Traveling with an Infant: Essential Tips for Stress-Free Trips
What’s your earliest memory of traveling with your family? Was it an annual vacation? A road trip? Or maybe just a simple beach outing. These experiences stick with us or at least the photos do.
Is it stressful travelling with kids? Absolutely. The unpredictability, the constant need for entertainment, and those moments when they start crying in public and nothing you do seems to help. We've all felt sympathy for that parent, sometimes mixed with relief that it's not our turn
But just because it's harder doesn't mean it's not worth it. The key to traveling with your little one is planning and preparation. Forgetting essential items or not anticipating your baby’s needs can definitely lead to a stressful experience for everyone involved. Let’s dive into some more tips to help ensure that your travel experience is a positive one!
Packing Essentials: What to Bring
In addition to normal travel essentials, it is always important to have specific essentials your baby will need to be comfortable and to have an enjoyable, stress-free experience. (P.S. Pack extra of everything!)
Diapers and wipes: Pack way more than you think you'll need. Being over-prepared is just parent speak for being smart.
Changing Supplies: A portable changing pad, a well-stocked diaper bag, and several wet bags for soiled items are essential.
Extra Baby Clothes: Bring several extra outfits for your baby to accommodate spills, accidents, or unexpected travel delays
Sleep Essentials: Bring your baby’s favorite blanket, sleep sack, or swaddle. Familiar items help create a comforting environment, no matter where you are.
Pacifiers: These can be lifesavers for soothing your baby during takeoffs and landings to ease ear pressure, even if you don’t usually use them.
Travel Gear: A durable baby carrier or, even better, a compact, foldable stroller makes carrying less of a burden.
Hygiene Essentials: Always carry disinfectants, especially in high-traffic areas like airports—it's a good hygiene practice, baby or not.
Health and Safety Items: Pack a first aid kit with baby pain reliever, a baby thermometer, baby sunscreen, and insect repellent suitable for babies.
The goal is to be over-prepared, but DO NOT STRESS if you forget something. Remember, there's almost always a store nearby where you can pick up any forgotten items, or you can use a delivery service like DoorDash.
2. Don't Rely on Inflight Entertainment
One of the last things you're going to think about is how to entertain your baby on the plane, and next thing you know, you're about to board with just a diaper bag and a hope your baby doesn't start being fussy.
Consider downloading baby-friendly apps or movies/shows on a tablet, or bring along picture books and soft toys that don’t take up much space and can easily be accessed during the flight.
Avoid toys with multiple parts, as they can get lost, or those that make excessive noise. Opt for quiet, engaging, and simple activities to keep your little one content without disturbing fellow passengers or yourself.
3. Don’t Worry About Other Passengers
Your baby won’t stop crying, and you’re getting those looks. The anxiety starts to kick in, and your baby can sense it. It’s easy to stress about what others think, but get this—you’re probably never going to see them again. So take care of your baby, even if it means interrupting someone’s movie or book. Focus on your little one and tune out the rest.
4. Navigating TSA Regulations for Nursing and Bottle Feeding
Shoes on, shoes off, laptop in the bag, laptop out—yeah, TSA can feel like a guessing game. But when it comes to traveling with formula, breast milk, or baby food, the rules are actually clear (straight from their website).
TSA allows formula, breast milk, and baby food in carry-on bags in quantities over 3.4 ounces, and they don’t need to fit in a quart-sized bag—phew. Cooling accessories like ice packs and freezer packs are also allowed, whether or not breast milk or formula is present.
5. Prepare for the Unexpected
Traveling almost never goes as planned—scratch that, it never goes as planned. No matter how much you prepare, some things are simply out of your control. But you know what is in your control? How you react.
Arrive Early: The general travel rule is 2 hours for domestic flights and 3 hours for international. Don’t test your luck with flight times.
Pack Extra Essentials in Your Carry-On: Always have extra diapers, clothes, wipes, and snacks for both you and your baby in your carry-on. Bags get lost, messes happen, and the last thing you want is to be stuck waiting for luggage or overpaying for a souvenir t-shirt as a backup outfit.
Expect Flight Delays: Hope for an on-time departure, but prepare for delays. Have extra formula, milk, or food on hand in case you’re stuck in the airport longer than planned.
Go with the Flow: Missed naps, skipped meals, and cranky moments are going to happen. Sticking to a routine is great, but more than likely it’s just not going to happen and that’s okay!
Remember, travel can be stressful, but it’s also meant to bring you joy and relaxation. You’ve invested a lot of time and effort into planning this trip, so you deserve to enjoy every moment! Embrace the unexpected, give yourself permission to not have everything go perfectly, and if things start to feel overwhelming, just take a deep breath and imagine you're already at your destination (soon, we promise).
If the thought of traveling with a little one still feels daunting, reach out to us! You’ve got enough on your plate already; let us help make your travel experience a bit less stressful.
All my (dou)love,
Kim
