Baby Travel Gear Essentials Parents Need for Vacations

Covid restrictions have lifted in many destinations, and the desire to travel is at an all-time high. But for parents - especially new parents - travel may look different than it did before the pandemic started. What is it that your little bundle of joy will really need on vacation? There are so many pieces of travel gear marketed to parents to make life easier while on the road, but which ones are truly necessary? Here's our list of tried and true products.

The Doona is the ultimate travel companion. If there's one thing from this list I can't live without, it's this car seat and stroller combo. Perfect for newborns until around two years of age - depending on the height and weight of your child. The stroller folds down compactly into a car seat with the push of a button - all without waking your bundle of joy. A LATCH base is included for your personal car, but the car seat can also be strapped in securely with just a seat belt if you're traveling. Parents can also rest assured knowing the Doona meets all U.S. and E.U. certifications.

For those in the market for just a handy stroller to have on vacation - the GB Pockit+ All-City stroller will meet all your needs. This stroller folds down to the size of a personal item by airline standards and can fit in a handbag. But it's also sturdy enough to hold children up to 55 lbs with a full shade canopy, reclining back, super smooth wheels and all weighing in at just over 13 pounds.

It was a sad day when my toddler outgrew her Doona. And while many parents just rely on car rental companies to supply them with a car seat, I'm a little more hesitant. I spent a lot of time looking for something that wouldn't add a lot of weight but still made safety a top priority for my daughter. I settled on the WAYB Pico Car Seat and couldn't be happier.

At only eight pounds and with its own backpack carrier, this car seat meets all U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration standards. And it will last for years as it is suitable for children up to 50 pounds and 45 inches.

For those children who've outgrown the car seat stage, but still need a booster seat, a mifold compact booster is a great option. It's small enough to fit in a backpack - thus also meaning it will stay with you even if your luggage is lost or delayed with the airline. But just because it's compact doesn't mean mifold compromised on safety - each product meets or exceeds regulations set in the U.S. and E.U.

Staying organized while traveling is the easiest way to help parents stay calm while trying to get through a busy airport. There's nothing worse than a baby losing their pacifier and not being able to find one handy. ROAM's new set of backpacks is ideal for keeping you stylish and putting everything within easy reach.

The Continental is roomy enough to hold all your diapering needs, snacks, toys, change of clothes and water bottle, and it even has a separate zippered pocket for your laptop. There are plenty of interior pockets, and everything is water repellent for quick cleanups. Plus you can customize the colors, so you'll never be mixing your bag up with someone else's.

Having your own gear helps parents know that their child is in something clean and safe - and that includes needing a place for them to sleep. Yes, most hotels have a crib you can borrow, but these are not always guaranteed. Nor are they always the most sturdy-looking pieces of furniture from my personal experience. After one such experience, I decided to invest in the Guava Lotus travel crib, and I'm so thankful I did.

This crib packs into its own large backpack that is easy to carry through an airport, sets up quickly and easily and provides your little one with a guaranteed safe place to sleep. There's even a zippered side, making this item double as a play yard if desired.

A whole new place to stay can be nerve-wracking for some parents. But the Owlet Dream Sock is the perfect addition for your next vacation. It takes up hardly any space in your luggage, connects to your smartphone and gives you a full run-down of your baby's heart rate and oxygen levels. The app lets you easily track your little one's wake times, movements and more. But this isn't just for while you're on the go - the Owlet can be paired with its own camera monitoring system while you're at home too.

One of the main frustrations I found with having a toddler who is potty-training, is how gross public toilets are. That plus the sheer size of them - unless I'm looking to get an upper-body workout each time my daughter has to go to the bathroom, I knew I had to find a solution. Little did I know there are foldable potty seats that easily attach to standard-size toilets with suction cups. Mine even had a travel bag included, and now I don't feel like my daughter needs a shower after each bathroom trip.

There are so many times while traveling that I need a resealable plastic bag - from portioning out snacks, storing toiletries, having more snacks, storing wet clothes and - you guessed it - more snacks - packing Stasher reusable bags have become one of our necessary travel items for every trip. They are easy to open and close, wash and take up hardly any space.