How to Travel with a Baby: Essential Must Haves and Packing Tips!

Traveling with young kids, I get it. It can feel so overwhelming. There's so many unknown variables and half the time we're just like, is it worth it? Hi, I'm Nicole. If you're new here, I'm a mom of two and I have traveled to a lot of destinations with both my kids. Long road trips, long flights to Europe, to islands, to down South Florida. And I'm gonna tell you all the things that you should or need to bring to your destination to make it a smoother ride and trip. And I know what they say, don't do it. Wait till they're older. It's not worth it. But at the same time, these are such fun memories to have when your kids are young as a family. And yes, it's gonna be a little bit harder, but it's totally worth it. And with a little bit of prepping, we can make it so much less stressful. Trust me. Quick shout out to Aquasana for sponsoring today's video. I'm so excited to be working with them again. More about them in a little bit. And since we're actually traveling and have all of our essentials with us, I thought it's the perfect time to share everything with you. Snack wheels. I don't care if you're not even planning a trip, these are essential for everyday life anytime you leave the house. I love them because they are so durable. My kids have literally dropped these a thousand times. They're dishwasher safe, and they have these different compartments in it. So you can actually bring a variety of different snacks and your child can just press the middle button. It's very interactive and engaging. So they're more likely maybe to try something new you put in there. This is something I take anytime we leave the house. If we are going to the farmer's market, if we're going to the mall, if we're going to the beach, long road trips, the movies, anywhere and everywhere, these are essential and they come in different sizes. This is a small one. This is the big one. I've shown these so many times on my social media. And even when I'm out and about with my kids, I get so many questions. Like, what is that? I need that right now. By the way, everything I mentioned today's video is going to be linked down below in the info box. So definitely check that out if you're looking to find anything. If your baby has already started solids, one of the biggest things to think about is where are they going to eat? Introducing your new best friend. We have used this with our first daughter since she was six months old when traveling. And now we're using it with our second and it has been the best thing ever. It basically just clips onto most countertops, which makes it so portable and easy to take with you, even to like a friend or family's house. Not to mention it's really compact. It just folds down and doesn't take up much space in the suitcase. It supports up to 37 pounds. It's machine washable. And honestly, it's so durable. It basically looks brand new and it's gone through a lot of messy meals. The only thing I don't love about it is that it doesn't have a foot rest. So I usually just pop in a bar stool underneath so that baby has something to rest their feet on. Even if you just have a smaller space and you don't have room for a huge high chair taking up a lot of floor real estate, this is a great space-saving option and honestly very durable. Like I cannot pull this off. It grips onto that countertop. This is probably one of my favorite products. Both of my kids loved this. Oakley is still using it. This is a three-in-one chair. You can use it as a floor chair. Like if they just want to sit on it without the feeding tray, you can use it as a little high chair. And then also just as a booster seat. It comes with a strap that you can actually strap it to a regular chair. And that way, baby, you can just sit at the table with everybody else. It's also very lightweight and compact. It folds up so small so you can take it with you to the beach or someone's house. It's also just great for summertime. Like if you're outside enjoying the weather and baby just needs somewhere to sit, this is perfect. Both my kids have loved it and we've gotten so much use out of it. It is so versatile and great for traveling. And the fact that it has the little tray that's dishwasher safe and also holds up to 37 pounds so it will grow with your child is honestly amazing and highly recommend. Travel stroller. This is gonna make things so much easier because there's nothing more stressful than lugging your like full, big, heavy duty stroller, which is basically your child's vehicle with you to the airport or even on a long road trip. It takes so much backseat real estate in the car that you wanna be using for other things. We first got this one when we knew we were gonna be doing an overseas trip to Portugal. And we were like, we are not bringing our main stroller. And this one is so great because it's super lightweight. It folds up so compact that you can even hold it over your shoulder and it fits in the overhead luggage compartment on the plane. It comes in fun colors and it still has storage underneath and on the back as well. The only thing I don't love about it is that it doesn't recline all the way flat. So it's not the best for like nap times on the go. Otherwise we have loved having a travel stroller and it has saved so much space when traveling. And because we were down here for a longer period of time, we did bring her bigger stroller too because we had room in the car, but we are still bringing this one because our oldest likes it still. And it's nice because it doesn't feel like a commitment if we're bringing it with us and she doesn't end up using it. It just kind of tucks away in the trunk and doesn't take up a lot of space. So it's not just for babies. It can be used for your older kids too, just because they will get tired and want a seat to sit. Don't forget about the older kids. Oh, and I almost forgot. Travel stroller, this is something that we recently just got and we love it so much that we bought a second one for the other stroller. Super affordable. It has a couple of different speeds and it's just chargeable so you don't have to deal with batteries and stuff. But if you're going to a hotter climate, you definitely want to think about having a stroller fan to keep your little ones cool. It can get really hot up in here, especially if you have like a blanket covering the sun and stuff. So you want to make sure that they are staying cool, calm and collected. It has these little bendable tripod legs to it so you can attach it pretty much anywhere. And it's been really useful for us on long walks or just when we leave the house or go to the beach. Yes. It's also good for that Beyonce moment. Packing cubes. We have one for each member of the family. We all have different colors. So everybody knows which one is theirs. And I like to organize them by category. So I'll do one for like sweater matching sets. I'll do one for like pajamas, underwear, socks, swimsuits. It just keeps everything organized. And it just makes me feel like a mom who, you know, has her together. But no, seriously, the packing cubes, highly recommend. Not expensive, but definitely a must when traveling. One of the best gifts you can give yourself as a parent is being hands-free. You can do that by bringing a baby carrier. Yeah. Oakley is definitely a mama's boy and he loves snuggling up in the baby carrier. I love this one because I can literally wear him for hours in it, on a hike, at the mall, and my back doesn't hurt. So make sure you get a good one that actually supports your back and isn't going to cause you pain later. I also love that there's so many different patterns and styles that they come in because essentially a baby carrier ends up being your outfit for the day. And you kind of want it to be, I don't know, like an accessory that you feel good in. So I love this one. It's machine washable, super cozy. And Oakley, yeah, you tell them. And they can face inward, outward. Also for toddlers, I've seen ones that are like slings that just kind of sit on your hip. Being able to have both of your hands accessible is game-changing as a parent and allows you to do so much more. He's going to go for a swim, which speaking of water, I'm so excited because Aquasana sent us their clean water machine. Let me show you what it looks like. We actually have back home the Clarum Direct Connect. It's one that just goes underneath the kitchen sink. It doesn't need any special hookups or anything. It connects to your cold water line. So while we're away from home, I'm happy we have the clean water machine option that we can just fill up our water bottles easily. Sage has been loving filling up hers by herself. I'm so excited to be working with Aquasana because their water filters are truly amazing. This is the clean water machine. It was so easy to set up and you can place it anywhere in your home. All you need is a power outlet. I love that they have this option that just sits right on the countertop. And if you're thinking, why not just use one of those old school water pitchers that filters the water for you? They are not doing enough. And not to mention it takes forever. Do you remember just waiting for those to trickle down and actually filter your water? It took forever. The clean water machine is five times faster than the leading pitcher filter and filters out 15 times more contaminants. All this talking is making me thirsty. You can feel good about knowing that they are filtering out 99% of 78 contaminants. Things like mercury, pharmaceuticals, lead, PFAs, chlorine, which tastes awful. Literally tastes like you're drinking pool water. Even pesticides. All these things that are in our environment are getting leached into the water that is coming out of our kitchen tap. Okay, I want to see if Oakley can tell the difference. Oakley? He likes it. Oh, that's the Florida water. Is it good water? You can taste it. It's crazy. It's pretty strong though. But while they're filtering out the things that you don't want in your body, they're also leaving the beneficial minerals like potassium, calcium, and magnesium. Start drinking cleaner, healthier water today by scanning the QR code on the screen or click my link down below in the description to get 55% off all systems, $49 and up, plus free shipping. You can actually taste the difference and feel good knowing you're doing something good for your health. Cue the pack and play. This growing up was called like a play pen. So this is the main one we use back at home. It usually stays at my parents' house because we're there a lot on the weekends. So it's great for naps. But we also have another one that's even smaller and lighter that I will link down below. Oakley's just bigger, so we brought the bigger one. And because we drove down, we had a little bit more trunk space. But if you are traveling, the smaller, the better because it's gonna take up less room in your luggage. Check with your airlines because a lot of times you can check the pack and plays for free without any additional costs. Thank you. Oh no. Hey, pro tip. If you can find like a big walk-in closet or an extra bathroom in the place that you're staying at, it works great as a darkened space for your little ones. I just make sure that there's like good airflow and stuff. Hey, otherwise you can use one of the travel blackout curtains that just like suction to windows. They're great because you can just suction them right onto any window and make the room that your baby is sleeping in nice and pitch black. Hopefully you got some of that. I also didn't mention a baby monitor because we don't really have a travel version. We just bring our like main one. But if you have a good travel, but if you have a good travel-friendly baby monitor recommendation, leave it down below in the comments. Don't forget about bringing essentials like medications, vitamins, and anything that you may need in case your little ones get sick. And for yourself too, because if someone gets sick, it's gonna ruin the trip if you're not prepared. And even if you're not going to a tropical destination, it's still good to have the items that you know and trust. And so no matter where we go, I'm always bringing the items with me because let's face it, when you need it, you need it. And even running to the local pharmacy, it just seems like a long journey. A thermometer. If my kids are feeling a little warm, I wanna make sure to start monitoring it right from the start. This is the one we have. It's just a digital one. I know there's so many different kinds, but get one that you feel good using. I really like this one and you can use it on the forehead or in the ear as well. Arnica gel. I always have this in the first aid kit or in the diaper bag because it is amazing for bruises. Even when I sprained my foot, this is what I used and it helped so much. Teething medication. I like this homeopathic one. It's amazing. So I make sure to have that. Actually, Oakley is having three teeth pop out right this moment. So I'm glad to already have the stuff I need to help him through that. Pain and fever medication, even allergy medicine. We have that as well on the cover. Any daily supplements or vitamins that they're using. Kids are swimming a lot. I have an ear oil for them if they need it. And then any lotions or potions that, I'm like a witch doctor. I got my calendula salve. I have my chest rub. I just like to use more homeopathic natural products with my kids. So it's just easier for me if I bring it with me as opposed to having to go in natural health food stores for the items that I need. I know the brands that I love and trust. Colloidal silver. I never know how to say it. This stuff is amazing. It's kind of like a natural disinfectant and there's so many uses for it. If I get anything eye related, I will use this. Even on like cuts and scrapes, I will use this to disinfect. You can Google it. It's amazing. And it's always in my first aid kit. Sunscreen. If you're going to a hotter climate, you definitely want to make sure you are lathering up to prevent sunburns. So I would consider this a health product. Also, if you are going to more of a remote area, you don't know if the sunscreen is super expensive, what options they have. If your kids have sensitive skin, it's always best to just bring a tub of your own. And then you can stock up on more when you get to your destination. I also just love these travel mini ones that you can just pop into a diaper bag so you never forget the sunscreen. We have a first aid kit that we keep in the car, but I actually found this one on Amazon the other day and I wanted to buy it to keep in the diaper bag. But it's like a full like foldable kit. It's a little bright in here, but it has everything you need from band-aids, to wipes, to a little like thermometer strip and that way you can literally stick this in the diaper bag. Has scissors, gauze, clippers. I always just keep band-aids in my purse because if Sage gets the tiniest little scrape or hanging out, she's like, I need a band-aid and I want to avoid the meltdowns if possible when we are away from home. Okay, let's talk tech. As much as we love to reduce screen time in our households, when we are traveling, it's not the time to do it, okay? For long road trips or plane rides, we are all about the tech. And although we will use it as our last resort, like it's not the first thing we're gonna hand our kid, we are well prepared because when you need it, you need it. There have been countless times, I remember specifically coming back from Portugal, that last flight, we were all about to lose it. I had Cocoa Melon on repeat on the iPad and Sage was the zombie child and I didn't care, okay? She wasn't screaming, everybody was happy, but we were really tired. When you have a screaming child, it just adds to the stress so much. So if you can kind of keep that at bay, it's gonna help you so much. We are officially that household that both kids have a tablet and I don't care, okay? We use it when we need it and I love this one. I will link down below. I like that it has a durable case. So if this thing gets dropped, it's not gonna break and it has like a, the case also has a stand. So if you are somewhere that you need to like just rest it, like I don't love my kids holding it. Obviously, sometimes like that's the only place to put it. I also like this to be able to push into the back seat, like in the car. There's a little slit in the middle and you can just like shove it in and it works perfectly as like movie night in the car. Before our trip, we always pre-download a bunch of movies and shows so we have them ready to go, especially when you don't have access to Wi-Fi and this has saved us. Even like there's been times where there's been a power outage or the Wi-Fi's gone off and we're all like cuddling over the tablet, watching like Frozen or some kind of movie our kids like. So it's worked for us too. I like this little case. It just helps keep everything in one spot and just protects it. And then the new thing we've recently discovered end of last year, the Yoda player. So back home, we have like the main big one, but honestly, if you were just to get one, I would get the travel one because you can use this at home and on the go. Yes, we now have one for each child. In the beginning, we're like, they can just share. They both love it so much and it's just so many meltdowns and yes, they share other things, but you know what? For the road trip back home that we have coming up, they just each have their own. So this is Sage's. I couldn't find Oakley's. His is like the green case, but they have these like durable jackets on them. So they keep them safe when they drop them. It's essentially just an audio player. And so I love that it is a screen-free toy. My kids love it. It plays activities, stories, and music. And I love it because it uses your child's imagination and they get really immersed into it. We recently even just got a meditation one for Sage. They also have like lullaby bedtime stories. They're also very easy for your child to use. They just pop in the card. It doesn't matter if they're backwards, upside down, it will work. It also comes with a free radio station player and like a little, it's like a little podcast. It is adorable and I cannot recommend them enough. And we recently got for Christmas, Sage got this like little travel kit. So it comes with the case. It can put all the cards at the top. And then she also has some headphones. So she like is a teenager now in the back seat with her headphones, listening to her like Walkman and stuff. And I'm just thinking, oh my gosh, where did the time go? They have so many great cards. Like they have Disney ones, like Little Mermaid, Frozen. They have your first hundred words, which Oakley's been using. Lullaby ones, like our favorite story times, like the Pout Pout Fish, the Hungry Caterpillar, Peppa Pig. Like so many cards to choose from. It's, you know, collect them all. Honestly, every day a new one comes to the door and Matt's like, look, they have Harry Potter. I'm like, okay, is this for you or for the kids? Okay. Speaking of tech, sound machine. This is a portable one. Honestly, it's kind of dirty cause it's been through it, but I love having this. I always keep it in the diaper bag. We bring it with us everywhere. We use it in the car. We use it in the stroller, at the beach, like at the mall. If our child is doing a nap in the stroller, putting this on just sets the tone. It kind of drowns out other noises and I love it. It actually is quite loud. So if you bring this as your like main white noise machine, it will work. I think it has a light setting as well. So if you're like trying to see stuff in the dark, it's multi-purpose. I don't think we've used it before, but there's also a timer on it. You can set it for like 30 minutes, an hour, two hours. This has really helped us for naps on the go. Or like I said, if you don't want to bring your big white noise machine, this is just rechargeable. You can even leave it plugged in if you want to have it on throughout the whole night. And it's just so compact. Like it's so small and the speaker is really good quality. Something that stresses me out when I'm away from home is, is the house baby-proofed? And most likely not, especially if you're staying at like an Airbnb. There's just, I look around, I'm like, danger zone, danger zone, danger zone. Especially when you have a walking or crawling toddler, it literally freaks me out. And even here, like we have the big pool, a sliding door. So we definitely got some things to help protect our kids and give us peace of mind. There are a lot of locks and stuff that are travel friendly. So even just cabinet locks, you know, they're not the cutest, but they work. And so, and they're very annoying to open and close, but they work and they keep Oakley out of like breakable glass stuff that we don't want him getting into. So we have these in the bathroom and in the kitchen, even just like products and stuff. Like you're staying at someone else's house that may have products that you don't have at home. So keeping their hands out of that is important. Also Matt wanted me to show you, there's these door locks. You can put them also in hotels. These are really good. You can put them in your doors so that they are basically like just an extra protection. If someone was trying to break in or something, or even just like your kids that know how to open doors, trying to leave the house. That's another thing you have to think about. And with us, Sage knows how to unlock the sliding door here. So at night, just as an extra precaution, we have the sliding door lock that Matt just puts up at the top and it's way too high for her to reach. And it has this little like screw that does that. The best part is these are all very small, affordable items that you can just pack into your suitcase. Even outlet covers, those are great. Just some things to think about when you are making sure that the space that you're staying in is safe for your kids. I know it may seem like a lot, but I promise you, all these items serve a purpose and they're things that can grow with you. They're not just like a one use item on vacation. They're products that I bring with me, whether I'm at a friend's house or a family's house, just to make our visits away from home so much more enjoyable and stress-free. Like if you're able to mimic your child's bedtime routine at a different location, it will make it so much easier, A, for them to take a nap and for you to enjoy hanging out with other people, knowing that your baby is happily sleeping away in the next room. Like that to me is everything. I just know so many parents are like, okay, I gotta go home because my kid will only sleep at home. And I get it, every child is different. But from a very young age, we just make sure that our kids are adaptable in different situations and will either sleep on the go or sleep at someone else's house. It just makes being able to do things with your kids so much easier, A, not stressed out about the time limit or short wake windows. So I'm gonna link everything down below. Also, I wanna say a huge thank you to Aquasana. I'm so happy to be working with them again. And I'm so happy that they are making sure the water we are drinking while away from home is clean and safe for our family. The clean water machine is so cute and compact. We are definitely gonna be bringing that back with us home to Canada. And I just love that they have so many products to fit whatever needs you have. They have shower filters, they have the under the sink one that we have back at home. And again, you can scan the QR code on the screen or click my link down below in the description box to get 55% off all systems, $49 and up, plus free shipping. Forget to subscribe and thumbs up this video if you liked it. Bye guys. Peace.