The ultimate list of travel essentials for newborns

It may seem like traveling with a newborn baby would require you to pack the whole entire house up just in case you forget something. That’s simply just not true. Remember the golden rule: quality, not quantity. Instead of trying to pack as much as you can, try focusing on what is most essential to get your baby and yourself through each day while away from home.

If you don’t know where to begin when it comes to compiling those needs, you have come to the right place. Here is our ultimate list of travel essentials for newborns.

Travel Gear for Sleeping

Up first is sleep! We all know that if your baby isn’t getting any good sleep, then neither are you.

One of the key ways to get your baby to sleep well while away from home is to try to create an environment similar to one that they’re used to sleeping in. Here are some essential items to make sure that both you and your baby get a good night’s rest while traveling.

1. Sleep Slack/Swaddle Blanket

For a lot of babies, swaddling is an essential part of helping them sleep well at night. It is a great way to protect your baby from sleeping with loose blankets that may cover their face. It is also one of the best ways to keep your baby’s arms immobilized and prevent startle reflex from waking them up.

2. Travel Crib

A travel crib is the perfect item for your baby if you plan to move around a lot and want to make sure they still get their nap in during your rest stops. Also, with it being an item that you can travel with, you’ll know that it’s clean and safe for your baby’s benefit.

3. Baby Monitoring App

If you’re going to be traveling to places where your baby may be sleeping or napping in a different room from the one you’re in, having a baby monitoring app installed on your phone can help you relax while they’re out of your sight. It’s also a great alternative to trying to make room for packing traditional monitoring systems.

Travel Gear for Getting Around

Up next are essential items for getting out and about with your baby. Some of these items can help whether you’re on a trip away from home or going somewhere locally and just want to make bringing your baby with you a little easier.

1. Travel Car Seat

If you’re traveling by plane or rental car while you’re away, then consider investing in a travel car seat. There are options that are lightweight, or that may even fold away, which is a lot easier than having to figure out how to bring the traditional bulky car seat with you on the go out of town.

2. Baby Carrier

Using a baby carrier is probably the easiest way to keep your baby close to you for their comfort while allowing you to be hands-free and do anything you may need to do. You can choose from standard carriers that you can strap to your body, or there are softer versions that allow you to have more freedom with how you position your baby. It all depends on what you feel is more suitable. 

3. Stroller/Bassinet Cover

If you have ever tried at least once to cover your little one’s car seat or stroller for their protection, then you know that not only is it an impractical solution but it also doesn’t do the job you need it to when it comes to shielding your baby from the elements.

A stroller cover won’t blow in the wind, slip off, or be pulled down by your baby, and you won’t have to constantly check to make sure that it’s still in place. This is also an item that can help improve your baby’s quality of sleep while you’re on the go.

Travel Essentials for Eating

Another aspect of traveling that we want to minimize the complications of is being able to feed your baby on the go. If you choose to formula-feed your baby, then your usual feeding routine would likely work just fine while you’re away.

But if you breastfeed, or pump and feed, then it can get slightly more complicated than mixing a bottle when your baby is hungry. Here are a few items that can make nursing while traveling easier for you and your baby.

1. Nursing Bra

If you’re a nursing mother, then you know that breastfeeding on the go isn't always the easiest thing to do. What’s most important is that you are comfortable and able to feed your baby when they’re hungry.

Using a nursing bra can provide convenience and ease of access for when your baby is hungry. There are even some that are made so that you don’t have to compromise your style for comfort and ease of access. If this is something that is important to you, you are going to love our range of nursing bras!

2. Nursing Cover

Although it’s not a necessity to cover up when feeding your baby, everyone has a choice to do what they find most comforting for themselves. If you’re a mother that feels more comfortable covering up, there are newer nursing covers that are made for helping you stay covered, without completely covering or smothering your baby.

3. Pumping Bra

There will be times when you’ll need to pump, and your baby is not ready to eat yet. Fortunately, pumping bras exist, and they allow you to pump hands free, which will allow you to put those hands to work doing other things, or even rest. Sometimes all you need is a moment to not do anything at all. This bra will do most of the work for you!

Other Travel Essentials

Lastly, there are a couple of items that we feel are essential to traveling with a baby that we didn’t want to forget. Just because these items don’t fit into the categories listed above, does not mean they should be counted out.

1. Changing Pad

A baby will go when a baby has to go. Make sure you’re that you’re prepared to change them at any given moment. The fear of having to change your baby in an area that you don’t feel is safe or sanitary will significantly decrease if you make sure to bring a changing pad with you while you’re out and about. It will function as a protective barrier for the surfaces you need to use to change your baby.

2. Inflatable Bathtub

Part of making sure that your baby is able to sleep well and maintain their routines while away from home is to try and mimic those routines as closely as possible. Bath time is often essential to a baby’s sleep schedule, and if you don't feel comfortable using a sink or a bathtub that isn’t your own, the inflatable bathtub is an alternative that you can take with you and keep your baby squeaky clean!

Final Thoughts

Now of course there are other items that qualify as essentials for your baby whether you’re traveling or not. Things like clothes, toys, diapers, pacifiers, and so on are obvious must-carry items that we didn’t want to beat a dead horse by highlighting in this guide.

Those are things that you will probably have in order by default and know to pack by the time you’re ready to travel with your baby for the first time. So don’t worry about that.

The goal of this list was to make sure that you know about some of the things that can make traveling with your little one a significantly easier experience for both of you. We also wanted to highlight some little-known items that most new moms will easily miss. Hopefully, we have achieved that goal and you are now better prepared to travel with your newborn. Happy travels!

Angelia Smith - Feb. 18 2022