Last month, we traveled internationally to Mexico with our 9 week old son. And it was an absolute blast! Highly recommend. Prior to traveling, I asked a slew of friends for their tips for traveling with a newborn. Along with their tricks/hacks + various product recommendations. We took most to heart, but naturally still learned a bit along the way:
12 Tips for Traveling with a Newborn
- Wear baby through security + boarding. You don’t have to take baby off to walk through security, which is amazing, especially if you’re traveling solo. But you will be asked to ‘unhook’ your baby during taxi, takeoff and landing. Meaning you don’t have to take the carrier completely off of you, they just can’t be connected to you during that timeframe. We both love the BabyBjorn Carrior One.
- Feed during takeoff + landing; helps w. their ears. Although don’t wake to feed. We found he was totally fine if already asleep, so waited until scheduled feed times to wake + feed to keep the routine as close to at home as possible.
- You CAN bring breast milk + distilled water through security; just tell them it’s for formula. Double check your caps are nice and tight to prevent leakage!
- Bring more diapers + wipes than you think you might need. Blowouts happen, and it’s best to be prepared! Also consider using overnight diapers.
- Extra change of clothes or top for mom + dad. We used our extra clothes on both flights!
- Bring 2+ changes of clothes for baby. Good rule of thumb even if luggage gets lost or delayed.
- Disposable puppy pads to lay down + toss for diaper changes. We didn’t do this, but someone suggested after our first trip and it’s brilliant!
- Zip lock bags or doggie poop bags for wet clothes + dirty diapers.
- You can’t beat the white noise on an airport for sleep, but bring a travel/portable white noise machine for going through the airport. We’ve been using this one for everything on the go.
- Invest in a Doona; the 2-in-1 infant car seat/stroller is worth every penny. You can gate check, so you can push baby in it during a layover and/or all the way to the gate if you don’t wear in a carrier. And then use for in-car transportation once you land.
- Ask your gate agent if it’s a full flight. If not, see if they’re able to shift any sets around to ensure an empty seat in your row. We also booked an isle + window to help w. this probability ahead of time!
- Most importantly stay positive, flexible + patient! Not everything will go perfectly, but that’s ok. You’re prepared. You can do this. On our first trip we had a few hiccups…I didn’t realize my pre-check had expired, so longer security for us, we left my husband’s phone on the plane (was recovered), and Clarke peed through his diaper all over mom about 30 minutes before landing at our final destination. Not the worst! Remember it’s just ONE day, and you’ll get back on track the following. You’re doing it for the memories!
When we returned home from Mexico, I did a Q+A over on instagram. I received a lot of repeat questions, so thought it may be helpful to house them here for others to reference as well.
All About The Carseat
So many questions on the topic of all things carseat related. From ‘how did you handle the car seat’ and ‘do you bring car seat for taxis’, to ‘what’s that carseat cover’ and ‘is the Doona worth it’? Figured it may be easiest to address this as an entire category. First things first, the Doona is 100% worth every penny. Makes bringing on-the-go so much easier. We usually taxi around town in Cabo, and I will say, the lack of proper seat belts in the taxi vans was a bit un-nerving. It’s not something I ever noticed in the past! We did our best to secure baby, but there were times where holding him in place was the best option. Again, not ideal. Next time we’ll look into renting a car so we have more control over the situation and possibly travel with the base if we go for 5+ days. This carseat cover is LIFE. I use it all the time, even not when traveling. Keeps sunlight off his face and prevents people for coming up and touching/breathing on your baby!
Q+A
Q: Did you feel safe?
A: Absolutely. We wouldn’t have traveled with our little one if we didn’t.
Q: How close did you stick to feed schedule?
A: We stuck to our same Mom’s on Call schedule, always with about 15 mins. of flex if we were out and about. But it was pretty easy to maintain since we were relaxing at the resort the majority of the time.
Q: Did you bring a bassinet or pack n play?
A: We did not. Since this was our first (and international at that) trip, I liked the idea of having one less thing to carry if possible. We called ahead and reserved a crib at the resort. I did bring 2 crib sheets with us, which I would do again in future.
Q: Where did baby sleep?
A: In a walk-thru closet. Luckily we were staying at a resort we had previously visited and were familiar with the room layouts. Having a large walk-in or walk-thru closet is perfect for baby! We didn’t have to use a slumber pod given the lack of window/light, but I’ve heard it’s incredible for travel.
Q: Did you feel nervous about germs? Will be traveling with a 3 month old soon.
A: Of course, and I think that’s normal! Babies are so tiny and we all want to do our best to protect them. But at the end of the day, there’s only so much you can control, and there’s risk in everything. Do your best to take all the necessary precautions for baby, and keep yourself healthy. Y’all will do great!
Q: Did he need a passport, or just a birth certificate?
A: Birth certificate. He’s a great visual aid that shows the process for obtaining a child passport.
Q: What did Clarke sit in by the pool? And could he go in the water?
A: No water for him until 6 months (per our Pediatrician’s recommendation). We rotated between having him nap back in the room and this fun, poolside covered travel cabana! Worked really well for us with the portable sound machine as well.
