Traveling can be hard. Long drives, late nights, and a change in routine can make just about anyone tired and cranky. Traveling with a baby? Well, that’s even harder. Whether you’re moving cross-country, taking your baby to visit relatives, or going somewhere just because, planning ahead is a must when you’re traveling with your baby. Although you’re bound to hit a few bumps in the road— both literally and figuratively— being prepared can save you and your baby a world of trouble.
When our baby was 3-weeks-old we had to take an unexpected road trip. We weren’t sure what would happen, but the trip was wonderful. Along the way, we learned ideas we’ve followed on every family vacation in the future. Read on for our 6 Tips for Traveling with Babies that saved our sanity.
6 Tips for Traveling with a Baby
1. Make a playlist with baby songs.
Babies love music, right? But not all music. No one wants to be flipping through the radio when their baby starts to get fussy, trying to find a song that the baby likes. Luckily for us, I had made a playlist with seven of baby’s favorite songs and downloaded it to my phone. Whenever she started to get cranky or upset, all I had to do was open her playlist and turn on one of her favorite songs. In the future, I will definitely make a longer playlist, because listening to the same seven songs for a week got a little tiring, but other than that? This worked like a charm!
Pro-tip- If you are planning a road trip and have Sirius XM, some stations we found for the baby included the classical station for soothing, Radio Disney, Kidz Bop, and Kids Place Live. We also have a Spotify playlist saved on the phone. (Some of these stations work great for toddlers and preschoolers as well!)
2. Pack distractions.
Music is great, but it doesn’t work 100% of the time. When all else fails, it’s time for a distraction. Whether it’s a rattle, a fun toy, a storybook, or a pacifier, having distractions on hand can buy some time until you’re able to pull over and rectify whatever is wrong. We actually had to go out and buy a toy while we were traveling, so now we keep the toy and a pacifier in the car where we’ll always have it on hand. I try to carry an additional toy and pacifier in my diaper bag, as well, for some variety.
Pro-tip: Not all pacifiers are created equal. We like Soothies pacifiers the best, but experiment and find out your child’s preference.
3. Plan for stops.
Even if you’re one of those people who can drive for long stretches of time without a rest break, your baby isn’t. Planning in plenty of rest stops will help keep your baby happy, and will give you time for diaper changes, feedings, and anything else you need to do. If your baby regularly sleeps for two to three hours at a time, plan on stopping every two to three hours. This is also a good time for you to refresh, stretch your legs, grab a snack, and fuel up. You’ll inevitably have to make some extra stops, but by planning ahead, you can keep these to a minimum.
Pro-tip: Schedule an additional 15 to 20 minutes at each stop into your travel time.
4. Don’t pack your schedule.
It’s easy to over-plan, especially if you have a lot of relatives vying for time with the baby. Resist the urge to schedule every moment of the day. Babies (and kids!) need lots of rest, and you’ll need plenty of rest if you’re traveling with a small child or baby, too. If your baby likes to sleep in a carrier, they can rest while you’re wearing them, but they’ll still need plenty of quiet time.
Pro-tip: If you normally plan to spend x number of hours at a certain spot, add in an additional 30 minutes. This will allow for some downtown to allow your baby to relax.
5. Bring soothing items.
When babies get off their schedule, it can be ugly. If you wind up with a cranky baby, you’re going to want to be able to soothe them. After all, nothing is sadder than watching your baby be upset and not being able to calm them immediately! Two of our lifesavers when traveling were swaddling and baby bedtime bath products. A warm bath and a good swaddle are two of my baby’s favorite things, and they’re incredibly soothing. Plus, since it’s part of our regular bedtime routine, she knew that after a bath and a swaddle, it was time to go to sleep!
Pro-tip: if you’re no good at swaddling, like me, there are plenty of products out there to make swaddling easier. Try a velcro-close swaddle blanket or a wearable blanket!
6. Stay on routine (as much as possible.)
Babies love routines. I love routines, too, so this was an easy tip for me. Staying on your routine will help the baby adjust to traveling. Keeping a regular wake-up time, bath time, and fitting in some of your regular activities can help make your baby comfortable. For example, if you normally bathe the baby around eight pm, you should try to continue that, instead of skipping the bath or changing the timing. If you normally go for a walk at a certain time, try to fit that in too.
Pro-tip: We love our portable bassinet because it lets the baby take a nap anywhere, and it folds flat so it won’t take up much room in your car or suitcase.
Traveling with babies or small children can be a challenge, but these six steps can make it easier. What are your best baby travel tips?
I love these tips because being on the road with a little one can definitely be a trying experience.
Babies need to have fun! Great tips and I love baby sunglasses!
Anytime I traveled with our son when he was an infant I made sure to breastfeed him on demand. It made him so much more agreeable on the flight and it kept his ears from popping!
Planning for stops is definitely the biggest thing when you are heading to a destination. I can remember having to stop 3 times on a 2 hour drive once.
Sounds like you’ve got some working tips here based from experience. I just love that cute pic of the baby beside the sitting statue. The last advice will still be invaluable for toddlers growing up.
These are all great tips and I need to use them. I traveled everywhere with my kids when they were small and never seemed to have a problem (maybe because they were all 4 years apart). My grand kids are a whole other task though, traveling with them is exhausting.
My daughter just recently took a trip to St. Louis with her 4 month old baby. I have to say, being nursed sure does change how you approach travel. All was well on the way there, but they purchased a new vehicle so she had to have the baby in the car by herself all the way home. That is a lot harder than having someone in the car to help appease baby 🙂 Thanks for the tips. We all can use help wherever we can get it.
Traveling with babies can be so overwhelming. They need so much and we pack everything! These are great tips for moms!
This is perfect timing for these tips. My friend has a two month old baby and she is going out of the country with him. I will have to share this with her.
These are some awesome tips! I didn’t travel with my son but maybe one day I will travel and maybe one day I will have another… =P Hehe. But these are some awesome tips!
These are great tips for the active, traveling parents.
I am sure they will be of great help to them.
Some great tips here. I especially like the one about making a playlist. We’re off on holiday in a few months so will be doing this.
Couldn’t agree more! We are heading out on our first summer trip in a couple of weeks!
We haven’t travel so far when my son was this little. Now, he is a little bit older, it is easier for me to travel for at most 5 hours trip.
I traveled a lot with my kids when they were babies. These are all good suggestions. ‘Be prepared’ is definitely key. I had everything possible in my diaper bag.
We never went far when our kids were super little, but I can only imagine the extra preparation involved. Aside from the necessities, packing plenty of patience is essential too.
I love the fact that you mention staying on routine as much as possible, I am sure that helps a lot when traveling with a baby.
Traveling with babies is much easier than toddlers who get into everything. Your baby is just adorable !
What wonderful tips for traveling with baby (who is really adorable). The six songs will be going through your head for years to come. The idea of a playlist is fantastic.
I am not a parent but can see how this would help parents of babies to travel easier. Your little one is super cute!
I didn’t travel much with babies when my trio was younger – but these are great tips that I can see any parent needing!
These are definitely some good tips. It’s good to have a game plan and plenty of supplies before taking trips with little ones!
Great tips for traveling with babies. It is a lot more work than most parents expect especially the first time.
Thanks for sharing
She’s adorable! Speaking from experience, these are all great tips. When traveling with a baby, it’s all about the baby. We once took a long trip with our baby unaware that she was developing an ear infection. It was a long ride with lots of stops and a trip to the pharmacy when we arrived at our destination.
Oh my! So cute, I travelled with my 5th born when he was just two months old and it was an interesting experience! I love these tips, and they are super helpful for when I head home after baby is born this summer!
I traveled when my daughter was a newborn and pumping in the car made things much better for the both of us. I also had plenty of ice packs to keep the pumped milk cool. Taking breaks so my older kid could stretch and play for a couple of minutes were huge.
Traveling with babies can be stressful for sure. These are great tips to make the whole process easier! We always plan for plenty of stops along the way!
Oh my goodness, your baby is so cute! I LOVE those photo shoots you did. Keeping routine is the absolute most important part of traveling with a baby.
Its’ been a long time since I’ve traveled with a little one, but I may get that chance again, when my grand baby is born in October. These are all great tips to remember and I love the playlist of songs. I would have never thought of that.
I agree with keeping the routine! It doesn’t matter which time zone or city you visit, make sure baby gets the proper rest and stays on the same feeding schedule and everyone will have a good time.
I have traveled a lot with my child away from infancy up until now. I find the best thing for a child is to keep the routine the matter where you are. They get what they need and you get to have fun without a crabby child on your hands.