The thought of traveling with a baby can send even the most seasoned traveler into panic mode. The list of things you need to take, do and buy can be endless. You worry about where they will sleep, how they will sleep, what they will eat, how they will cope on the plane and a million other things.
So to help you take the stress out of traveling with babies and toddlers we have pulled together a comprehensive list of the best products, tips, and tricks to make traveling with babies and toddlers a breeze!
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5 Best Travel Products for Babies
There are a million different travel products out there for babies and it's hard to know which ones are useful and which ones are just a gimmick. So with that in mind, we have pulled together our 5 best travel products for babies that have been tried and tested by us!
1. CoziGo (formerly FlyBabee)
I would have given my right arm to have this when we took Tully to the UK when she was 2 months old. She wouldn't sleep a wink in the bassinet on the plane because it was wide open and she could see everything going on around you. The Fly Babee also doubles as a pram cover so you only need the one item. It is the best invention ever.
2. Babyzen Yoyo Travel Stroller
The Baby Zen Yoyo is fantastic. It's lightweight (6.5kg) and easy to fold and unfold. However, it's most magical feature is that you can take it onboard the plane and store it in the overhead lockers! No more checking your pram and having to get it back at the luggage carousel. The Yoyo is only 44cm wide so it fits down the aisle of the plane as well. You have two options, the 0+, which lays flat and parent faces, or the 6mth +, which is outward facing. It also comes with a shoulder strap so you can carry it like a bag.
3. Baby Bjorn Travel Cot Light
When you're traveling with a baby you can often book travel cots at your hotel but you can never be sure of the condition they will be in. They are often broken, damaged or very out of date. Plus they come with those rock hard bases they use as a mattress. The Baby Bjorn Travel Cot Light is the best travel cot we have found. It's sturdy enough to take toddlers, it has a soft cushion mattress that is a million times better than the hard based ones and it folds into a small and easy to carry case. It only weighs 6kg and is really easy to fold up and unfold.
4. CARES Harness
This is what you need when you are travelling with little ones who have their own seat. The aeroplane seat belts are only a lap sash and you'll have your toddler climbing everywhere! They are so easy for a toddler to slide out of and it's hard to keep them sitting down for take off and landing. The CARES harness turns your lap belt into a 5pointt harness to keep little ones sitting down. It is approved by most airlines, with some even providing them. All the info you need is on their website.
5. Baby Bjorn One Carrier
Often when you are travelling a pram isn't practical (such as the streets of Bali or the tube in London) so you ned a really good baby carrier. You can also use these on the plane (although not during take off and landing) if you have a baby that is unsettled and wants to be walked or carried. There are times you'll want to be hands free so a carrier is a must have. Make sure you choose one that has good back support, isn't too fiddly or has lots of bits that can be lost, plus you want it to be easy to get baby in and out of. Our favourite is the Baby Bjorn One.
Update
Since writing this post some fantastic new products have come on to the market, so I've added some additional things...
6. Bed Box
The Bedbox is a ride on suitcase and travel bed all in one. Designed for kids up to seven, the Bedbox will get you through the airport and onto the plane, where it can be a leg rest, or fold out into a bed. It comes with a mattress, as well as 20L of space for their carry-on entertainment.
5 'Hacks' for Making Travel Easier
1. When packing the baby bag for a flight or road trip use your nappy sacks to make things easier. Depending on the length of time travelling in each sack put a nappy and change of clothes so that you can just grab a pre made pack to go, without having to rummage. Same goes for food. Get zip lock bags and pack food and a disposable bib in each bag. Then you have everything you need!
2. Don't just pack clothes for baby on the plane or in the car. Make sure you take a few sets for yourself too. No one want to fly for 24 hours covered in baby spew with no fresh clothes.
3. If you are breastfeeding and flying, pack yourself a LOT of food. Most airlines don't provide enough food to keep you satisfied on a long haul flight when you are feeding.
4. Take a lot of baby wipes. They are your friend! You can use them for cleaning up the kids and freshening up after a long flight.
5. If you are travelling with toddlers and you want to keep them occupied head to the $2 shop and buy a whole heap of little toys and wrap them individually. Unwrapping them than playing with them one by one will keep them happy for ages!
We hope all of this helps make your travels a lot less stressful so you can focus on having fun and creating memories together as a family! If you are looking for the best carry on backpacks for traveling with kids check them out here.
Danielle Crismani
I love this post! So many great ideas.
I use zip lock bags when in the air. Each ziplock has a change of clothes, nappy etc. I keep three of them ready to go just in case!
You're a planner 🙂
Maraya
Thank you Danielle! Yes the ziplock bags are a life saver. I use them for everything!