What to Consider Before Traveling with Your Baby 

Before booking tickets or cementing family travel plans, it’s important to consider some baby-traveling basics to ensure it’s safe for your little one and appropriate to bring your child with you:

• Their age – The standard recommendation is to wait until your baby is at least 2 months old to take them traveling either on a flight or a road trip. At this age, newborn babies’ immune systems are more robust and resilient, putting them at lower risk of bacterial or viral infections.
• Their general health – If your little one was born premature or has another diagnosed health condition, it’s recommended you wait longer than 2 months to take them on the road. For the sake of safety, it’s a wise idea to check in with your pediatrician to get their comprehensive recommendations for future travel. For moms-to-be, understanding the nuances of traveling while pregnant can also ensure a safer and more comfortable journey.
• Their vaccination status – Most newborns are vaccinated for illnesses like hepatitis B and RSV shortly after they’re born. It’s best to consult your pediatrician before traveling to ensure your infant is protected against any prevalent illnesses

7 Tips for Traveling with a Newborn 

Whether you’re traveling long distances or planning a quick day trip, every journey with a newborn boils down to the same fundamentals: when their primary caregivers are present and available, babies are more likely to feel safe, secure, and protected along the way.

That said, it’s much easier to be present for your baby when you feel prepared! With that in mind, let’s break down 7 tips new parents should know before taking to the open road.

#1 Pack Like a Pro

If there was ever a time to overpack, it’s when you’re traveling with a newborn baby. Ideally, their routine will undergo minimal disruptions while you’re on the road—and as most new parents know, it can take quite a few supports to regulate their routine under normal circumstances.

Ideally, your travel diaper bag should contain:

• Diapers
• Wipes
• Extra baby clothes
• Portable changing pad
• Diaper cream
• Bottles (at least two, if you use them)
• Bags for diaper disposal or soiled clothes
• Pacifiers (if you use them)
• Baby food (if you use it)
• A travel playmat

In grown-ups’ suitcases, you may want to add:

• Bibs (at least two)
• Burp cloths
• A baby blanket
• Baby clothes and shoes
• Baby toiletries
• Baby safe sunscreen
• Infant nail clippers, if traveling for a week or more
• Bottle-cleaning brush
• Teethers (if your baby is teething)

Larger items generally include strollers or a baby carrier, a travel car seat for each baby, and breast pump paraphernalia, if you use them. If you won’t be sleeping in the same room, it’s also important to bring a travel baby monitor. Discover more must-haves for new moms to make traveling with your newborn easier and more enjoyable.

#2 Adapt Their Care Routine for Travel

If you’ll be traveling by car—especially a rental—at any point in your journey, be sure to call ahead to ensure the following car safety basics:

• Age-appropriate seating – If your child will be in a car seat, verify that you’ll have access to one that’s suited to their age and weight. By the same token, any car seats carrying children should be properly installed and secured. If your baby is very young, you can hold them securely on your lap, although a car seat is still the safest option.
• Up-to-date vehicle safety standards – When traveling with a newborn infant, caregivers’ safety is as important as infant safety. With that, all rental vehicles should meet safety standards (working and undamaged seatbelts, functional airbags, and so on) to protect other passengers.

If you’ll be borrowing a car from relatives or friends—or your rental company can’t meet your baby’s safety needs—be sure to bring along a travel car seat or other car safety supports.

#3 Choose Baby-Ready Accommodations

Bear in mind that most hotels and Airbnbs aren’t baby-proofed, nor can they provide the service of doing so before you arrive.

If your baby is already crawling, consider keeping a mini baby-proofing kit in tow for your stays.

Whether you fill it with corner guards, cord organizers, or a good old-fashioned roll of duct tape, you’ll feel better knowing you have what you need to keep them safe at your home away from home.

#4 Keep a First-Aid Kit Handy

If you don’t already have a first-aid kit compartment in your diaper bag, pre-travel is the time to start one. Luckily, you can purchase pre-assembled infant first-aid kits online. If you’re making one from scratch, every well-equipped baby first-aid set should have:

• Adhesive bandages
• Tweezers
• Baby thermometer (or a rectal thermometer for very young babies)
• Antiseptic ointment
• Saline solution
• Hand sanitizer
• Any medications or prescriptions, if prescribed or advised by your pediatrician
• A toy (for distraction)
• Medical records

It’s also important to keep emergency contact numbers—your baby’s pediatrician, local poison control, and other urgent services—on hand in the event of a medical emergency. It can also bring peace of mind to identify which clinics near your destination can provide exceptional pediatric care, if necessary.

#5 Protect Sensitive Ears from Pain and Pressure

It’s important to create a calming car atmosphere for your newborn. Consider:

• Playing soft music or white noise
• Using sunshades on car windows to prevent glare and heat
• Making frequent stops for fresh air and stretching

#6 Manage Your Baby’s Comfort During Changes in Altitude

While car travel doesn’t involve the same kind of pressure changes as airplane cabins, ascending and descending steep roads can sometimes affect your baby’s ears. To help alleviate any discomfort caused by pressure changes during a drive through hilly or mountainous terrain, you can:

You may be familiar with techniques involving gulping, swallowing, or chewing to relieve pressure. You can help your baby find the same relief by either:

• Breastfeeding them
• Giving them a nursing bottle to suck
• Giving them a pacifier (if they use one)

With that, be sure to keep one of these tools in your carry-on diaper bag. If your baby experiences ear discomfort, you’re likely to find out by their usual signals (cue the grumpies!).

#7 Make Your Own Well-Being a Priority

When it comes to travel, the health of a child’s caregivers is as important as a baby’s health. When you or a partner falls under the weather—especially when you’re away from home—it can complicate your ability to stick to your baby’s routine and give them the care they need.

Mayo Clinic recommends conducting some research on your destination, especially if you’re traveling with a newborn by plane to another country, to see if any infections or illnesses are in circulation in the area, and updating your own vaccination status if necessary. Moreover, it never hurts to upgrade your basic hygiene practices to minimize your chances of falling sick, such as:

• Washing your hands after using the bathroom, touching shared surfaces, or coming in contact with others’ germs on your journey
• Determining the closest pharmacy or urgent care clinic near your accommodations ahead of time
• Exercising caution when it comes to arduous physical activities (like if you’re going on a ski vacation or to an area with rugged hiking)

Every parent knows that caring for a newborn can be taxing—even if you’re staying on the home front! When traveling, sharing responsibilities with partners and pals can ensure you have some time to tend to your own needs. When you’re feeling replenished, your little one can receive the best care possible throughout your journey.

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