Travel Essentials for Baby

Everyone looks forward to vacations, especially after going through months of hectic life schedules, and parents are no exception. However, once you embrace parenthood, be prepared that your days of traveling light and enjoying the in-flight entertainment are long gone.

Parents need to go through extensive pre-planning to ensure they do not miss any essential travel items regarding their baby. In this article, we are suggesting a list of travel essentials to ensure a stress-free trip. Let’s go through these practical tips.

List of Baby's Travel Essentials 

No matter what kind of means of transportation you are going to have from a car to a train or airplane, the following travel essentials are a must:

Strollers

Strollers are an inevitable part of baby gear, regardless of your destination. You can’t imagine a vacation with your little one without a stroller, even if you are heading to a resort that claims to be walkable. Having a quality stroller ensures you and your little munchkin have a smooth and comfortable trip. Out of the many strollers on the market, we suggest you select one with the following qualities:

• If you travel most of the time through an airline, try to get a cabin-approved stroller. Otherwise, you can gate check (take your little one on the stroller right up to the gate), then fold it at the door of the aircraft and send it in a travel bag to be stored with luggage upon boarding. Likewise, once you reach your destination, your stroller should be ready at the gate.

• It allows your baby to have a sound sleep during the travel while you enjoy all the perks of vacations.

• A travel-friendly stroller usually keeps you at ease, with features like a one-handed recline, rugged wheels fit for all terrains, including sand, and a large undercarriage basket to keep sand toys, your beach bag, sunscreen, snacks, etc.

Strollers With the Travel Safe Program

Few strollers meet the above-mentioned criteria very well. For instance, UPPAbaby strollers have a TravelSafe Program. According to it, you need to register your stroller online before traveling and get relieved. Now, you can easily gate-check your UPPAbaby strollers; if any damage happens to your stroller during air travel, they fully cover it. This is what you call the best customer service!

Keep in mind before going to Disney that they too have stroller limitations in the park. As per their rules, strollers shouldn’t be larger than 31 inches wide and 52 inches long. That’s why we recommend you buy a stroller thoughtfully. The UPPAbaby Vista V2 (with both seats) and Baby Jogger City Select 2 meet these guidelines very well.

Travel Strollers

UPPAbaby Cruz V2

Generally speaking, travel strollers are lightweight and compact enough to be stowed in the overhead compartment of an aircraft. The Silver Cross Jet 3 weighs just 13.6 lbs and is compact enough, cabin-approved, and with a UPF 50+ hood, pop-out sun visor, and improved airflow, is perfect for sunny vacations. Other options you have for travel-friendly strollers include UPPAbaby MINU V2, BabyZen YOYO, Bugaboo Butterfly, and Nuna TRVL.

Car Seats

No matter which mode of transportation you take—car, train, or air travel—your little one is a precious cargo you need to take care of. It’s better to use a seat for your little one. As you can’t buy baby products every other day, it's wise to choose an aircraft-approved seat in the first place. In this way, you can enjoy your journey without having to hold your baby in your lap, and the baby is also more protected in the car seat.

Like strollers, regarding car seats, you need to take care of the following rules:

• The car seat must have FAA certification that recommends its use in motor vehicles and aircraft.
• For multiple children traveling with you, the rule is one car seat free of charge, and it needs to be in a window seat on a single-aisle plane.
• For safety reasons, a car seat is not allowed to be installed in an aisle seat. 

Under 2 years, children can also be booked as “lap-held infants”, hence they are not given separate seats. However, if the flight hours are long and the weather is hot, you can purchase a separate plane seat and place a car seat on it. Also, if you have twins, one lap-held infant per row is allowed. If you want to hold both twins in your lap, sit across the aisle from your partner. The reason behind this rule is the availability of only 4 oxygen masks per row.

Stokke JetKids BEDBOX

One big reason for parents' anxiety about traveling with little kids is their baby’s sleep disturbance. This may lead to baby tantrums, and a restless child can ruin your vacations. Therefore, parents do anything to keep their little ones comfortable and have a sound sleep.

Sometimes, even traveling around your baby's nap time doesn't work well, as the fun factor associated with the sights and sounds of a plane excites them. Well, in this situation, you can have a lifesaver: JetKids Bedbox!

This roll-along and ride-along bed in a box, designed for children between 2 and 7 years old, is a blessing during travel. In case of flight delays, your toddler can ride on it like a toy. Once you are on board, you can store it under the seat until needed. After you put JetKids to use, you can buckle your little one into their seat. The box has a mattress pad and room for a tablet or other travel essentials. It is best to use this Bedbox in a window seat. 

JETKIDS BedBox V3

Courtesy Items

Before you set off on your journey, get information from your airline about courtesy item rules per person, such as a play yard, stroller, or car seat. As policies continue to change, it's better to get clarity about the number of courtesy items allowed in addition to your luggage, both on the plane and in your hotel.

Many hotels offer you a room with a portable play yard or a crib; in that case, you don’t need to take yours. Also, many resorts have family-friendly rooms with amenities like a kettle, bottle warmer, or even a stroller.

Some airlines offer special baggage allowances to those traveling with children. Hence, it's better to discuss these things beforehand with your travel agent and sort them out.

Snacks

Another point that parents take seriously during travel is their baby’s food. For those traveling with their babies under 2 years, the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority allows them to bring special items like formula, milk, water, juice, etc.

If your baby is fed breast milk, there is the option of pumping beforehand. In case of flight delays, you can prolong the life of pumped milk by refilling it with ice in your wet bag.

Reason To Choose Baby's Travel Essentials 

It's a reality that there is a difference between your pre- and post-baby vacations. However, with so many facilities around in the form of the latest and most high-tech baby gear, do not let the thought of traveling with your baby give you stress. With good planning and arranging the best possible Travel Essentials for Baby, you can have a fun-filled trip with your little one. Don't forget to add seasonal items like sunscreen, sun hats, swim diapers, etc. Have a wonderful journey with your bundle of joy and create a lot of memories!