tips for traveling with a baby + my carry on must-haves

at just over a year old, our daughter Foster has been on 16 flights in her life already! whenever you guys see us traveling in my insta-stories, the most-asked question is always “any tips on flying with a baby?!” so here i am, finally putting all my thoughts together for you. obviously what works for us will change as foster continues to grow, but hopefully it’ll be helpful to hear what we’ve learned over the past year!

the biiiiiggest thing i want you to take away from this is you can do this! yes, the way you travel will change with a baby, & yes, it might feel more complicated or require a bit more prep but it truly is so worth it.

CARRY-ON

my carry on is usually my backpack diaper bag! i ADORE this bag—i cycled through 3 different diaper bags before this one & it’s so worth the money. lightweight, gorgeous color & compartments galore. it also fits my 13 inch laptop too! i like to organize the bag super well before we travel, by using the pockets inside + pouches. i have a pouch for myself with lip balm, body oil, airpods, & essential oils, a pouch for Foster’s toys, and a pouch for Fostie’s snacks! this makes it simple for me AND for whoever I’m traveling with (usually my husband lol) to be able to find what we need quickly. when it comes to toys…bring their favorite things that will ACTUALLY keep them entertained. at this age (14 months), Foster loves anything interactive/with buttons so naturally i brought a broken TV remote & this cuuuute flower pop-it toy! i also like to bring stickers + washi tape & have her stick them on the tray or window. i stand by the sentiment that the best toys = not actually baby toys haha

the other thing i make sure to have is an extra shirt for me, & an extra full outfit for foster. you just never know what might end up all over you. food, poop, throw up, etc. to avoid messes, i bring a Gathre leather bib & changing mat (in the pic above).

technically you’re always supposed to travel with a copy of baby’s birth certificate, but i’ve never brought it & haven’t been asked so far. it’s more necessary once kiddos are a little older in order to prove they’re under 2 & can share a seat with you! (all kiddos under 2 fly free as a “lap child”)

FUN FACT: on most airlines diaper bags technically don’t count as baggage so you are able to bring a personal item AND a diaper bag. i don’t like carting that much stuff around so i usually just stick to my backpack/diaper bag but this is good to note if you are needing to bring extra luggage!

STROLLER & CARSEAT

almost all airlines let you check a stroller & a carseat, on top of normal baggage allowances! be sure to look up your airline’s requirements beforehand, but this is a LIFESAVER. we bring travel bags for both our stroller & carseat, which (besides preventing them from getting dirty or damaged) also give you a little extra room to tuck extra clothes, etc inside if you run out of space in your normal luggage ;)

CARSEAT: we’ve always checked our carseat at check-in, as opposed to carrying it through the airport. but if you have a little one who loves to sleep in their carseat (aka NOT our daughter), just carry it to the gate with you! you can also ask the gate agent if there’s any extra seats available on the plane, & use that seat for your carseat to allow babe to snooze & leave your arms free.

STROLLER: right now it’s working for us to gate check our stroller! when foster was younger, it was way easier to check it at check-in with our bags, & just wear her in a carrier through the airport. however as she’s gotten older, the stroller lets see all her surroundings & hold a toy or snack. once we’re at the gate, we often let her out to run around & get some energy out before she’s cooped up on a plane for a couple hours!

for the first year, we brought our more expensive stroller with us on every trip but the airline broke a piece off last time (& only compensated us $50 because ANOTHER fun fact…they’re not liable for your strollers & carseats) so i recently bought this travel stroller that is more lightweight / less of a risk if broken since its much cheaper. but still SOOO cute.

i highly recommend a cup holder + attachable bag for your stroller. less things to carry = always a win. i love this stroller bag that unclips & doubles as a fanny pack. we have the dusty rose color.

SECURITY

the best thing you can do… GET. TSA. PRE-CHECK. it’s a lifesaver! truly, not having to take shoes off, pull electronics out, etc keeps everyone a little more mellow, & we’ll take anyyyy sanity-savers we can get while traveling.

if you’re planning to wear your baby in a carrier ( i recommend this until they’re more mobile), choose one without any metal pieces so you don’t have to take it off to go through the metal detector! this is the one i use & LOVE - especially because you can face them in or out. if you’re gate-checking your stroller, keep in mind that you’ll need to remove your kiddo AND any bags that are hooked onto it, etc when you go through security as well.

if you’re bringing formula or pumped breastmilk with you, remember it doesn’t have to follow TSA’s 3.4oz or less rule! just tell the agent what you have, & they’ll make sure you can carry it right on through :) i always bring my leak-proof water bottle (in the pic above) on trips so that i stay hydrated (especially important if you’re nursing!). i just empty it before we go through security & then fill it up afterwards at a water filling station or grab a venti ice water from Starbucks & pour it in.

okay, now i’m gonna break down a few tips for different ages! since i’ve traveled with Foster almost every month since she was born, these are things that have been helpful for me at different points along the way, but this is def not a one-size-fits-all. so take what works for you & your baby, & leave what doesn’t. plus, babies change so fast, know that what might be great one month, might not work the next!

NEWBORNS (0-4 MONTHS-ISH)

i think there’s a fear for new moms that newborns will be the hardest age to travel with, but honestly that’s opposite of what i’ve experienced! i think this age is BY FAR the easiest to fly with, since you can just tuck your newborn against your chest in a carrier & go on your way.

the biggest thing is to wear something you feel comfy nursing in, or bring lotsa pumped milk or formula with you (more than you think you’ll need!). & if you feel more comfy nursing in public with a nursing cover (or trying out one of those nursing pods you see in some airports now!), do it!

once on the flight, nurse during takeoff & landing to help relieve any pressure in baby’s ears (just like you might chew gum during takeoff so your ears don’t pop!). again…don’t forget to fill your water bottle after you go through security so that you have plentyyyy of water with you on the flight to avoid getting dehydrated. our daughter has always slept AMAZING on planes. airplanes honestly double as giant sound machine. it’s so loud AND the movement of the plane often helps babies sleep. don’t be surprised if your little one sleeps on you the entire flight - especially if they sleep best while laying on you! on every flight as a newborn, Foster fell asleep at take off & didn’t wake up until we landed. be sure to pack a light blanket or even use your own sweater as a blanket for them.

MOBILE NON-WALKERS (5-10 MONTHS-ISH)

newborns tend to sleep whenever/wherever but once your baby gets more mobile, i’d recommend trying to book a flight that overlaps nap time (if not completely, then at least partially!) to boost your odds of them sleeping. this will hopefully allow you to get a bit of chill time on the flight, & help your babe not get as restless.

& like i mentioned earlier, this is when we switched from using a carrier through the airport, to bringing our stroller all the way to the gate! it gives us a few more options to keep Foster entertained, including letting her check out what’s going on around her a bit more than a carrier would allow. but i’d still bring a carrier in the bottom of your stroller just in case you need it!

WALKERS (11+ MONTHS-ISH)

tbh, once Foster started walking, traveling for sure got trickier! the biggest thing now is keeping her entertained when all she wants to do is be on the move. stimulation is key, especially at this age where they need entertainment, but won’t have the attention span to watch a movie or something on the flight. aka - snacks & toys!

SNACKS - we aim for fun & easy to transport :) cheerios & goldfish, banana, & pouches (like with oatmeal puree or applesauce!) are our go-to’s! bring at least double what you think you’ll need because you’ll probably eat some too lol

TOYS - before our most recent trip, i stopped at the target dollar section before heading out & found the most random little toys that Fost LOVED. & bonus, i didn’t really care if she broke one, left it behind, etc! be sure to bring a couple new toys/items they’ve never seen before to maximize the time they play with it. sticky notes, washi tape, & pop-it toys are some of our consistent faves. also, toss a few of your kiddos’ favorite objects from around the house into your bag for a guaranteed good time - never before have i been so thankful to have a broken tv remote & plastic medicine syringe in my carry-on!

CHECKED BAGGAGE

i highly recommend using packing cubes (seen in the pic above) to organize your checked bag. kid clothes are so small so i just pack Foster’s stuff in packing cubes in my suitcase! this helps us stay organized. i put pajamas in one packing cube, diapers + accessories (hats, bows, shoes) in another, & daytime cute clothes in another!

remember at the end of the day, no matter how good or bad the flight might go, the plane will always land. you’ll make it through!

i’m 16 flights in…and i still don’t have any horror stories haha. there’s been a few flights where she has cried/screamed for 10-ish minutes but the key here is to not let yourself get worked up! tell yourself “the plane will land, this will end, & i’m doing all that i can do!” most people will be generally kind & understanding & honestly, those who aren’t nice probably don’t have a baby, so their opinion *literally* doesn’t matter ;) you’re living your life, doing the very best you can, & that’s all you can do.

carriers & strollers

ergo baby carrier / solly baby wrap (metal free) / sakura bloom scout carrier / uppa baby vista stroller / nuna pipa lite rx carseat / stroller travel bag / carseat travel bag

travel accessories

packing cubes / stroller cup holder / stroller fanny pack / stroller snack tray / mini handheld stroller fan / azaria diaper bag / gathre changing mat / mushie snack cup / mushie pop-it toy / kinto water bottle

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