Baby Travel Checklist: Our Packing List for Flying With Baby

 So, you can take usually take 2 extra items:-

1. A collapsible pram/stroller/buggy. Think about using a stroller travel bag to keep all parts of the pram together, and to sneak in a few extra items for free (I’ve put nappies in before!)

2. A car seat. For more information on using a car seat on the airplane see here.

(3. And on some airlines a collapsible travel cot as well. Qantas is one of these, if it is an international flight.)
The allowances do vary so much from airline to airline, so do check or tweet me @flyingwithbaby  and I’ll be happy to help.

4. If your airline only permits one additional item, check if they provide a separate allowance (often 10kg) of hold luggage. If this is the case, you can use that allowance to bring the other item, and put babies clothes in your suitcase.

Obviously, you won’t need all of my suggestions, but it will give you some ideas of what to pack which suits your families circumstances, age of your baby, flight time, destination etc.

For Baby (Carry-On):

• Nappies/Diapers: Pack enough for the flight duration, plus extras for delays (plan for 1 diaper/nappy per hour of travel)
• Wipes: Plenty of wipes for diaper/nappy changes and cleanups
• Changing pad: Portable changing pad for easy diaper changes in airplane restrooms
• Changing bag
• Formula Milk (if required)
• Feeding bottles/sippy cup (if required)
• Sterilizing equipment. More details here if you have a long flight and need to sterilise on the go.
• Diaper/Nappy cream: Travel-sized container (3.4oz / 100ml or less)
• Dummies/Pacifiers (if used): Pack a few extras in case one gets lost
• Bottles (if used): Pre-filled with formula or water for the flight and during security checks
• Bibs: A couple of bibs for feeding and potential spit-up
• Blanket(s): One for warmth and another for cuddling or as a burp cloth
• Baby sleeping bag
• Outfits: Pack 2-3 changes of clothes for your baby (including socks and hats) in case of spills or accidents
• Entertainment: Favorite stuffed animals, teethers, rattles, or a few new age-appropriate toys
• Newborn essentials (if applicable): Breastfeeding cover (if used), nasal aspirator, gas drops (consult pediatrician first)
• Cozigo for airplane bassinet.
• First Aid: Bring Calpol 5ml sachets or Tylenol/ Acetaminophen ‘Dr Kids’ single dose vials in carry on just in case your child feels poorly or is teething.
• Toys.
• Baby carrier: An absolute must for us. if you check your stroller, you can be hands free through passport control or for walking up and down the plane aisle.
• Ziploc bags for stashing dirty bibs and clothes or putting the dummy/pacifier in

For Baby (Checked Luggage):

My Top Tip: Pack a few of your child’s items into your suitcase and vice versa that way should a suitcase go missing, all of you have some basic necessities…

• Clothing: Enough outfits for your entire trip, considering weather conditions
• Short sleeved vest and long sleeved vests
• Sleep suits and baby sleeping bags
• Trousers/tops/dresses/cardigans
• Swimwear, swim floats
• Swimming nappies/diapers (Fab tip: You can wash and re-use the disposable ones e.g Huggies little swimmers, if there is no number 2- saves space in suitcase and money!)
• Sleepwear: Pajamas or a sleep sack
• More Feeding supplies (if applicable): Formula, powdered milk, baby food containers, bottle sterilizer (optional)
• Bath supplies: Baby wash, shampoo (travel-sized), washcloths
• Sun hat
• Stroller hook – this simple little item was a must for me! I attached it to my stroller as soon as I bought it, and left it on so I wouldn’t forget.
• The Cozigo above doubles up as UV stroller cover too!
• Toddler size cutlery – not all places have tot size forks and knives, so we packed our own and used them frequently.
• Mosquito net for the stroller/travel cot.
• Pop up UV beach tent which you can put in the shade while you sunbathe.
• Small paddling pool – can put in the shade while you sunbathe or squish into your shower to make a portable baby bath in your hotel room!
• Inflatable Play Nest e.g GALT – we loved ours in Kefalonia. SO handy for a non crawling baby and it packs up really small too as it it deflates easily.
  

• Baby sunscreen – Read my review on sunscreen for babies with eczema
• Mini baby toiletries/hairbrush/dummies if you use.
• Extra Medicines ( Always have essential medicine with you in your hand luggage though.) A few nappies/wipes etc for the first day or two.
• SnoozeShade or CoziGo for your pram to help baby sleep and protect them from UV rays. I find this invaluable at home and abroad and they work much better than a blanket or muslin flung over the pram.
• Travel high chair (depending on where you are travelling to) Totseat, Polar Gear or a fabric one are good depending on your suitcase space.
• Sterilising tablets – so much lighter than even a travel steriliser.
• Baby milk/food for a day or two of your stay, to save you hunting for it in the middle of the night or through a haze of jet-lag.
• If an older toddler, then the Potette plus travel potty is very lightweight and convenient.
• A clip on stroller fan. Really handy for hot countries and light weight too. The foam ‘blades’ mean it is safe too.
• Raincover for stroller
• Ice block coolers to freeze and keep items cool on holiday day trips.
• Travel car blinds/shades
• Tin foil for blacking out hotel windows
• Night light
• Baby monitor
• Mosquito net and insect repellant
• More adaptor plugs
• Hand wash detergent for clothes

For Parents (Carry-On):

• Essentials: Wallet, passport, boarding passes, travel insurance documents
• Electronics: Phone, headphones, tablet for entertainment, portable charger aka power pack & charging cable. Many airlines provide in seat charger sockets-even in economy. These include Etihad, Emirates, British Airways (check on line with your airline as it does depend on aircraft type.) More and more airlines are adding USB ports to their seat backs these days.
• Comfort items: Snacks and drinks for yourself (especially if breastfeeding), hand sanitizer, sanitizing wipes, medications (in original prescription bottles)
• Change of clothes: An extra outfit for yourself in case of spills or accidents
• Nursing essentials (if applicable): Nursing pads, breast pump (if needed)
• Medications: Pack any medications you need for the trip (in original prescription bottles)
• Entertainment: Books, magazines, or downloaded content for entertainment during the flight

For Parents (Checked Luggage):

• Toiletries:
• Clothing and shoes

Useful Packing Tips:

• Pack an empty bag or container for soiled clothes.
• Dress your baby in layers for easy temperature adjustments.
• Check the airline’s baggage allowance for infants.
• Consider bringing a lightweight stroller or baby carrier for easy maneuvering at the airport.

• Try and pack as light as possible for your hand baggage. Many major airlines allow you to bring a small bag for yourself AND a nappy/diaper bag for your baby, but others do not give infants their own allowance, meaning you must have everything in one bag.

• I now have a Mia Tui Jennie bag which I use all the time as I don’t need as many nappies, but a rucksack is super useful as you can keep your hands free when travelling.

• Here are some of the top family-friendly airlines and a quick reference guide to those that do allow carry on for infants.)

A great tip: Have the essentials like a diaper/nappy, small packet of wipes etc in several individual bags such as a ziploc bag, and have it in an easily accessible place. Once you have you used them, you can replace with your next ziploc bag of supplies. No more rummaging around or taking the entire bag into a small aircraft loo.

• Bring food/drink and supplies for your journey and some extra for testing at airport and unforeseen delays. All the rest can go in your checked in baggage or be bought at your destination. See my post on various milk and baby food brands that can be found in different countries.

• If you are weaning, some large international airlines allow you to pre-order baby meals (BBML) which are usually jars of pureed food. Check the details on your airline’s website. They are either listed on the travelling with an infant section or under special meals requests – you cannot choose the actual content of the jar though.

• If you are breastfeeding, you may wish to bring a wrap or cover depending on how comfortable you feel. (For more breastfeeding on a plane tips, see here.)

• If you are bottle feeding, depending on the length of the flight, you may need to bring some sterilising equipment on board such as disposable sterilising bags. Here are some tips and ideas on how to sterilise when travelling.

• Zip-loc bags to fill with ice at the airport and the plane – to keep food and milk cool. (ice packs/cool packs are often not allowed through security as they are considered a liquid. (The UK airports allow gel-packs and USA allows all types)

• Small cool bag/insulated bag is super useful for a flight and at your destination.

• If you need to warm up food or milk on the flight, consider packing a small flask – you may need to empty any hot water before a flight, but you can always ask the crew to fill it up on-board. This way you can heat up baby food whenever you like.

• The Tommee Tippee bottle and food warmer flask is useful for this as it has a holder for you to decant the hot water into and pop a bottle or pouch in.

• If you are flying from the UK, consider ordering from Boots online in advance and collecting airside, once you have cleared security. This is not limited to baby products, so you can pick up your favourite make-up or suntan lotion too. Here’s information on how to order Boots at the airport.

• Don’t forget a change of clothes for you, you partner AND baby. This is an absolute must, especially on those long-haul flights to Oz! It’s also useful to dress you and your baby in layers, so you can remove or add depending on the cabin temperature. Pack them in a compression waterproof packing cube to save bulk in your bag and make it easier (and cleaner!) to pack away soiled clothes.

• Something familiar for your baby, whether a favourite toy or blanket or both. I really like the This Works Baby Pillow Spray to help them sleep on a plane. I was bought it as a gift by a friend, and I’ve stuck with it, although it is on the pricier end.

• Some new toys. Please see my best baby and toddler toys post for some great ideas. An option is to wrap some these up in a few layers of different coloured paper. Perfect for tiny, inquisitive little hands, and helps keep boredom at bay.

• Calpol/tylenol and Ibuprofen sachets are a must to add for travel with kids. The size makes them perfect for travel with easy 5ml dosage. Available from most supermarkets and chemists. Other essential medicines, larger than 100ml can be brought on board but need a doctor’s letter and prior approval from the airline. This does include inhalers.

• A baby carrier or sling. Perfect for walking around the airport, and even better for when you arrive at your destination and it’s a long walk to baggage reclaim. Here are some reviews of tried and tested baby carriers by me and fellow readers of Flying With A Baby.

• Smartphone downloaded with their favourite TV show or music/nursery rhymes and apps. Most airlines have a TV channel specifically for children, but it won’t necessarily show age appropriate shows the entire duration of your flight. Here are some ideas for some age appropriate apps

• An extra wrap or thin blanket and a couple of safety pins. This is handy if you are at a bassinet seat and the overhead monitor is projecting too much light on your sleeping baby, or if your baby is sleeping and the cabin lights are turned on for a meal service. If the bassinet seat is unavailable, you can then make a ‘den’ by using the seat in front of you and your seat, to secure the blanket over the top of the seat, again giving you some respite from the bright cabin lights.

• There is also a product called Cozigo (which is a bassinet cover and a stroller UV cover too. We found it very useful on holiday and at home too – perfect to shield baby from those cabin lights! Read my review here.

• Antibacterial wipes. Handy for wiping those tray tables or even parts of the bassinet. Listen out for announcements as they may advise you to not wipe areas down if this is the case.

Packing cubes 

Seriously, where have packing cubes been all my life? I had heard about them and then my husband bought some for himself. Needless to say, we have since bought more.

It makes organising a suitcase so much easier. We always split our clothes between 2 or 3 cases, in case one goes missing, so this helps keep us all organised. You can check and compare latest prices here. 

• You are allowed to take baby milk and food on board, if it is for your babies use for the duration of the flight, and it CAN be over 100ml. Baby food and milk are exempt from the 100 ml/3-1-1 liquid rules. This includes; sterilised water, breast/powdered/ cartoned milk of all kinds, and baby food of all consistencies and packaging. It is, however, advisable to have the sterilised water already in a baby bottle if possible.

• It’s also worth asking the local airport Starbucks or restaurant to warm milk for you and some even provide milk for free, (at each branches discretion).

• Parents are not required to taste the baby milk at most airport security checkpoints, although the milk is likely to be subject to additional screening. Pack extra just in case it is opened and no longer sterile.

Skiing with Kids

If you are skiing with kids this additional family ski packing list should help you too!

Have I missed anything that should be on this travelling with a baby checklist? Please do comment below and help other parents too!

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