Travel Essentials for Baby

Little Lady and I have been home almost a week since our trip out west with The Hubby.  Since returning home, I wrote a post regarding Airplane Essentials for Baby, and in this post, I will review my overall favorite travel essentials for baby.

***Please keep in mind that at the time of our trip, Little Lady was 10 ½ months old, so these items apply to a baby around that age.  I am sure my essentials list would be very different if traveling with a newborn or a toddler***

#1. Sippy spouts - These were a total impulse buy when I was at Babies R Us one afternoon.  They turned out to be a great purchase though.  They are great for travel because it allows any water bottle that The Hubby and I were drinking, to become a sippy cup for Little Lady. 

#2. Baby backpack carrier - **Especially if you are doing any sort of hiking** – We bought a used Deuter Kid Comfort about a week before we left for Cali and we love it!  (We borrowed one from The Hubby’s co-worker first to see if Little Lady liked it).  We researched kid carriers and we settled on the Deuter Kid Comfort because of the distribution of weight, cushion for Little Lady, ample pockets for diapers, food, etc., and the adjustability of the straps.  Deuter also makes attachments like a sun shade that you can buy separately if you want.  The Deuter is so comfortable that we were able to hike during Little Lady’s nap time and she fell right asleep even while hiking up a mountain.  I would highly recommend a backpack kid carrier versus a front carrier for hiking.

#3. Noise machine – Little Lady sleeps with a noise machine at home and I was apprehensive about packing this awkward-shaped item.   It did, however, really come in handy.  While on vacation, all 3 of us were sharing a hotel room, and the noise machine allowed the Hubby and I to put Little Lady’s crib in a corner of the room, turn on the noise machine, and then relax and talk without fearing we would wake her.  It also helped drown out the noise from other hotel guests walking down the hallway.

#4. Disposable diapers and wipes – I should clarify that we usually use cloth diapers and wipes.  During past weekend trips, I have brought ALL our cloth diapers with us and it hasn’t been a problem, but for any trip over 3 days, I have found it MUCH easier to buy a pack of disposables.  Plus, sometimes it’s nice to have a small break from the every-other-day diaper laundry regiment :) 

#5. Muslin Cloth Blankets – These can be used for baby when chilly, as a spit up rag, nursing cover, really anything that involves fabric and coverage.  Sometimes I think I might have ended up with a “blankie” if I had one of these when I was a baby! 

Overall, I felt pretty prepared while traveling with Little Lady.  I tried to bring some comforts from home, while still strategically packing everything we own into one suitcase and backpack.  I am already looking forward to our next family adventure! - says the village idiot