Extra sets of clothing — This is standard when going anywhere with kids and babies. Make sure you have extra clothes for messes as well as enough clothing for all kinds of weather. 
• Their favorite blanket — Keep babies comfy and soothed with whatever blankie they would use at home. This will help them sleep better in the car and may keep the tears away on the drive. 
• A few fun toys — There isn’t much space in the car, so you want to make sure that the toys you bring along will entertain the baby for long periods. Choose colorful toys, squishy ones, and even ones that make a bit of noise — just remember, you don’t want to have a distracted driver. 
• Bibs and utensils — Quick meals on the side of the road or at a gas station may be necessary. Pack in any mealtime essentials so you’re not left in the lurch if you need to make an emergency dinner stop. 
• Sippy cups and bottles — Ensure you have enough of these with you so that even if you can’t wash them out for a few hours, there’s still a clean one to use until you reach your hotel. 
• First aid kit — Always keep a car first aid kit on you. Include things like pain syrup for little ones, bandaids, and any medication your baby usually takes. Also, bring sanitizer, mosquito repellant, and a thermometer. 
• Baby car rier — Pit stops and impromptu hikes will be much easier and more enjoyable if you can comfortably carry the baby around. 
• Milk and snacks — While you can find food along your route, you definitely want to pack some easy-to-eat snacks and enough milk to avoid a hangry baby. 
• Bin bags — You’re going to want to keep the car clutter-free and as clean as possible. This will eliminate frustration, help you quickly find what you need, and make the drive more enjoyable. Keep plastic bags to throw trash in and discard them as soon as possible once you’ve stopped. 

What Food to Carry for Babies While Traveling?

We’ve mentioned packing in food and snacks, but what else can you take that won’t make too much mess or require any prepping? Some great options to keep in the car for emergency snacking include:

• Extra milk and/or water – I always warn parents against packing juices for road trips because they’re sticky and can get everywhere if spilled. Pack milk for the ride if your baby is too young for water. 
• Sipping yogurt – Driving may take away the baby’s appetite. Sipping yogurt is easy to eat in the car, will fill them up a bit, and often tastes good enough to entice them to eat. 
• Finger foo ds – Beef jerky, cheese puffs, finger sandwiches. These are all ideal for packing into a lunchbox in the car and handing over if your little one starts to complain about tummy grumbles. 
• Pre-packaged & single-serve baby food pouches – What you don’t want to do is try and handle large amounts of anything to dish anything out in the car. It might be a little more work, but getting pre-packaged snacks before you set off makes eating and sharing easier on the drive. 
• Pre-cut fruit – Cut up apple slices, pears, or oranges, as these will be a fun, sweet (but healthy) snack to keep the little mouths busy for a while. 

Read more in my post with 101 road trip snacks for kids .

How Do You Pack Baby Milk for Travel?

If the baby is still exclusively on milk or only just starting on solids, you’ll want to bring quite a bit of this with you on your road trip with an infant. Keeping it fresh is important; no one wants to drive for hours with a car smelling like spoiled milk. 

If you’re pumping breastmilk to take with you, keep it frozen before you leave . Then when you pack the car, put the milk into a well-insulated cooler box to stay cool and frozen during the drive. If you’re packing formula , pre-pack servings in either bottles or secure containers/bags is an easy way to do it. Then have a flask or bottled water to mix it up.

Sterilize your bottles before you pack them and again when you stop at your nightly accommodation. 

My Top Tips for Long-Distance Driving With a Baby

If this is your very first road trip with a baby, just remember that it can only get easier from here. I’ve found that getting the kids used to traveling and being on the road from an early age means it becomes a splendid experience as they get older. 

Besides keeping the car organized (and booking any accommodations you’re going to need well in advance), here are some other things I’ve found helpful when taking a 0- to 12-month-old on a road trip. 

Check the Car Seat Before You Go

Most importantly, ensure that your car seat is safe , follows regulati ons , and is properly installed. 

A car window safety shade is another must-add for a baby’s comfort and safety. Having the sun pelting down on their faces is a sure way to end up with a miserable baby. 

Plan Your Route Carefully

Know where you’re going (as well as possible detours in case of roadworks, etc.) and how long you have between each possible stop. Know where you can stop to walk, where you can get gas, and where there are shops to top up on essentials . 

This will give you a bit more control over how long to keep baby busy, when nap time should be, and where you can get out and stretch your legs if needed. You can also plan any activities along the way. 

Make a Note of Doctors and Hospitals Along Your Route

While planning your trip, keep a log of hospitals, emergency doctors, and medical care units in each town and city you’ll be passing through . Hopefully, you won’t need to use this list when going on a long drive with a baby, but if you have a feverish kid or an unfortunate accident, it’s better to know where to go. 

And on that note, be sure to keep important medical records on you while driving . From vaccination cards to allergies, bring anything that may be important in the event of an emergency. 

Keep Essential Travel Items Packed in The Front of The Car

You don’t want to take up too much leg room, but you also don’t want to have to stop the car just to reach a pacifier. Before you pack the car, separate items for the drive from things you’ll only need when you stop or reach your destination . 

On the other hand, don’t put items that you won’t need while driving in the front of the car. Keep extra clothes, bulky toys, and similar non-essentials in the boot instead. 

Stick to Routine as Much as Possible

This may seem harder once you’re actually on the road, but if you can keep to regular nap times and feeding times , it will help your baby stay regulated and feel secure. Similarly, taking some of their personal items with you to put into hotel rooms can help them feel at home. 

Get your free road trip packing list here!

Have Someone in the Back Seat

If you can, have one adult in the back seat with the baby if there’s a need for snacks or a quick drink. If you’re stopping often enough for food and drink, having an adult sitting at the back might still be helpful to talk to and entertain the baby . 

Of course, if older siblings take up space in the back seat, try to get them to play nicely with and speak to the baby. 

Look After Yourself Too

Just as it’s important to remember everything needed for the baby, it’s equally important for parents to stay happy and comfortable on long drives . Not only is it good for the parent driving, but it’ll also help keep the car’s atmosphere pleasant and calm . 

Stop when you are feeling uncomfortable, too. Pack in a few of your own favorite snacks. If the baby is fast asleep, take the time to play some of the music you used to play on long drives. You can’t take adequate care of your baby unless you also care for yourself.

Again, these tips for a road trip with a baby are from my real-life experiences, so I hope you feel more confident to plan that drive you’ve been putting off!

Marissa Pedersen

Marissa is a passionate road trip enthusiast who has traveled extensively throughout the United States and Canada via car and continues to go on new trips every year to explore more of the country. Her love of road tripping has given her a unique perspective on the best routes, hidden gems, and must-see attractions along the way.

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Road Trip with Baby: Essential Travel Packing List & Tips

Written by Becca

Updated on April 11th, 2024

How do you take a road trip with a baby for the first time? Check out my essential travel packing list for everything your infant needs during a trip.

This article may contain affiliate links. We earn a small commissions when you purchase via those links — and it's free for you. It's only us (Becca & Dan) working on this website, so we value your support! Read our privacy policy and learn more about us .

Table of contents

• Feeding & Nursing
• Clothes & accessories
• Grooming & medicine
• Transport: strollering, driving, car seat and carrying
• Learn more about road trips for babies!

Traveling with an infant is incredibly daunting when you first decide to take a short trip with your baby. How will you set up a safe place for sleeping? How will you pack enough to cover every possible situation? How many bottles is enough?

We took three trips between our baby being three and six months, and having a standard packing list gave us peace of mind. We borrowed suggestions from friends and family, and put together the best of all the recommendations.

In this packing list, you’re welcome to switch around the quantities of all items based on how long your trip is. Also, note that this list was for three road trips and not for flying. Nothing we brought was specific to TSA-approved sizes and our luggage wasn’t optimized for a flight.

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Here’s the list of road trip items we took, many of which are the best baby products for travel .

The below list is based on a three-day two-night trip during which I’m nursing and giving a few bottles here and there. Of course, you have your own methods of feeding your infant during the trip , and no two parents nor babies are alike in this regard. For all the clothing recommendations (along with sleep sacks, bibs, etc.), I liberally pack an extra in case there are “accidents.”

Ready for our road trip baby packing list? Here it goes.

If you are flying with your infant, check out this list of crucial tips for taking a flight with your baby!

Feeding & Nursing

Whether you’re nursing or exclusively bottle feeding, there are some essentials to consider.

• Bottles : We like Comotomo and Lansinoh .
• Bottle brush & stand : This OXO stand has been great.
• Pacifiers (2) : Check out Avent and the Avent + animal !
• Burp cloths (3-4) : We like aden & anais .
• Bibs (3-4) : aden & anais make great bibs as well.
• Vitamin D drops : We have these .
• + flanges (6)
• + duckbill valves (6)
• + tubing (2)
• + backflow protectors (2)
• 6 Spectra milk bottles and tops : Check them out .
• Milk cooler with ice pack : We have this one , and it fits most standard 5oz bottles.
• Frozen milk (1 bag) : We use the Lansinoh storage bags . I bring frozen milk on our way when we leave home, so that it survives the car ride in the cooler.

Our strategy for bottles is to have enough for feeding, storage and a few extra. When they are empty, we clean them right away and cycle through them like that. We also put Vitamin D drops in each bottle for feeding, so we’ll always have a few storage bottles ready to dish out.

Also the bottle supplies that I mention are optimized for 5oz bottles. You might need slightly different supplies for the bigger 8oz bottles.

For babies eating solids

• Jars or pouches of baby food (however many your child consumes)
• High chair : Take a look at this clip-on high chair . A foldable travel high chair also works!
• Booster seat : Try this one from OXO .
• Spoons/utensils : We’ve had the best luck with these spoons .
• Silicone bibs : Check these out and pick from lots of different colors.
• More wipes !: We like these water wipes .

We make our own baby food, and our baby eats whatever we have in the house! For convenience, I can see how the pouches could be a quick and easy solution to have food on the go. You can put out only as much as you need and use your own spoon, then save the rest for minimal clean up.

Sometimes at home, we keep our daughter sitting up right and hold her to give her some food. So the clip-on high chairs and booster seats are only necessary when independent solid eating is more of a thing.

More diapers are better than fewer, especially if you’ll be in a remote location like we were when we went up to the northwestern Catskills to stay in a country house. There wasn’t a Walmart for MILES! Luckily, I learned from our trip the month before that I should pack diapers like they’re going out of style, and we survived plenty fine.

I had already corrected all my former mistakes when we went away to Litchfield County, CT , when our daughter was 7 months, and came home with a heap of diapers to spare.

One thing I like to have on hand is little plastic throw-away baggies for diapers when disposing of them in a hotel or Airbnb. I save the ones we use as produce bags at the supermarket and then load up my diaper bag with those. They are so handy. If you’re looking for something more compact for storing (or already have a dog) these dog #2 storage bags might also work.

• Diapers : Find your brand and size on Amazon . For a three-day trip, I took 30 diapers.
• Wipes : We use these water wipes .
• Diaper balm : We like diaper balm with a lid , to prevent accidental spills.
• Little garbage bags for diapers
• Changing pad : This one is great for most babies.

For the diapers, it’s best if you leave them in the original packaging to help save on space. We found that bringing loose diapers takes up more room in our already cramped bags.

Our diaper bag has a changing pad that never leaves our bag. When we travel, we change our daughter with the pad on the floor. This is a good practice in case there’s an accident. We are not prepared to scrub any carpets while away!

It’s also likely that you may have these items in your diaper bag. It would be a good idea to make sure you have extra / a spare set for a makeshift changing station at your accommodation.

Clothes & accessories

When we went upstate to Livingston Manor for three days, I almost laughed: we came home with exactly one diaper left in the diaper bag and our daughter’s luggage combined. ONE!

This was because we went through quite a few changes of clothes, if you know what I mean. And if there are overnight accidents, you may have a soiled sleep sack or swaddle.

In addition to the extra outfits I leave in the diaper bag, I was happy with the number of backup clothes and pajamas I had packed, as we almost went through everything. In my guide to how to visit NYC with a baby , I discuss the importance of bringing clothing layers for changes in weather.

• Zippy pajamas (3-4) : We’ve had good luck with Carters brand PJs .
• Outdoor blankets (1) : For colder months, try this type of blanket .
• Daytime outfits (with spares) : These Carter onsies and pants are great staples!
• Booties or socks : You can never have too many socks .
• Sun hat : Hats work great for keeping the sun out of your baby’s eyes.
• Headbands or hair bow clips : So cute !

We’ve liked bringing plenty of headbands and hair bows for times when we’ve wanted our daughter to look cute in a photo.

Grooming & medicine

For babies with hair, you might want to consider packing a comb or brush. For us, we do a quick hair combing at bedtime as part of the routine.

For all other medicine and health products, it’s up to you. We haven’t had to use any of the medicines while away from home, but you truly never know what can happen and what you’ll want to have in your back pocket if your child is soon to be teething, comes down with some congestion or is having bouts with gas pains.

• Frida nail file & clipper : The Frida Baby Grooming Kit has everything you need.
• Hair comb or brush : We like this comb because it has an extra fine side.
• Medicine for unexpected scenarios : ( Acetominaphen , gas drops , Snotsucker )
• Thermometer : We got this digital one .
• Rattle toys, teether toys : Our baby LOVES these teethers .

A tip from my cousin, an expert mom of two, is to bring along “identifying docs” for your child, even when your baby doesn’t have an official ID or baby passport yet, like an immunization report or other medical record (even a physical photocopy of baby’s birth certificate would be a “better-safe-than-sorry” thing to have!).

Transport: strollering, driving, car seat and carrying

We have become UPPAbaby people and we are super happy with the choice to buy into the UPPAbaby ecosystem of strollers and car seats. We picked up the Minu stroller for traveling purposes and it has saved a ton of trunk space when compared to the larger and sturdier UPPAbaby Vista stroller we keep at home.

For unexpected weather or bugginess in summer locations, opt for bringing both the rain cover and the insect net covers for your car seat or rumble seat.

• UPPAbaby Minu travel stroller : We’re happy with ours and it saves trunk space. Check it out or read our UPPAbaby Minu review here!
• UPPAbaby Mesa car seat : Check prices on Amazon for this sturdy car seat.
• UPPAbaby stroller parent console : Ours lives on our stroller, even when folded. Check it out .
• UPPAbaby Mesa rain cover and bug screen cover : The rain shield and bug screen have been helpful!
• UPPAbaby car window shields : Help keep the sun out of your baby’s eyes. Check it out .
• Baby Safety Car Mirror : We have one of these in our car at home, and if you will be renting a car at your destination, be sure to bring along your own baby car mirror .
• A baby carrier you love : If you have car space to spare, opt for a strong baby carrier like the Baby Tula Explore Carrier . If you’re short on space, go the route of an ultralightweight carrier like Baby Tula Carrier Lite ; for more ideas, see my list of the best baby carriers for travel .

While our daughter doesn’t exactly love the Pack ‘n Play, it’s a fact of life when you leave home for travel. The first trip we took with her when she was 13 weeks was when we used the bassinet from our UPPAbaby Vista stroller ! That way, she wasn’t sleeping in a foreign environment.

With the Pack ‘n Play, we make sure the mattress cover is clean before we leave home, and we bring a backup sheet in case it gets soiled. Another hack has been the blackout cover, which simulates darkness for the baby if you’re in a place with lots of windows or no dark curtains. It also gives the baby their own sense of space if you’re all in one hotel room, like we say in our guide to staying in a hotel with your baby .

• BabyBjorn Travel Crib Light : This travel crib is so easy to set up and take apart, and it’s tons lighter than a Graco Pack ‘n Play. Check it out or read our review .
• Pack ‘n Play sheet with spare sheet : This one should work great!
• Pack ‘n Play blackout cover : We have this one .
• SlumberPod : This is a blackout tent to use during travel! It goes over an entire travel crib and parents swear by it.
• Baby monitor : We’ve been happy with our monitor . You don’t need Wi-Fi, so it’s easy to set up anywhere.
• Audio baby monitor : If you want as a backup, or alternative to video, you can check out the audio-only options.
• HALO & Nested Bean sleep sacks (2) : We love our HALO , and we’ve been using the Nested Bean as a backup.
• Hatch Rest+ sound machine : We like the Rest+ because it has an easy charging base.
• Amazon Basics portable suction cup blackout curtains : These curtains help to darken a room so your little one sleeps longer!

We feel a little silly bringing the Hatch because it’s such a big sound machine. The backup battery has actually been a huge help because we once lost power and we’re glad we still had some white noise going. Something like this might be a better option.

Plus, we use a portable travel sound machine (you can also get it on Amazon ) on our stroller or with our a travel-friendly baby carrier while taking walks, to help create some familiar and consistent white noise It works out great, whether on the road or at home.

Learn more about road trips for babies!

From our experience, here are some of the things that we’ve learned that have been helpful in making everyone happy during the adventure.

And as a heads up, you can check our the rest of our articles on traveling with a baby to learn everything you can, as well as our list of the best essential road trip accessories for everyone in the car.

What to expect on your first trip with a baby

I actually kind of expected the worst, in traveling with a baby. How would naps work? Would we have to stop for feeding? How would our child sleep at night, the first time away from home?

This all felt kind of crazy, but we knew we had to take the plunge if we ever wanted to introduce our daughter into our world of travel.

Our first trip with her was at 13 weeks. I was largely doing okay, three-ish months postpartum, and we were finally comfortable with the world of being parents. Also, I don’t want to sugarcoat this at all: our baby was far from sleeping through the night, and as my best friend put it, “If you’re going to be sleep deprived and doing night feeds, why not at least be away from home on a vacation?”

While New Hampshire at the end of winter is far from tropical and didn’t involve any skiing or snowy sports for us, it’s where my extended family gets together every year in mid-March. I didn’t want to be left out, so we took our tiny newborn along (easier said than done).

Here’s a few tips for what to expect and how things really went, that time, and the two times we went up to the Catskills when our child was 5 months and then 6 months. While both trips were very different from each other, we decided to risk it (again!) by going up to Litchfield County, CT , when she was 7 months old as well!

Naps and sleeping tips for road trips

On the way up to New Hampshire and down from New Hampshire, our baby took some of her best naps of the month in the car. Her naps were a total grab bag and we never know what to expect, especially if we were going to be in the car for more than two hours. We were graced with some two-hour naps during the five-hour drive, and when we stopped for bathrooms, I fed her in the rest area or in the front seat of the car.

When we went to Nova Scotia, we planned a day trip excursions from Halifax and timed our planning with the baby’s three-nap schedule.

Keeping your baby entertained during the car ride

When she wasn’t napping, one of us sat in the back and tried to entertain her with toys and a book. It’s hard to say if it worked. During our road trips with her two and three months later, we both sat up front and if she needed consoling, I’d reach my arm back to hold a pacifier in her mouth. We had her teether beads and a fruit teether attached by a pacifier clip in her car seat.

I recommend having some toys or teethers, depending on your baby’s age, attached to the car seat straps so they don’t get lost or dropped during the ride.

Feeding during car rides

Most babies eat every 1.5-2 hours in the first few months of life, and ours certainly did. Even at five and six months, she likes to eat every two hours if she can. Some babies are on an every-three-hours feeding schedule by this point, but that’s not something that worked for us. Much of this experience inspired me to write about how to feed a baby during travels .

If a baby is hungry during a car ride, you’ll know. It’ll be chaos. If our child cried, we turned up the music, held a pacifier in her mouth and sang her favorite lullaby on repeat. Being a parent is far from glamorous!

During some stops, we gave her a full feed, depending on when she had last eaten. I did this in rest area cafeteria booths, the front seat of our car in a Trader Joe’s parking lot In Connecticut and in a Panera off the highway, most recently. I think a good tip is to get comfortable feeding your baby at the right time, and the place is less important.

The importance of the diaper bag

Just like when you go out for the day, having a robust diaper bag is crucial during a road trip. And I mean “two spare outfits” level of robust. We have been using Nike’s diaper backpack and it’s good for travel. Check out more photos at my Nike Diaper Bag review .

On our most recent trip with our baby when she was six months, there was a diaper blowout just as we hit our first stop, and I wound up doing an entire outfit and diaper change on a picnic table in a covered pavilion as it began to rain. Good thing we had weather-appropriate attire in a packing cube in the diaper bag, along with enough wipes and diapers and of course, hand sanitizer.

Other things I keep in the diaper bag are my new nursing cover, a small Hakka pump, a disassembled Medela hand pump, spare Medela milk vials, a changing pad and a spare light blanket for miscellaneous use. I suggest keeping your diaper bag contents constant so that if something is missing, you can figure it out.

I use the same diaper bag contents on a regular trip to the supermarket, as well as a trip up to the countryside.

As a secondary diaper bag for when I’m just getting out of the car at a rest area, or going somewhere with only the carrier and not a full stroller setup, I’m into the Kibou fanny pack diaper bag .

It’s also crucial for a diaper change on a plane , for the next time you fly.

For a limited time: Join the list for 15% off your first order + get free shipping on orders $75+!

Shop the deal

This cute belt bag is the most minimalist (and chic) diaper bag. I review the Kibou to talk about all the features.

It has a fold-out changing pad, and in the main compartment I can fit diapers, diaper cream, a pacifier, my phone and a slim wallet. Plus, it has a waterproof zippered wipes pocket on the inner side, which is so handy and cool.

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'Miracle' preemie with rare condition goes home after 6 months in NICU

Premature baby with rare condition leaves nicu.

Seiori was about the size of a coke can when she was born and six months later she is now healthy and thriving.

BERKELEY, Calif. - Seiori was about the size of a Coke can when she was born and six months later she is now healthy and thriving.

Doctors gave the baby a 4% chance of recovery at birth, a spokesperson at Sutter’s Alta Bates Summit Medical Center said 

Paris Sweeney Austin, the single mother from Vallejo, finally took her premature baby home from the NICU on Monday.

Seiori was born at 23 weeks and two days, weighing just 12 ounces. Her feet were the size of a quarter.

"It was definitely a shock to see how small she was," said Austin, who was five months pregnant when Seiroi was born. "Seiori means holy and sacred in Japanese," she said.

SEE ALSO: 'Miracle baby' who weighed 1 pound at birth to be released from hospital

Austin was induced to save her and her baby due to an infection on October 16. 

Seiori was born the earliest and tiniest baby to arrive at Sutter’s Alta Bates Summit Medical Center in Berkeley.

Doctors said they didn’t even know if there was enough lung formed for Seiori to survive.

Dr. Shilpa Patil, the neonatologist on her care team, said it was challenging to give the micro preemie nutrition, because her veins were too small for an IV and her throat was too small for a standard tube.

"Even her diaper, the smallest diaper we have is too big for her."

Seiori spent six months in the hospital, celebrating winter holidays, Valentine’s Day, and Easter in the NICU. The baby had never even been outdoors or felt sunshine.

Doctors said the odds weren’t in her favor, but baby Seiori was feisty, and she put up a fight. Now, she weighs nearly 10 pounds.

"Seiori is breathing on her own. She is very active and she’s drinking all her food with her bottle, with her mom – that’s what makes this so incredible," said Dr. Patil.

Her respiratory therapist Jamie Nibblett watched her go from intubation to solo-breathing. She said, "She’s a miracle, she really is."

On Monday afternoon, one day before her six-month birthday, nurses packed Seiori’s things and prepared Austin for care at home.

She said prayer was her saving grace.

"It’s been pretty hard but with some faith and some hope we got through it," Austin said with a smile.

"She is a fighter," said Patil. "This is a tiny but mighty little girl."

Might she gets from her mom, who said the day of discharge was the happiest day of her life.

The hospital sent Austin and Seiori off in a tunnel of love, as members of her care team cheered them on.

"I’m going to remind her probably every day how much of a fighter she is, and just how strong she is, and how she’s able to accomplish anything because she’s already been through so much in so little time," Austin said as Seiori rested on her belly.

Seiori will continue with outpatient care at the Alta Bates High Risk Infant Follow Up Clinic.

Scottie Scheffler wins his second Masters, but knows priorities are about to change

AUGUSTA, Ga. — They say that the Masters doesn’t start until the back nine on Sunday, but they were wrong today. 

This Masters started and then quickly ended one hole earlier, on the ninth green, where five minutes of late-afternoon drama changed everything for the now two-time Masters champion, Scottie Scheffler. 

Scheffler came to the ninth tee tied for the lead with his playing partner, fellow 27-year-old American Collin Morikawa. But when he walked off the green on his way to the 10th tee, he was the fortunate owner of a three-shot lead.

His dominance only built from there, as the 2022 Masters champion coasted to the 2024 Masters title with four more birdies on the back nine to run his winning score to 11-under par , four strokes ahead of runner-up Ludvig Åberg of Sweden. 

Scheffler’s march to victory was decidedly different than the last time he did this two years ago, when his emotions exploded on the 18th green in an embarrassing four-putt, even though he still managed to defeat Rory McIlroy by three strokes. 

This time, he was all business.

“I tried not to let my emotions get the best of me this time,” Scheffler said. “I kept my head down. I don't think I even took my hat off and waved to the crowd walking up 18. I did my best to stay in the moment, and I wanted to finish off the tournament in the right way. And I got to soak it in there after 1-putting instead of 4-putting, which was a little bit better.”

More Masters: After finishing last at Masters, Tiger Woods looks ahead to three remaining majors

Scheffler is a cool customer, as steady and determined (and talented) a player as there is in the game of golf at the moment. But under that calm exterior, a fierce competitor lurks.

“I love winning,” he said. “I hate losing. I really do. And when you're here in the biggest moments, when I'm sitting there with the lead on Sunday, I really, really want to win badly.”

Nowhere was that more evident than when he stood down the hill from the ninth green, little more than 100 yards from the pin, with a lob wedge in his hands. His approach hit behind the flagstick and then spun backwards toward the hole, rolling and rolling as hundreds of spectators rose to their feet in giddy anticipation, believing something spectacular was about to happen. 

It turns out the ball did not fall off the face of the earth into the hole, but it certainly came close, stopping just a couple of inches away. The tap-in birdie took Scheffler to 8-under par for the tournament and gave him a momentary one-stroke lead over Morikawa.

But that was about to change. After Scheffler’s heroics, Morikawa peered out from the bottom of the glistening bunker at the front left of the green, standing over his ball. He needed to get it close to stay within one stroke of Scheffler but instead, disaster struck: the ball failed to clear the edge of the bunker and rolled back into the sand. Morikawa took another swing at it and sent the ball onto the green, but then missed his putt to settle for a double bogey 6. 

This all transpired on the ninth green in five minutes, from 4:40 to 4:45 p.m. on Sunday afternoon. No one knew it yet, but with the wind in his sails, the Masters was ostensibly over as Scheffler was never seriously challenged by anyone again.

“I feel like playing professional golf is an endlessly not satisfying career,” he said after it all was over. “For instance, in my head, all I can think about right now is getting home. I'm not thinking about the tournament. I'm not thinking about the green jacket.

“I wish I could soak this in a little bit more. Maybe I will tonight when I get home. But at the end of the day, I think that's what the human heart does. You always want more, and I think you have to fight those things and focus on what's good.”

Most immediately, that’s the birth of his first child, a topic of much discussion here this week when he said he would leave the course at any moment if his wife Meredith went into labor. His life — their life — is about to change forever, he knows.

“I will go home, soak in this victory tonight,” he said. “I will definitely enjoy the birth of my first child. But with that being said, I still love competing. My priorities will change here very soon. My son or daughter will now be the main priority, along with my wife, so golf will now be probably fourth in line. 

“But I still love competing. I don't plan on taking my eye off the ball anytime soon, that's for sure.”

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Baby Born with Organs Outside of Body Is 'Thriving' After Being Wrapped in 'Cling Film,' Mom Says

A newborn with with severe gastroschisis — her kidneys, stomach, liver, fallopian tubes, intestines, and ovaries were outside of her body — improved within a few weeks

A baby born with her organs outside of her body is "thriving" after a shockingly simple procedure, her mother says.

Sadie Montgomery, 21, of Wilshire, United Kingdom, said that her daughter Dorothy was diagnosed with an extreme form of gastroschisis , which is “a birth defect where a hole in the abdominal (belly) wall beside the belly button allows the baby’s intestines to extend outside of the baby’s body. The hole can be small or large and sometimes other organs, such as the stomach and liver, can be found outside of the baby’s body as well,” the CDC says.

But in Dorothy’s case, she was born with her fallopian tubes, kidneys, stomach, liver, ovaries, and intestines, on the outside of her stomach.

Her condition was discovered at her 12-week scan, Montgomery told South West News Service. 

"It was right at the last bit, the nurse noticed a 'mass' on the umbilical cord, or where it should've been,” she told the outlet. "I was only 21, and I asked her what the hell she meant by that. She gently told me that sometimes babies' tummies don’t form properly. I just burst into tears."

"All I remember hearing was the consultant telling me Dorothy’s 'guts' were out of her body.”

Montgomery says that doctors originally thought Dorothy could either have gastroschisis or another disorder, exomphalos, which can require several surgeries, according to the Cleveland Clinic .

But Dorothy was diagnosed with gastroschisis. When she was born on February 12, Montgomery says, “It wasn’t just her bowel, or her umbilical cord, like I was expecting. It was everything. All her kidneys, stomach, liver, fallopian tubes, intestines, and ovaries were out.”

Treating the 4-lb. newborn, she said, was surprisingly simple‚ and required no surgery.

“Doctors had to wrap her up in cling film to keep her insides moist,” Montgomery told SWNS.

"I was really lucky because they put her in a towel, and I got to see her for a little while.”

The newborn was transferred to Southampton Hospital, where doctors used a silicone bag to compress her organs back into her body, sealing her umbilical cord with Steri Strips — the kind of adhesive wound closures you can often get at drugstores. 

Within two weeks, Dorothy's symptoms had drastically improved.

“It was absolutely crazy, her tummy literally just closed,” Montgomery told SWNS, adding that the baby is “thriving.”

“She’s doing really well,” Montgomery said. “Which is crazy given how far she’s come.”

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All Black Tamaiti Williams and partner Alice Weir’s baby daughter born 13 weeks early

Cherie Howie

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Canterbury, Crusaders and All Blacks prop Tamaiti Williams and his partner Alice Weir are the new parents of a premature baby girl. Photo / Photosport

All Blacks rookie Tamaiti Williams and his partner Alice Weir are the parents of a baby girl born more than three months early.

Kaea Kate Williams was born 12 days ago at 27 weeks gestation and weighing “only... 1.4 pounds [0.63kg]”, wrote Williams and Weir under a photo of their new daughter they posted to Instagram late last week.

“We welcomed our little princess Kaea Kate Williams on 07/04/24″, the Crusaders tighthead prop and his partner wrote, accompanied by a love heart emoji.

“Alice and baby are doing really well! But we have a long road ahead!”

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Tamaiti Williams (@tamaiti_williams)

The black-and-white image shows Williams , 24, touching his new daughter inside her incubator. The newborn’s fingers sit on the middle joint of her dad’s right index finger as the All Blacks’ left hand rests across her tiny body.

“We appreciate all the prayers, love and support,” the couple wrote on the joint post, which received 4632 likes and more than 270 comments.

The Herald asked Williams via his Crusaders Super Rugby Pacific franchise if he wanted to comment further about Kaea’s arrival.

“Tams is keen to hold off for a couple of weeks before talking publicly about it”, a Crusaders’ spokesman said.

“As you can imagine it’s a tender time for him and his family.”

Several All Blacks were among those posting words of support to Whāngārei-born Williams and Weir following their announcement on Instagram.

Ardie Savea offered his best wishes. “Congrats usoo - prayers and love fams”, wrote Savea, the All Blacks’ 70th test captain.

Dalton Papali’i and Sevu Reece also left heartfelt messages for their All Blacks teammate.

“Congrats my brother! Sending all love”, wrote Papali’i, while Sevu Reece offered “blessings and prayers to you and the girls”.

A pregnancy term is normally about 40 weeks. A baby born before the 37th week of gestation is known as a premature or preterm baby .

In New Zealand, about 7 to 10 per cent of babies are born prematurely. They are among an estimated 15 million babies born prematurely around the globe each year, according to the World Health Organisation.

Premature babies usually spend longer in hospital after birth, cared for by specialists in Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICU). New Zealand has more than 24 NICU units in hospitals around the country.

The youngest age at which babies can be looked after is about 23 weeks’ gestation.

Cherie Howie is an Auckland-based reporter who joined the Herald in 2011. She has been a journalist for more than 20 years and specialises in general news and features.

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