travel tips for babies 0-6 months!

as I write this post, our 8 month old daughter has been to 13 states, taken several 6-10 hour drives, & has been on 6 flights. it’s safe to say we love to travel & we knew we wanted to be able to continue to travel after Adalena was born!

while there is definitely a learning curve, I want to encourage any new or soon-to-be parents: you CAN travel & enjoy it with your baby!

now, as our daughter is not even a year old, I don’t want to speak to things we haven’t experienced yet! so, here are a few of the things I’ve learned & tips & tricks for traveling with younger babies:

airplane travel tips

• the most helpful thing for air travel to me is by FAR a baby carrier. when I have traveled with Adi alone, this has been my most prized possession. I have traveled with several carriers, but I recommend a baby wrap like the Solly or Boba, since there’s no metal that will set off the security alarms.

• A stroller. I have traveled with and without a stroller but realized it’s much easier with one! You often get put in speedier lines & you have somewhere to put baby down if you need a carrying break. It’s fairly easy to gate check your stroller. as you board the plane you’ll be given a tag to attach to your stroller. After that you just drop it at the end of the walk way and pick it up in the same spot once you arrive. If you have a smaller stroller, bring that one! I have heard many horror stories of strollers being broken during transport!

• A car seat travel bag. We have this one & have loved it! Most airlines will let you check a carseat for free, so you need this bag so that they don’t damage your car seat during the trip. Every airport I’ve been to has required us to take the car seat to the oversized luggage check, so keep in mind that will add 5-10 minutes to your check in time.

• Check as many bags as you can! It’s worth the $30 or however much it costs, to keep your hands as free as possible. On our last trip, I had two backpacks with me that I kept underneath the stroller until we got on & that was a perfect amount of luggage to manage.

• If baby is old enough 4+ months, have a few small (quiet) toys you know they enjoy with you. We like these. For babies 6 months and up, get a new toy to save for the plane.

• Don’t forget to keep sanitizing wipes for the seat & any baby toys that might escape!

• Nursing has been the best tool on our plane trips! I have spent all of the trips nursing almost the whole time. It keeps her quiet & sleepy! if you do nurse, bring your favorite comfy nursing cover. It acts as a light shield & cozy cocoon for your baby, plus it helps with modesty. Our nursing cover is one of my most used baby products! We got it as a baby shower gift & I have used it sooo many times since she was born. It’s the we are amma.

• If your baby takes a pacifier - definitely bring that, too! I have found that the combo of the loud airplane noises & comfort sucking can keep a baby sleeping for a looong time! Hello natural white noise machine!

• Don’t forget to bring your headphones! I have an ancient pair of wired headphones that work for the plane earphone jack & have loved watching a movie or two during the flight.

• If you’re like me, & travel makes you anxious (with or without baby!), do something to treat yourself while you’re in the airport. Whether that’s a smoothie, snack, or coffee (matcha for me!), it helps take your mind off it all and just relax a bit. Another trick I use is reminding myself why I’m going where I’m going. Is it for a fun trip? To see family? Friends? When I remind myself that the reason the travel is worth it, it makes it a little easier.

• If you’re traveling alone, have help waiting for you at the airport if possible! Can someone be there to welcome you & help with your checked bags? Seeing people you know & love is the best feeling after many hours of managing a baby & yourself in a potentially stressful & new situation.

car travel tips

• The most helpful thing to do when traveling with a baby by car is to set your expectations. Your trip WILL take longer than the GPS says & that’s okay! You will get there!

• If your baby is older than 3 months, have several toys you know they love. Maybe even a new one that they can discover on the drive.

• Take frequent breaks - at places you like! Plan for stops in interesting places along the way, or look for your favorite fast food restaurant to make the stops more of a treat instead of a chore.

• If your baby has a routine (for us this was around 4-6mo) use it to plan travel time! For example, when driving to Florida (4 hours for us currently) we leave around 3-4pm since we know that our daughter will sleep through the trip if we leave at that time!

• Do a test run if you think it’ll help. Maybe just drive an hour away and see how that goes. This isn’t a must and we never did it but it may help if you are doing a long trip and want to see what it might be like.

• I HIGHLY recommend keeping track of the Starbucks on your route. They always have clean private bathrooms with sturdy changing tables and you can grab caffeine if you need it. Also, most non-chain coffee shops have good changing areas too! Those are just sometimes harder to find because they are off the highway.

• We love having a car mirror over Adi’s car seat. That way we can see her and I can sit in the front seat if she falls asleep on the drive without worrying that I can’t make sure she’s okay easily. Car seat experts recommend you get one with soft edges and multiple locking points. This one is what I would get if I were buying a new one!

• Bring your pacifiers! This is a great time for baby to use a paci. The car seat was one of the only times our daughter wanted/used one.

• If you have an adult travel buddy, have them run out and get gas before you leave. This way you’re not interrupting a car nap to stop for gas! And the same thing for food, beverages, and snacks. Bring a few so that you don’t HAVE to stop until the baby needs you to.

My last and most helpful tip is to PRAY! Travel with babies is overwhelming and stressful and even scary, but Immanuel, God who is with us, hears your prayers and loves you and your baby.

I hope these tips helped you prepare for or consider a trip with your baby! Truly, the older our daughter gets the harder travel has become, so I encourage you to go for it when your baby is still little and sleeping a lot!

Do you have any other tips to share? Comment them below! I’d love to learn from you!