I recently posted a string of Stories on Instagram detailing the top 10 items I would recommend for traveling with a baby and the response to that was awesome. Firstly for the fact that people were interested and secondly it’s just exciting to see so many people wanting to travel with those babies!

If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a thousand times…people think babies are way scarier than they are. They’re actually quite adaptable, flexible and resilient. Adam and I made a vow long ago to become parents because we wanted to enhance the life we were living, not as a way to replace a lifestyle that we’d give up. So when we became parents in May of 2022, it wasn’t long after that we were on a plane headed to Europe with bebe in tow. And you know what? It was amazing. We took her when she was 5 months old and we spent a week in Paris followed by a week in Provence. And she’s been on a few trip since then, too. In fact, in the first 8 months of her life she had been on 11 airplane trips! And our little jet setter is getting used to travel and being on the go as part of a normal lifestyle. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with leaving the kiddos with grandma and grandpa and having some 1:1 time with your spouse – Adam and I are actually doing that soon so that we can attend a destination wedding – but I actually prefer including her in everything we do. Spending time with my little family is quite literally my favorite thing and I want to experience everything right along with my husband and my daughter. Does it take a little extra planning (and a little extra patience)? Absolutely yes. But is it SO worth it? An even harder absolutely yes. And so, without stammering on for too much longer, here is a guide of all of the things I’ve deemed essential for traveling with a baby! I hope this is helpful and I hope you hit those friendly skies (or roads) soon with your little one too!

1. Formula Dispensers – If you are formula feeding, this right here is for you! We were able to pre-measure meals out and take an entire day’s worth with us on the go. No hassling around and trying to scoop/measure while you’re juggling a million other things or enjoying a nice meal. Literally the easiest purchase. We still use ours when we’re out to dinner, hanging with friends or just anywhere that will keep us away from the house for long periods of time.
2. Doona Stroller – It’s likely you’ve heard of these before and have also seen thousands of them around. While they’re more of an investment than other car seats, that’s for a laundry list of reasons. One, it’s 2-in-1 since it’s a car seat and a stroller. Two, it’s lightweight and so easy to maneuver. Three, getting in and out of the car is a breeze and you don’t have to get the car seat out then get the stroller out then put the car seat in the stroller then….and the list goes on…you literally just pop this in and out of the car and you’re on your way. Four, it doesn’t need a base to buckle into a car so you can use while traveling in any Uber, Lyft, taxi, etc. We literally are obsessed with Doona.
3. Doona Stroller Rain Cover – If you’re thinking, “Hmm I don’t know if we’d actually use the rain cover.” You will. Rain, snow, even just super windy days…this thing is a necessary add-on.
4. Doona Travel Bag – Lightweight and so convenient because it has backpack straps so you can wear it and then it also rolls up for easy carrying. Keeps the Doona nice and padded. PLUS: when you put the Doona in the travel bag, there’s extra room so you can actually get away with packing more in there. We typically throw in our rain cover, baby carrier, toys, extra coats, extra diapers and whatever else we want. It gate checks for free!
5. Pipette Travel Kit – We love using Pipette products on our girl and this has all of her day to day products in travel sizes. Body wash/shampoo, lotion, oil and balm. Plus the bag holds even more so we typically role up a wash cloth and put it in there and we throw in her hairbrush and scalp massager (homegirl loves getting her hair washed with that).
6. Merlin Sleepsuit – If you follow me on Instagram, you have heard me sing the Merlin’s praises before. But I truly cannot talk it up enough. It was a GAME CHANGER in our little one’s sleep routine. The first night we put her in the Merlin was the first time she slept through the night and she has loved it ever since. We bought every size as she grew out of one and into another and now she wears the Merlin sleepsack. We travel with the Merlin because it’s such a reliable way to guarantee a good night’s sleep and we even put her in it for overnight flights. Pro tip: book a bulkhead seat when flying with a baby that can’t yet sit up on their own (per regulations) because the airline will bring you a bassinet that clips into the wall and your babe can sleep snug as a bug in their own airline bassinet!
7. Diaper Bag Backpack/Changing Station – While this is 7th on the list, it is my number one recommendation. This thing is AWESOME. It’s a diaper bag backpack but it unzips and lengthens into a changing station (also doubles as a bassinet). I’ve used that changing station to change my daughter’s diaper at the top of the Eiffel Tower, in the courtyard of Versailles, in tiny alleyways, etc. If you’ve traveled Europe you know that changing tables are fundamentally not a thing there and virtually everywhere within a large city is short on space so bathrooms are typically a toilet, a pedestal sink and incredibly wet floors. Trust me – you need this thing. It includes a sun screen if you want to use it as a bassinet while outside, a charging station for your devices and just a ton of storage space and organizational compartments. I’m obsessed, you guys.
8. Carrier – We don’t do baby wearing at home, but we do use a carrier while traveling for ease of navigating airports, busy cities, public transportation, etc. This is the one we registered for and while I don’t have anything to compare it to, we have really liked ours. It has a little storage compartment included in it and we typically throw in a stuffed animal for her to have on the go!
9. Suction Spinner Toys – Ok these things are the VIP of travel toys. They suction to airplane windows, the backs of airplane seats, restaurant tables and bathtubs. They are also consistently a best seller on my blog and literally the sales on these things skyrocket every time I post about them – and for good reason!
10. Crinkle Books – runner up VIP of travel toys are these crinkle books. Babies love some crinkle toys and these are so fun with different textures, sounds, tabs to pull, things to slide around and things to talk through with them. They have velcro loops so you can attach them to the car seat/stroller/carrier/high chair or whatever else. We get a lot of mileage out of these!

Did you guys ever watch The Reading Rainbow as kids? Because at this point I feel like just ending by saying, “But don’t take my word for it,” like LeVar Burton – Ha! Seriously though, if you want to know where to start with planning travel that includes a baby, I’m happy to provide your square one – or one through ten actually.

Have the best time adventuring this beautiful world with those babies!!

XOXO,

Thessali

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