travel
All Traveling with a baby can be a whole new challenge to navigate as a new parent. It's hard to believe one tiny human can need so much stuff…and believing it is the easy part! It’s getting your little one’s essentials to your final destination that can be the real work if not planned accordingly.
Have no fear though because the best gear for traveling with your little one will work well both at home and on the road so you can stretch your dollars and minimize the amount of "stuff" you accumulate. Whether you're piling into your car or braving a trans-continental flight, here are the most baby-friendly travel pieces of baby gear for all of your family outings:
Best Baby Wrap for traveling: Mobi Wrap
Wraps come in handy just about anywhere. Restaurants, sight-seeing, walks, you name it.
One of the easiest ways to get through airport security with a baby is by wearing your baby while you pile everything else on the belt. This way, your hands are free, all necessary items can be run through the scanner, and your baby stays close and safe.
Why not a carrier? Wraps are more compact than baby carriers. They are much easier to stick in a bag and throw in the washing machine. They fit just about anyone, they're easy to use, and they're super comfortable. The Mobi wrap is super soft and doesn't lose its shape from frequent use. Definitely a traveling essential.
Best Travel Crib: BabyBjörn Travel Crib Light
The keyword in that name is light. Most airlines will allow you to check a travel crib with your luggage. But you still have to tote that thing around.
At 13 pounds, this pack-and-play style crib is lighter than most. It has all the expected features like easy folding, breathable mesh sides, machine washable fabric, and a carrying case to name a few.
Even if you co-sleep or use something different for bedtime, you'll be glad you have a travel crib set up when you need it. The travel crib is the safe place you can set your baby when you need to step into the restroom or have your hands free (especially if your baby is mobile!).
Best Bassinet for Traveling: DockATot
As far as snuggly sleeping spots go, it's hard to beat a DockATot.
It’s not really a bassinet, but it functions like one. There's a version for baby’s that are newborn-8 months old and another version for 9-36 months old. You can slip it in its carrying case or pack it in your luggage. Use it as a bassinet for sleep and as a clean place for tummy time.
Add the toy bar and Cabana Kit (canopy), and you're set to tote it wherever the family wants to hang out -- poolside, grandma's living room, the park, or the hotel. It's a familiar space your baby will take comfort in as you travel to new environments.
Best Baby Monitor for Traveling: Miku Smart Baby Monitor
The Miku Smart Baby Monitor is the best baby monitor for traveling, and not just because it's easy to tuck into your luggage (or because it's our clear favorite). It's so much more than your typical baby monitor.
This single device monitors your baby's breathing, sleep cycles and nursery conditions without any booties, wires, mattress pads, or other pieces for your, and your little one, to fiddle with.
Along with the invaluable analytics, the Miku Smart Baby Monitor provides you with a clear HD image of your baby on your mobile device in real-time without worrying about going out of range. It can also play sleep noises and lullabies to soothe your little one in times of need.
With the travel stand and travel case releasing in December 2019, you can now set up your Miku quickly, easily and wherever your travels may take you.
*Miku Stand and Travel Case available in the US while supplies last
Best White Noise for Traveling: Marpac Hushh Portable White Noise Machine
If the Miku Smart Baby Monitor has a sleep noise feature, why recommend a white noise machine you ask?
Because this portable white noise machine is for the journey!
Charge it up to get a full 12+ hours of use. Its safety clip lets you hang it just about anywhere you need to: like on the stroller, the car seat, the diaper bag strap, or a doorknob. Use it in the car, the plane, or anywhere else your path takes you, to keep your babe fast sleep.
Best Travel Stroller: The Mountain Buggy Nano Stroller
Travel strollers are a perfect middle ground between a full-sized stroller and an umbrella stroller. You want a travel stroller that is:
Comfortable for your baby (lets be real, uncomfortable babies’ kind of rain on the parade)
Easy to fold (wrestling a stroller kind of takes away from the fun)
Easy to clean (because blow-outs happen anywhere)
Easy to carry (lightweight and comes with a carrying bag or shoulder strap)
The Mountain Buggy Nano Stroller checks off those boxes and then some.
It folds up in two easy steps making it compact enough to fit a plane's overhead compartment. And at only 13 pounds, it comes with a carrying case and shoulder strap.
Here's the kicker, though: this is one of the rare travel strollers that actually holds a young baby! This travel stroller works for newborns up through age 4.
Typically, travel strollers don't work with infant car seats or accommodate newborns, so they're not very use-able until your baby is about 6 months old. The Mountain Buggy Nano Stroller comes infant car seat ready, straight out of the box. It also has an optional Cocoon Carrycot that enables newborns to ride without a car seat.
Best Travel Highchair: My Little Seat Travel Highchair
If your baby can sit up unassisted (usually around 6 months old), then this piece of gear is indispensable for travel.
With a 5-point safety harness and cute, comfy fabric, it's machine washable and fits perfectly in a purse, diaper bag, or carry-on. It fits on most chairs, which is especially important when traveling to visit family who may not have a highchair in their home.
Remember though, not all baby gear fits every situation (ask any parent lugging their super-safe 28-pound car seat through the airport). As you plan your next trip, you want to find pieces that will help make things go smoothly. By looking for pieces that are lightweight, compact, reliable, and easy to clean, it is a breeze to set yourself up for a successful trip before you walk out the door.
