Air travel Tips For New Parents

Family travel is a total adventure waiting for you.

Traveling with family is rewarding but getting to the destination can be grueling. To lighten the load in preparation and enjoy the plane ride I have a few tried and true travel hacks for parents with small children. You will nurture the idea of travel being easy and fun the more you travel with your little one. As your child grows travel will foster independence, teach responsibility, patience and adaptability-all wonderful traits to learn and practice through life.

Make checking in easy with an infant by taking full advantage of curbside check-in. There is a small fee(around $4) to check your bags curbside however, doing this lightens the load immediately and helps you skip any line inside the airport to check bags. Curbside bag check will tag your bags and issue your boarding passes straight away. Headed to security and you’re in!

Best friends in the airport with baby:

1. My City Tour Stroller -gate check stroller in backpack or place it in the overhead bin.

2. Bottles with pre-measured formula in them. Once on the airplane you can ask flight attendent for half hot/half cold water to mix it. Bottle or breast feeding at ascending and descend of plane will help with those little ears not popping from the altitude adjustment. For an older baby sucking on a pacifier will help with ears adjust to altitude change.

3. Comfy, easy to change outfit for baby with an extra to spare for those diaper changes. No one wants to be fussy around with 50 snaps in an airplane bathroom.

4. A lovey for baby & light organic muslin blanket to use as a changing pad or to keep baby warm on chilly airplane.

5. Snack & water for parents.

   Traveling with a baby is the easiest stage if you are set up for success and pack with intention. Pack 10 diapers in your carry-on and get the rest once you arrive. Make sure enough snacks, water and formula/milk are in carry-on for you to arrive at destination well-fed and hydrated. Flight attendants are a great resource. They generally love holding a baby, are happy to get you water and show you how to use the changing table on board if needed. If you request bulkhead seats, there are bassinets you can request when available.

   Safe travels to you and your little family! I can’t wait to hear where you adventure next!

Family Travel-Packing Guide

You’re planning a family vacation for the first time with your baby or young child and I can see your hesitation. I’ve got you! We love to travel as a family and it’s an art to pack light AND have all the comforts you and your family enjoy. I’ve put together an optimized list of how I pack our luggage for domestic and international family travel, making it simplified and enjoyable for each member of our family.

When your child can carry their own backpack it gives them a responsibility and teaches them they are part of a team.

Diaper Bag/Child’s Backpack- Baby wipes for the coffee stain on your shirt, to wipe down the tray on the plane and keeping hands clean. Have your kiddo give their airline seat a “carwash”. One change of underwear & pants for easy access. For older kids, pack a lightweight non-screen activity for first plane activity then iPad & children’s headphones for last resort, lightweight water bottle to refill on demand. No need to carry a heavy water bottle when it is unnecessary. Formula dry and mixed with water can go through TSA no problem. They will stop and scan the bottles then you’re off to gate!

Lightweight Travel Stroller- This will literally save your life on the airport- it acts as a cup and phone holder, purse holder, child/coat carrier. You need this one City Tour 2 by Baby Jogger. Our family used this stroller up to age 6/7. I speak enough about how durable, functional and easy this stroller is to use. Not to mention the sunshade and reclining back made it so our child could sleep anywhere while on vacation and at restaurants.

Child’s Carry-On- I always carry on our child’s belongings because at the end of the day I can always live with less but I certainly do not want to have to replace my child’s wardrobe on vacation when all they want is to be in the water. For beach vacations or really no matter where we’re traveling the carry-on is my son’s suitcase and I add everyone’s swimsuit and sunscreen to the carry-on in case any luggage doesn’t make it right away. Perfect packing so the fun in the sun will not be delayed no matter what! Same idea for a special event. If we are flying for a wedding you better believe the wedding outfits with shoes are in carry-on. Fool proof way to stay chill no matter what hiccups come your way.

Traveling with baby in diapers? Carry-on 2 days(14 diapers) worth of diapers. Buy the rest when you arrive or order online & have them delivered to your destination. The key is to pack light and keep it simple.

Need a crib? Many hotels or apartment rentals have pack-n-plays, crib sheets, highchairs so don’t travel with them. Just ask the concierge and be pleasantly surprised when your host wants to accommodate you with all the baby gear. I did include some links of my favorites for home and grandma’s house.

Enjoy your next family vacation using this simplified packing list to help you know what to pack and what to borrow at your next destination.

Safe travel!

Best Travel Tips for New Parents

Traveling with family is rewarding but getting to the destination can be grueling. To lighten the load in preparation and enjoy the plane ride I have a few tried and true travel hacks for parents with small children. You will nurture the idea of travel being easy and fun the more you travel with your little one. As your child grows travel will foster independence, teach responsibility, patience and adaptability-all wonderful traits to learn and practice through life.

Pack in advance- As you’re doing laundry a month or so before your trip create a space in your laundry room or in a closet to queue up items to be packed for each individual. Buy suncreen, pull out the sunglasses & their case. Begin gathering other toiletries that need to be packed as well. This space will be your landing pad when items return home from the store. If your child had a recent growth spurt make playtime a fun “fashion show” and check that clothes are still suitable. Trying on existing pieces will help build your shopping list for anything you need to purchase for upcoming trip. Buying items at home is more affordable that purchases at a resort location where prices are jacked up for tourists. Be smart about what to pack and what to buy when you arrive at destination.

Pack a day(10) or two of diapers and buy the remainder at destination so you’re not taking up valuable space in the suitcase.

Purchase a travel stroller with backpack! You will use this stroller for years to come. Our City Tour stroller lasted us 9 months to 7 years. You want a travel stroller that works for you; not one that makes extra work. The City. Tour stroller pairs with Baby Jogger infant car seats to create a travel system for newborns. Without the adapter and car seat, the stroller is designed for babies who can sit upright, typically around 6 months and older. Choose a sturdy and compact travel stroller that will not need disassembled at the gate while balancing your coffee. Make sure your travel stroller comes with a travel bag. Our City Tour by Baby Jogger came with a backpack that it slides into and fits in overhead bin. The City Tour backpack fits the stroller and in the winter we can stuff a coat or two in as well.

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But I'd be telling you about it either way.

Traveling teaches children culture, flexibility and how to adapt in new environments.

Keep your carry-on lightweight- I get you want to carry-on everything and not have to deal with baggage claim but hear me out. Once you dump everything at curbside check-in(around $4 a bag) you have hands free to hold a coffee & your little one if needed. The lighter you keep your carry-on the lighter you will feel.

The City Tour Stroller by Baby Jogger has traveled the world, is lightweight to carry up and down stairs and conveniently folds up into overhead bin carry-on size backpack. The City Tour stroller backpack can fit a few additional items after the stroller has been packed up such as jackets for on flight storage making it super handy.