The Top Baby Travel Essentials To Make Your Next Trip Easier

The Joolz Aer+ is our favorite travel stroller because it’s only 13.2 pounds, has a quick one-handed fold, and it’s high-quality. It’s also ideal for plane travel because it fits into the overhead bin on most airplanes. It also has an attached strap to carry it, which makes it easy to transport from one place to the next when your baby isn’t riding in it. For smaller babies who aren’t yet ready for the regular stroller seat, you can add on a bassinet or a compatible infant car seat.

If you’re carting luggage and other items through the airport, it’s especially helpful to able to carry your baby hands-free. Parent Shana W. of Beacon, NY recommends soft structured carriers, like the Ergo, to make a huge difference when traveling with babies. We like the Ergobaby Omni Breeze as the best baby carrier for its versatility (use it for babies as small as 7 pounds and toddlers as big as 45 pounds), its comfort and its breathable mesh fabric.

Like me, many parents tend to use baby carriers a lot while traveling, so having something that doesn’t get too hot or uncomfortable is ideal.

For a relatively affordable price, the Evenflo Sonus 65 Convertible Car Seat gives you a lot of features in a travel car seat. As a convertible car seat, there is a lot of room to grow, so you can continue to use this well into toddlerhood. It also has two cup holders to store bottles, snacks and toys. With a lower weight limit of 5 pounds, even the tiniest babies can get comfortable riding in this seat.

For more car seat options, check out the rest of our list of the best travel car seats.

You don’t want ruin a great car nap with the sun shining directly into your baby’s face. These window shades help block UVA and UVB rays, and they have a heat alert indicator to let you know if the car is too hot. They also install easily with suction cups, so you can put them in a rental car or move them from one vehicle to the next with ease.

Many parents who keep their baby’s room nice and dark at home swear by the Slumberpod. It’s a tent designed to go over a travel crib to block out light. Parent Lauren H of Atlanta likes the Slumberpod because it “helps keep baby’s dark sleep environment in tact while traveling if that’s important to you.” Lauren also explained that it can be used with a fan and a baby monitor.  If you want to be able to put your baby to bed and not have to fumble around in the dark in your hotel room, give the Slumberpod a try.

Our favorite travel crib at Forbes Vetted is the BabyBjörn Travel Crib Light. “After testing several different travel cribs, I’ve found that the BabyBjörn is definitely the easiest to set up and take down,” says baby and kids gear editor Margaret Badore. It comes with a travel bag, making it easy to tote along with your luggage and check. The mattress rests on the floor, so you don’t have to worry about a maximum weight limit.

Though reusable placemats are more eco-conscious, they’re not the most practical when traveling. These disposable placemats stick to the table, making it harder for your baby to toss them across the room. Stow them in the diaper bag to pull out any time you’re at a restaurant so you know your baby is eating off of a clean surface. While you’re at it, you might want to get some disposable bibs, too.

Of the baby items that don’t typically pack very compactly, high chairs are at the top of the list. What’s great about the Phil & Teds Lobster Clip-On High Chair is that it folds up into an included travel bag, and you can attach it to a table or bar. It’s also lightweight at only 4 pounds. The chair is suitable for babies 3 months to toddlers 3 years, and it has a 4-point harness to keep them secure.

If your baby drinks formula or bottled breastmilk, and especially if they’re under 2 months or have a weakened immune system, you’ll want a portable bottle sterilizer. The Munchkin Sterilize Microwave Bottle Steam Sterilizer Bags take up minimal room in your suitcase, and you can use them anywhere you have access to a microwave. 

This portable changing pad is small enough to keep on hand in the trunk of your car or stow in your suitcase. With a wrist strap and zipper pocket for valuables, you can even carry it as a mini diaper bag. When you fold out the changing pad, you have access to a mesh pocket where you can store diapers and wipes. I’ve had this changing pad for almost six years, and it’s still one of my most-used baby and toddler items. 

If you don’t already have disposable pads lying around your house for when illness strikes, you’ll definitely want to pick some up before your next trip. “I’d place these on the ground or airport or airplane changing tables (gross) to do diaper changes,” says parent Amanda M. of Boulder, CO. They don’t take up much space and are designed to absorb fluids, so you can use them any time you think your baby might make a mess. I like putting them under the high chair when my kids are eating, especially if we’re staying in someone else’s house or if we’re in a situation where they need to eat over carpeting. 

A wet bag is nice to have on hand for any time your baby makes a mess on their clothes that you can’t easily rinse in the sink. Whether it’s a blowout or a major spit up, you can store the dirty clothes in a wet bag until you’re able to get them clean. This way, they won’t soil anything else in your bag. The bag itself is washable so you throw it along with its contents into the washer as soon as you’re able. 

Navigating bath time while traveling can be tricky. When my first was a baby, bath time was part of her bedtime routine, so it was important to me to make sure she could still get a bath while traveling. This bath seat is designed for babies from 0 to 6 months, and it folds up flat to fit in your bag. Once they get a bit older, you might want to try an inflatable baby tub. 

As long as I’ve been traveling with babies and toddlers, I’ve wished that hotels offered child-proofed rooms. When providing her favorite baby travel essentials, parent Grace P. of Vermont recommends removable duct tape. “For baby proofing, not for the baby,” she jokes.

All jokes aside, this duct table can do wonders for making your space safe while you’re there with your baby. Use this no-reside duct tape to cover over outlets, tape dresser drawers closed, blunt sharp corners and to baby proof any unexpected dangerous areas. Just be careful about where you place it so you don’t accidentally remove any paint for varnish. Duct tape can also be really handy for on-the-fly repairs to luggage or gear.

This is the first aid kit I keep in the trunk of my car, and it has come in handy on countless trips. Some of the items in the kit include bandages, alcohol wipes, tweezers, an instant cold pack and sterile gauze dressing pads. It all comes in a compact zipper pouch so you can grab it and go. 

Nobody wants to get sick while traveling, but it’s better to be prepared just in case. The Frida Baby Mobile Medicine Cabinet Travel Kit includes a Nose Frida for suctioning snot, a rectal thermometer and a special pacifier and dropper for dispensing medicine. Don’t forget to add in any medication your baby regularly takes as well as a pain relieverfever reducer. 

Having a safe space to put your baby when in an unfamiliar environment is imperative. The Kidco Peapod provides just that. It’s a portable tent that also provides UV protection, so you can use it outdoors, too. “We could not have survived travel with our kids without the KidCo Peapod. We used it everywhere from the airport to hotel rooms to the beach,” says parent Freda M. of East Bay, CA. 

When deciding which toys to pack for your baby, you want things that are lightweight, compact and versatile. There are so may ways to play with stacking cups, and you can use them to pour water over your baby in the bath, too. Younger babies might enjoy banging them together while older babies might like stacking them up and knocking them down. 

Many parents don’t like putting their babies down on a dirty or unfamiliar floor to play or practice tummy time. To solve this problem, use a portable foam play mat. The cushioned foam is great if you’re on a hard surface. It even comes with a carry case so you can easily pack it up and go. 

Whether you’re going for a stroller walk or giving your baby some floor time, this clip-on mobile can help keep them entertained. It features high-contrast colors, which young babies are drawn to. Other than the clip, the toy folds flat, and it’s very lightweight, so it’s easy to pack.