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Worried about having your baby travel packing list for your very first family trip together? Even if it’s for a short weekend getaway? I know exactly how that feels given that I’ve only very recently brought my little 9 month old baby girl for two weekend trips (3D2N) to nearby Johor (JB).
For almost a whole month before the FIRST trip, I was busy doing up a packing list and purchasing anything I did not have. While on hindsight, I clearly overpacked for the trip, there are quite a lot of essentials I would have never thought of if I wasn’t a mum. By the second trip, I would say I’ve streamlined things quite a bit.
So for any other mummies excited but worried about your upcoming travel plans, here’s a guide on packing essentials for short weekend trips with your little one to help you out. Hope that this can help take off some of that mental load for you!
Remember, packing light is key, but comfort and peace of mind are paramount. This is based off of our recent 3D2N trips, but don’t forget to adapt the list to your baby’s unique needs and the nature of your adventure!
Baby Travel Packing List At A Glance
Here’s everything I packed for my trips (and more) for your reference. I did not bring everything on this list because not everything applied for our trip. Nonetheless I included some items because I think it might apply for others. But I’ll touch more on those that I did bring in detail below and how they were absolutely essential.
My husband and I are extremely minimalist packers for ourselves. We each only packed a small A4 size packing cube worth of items for each of our stuff. So we managed to fit everything into a normal check-in size luggage each time.
I bought quite a few portable items that I feel are great for travelling with a kid – scroll on to read about my recommendations!
Jump ahead to the relevant section of my baby travel packing list or go through them all in detail:
- Baby Travel Clothing Essentials
- Baby Travel Diapering Needs
- Baby Travel Feeding Kit
- Breastfeeding Essentials For Mum on The Go
- Sleep Essentials On The Road
- Health & Safety Requirements
- On The Go Entertainment
Baby Travel Clothing Essentials
Forget hauling a mountain of clothes! Opt for versatile pieces that mix-and-match.
- Daywear (1-3 per day): Pack enough for spills and blowouts! Opt for breathable fabrics like cotton to keep your baby comfortable. I brought mostly onesies, and a set of leggings (in case it gets too cold) and a dress to mix things up. Check out my baby clothes recommendations here!
- Towel: I’m uncomfortable with using hotel towels for baby’s sensitive skin, so I bring one from home.
- Plastic bags / wet bags (2-3): These are lifesavers for storing dirty or wet clothes. Wet bags are especially handy as they contain any leaks or messes. These I got has worked wonderfully for me so far.
- Socks & Shoes (if applicable) (1-2 pairs): Keep little feet warm and protected. If your baby is walking, pack a pair of comfortable walking shoes with good ankle support. I didn’t since she’s mostly in stroller, baby chair, or carrier.
- Hat & Sunglasses (sun protection is key!): Protect your baby’s delicate skin from the sun with a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses. I didn’t because we spent most of our time indoors.
- Swimwear & Rashguard (for beach trips): Pack a swimsuit and rashguard for fun in the sun. Rashguards help protect your baby’s sensitive skin from sunburns and chafing.
- Warm layers (for cooler destinations) (1-2): Pack a light sweater or jacket in case the weather gets chilly.
Baby Travel Diapering Needs
Keeping your little one clean and comfortable is key to a happy travel experience. Here’s what to pack for smooth diaper changes on the go:
- Diapers (enough for the entire trip, plus extras!): Pack enough diapers for the duration of your trip, plus at least 4-5 extras for unexpected blowouts or delays. Hot Tip: I compress them inside a ziploc bag for maximum space saving.
- Wipes (travel-sized packs can be handy): Travel-sized wipe packs are a space-saver and keep wipes moist. I however, don’t bother, I just bring whatever I use at home which are Water Wipes (preferred) & OLDAM Wipes (cheaper).
- Diaper rash cream: Even the best diaper routine can lead to occasional diaper rash. Pack a travel-sized diaper rash cream. I don’t always use it, but I have it on standby.
- Changing pad (foldable or travel-sized): A clean and comfortable surface is essential for diaper changes. Opt for a foldable changing pad or a travel-sized disposable changing pad liner for quick changes.
- Diaper disposal bags: Dispose of dirty diapers hygienically with travel-sized diaper disposal bags. Super useful for random trash accumulated in the car.
- Shower & Hair Wash: Instead of bringing the whole bottle, I’ll transfer it into a travel sized bottle for space saving purposes.
Feeding Essentials For Baby Travel
Keeping your little one happy and satisfied is crucial for a smooth travel experience. After all, a hungry baby is an angry baby! Here’s what to pack for stress-free feeding on the go:
- Bottles (min. enough for two feeds): Pack for minimally 2 feeds, ensuring you have one for each feeding while the other can get washed and sterilized. You can pack more, if you have more luggage space, and save time on washing & sterilizing. I personally, pack 5 bottles for a 3D2N trip. My all time favourite bottles are Pigeon PPSU Bottles!
- Formula (powdered or pre-measured liquid if flying): If formula feeding, pack enough powdered formula for the trip or consider pre-measured liquid formula for convenience, especially if flying (check airline restrictions for liquids).
- Frozen Milk: In my case, I bring along a stash of frozen milk packed in milk bags, in a thermal bag in case I need extra feeds.
- Bibs & Burp cloths (lifesavers for messy eaters or intense droolers!): I brought along normal cloth bibs and disposable ones. Guess which I didn’t touch at all?
- Spoons & Bowls (if feeding solids): If your baby is starting solids, pack a few easy-to-clean spoons and bowls for feeding time. However to reduce things to wash, I just opted to use baby utensils that the restaurants offered instead and sanitized those with hot water I brought along.
- Snacks (for hunger pangs): Pack healthy snacks like baby puffs or veggie sticks to keep your little one satisfied between meals. I skipped this too as my girl doesn’t have the habit of snacking.
- Baby Food: I brought along quinoa powder (in small containers). Just add water, and it’s ready to eat. Super convenient. Alternatively you can bring along baby food pouches for convenience.
- Thermos Flask: I use a thermos flask of hot water to heat up baby’s milk or add to baby’s food while on the go. The Thermos brand bottles (I have two different sizes) has been absolutely amazing at keeping water HOT for the longest time. Highly recommend it!
- Portable Kettle: I have an ick about using hotel kettles, so I opt to bring my own. This particular one from Powerpac is such the ideal travel kettle. Not only is it collapsible, it also takes a short time to get the water boiling so there’s no long waits.
Travel Breastfeeding Essentials For Mums
Breastfeeding on the go can be super convenient or a hassle depending whether you are an exclusive pumping mother.
- Breast pump: I have two portable breast pumps which I use on travels instead of my usual Spectra S1. My go to portable pumps are the Spectra S9 and Haenim NexusFit V7 (which I got on Carousell and can’t really find it anywhere else).
- Breast milk storage bags or bottles: Essential for storing expressed breast milk safely while traveling. My preferred leak-proof and affordable options (thus far) are SUNMUM milk storage bags and AUTUMNZ milk storage bottles.
- Thermal bag with ice packs: Keeps expressed breast milk cool and fresh during travel. Choose a bag with good insulation and capacity to hold your desired amount of milk and ice packs.
- Nursing bras or tank tops: Provide easy access for breastfeeding while on the go. For pumping mums, make sure to get those that can secure the flanges for handsfree pumping. Read about my TOP 3 recommendations here with my top favourite costing only about $5-6 per bra!
- Nursing cover or scarf: Provides privacy and discretion while breastfeeding on-the-go. Look for breathable fabrics like cotton muslin for added comfort. I don’t use this as I’m an EP mum.
- Collapsible wash basin: I also brought along a basin for washing all my pump parts (only brought 1 set) + feeding bottles. This particular one is collapsible so it does not take up much space at all.
- Bottle Washing Cleanser: To clean everything, I also transferred my usual washing cleanser, Bzu Bzu foam cleanser into a smaller travel sized bottle to save space.
- Portable UV Sterilizer & Dryer: After washing everything, I also UV sterilize and dry them in this handy, super portable gadget. It’s a nifty A4 size so it fits about 2 bottles or 2 pump parts each time. But dries really quickly – usually around 10-15 minutes. Works great for my clean up routine. Then I pack away the cleaned and sterilized items into ziplock bags.
Sleeping Must-Haves: Sweet Dreams on the Road!
A good night’s sleep is essential for everyone, especially your little one. Because if they don’t sleep well, neither will you. Here’s what to pack to ensure your baby sleeps soundly on the go:
- Travel Cot: My baby has always slept in her cot since we do not co-sleep. Hence our preferred option for travel is to bring along a travel cot for familiarity and sleep safety. Read all about why I ended up picking the BabyBjörn Travel Crib Light!
- Sleepwear (2 for 3D2N): For such short trips, I personally reuse her PJs for the two nights, but brought 1 extra in case.
- Bedsheets & Waterproof Bed Protector: I bring along the same ones she use at home for that familiar home scent for comfort. Waterproof bed protector to prevent any accidental pees at night.
- Sleep sacks (prevents loose blankets): Sleep sacks are a safe alternative to loose blankets, which can pose a suffocation risk. We use the same ones that we use at home too.
- White noise machine (blocks out unfamiliar sounds): We also use a white noise machine at home, so bring it along is super helpful in replicating the sleep environment at home. Also, it helps when we move around the hotel room at night after she sleeps. Must bring if you ask me!
- Baby Monitor: We have not brought it along yet so far. But plan to bring along the one we use at home for our next trip when we plan to leave baby in the hotel room with helper while we head out at night.
Essential Health and Safety Supplies For The Little One
Keeping your little one safe and healthy is a top priority while traveling. As a paranoid mum, I do my best to ensure she doesn’t fall sick while on the trip. Here’s what to pack to ensure a worry-free adventure:
- Baby-friendly insect repellent stickers: These convenient stickers provide a safe and mess-free way to repel mosquitoes and other insects any time we are outdoors. My preferred brand is Cloversoft.
- Airtumtec Disinfecting Spray & Wipes: I don’t go ANYWHERE, much less travel without my Airtumtec sprays. I have them in the portable size, and large size and bring them everywhere to sanitize everything – from baby chairs in restaurants, to baby’s hands when she’s touching things everywhere and more.
- Happy Noz Virus Guard Patch: I use this every time we go out, so obviously it’s a must have for travel too! I have used the GREEN patch since baby was 1 month old – which is the Virus Guard variant – which I hope continues to help baby safe!
On-the-Go Entertainment: Keeping Busy Little Travelers Happy!
Traveling with a baby can sometimes mean long stretches of downtime. Here’s what to pack to keep your little one entertained and engaged in the car, restaurants or just waiting around:
- Small assortment of age-appropriate toys and books: I always pack a few of your baby’s favorite toys and books to provide familiar comfort and entertainment into a ziplock bag. I use this in the car, and restaurants, or any lull time where baby needs some entertainment. See my recommendations of baby toys here!
- Baby teethers: Similarly I also make sure to include some teethers in the mix, in case baby needs to chomp on something. See my recommendations of teethers here!
- Compact baby carrier: We rarely use the baby carrier unless we are trying to put baby to sleep on the go. Nonetheless, we bring along both mine (Minimonkey Mesh Carrier) and my husband’s (Ergobaby Omni Breeze) just in case!
- Stroller: We also bring along our Joie stroller wherever we go, as it’s the most convenient way to move around with baby, store our barang barang for quick accessibility, and have a place for baby to sleep on the go. The large canopy is a great feature for when she needs to take a nap.
Baby Travel Packing List: Pack Light, BUT Pack Smart!
The lesson based on my two trips so far? Prioritize space-saving and versatile items. BUT, in my opinion, it’s better to overpack then underpack for your first trip. You will learn along the way, and will be able to cut down after.
Hopefully this baby travel packing list is a good starting point for your upcoming trip. Don’t forget to adapt it to your baby’s needs and your trip’s activities.
What are your must-have items on your baby travel packing list? Share your tips and tricks in the comments below! And don’t forget to bookmark Mummy List for more helpful parenting resources and advice. Happy travels, mamas!
