Planning a long journey with a toddler? Oh, you better be prepared ahead of time as traveling with (a small human being) baggage will not only take a lot of your time but also a lot of space 😂

To be honest, I’m not a light traveler. Whenever I decide to fly, I already had a long list to bring with me listed on my mind before that. And that’s not including the things I have to purchase for my family. That was before the arrival of my son, I used to travel bringing everything I need up to the smallest detail, and in order.

How much more when you are traveling with a toddler?

This is not the first time I long travel with my baby, I brought him to BH when he was just 3 months old in early 2020, just the beginning of the pandemic. And believe me, packing was difficult!

I’m very very paranoid when traveling especially with a baby. I always have so many what ifs going on in my mind like what If I ran out of this and that in the plane and I don’t have anywhere else to get it? What if something happened and I ran out of milk or diaper or water? So to relieve me from paranoia and stressful thinking, I always pack more than what I know he can consume on a normal day. Not only when traveling on a plane but also when we are just going out by car.

And these thoughts are just for the things I have to hand carry on the plane, I still have a lot to think like what to put in our luggage 😂. Have to fast forward my mind for the things he needs for the entire trip.

If you are a person like me, then maybe you can get some tips that could be helpful when traveling with a toddler.

1. Plan ahead- Weeks before traveling, I already purchased extra cans of milk, extra packs of diapers, medicines, and other baby essentials such as wet wipes, etc.

2. Packing- Better to pack the baby bag early in case you might forget something. Good to realize it early than travel and found out you are missing something important. However, you can pack baby clothes later or even a day before traveling.

3. Have a separate check-in luggage/bag only for your toddler things. In that way, arranging is easy and accurate just like arranging his drawer, you will always know what’s missing. Also, there is a minimal tendency to forget something as you would easily see what needs to be there.

4. What’s inside the hand-carry bag?

A. Milk- I always have his milk prepared in a milk container for easy dispensing. He couldn’t finish more than 3 bottles overnight but just to make sure I will not ran out of milk on the plane, in a 9 and a half straight flight, we brought 2 milk containers full that can fill up to 8 bottles.

B. Diapers- I brought 5 more extra diapers in the baby bag aside from the diapers in my hand-carry trolley.

C. Extra changing clothes- oh well every parent knows this when traveling. Don’t forget to bring a jacket and long pants as it might be cold at the airport.

D. Wet wipes, sanitizers, baby face mask, bib, biscuits.

Note: These are what’s inside the baby bag, I still have a hand-carry full of his extra belongings, even a full can of milk just in case.

5. Baby Luggage- this is the harder part as I have to think in advance about all the things he usually needs on a regular day.

A. Food- Cans of milk, baby biscuits, cereals, ready-to-eat cereals.

B. Vitamins, medicines like paracetamol and flu meds. I brought this specifically because these are the only meds that can make him feel better, 100%. I also pack the thermometer, the baby nail cutter, the saline, and the bulb in case he gets the flu. (I just hope this change of environment and weather will not make him sick, praying)

C. So many extra diapers, (I’ve always trusted pampers premium and pampers premium night. A little handful expensive than the other brand but this won’t even wake him up overnight as it can carry all his wee wee’s without irritating his bottom for the full night, I do not have to change every after few hours) powder, diaper rash cream, cologne.

D. Of course, I have to bring my Bebe toiletries with us. I bought these travel sizes to be compact but in reality, I always get the bigger ones, cheaper than the small ones and for long usage.

E. And things can’t live without. The ever-useful bottle rack ( yes, I have to tag it all along with us, the easiest way to dry the bottles not to have any water residue on it), the bottle cleaner & brush (not in the photo), and his food bowl.

What else?

F. Clothes, shoes, and slippers. I brought a lot of extra baby clothes and clothes that would get along in every kind of weather.

G. Baby book/vaccination card- in case you need to see a pediatrician while on vacation, you have the vaccination record with you.

These are “what is inside our bag” lists.

Make sure to make your own list before traveling so you will not rush out afterward. I know it’s kinda heavy but better to be prepared than to run out of things.

Oh, and don’t forget the stroller! It will be easy for you to walk around inside the airport with a baby in the stroller so you wouldn’t exhaust yourself too much running after the baby or carry him up throughout the waiting period.

You can’t light travel when you have a baby with you. So, as much as possible it is not advisable to travel overseas particularly these days of covid not unless there is really an important thing to do that can’t wait and you can’t leave the baby that long to anyone. If there is not other choice, better to plan accordingly.

Hope this all helps, mommies! ❤️💙