Sage’s first time on an airplane was at 8 months old! She traveled 3 times by the time she was 13 months, her longest flight being to Hawaii at 11 months old! In the weeks leading up to our first trip, I researched constantly on what to bring for traveling with an infant. I wanted to be prepared, but I didn’t want to overpack like crazy just to return home with a ton of unused items. So having now taken 4 trips with Sage, including one out of the country, I’ve narrowed all that I’ve learned down for you, to what I believe are the absolute must-haves you need when traveling with an infant – one year old!
*this list is for warm-weather destinations!
packing for a 7-day trip
CLOTHING:
I HIGHLY recommend packing cubes! These are the ones that we have. Then I organize her clothes by day / night.
- 2 outfits per day (one for daytime/play, one for dinner)
- 1 pair of jammies per day
- 3-4 onesies
- 2 sweaters
- sneakers for plane, sandals & socks
- These are my favorite sandals for new walkers so that you know where they are at all times, especially in a crazy airport. They squeak with each step! We got stopped so many times when she had them on. People thought they were hilarious / genius!
- swimsuits & a coverup
- sun hats
- bows
- sunglasses
FEEDING:
- silicone bibs
- sippy cups
- baby spoon & fork (I found this cute travel set with a case!)
- snacks / pouches
- silicone baby placemat
- get the ones with suction on the bottom so if you’re feeding baby on the plane, or wherever they don’t throw their plate or have to eat off of the table.
- snack cup or snack spinner (we use these every single day!)
- a small bottle of dish soap
- portable high chair (optional)
- We just used the high chairs provided at the restaurants so we didn’t bring ours! But we have used this at local restaurants that don’t have an abundance of high chairs.
Sage was EBF so we didn’t need bottles or formula. If you do, also remember to bring bottle brushes!
TOILETRIES:
Here’s a list of everything we brought. You can find them in this Amazon list.
- toothbrush
- toothpaste
- shampoo
- bath wash
- baby lotion
- sunscreen
- swim diapers (we packed 3 per day)
- diaper cream
- rose ointment (we use this in place of neosporin/vaseline)
- wipes
- diapers (if you overpack anything, overpack these!)
- night diapers
- daily vitamins / tinctures (probiotic, vitamin C, elderberry)
- oils (for sleep, boo-boo’s, tummy issues, etc)
- thermometer
- insect repellent
- bandaids
- saline nose spray
- nosefrida
- a few bath toys (optional)
- all meds were available where we traveled so we didn’t bring things like tylenol or benadryl
IN OUR DIAPER BAG:
- diapers
- wipes
- changing pad
- an extra set of clothes
- hand sanitizer
- rose ointment
- oils & carrier oil (I put v6 in a little dropper bottle)
- snacks (we love quick, clean snacks likes yogis, puffs, & teethers)
- thin blanket for naps / nursing
- portable white noise machine
- travel pillow
- smaller toys + books
OTHERS:
- portable fan
- car seat + base (can also rent this but we always brought our own)
- pack-n-play (we never needed this because Sage co-sleeps, but check with hotel first if they have this or a crib available)
- pack-n-play mattress protector & sheet OR crib mattress protector & sheet
- stroller
- sand toys
- we loved this travel beach pad!
- beach umbrellas (if they aren’t available where you’re going)
- baby carrier
- baby monitor (we didn’t bring this because Sage just napped poolside!)
- nighttime items (sleep sack, blankie, etc if necessary)
- bath seat (we held Sage in the bathtub so we didn’t need one!)
This may seem like a lot! But baby items are so tiny, they fit so well into one suitcase, especially with the packing cubes!
I basically didn’t sleep the entire night before her first flight, I was soo nervous! To my surprise, it went MUCH smoother than anticipated. For us the most difficult part was getting all of our luggage checked in, through security, and to the gate. Once we have our hands free, it has been smooth sailing!
at the airport
You’re allowed 2 bags each. Your diaper bag, stroller, & car seat do not count for these. Hands-free bags like backpacks we prefer. I’d just use a small belt bag like this one to hold my personal items, and larger items I squeezed into Sage’s diaper bag!
Right now we like to bring our own stroller & car seat. We gate-check both!
*pro tip – if you have @nuna_usa or @uppababy they sell insured travel bags, you just register your bag & their travelsafe program covers any damages during travel!
We did just see a really cool @doonausa travel system that we are looking into getting that’s an all-in-1!
*WORTH IT: apply for TSA precheck to get a known traveler number. you won’t have to break down the stroller, take out your laptop, take off your shoes, etc. It’s SO much easier and saves you lots of time!
on the airplane
I’ve only traveled with my husband, so we get both window & aisle seats, she loves to look out of the window! if I was traveling alone I’d get an aisle seat in case I needed to stand up & bounce her, & for easy bathroom trips.
Dress babe in a cozy outfit for easy changing. Bathrooms on airplanes are tight!
Nurse or give a bottle/sippy on take-off & landing. This is so important for a smooth flight as it helps with the popping/pressure on their little ears.
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