Please post your packing list for airplane/rental car travel with a baby!

[Anonymous]

Past threads on this board aren't that detailed on this subject, and I could really use the help! First time traveling by plane/rental car/hotel with a baby, and I've not the first clue about what to bring (summer vacation to a warm place). Can you share your packing lists and tips?

Thanks!

[Anonymous]

TO PACK FOR BABIES

wipes (?)

Cetaphil (?)

Aquaphor (?)

Adult towels for carseat (?)

Towels

Wash cloths

shoes for babies

Brown socks

Long-sleeved onesies

Burp cloths

Pacifiers

Pacifier clips

Baby towels

Swim diapers

4 swaddles

Socks

Bathing suits

Toys

Sunscrean

Sunlasses

Hats

Cds

Teething stuff

Ben’s scrub brush

Nail file

Remakins (?)

Syringes

Bibs

pack 6 bottles,

solids for plane

spoons for plane

formula for plane

bottles with water for plane

Ben’s rx Cream

2.5 hyracrodizone

Tylenol

Oragel

Vaseline

Find ice pack bag

Birth certificates



TO PACK/BRING LAST MINUTE

Car seats

Diaper bag

Stroller

Prevasid

Monitor

[Anonymous]

I packed the following for a trip to the middle east:

1) only one carry-on, which was the diaper bag, with one diaper per hour of travel time (to allow for delays, blowouts, whatever)
2) carry-on had two clothing changes for DC, and one extra shirt for me (in case of spit up on my shoulder on the plane)
3) carry-on also had Infant Motrin, thermometer, neosporin, bandaids, liquid Benedryl for allergy reactions, not for putting him to sleep(long flight, who knows what may happen?)
4) my child was old enough for some toys and snacks, so I had some old favorites, some new ones. All small.
5) A sippy cup
6) Many wipes, hand sanitizer, burp clothes, and just general clean-up type stuff.
7) A small but cozy blanket for DC (temp changes on plane)


In checked luggage, I packed the following:

Umbrella stroller (checked at gate)
Portable crib (don't trust those in many hotels, they can be damaged, not up to code, or just plain dirty)
I packed food for DC because we were going to a developing country and didn't know what to expect as far as what he could or would eat. We purchased the shelf-stable milk and bottled water there.

Other than making sure you have more diapers than you think you'll need in your carryon, just wait to buy what you need at your destination.

[Anonymous]

First PP's list is very thorough! In addition to the thermometer, which second PP mentioned, you might also want a nasal aspirator and saline drops. I actually carry a thermometer, nasal aspirator, saline drops, and nail clippers in our diaper bag everywhere we go, just in case.

[Anonymous]

Always take plenty of diapers and formula in you are not nursing or snacks if your child is older. You never know when you could have one of those nightmarish delays....
I also learned the hard way to always take some pedialyte with me and plenty of extra clothes for baby and mom.

[Anonymous]

why take the birth certificate? Was that just if you're going overseas?

[Anonymous]

Great lists, but why brown socks?

[Anonymous]

If you are staying in a hotel...

pack and play (hotel cribs can be old, not clean)
if you use bottles ask for a microwave and buy the plastic bags that you can nuk and sterilize the bottles, remember you don't have access to a dishwasher
ask if they have laundry facilities if they do not or it is the four seaons and you do not want to pay twenty bucks to clean a white onesie pack lots of extras
ask the hotel for an extra flat sheet, you can put it on the floor for a cleaner area for the baby to play around on
a reading light if you are all staying in the same room,
plastic bowls (if you do mixed cereal),
paper towels and a few extra kitchen sized trash bags


plane/rental car

Check in on-line the night before and print out your boarding pass, use curbside check in, and ask if there is a special line for passengers with small children and handicaps (most big airports have these..much shorter and no one glares as you try to collapse the stroller).
Gate check your stroller, you will want to use it to move through the airport.
It is not comfortable but the bags with the shoulder straps allow you to carry it on your back, a must if you taking the seat through the airport and onto the plane.
If you are putting the car seat on the plane, ask the flight attendant for extender straps (they use them in the demos and give them to overweight passengers).
Try to fly direct and if you must change planes, double the amount of time between flights if you have the seat.
Buy a bottle of water in the airport


In your carry on have..

tylenol, enough food for 24 hours in case you get stuck somewhere, enough diapers and wipes for 24 hours, 2 extra onesies/pants, planes temps can change so go light and have a sweater or blanket, thermometer, depending on your child age bring fun snacks and activities, zip lock bags to put dirty clothes in if your baby gets sick on the plane, the disposal diaper changing pads are great for cleaning up if baby throws up,

Other things..

sunscreen, think about the bath depending on age (we bring baby shampoo and a plastic cup for hair rinsing), sunhat,

[Anonymous]

OP here. Awesome lists, thank you so much!! I also got a laugh at the brown socks reference, lol.

[Anonymous]

Lots of great tips here, also like to add that you should bring baby's insurance card in case anything happens. I always keep DD's in her diaper bag. Also depending on where you're going and how heavy it might be maybe shipping your things to the hotel would be helpful? I used to FedEx stuff for business meetings and they've been reliable and you can track your packages.

[Anonymous]

OP here. I have just gone on a baby crap-buying spree! Someone take my wallet away!

My thought is to wheel the car seat in the stroller to the gate, carry baby in the Ergo through airport. I have a bag for the stroller so it doesn't get ruined during the flight (thanks to all the posters who talk about the wheels coming off their strollers!). Then, car seat goes on the flight with me, and hopefully, the stewardesses will let me on to install the thing before the whole flight boards.

Flaws in my plan??

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. I have just gone on a baby crap-buying spree! Someone take my wallet away!

My thought is to wheel the car seat in the stroller to the gate, carry baby in the Ergo through airport. I have a bag for the stroller so it doesn't get ruined during the flight (thanks to all the posters who talk about the wheels coming off their strollers!). Then, car seat goes on the flight with me, and hopefully, the stewardesses will let me on to install the thing before the whole flight boards.

Flaws in my plan??

I've read that some car seats don't fit on some plane seats, so you might want to check into that. You probably already know this, but you may be forced to pay for an extra seat if you're using a car seat. If all that gets to be too much, you could just hold child in your lap (which you might end up doing the whole flight anyway if she starts crying). That would also save you the effort of lugging the car seat, and would allow you just to check it. I know some people have strong feelings about using a car seat on the plane, but that's not me. When we travel, we find it best to check anything and everything we can as baggage, and carry only the absolute bare essentials for children onto the plane.

Also, think in advance about what will be the least PITA method for getting all your stuff from the car into the airport. All park car together and carry luggage+child from parking lot to terminal? Drop off one parent+child+luggage at terminal, and other parent parks car and returns to terminal? Drop off one parent+luggage at terminal, to begin checking baggage, while other parent parks car and returns to terminal with child? For us, the decision varies depending on how much luggage, how far to parking lot, and how long the lines are. Consider your options in advance.

[Anonymous]

You do need to buy a seat to bring the car seat. Its worth it IMO. You will need someone to hold the baby while you are installing it. If you are traveling alone ask for assistance from the flight attendant. The Britax roundabout fits but the marathon does not. The car seat also has to be in the window or middle seat, it can't be on the aisle. You can check out the plane seating online. For a three seat row the best is to have the car seat at the window with you in the middle. You also can't be in the emergency aisles.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. I have just gone on a baby crap-buying spree! Someone take my wallet away!

My thought is to wheel the car seat in the stroller to the gate, carry baby in the Ergo through airport. I have a bag for the stroller so it doesn't get ruined during the flight (thanks to all the posters who talk about the wheels coming off their strollers!). Then, car seat goes on the flight with me, and hopefully, the stewardesses will let me on to install the thing before the whole flight boards.

Flaws in my plan??

Have used this plan many times - it's a good one If you have a wheeled carry-on bag, another good way to schlep the car seat around is to put the handle of the carseat (infant) or straps (convertible) around the handle of the suitcase. Seat then hangs off the suitcase and you can pull both easily.

But DEFINITELY bring the Ergo. Even if you're not wearing baby in the airport, you likely will at some point on the plane. I spent a lot of time with baby in the Ergo on my front bouncing up and down in the aisles.

As for bringing the car seat - if you bought a ticket, you can bring it on no problem (as long as it fits). If you are traveling with a lap infant, you can still bring the car seat on as long as there are empty seats on the plane - you can ask when you get checked in.

[Anonymous]

Ziploc bags! In addition to the other essentials mentioned above, I always stash some quart and gallon-size ziploc bags in a pocket of the diaper bag. They work great for containing anything wet/messy including dirty diapers, unfinished applesauce, wipes, you name it.