TRAVELING WITH A 3 MONTH OLD
Originally Posted Holiday Season 2021
Well it's time for traveling as a family of 3! My Husband and I decided to do a "test trip" before the holiday season. The holidays are already typically stressful with additional traffic, the pressure of it being the holidays and the amount of people around. So 3 weeks before Thanksgiving we headed out on a 4 hour road trip to Pittsburgh from DC to visit family.
Diapering Essentials
Diapers & Wipes We underestimated the amount that we would need. Obviously this is something that you can typically buy where you are going, but we like to be prepared
Additional changing pad to keep where you're staying: While you have one of these in your diaper bag, you'll want to have one in the house. This was clutch for us in my Dad's house (with white carpets) and doing diaper changes on the floor.
Puppy "Poopy" Bags: So you aren't stinking up the house with poopy diapers, you can "seal" them off. We also have a roll of these in the diaper bag.
Bedtime Essentials
Pack & Play: Some hotels will provide this for you, but if not- make sure you bring this! Also recommend setting it up as soon as you arrive, so that you aren't struggling at bedtime to get it ready.
Slumber Pod: This is amazing! We paid full price and are so glad that we made the choice. This is a portable "tent" to go over their Pack & Play. It has a zipper opening to get the baby out and a window for the baby monitor. This way my baby can sleep in the same room as us and we aren't taping sheets over windows or having to be quiet at 7pm.
2 bedtime swaddles: In case one of them gets dirty in the middle of the night (happened to me), you can swap them out and do laundry the next day.
2 sets of sheets for Pack & Play: While everything else changes, you can offer the smell of home by using sheets from your house.
Noise Machine: We put this under her Pack & Play. It helps her to sleep and is a part of our bedtime routine with the baby at home.
Video Monitor: Our monitor was in our Pack & Play and helped us while we were visiting. We could check in on her even when she was upstairs.
Bedtime Book: We always end with the same book at bedtime at home, so we made sure to bring that with us. Keeping the routine consistent was a major part of our traveling.
Feeding Essentials (Nursing)
Pump: While you may not plan to use this while traveling, make sure to bring it with you. We made sure to bring it in case something happened or I wanted to go out to dinner without my baby.
Freezer Milk with freezer pack: Reason above... In hopes for a date night or if my baby needed to be apart from me. You can also bring breastmilk on a plane! Check the airline requirements.
Bottle Supplies: Same as above... We use the Kiinde system to save time on cleaning!
Clothing
At least 2 outfits per day: We did NOT bring enough clothes on our first trip. So make sure that you plan to do laundry or bring at least 2 outfits per day. Obviously consider the weather where you are going as well.: )
Bibs & Swaddle Blankets: We use all of these to clean up spit throughout the day. At someone else's house you are also more sensitive about making a mess. Bring a lot and have them EVERYWHERE
Pack of Dreft: They make small travel/trial sizes of Dreft if you're going somewhere and will need to do laundry. This is a must have for our next trip.
Pop Up Laundry Bag: With dirty clothes, we wanted somewhere to toss them into
Other Stuff
Thermometer: We did not need this but brought it to be safe
Baby Tylenol: Just to be safe
Pacifiers: We kept misplacing the 3 we brought around the house. Have your car seat one, house one & bedtime one.
Packing Cubes: With all of the baby stuff being so tiny- this was a huge space saver. Emilie had her own suitcase and own packing cubes.
Nice Camera: Capture all of the moments!
Passport: For international travels
Car Seat & Stroller: Obviously! We kept our jogging stroller at home, as it took up a lot of room & used a smaller stroller. We also got some bungee cords (dollar store version) to keep it up tight in the back of our car. Eventually this will turn into umbrella strollers, but not yet.
Baby carrier : We have a few of these, so we brought them along
Pop Up Tent: Once your baby is mobile, this is a MUST HAVE. We got the pad for the inside and the actual tent. It is a life saver. The baby is safe at the beach or home.
Notes for Parents
My Husband & I have traveled a LOT (obviously). And traveling with a baby is much different. Everyone says "travel while they're little, it's easy". Just make sure you set your expectations- the trip will be different.
You will have to stop to feed the baby (can't nurse in a moving car). You will be "house bound" at bedtime depending on your situation, or trust someone to babysit for you.
So pack your patience and know that it will take you extra time to get there, get home & in between. Oh- and there isn't a "packing light" option.
We are so excited to show Emilie the world and travel with her.
We also are excited to travel as a couple again in 2020 and cash in on some Gram babysitting time.
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