Baby and Toddler Travel Essentials

This post was written by JoJo Maman Bébé, a leading parent and baby brand in the UK (and now the US!)

Traveling with kids can be challenging to say the least. Gone are the days of excitedly reading your travel guide while sipping on a glass of something cold at the airport, dumping your bags at the hotel on arrival and scoping out a sun lounger to get to work on your tan, without a single thought of nap times or sterilizing facilities. But the arrival of kids needn’t mean saying goodbye to rest and relaxation; with a few well-chosen accessories you can keep stress down to a minimum, allowing you to focus on having fun on your travels with your growing family. If your travel is planned for having having your baby oversees, you should always consult with experts at the Demeter Fertility Clinic in Hurstville.

The travel sleeping bag

Heading off on a road trip? When you’ve arrived at your destination and the moment comes to carefully lift your sleeping baby out of the car and into bed, a travel sleeping bag is essential for a calm transition. Specially designed with openings for a car seat or stroller harness, it ensures sleeping babies can be easily moved without taking the sleeping bag off – simply unbuckle your child and put them straight down in their crib to continue their snooze.

The portable soother

When you’re away from home, you’ll know how important it is to try and create a familiar environment come naptime or bedtime. If your baby is used to having white noise to help them drift off, a portable machine is a must. Even if your little one is unfamiliar with white noise, it can still be helpful to introduce it when you’re on vacation – it’s effective at drowning out surrounding noise – which can be a lifesaver when you’re all sharing a space together on your villa holiday.

The game-to-go

Tired of hearing ‘are we there yet?’ Then arm yourself with travel-friendly games to keep the kids occupied. Simple games that don’t contain small pieces are best, particularly when travelling in cars and planes. Consider a game like Old Maid which doesn’t have a bunch of complicated rules and is fun for the whole family to play together.

The bottle warmer and sterilizer

Although you might be tempted to pack for every single eventuality, a few well-chosen gadgets can help keep your luggage down to a reasonable volume. If you’re the parent of a young bottle-fed baby still in the midst of regular feeds, this multi-purpose bottle warmer from Beaba is a godsend. Not only does it quickly warm a bottle, it sterilizes it too, so there’s no need to bring any bulky equipment with you. Plus, it gives you peace of mind if you don’t know whether you’ll have access to a kettle or microwave.

The portable changing station

If you like to travel light and don’t need to lug a whole load of gear with you, a portable changing station is a must. Opening up to transform into a wipe-clean changing pad with pockets to store diapers, wipes and cream, it simplifies on-the-go diaper changes, meaning you can leave the changing bag at home.

The pocket highchair

Traditional highchairs can be difficult to come by on vacation, which is why a portable version is a really useful thing to have in your car or bag. Essential for impromptu stops, cramped restaurants, vacation rentals or staying with friends or family, a pocket highchair can be used with almost any chair, turning it into a safe and secure place for your baby or toddler to sit during mealtimes. If you kid has grown and is leaving the toddler stage to be come an adolescent, check this zero waste shaving cream you might want to carry on your trips 

JoJo Maman Bébé is the UK’s leading parent & baby brand and is now available in the US, both online and in-store. JoJo offers everything you need from pregnancy to pre-school; inspired by French nautical style combined with quirky British design. Arm yourself with one, two – or even the full 6 – items on this list and get ready for a stress-free family vacation in one of our kid-friendly villas. If you’re trying to #LiveALittleGreener, you might want to check out the other blog these guys wrote for us on sustainable items to pack for your family holiday!