Traveling with Baby Part I - Top 10 Favorites!

Since we just got back from our first major trip with Lacey, I thought I'd do a post on "traveling with baby" and how we managed and what we brought along that we needed and didn't need.

(FYI - Lacey was just shy of 10 months old for this trip).

Here is my top 10 favorite things we packed for the baby:

1. TWO sets of Grandparents! (He he he...)

2. Graco metro light stroller... we went back and forth multiple times on whether or not to bring this (our big stroller) versus and umbrella stroller. Ultimately we went with the bigger stroller and are SOOOO glad we did. It really makes traveling through the airport so much easier (you can put all of your luggage on it!) as well as it creates a great napping place for the baby (the back reclines flat).

3. Babyhawk Mae Tai - this is my new favorite carrier! Lacey has just gotten too big for the Moby Wrap so we've upgraded. We used the wrap to go through airport security (remember all of our luggage was on the stroller!) for the airplane (she napped in it for almost 2 hours while I sat hands free), around the resort, on the beach... everywhere!

4. Eddie Bauer Booster seat - I purchased this the day before we left because I found it for $20 at BJ's and figured "what the heck". Well it was awesome! We never found a chair that it didn't work with and Lacey loved being able to sit at a real table. It's very small and easy to wipe clean!

5. Pack and play - we were able to fold up and put our pack and play inside our largest suitcase so that we wouldn't have to check it and pay extra money. We loved having the pack and play because it ensured us that Lacey would have a safe sleeping and play place. At night she slept great in it (maybe because she sleeps in it at home though?) and we also brought it by the pool and on the beach!

6. Flip Diapers and disposable inserts - I'll post more about these another time, but they were are diaper of choice. It made my happy to still partially cloth diaper while on vacation and keep our baby free of chemicals and bad things for the earth! I LOVE, love, love the covers... the inserts... egh... they are just OK.

7. Medela steam bags - it's a good thing that I packed a few of these because it ended up being the only way to clean my bottles and pump parts! The tap water was not suitable for drinking, much less cleaning bottles and it would be a pain to use the filtered water (plus it wasn't hot). These saved the day!

8. Puffs and Cheerios - these are our solution to a crabby baby! It was too bad that we ran out with two days left!

9. Snuggles - we brought along Lacey's blanket, bear lovey and glow worm (the things she sleeps with at home). They seemed to really help her settled down on the plane and at nap time.

10. PJs - perfect for traveling! Lacey wore PJs on the way there and on the way home. Even though we were going to a warm place, the plane and airport were cold. Who wouldn't want to be comfy in the plane?