Top Five Travel Essentials For Your Baby
If you think packing for yourself is hard enough, think again. Packing for your baby is doubly complicated. There are just so many things to bring! Make things easier for you by having a checklist of the things you need to bring when travelling with your baby.
1. Baby’s clothes. Your baby should have at least two sets of clothes for each day of your travel. On shorter trips such as a weekender, your baby’s clothes will most likely fit in a large diaper bag together with the other essentials. But for longer travel durations, it would be best to prepare his own travel bag or reserve a space in your luggage for baby clothes. Do not forget to include blankets and your baby’s own comforter or linen so your baby will not have a hard time adjusting to the new scent of hotel bedding. Depending on the weather, you may also need to bring a wide-brimmed hat (for sunny places) or jackets and sweatshirts (for cold places).
2. Diaper bag. The diaper bag will definitely be a hand-carry luggage for the whole duration of your trip. It will contain everything that your baby will need while on the go. Most moms only prepare one large diaper bag that will carry all of baby’s essentials. But if your travel plans include a lot of walking around and transferring from one place to another, choose a large diaper bag that you can leave at the hotel and a small diaper bag that can carry what your baby will most likely need for a day.
The diaper bag should contain the following essentials: diapers and diaper changing pads, baby wipes and tissue paper or cotton balls, milk bottles and breast pump (if applicable), lightweight feeding utensils and bibs, and a few crackers and other solid baby foods, small toys and books and plastic bags for soiled diapers or wet towels and clothes. The bag should also contain the baby’s grooming essentials, to include small bottles of baby shampoo, baby soap (choose bar instead of liquid especially when travelling by air), baby lotion, baby oil, and hair brush.
3. Baby carrier or stroller. Do not leave these behind especially if you know you’ll be walking around all day exploring new sights. Small babies can make do with a baby carrier or sling which is very convenient to bring. There’s no choice but to bring the stroller, though, if your baby is already too heavy to carry. If your stroller is big and it’s quite a hassle to carry around during trips, you can buy a smaller stroller that’s lightweight and easily collapsible. You can also borrow from a relative or a friend to save money.
4. First aid kit and basic medications. These will include your baby’s special medicines (if any), pain reliever, medications for colds and cough, and medical supplies to treat minor injuries. You can also add a small bottle of DEET-free mosquito repellent and a small bottle of calamine lotion for itchy insect bites, as well.
5. Travel documents, identification cards, and insurance cards. Don’t forget your baby’s passport when travelling abroad. Your baby’s identification cards and medical insurance cards (if any) should also include your baby’s blood type and the contact details of his pediatrician.