Top 10 Items for flying with a baby
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Updated: January 10, 2021
Flying with a baby can be a daunting and stressful event. But, from our experience (literally hundreds of flights with baby!), if prepared it can be a fun and exciting adventure for you and your baby! Here at The Kid Packer, we feel strongly that traveling while your child is young is a great time to start exploring. And in order to do that, flying may be required. These are our top 10 items for flying with a baby! These items can take a flight experience from possible disaster to success!
#1 Baby Backpack Child Carrier
Our number one recommended item for flying with a baby is a baby backpack carrier! This is the most versatile baby carrying product on the market. Our highest rated baby backpack carrier is the Osprey Poco Plus (full review here).
A baby backpack carrier allows you to carry your baby close while keeping your hands free. It gives you a safe/mobile place for baby to nap, snack and have a view of what’s going on around them. Not only is the baby backpack the way to fly with your baby, it is the best mode of transportation for when you arrive at your destination.
The Osprey Poco Plus has a top of the line sunshade and has tons of storage to set you up for a successful day of travel anywhere! Baby backpack carriers come in all shapes, sizes and price points. The Kid Packer has reviewed a variety of packs and you can find the reviews here: Baby Backpack Reviews. Take a look at our blog post entitled ‘Can You Fly with a Baby Backpack Carrier?‘!
# 2 Baby Blanket
The second item on our top 10 items for flying with a baby is a baby blanket. Seems like a no brainer but, they can be used for more than what you would think! Our favorite is from Aiden and Anias but, your favorite blanket can also be super versatile while flying with a baby.
We have used a baby blanket for a nursing cover, blanket, changing pad in a pinch, tummy time mat, germ barrier, sun barrier, pillow and so much more! These particular swaddle blankets are super light weight, soft to the touch, breathable, easy to wash and beautiful to look at! We highly recommend this Aden and Anais swaddle for successfully flying with a baby!
#3 Diaper Clutch
Diapers are a necessary evil when flying with a baby. How to keep the necessities in an efficient and effective way? Answer: Diaper Clutch. This is an item that can be easily passed between parents for diaper duty, slips in and out of the diaper bag, is easy to clean and is just so concise and efficient!
What can you actually fit in a diaper clutch? 4 diapers, wipes, diaper cream, small hand sanitizer. Plus the changing pad is built in. This is the ultimate mobile diaper changing station. We like the Skip Hop Pronto design but, there are a lot of brands offering similar products that just rock when it comes to diaper changes while flying with a baby.
# 4 Change of Clothes
On a normal day a baby can go through multiple wardrobe changes. Flying with a baby is no different and it’s best to be prepared. We have found that zip up footed pajamas are the most comfortable, easy to change and simple to pack clothing item for babies.
We recommend at least two spare sets because we all know that diaper blow outs and spit ups are inevitable. Post outfit disaster, place the soiled garment in a wet bag, zip it up and forget about it until you get to your destination. Our favorite zip up pajamas are from Burt’s Bees because they are soft and well made but, Carter’s also makes excellent sleepers for flying with a baby!
#5 Silicone Bib
Our #5 item for successfully flying with a baby is a silicone bib. We pretty much keep this on while baby is eating or even just while teething/drooling. A soft malleable silicone bib is worth its weight in gold. They can simply be rinsed and re-worn. No need to launder. Not to mention the little trough on the bottom that catches most missed snack items.
One hidden benefit of this item is when your little one gets motion sick…no need for details here but, this may have saved us from an even more disastrous and embarrassing mess on a flight. There are lots of silicone bibs on the market today and most will do! We recommend the Happy Healthy Parents version because it is very pliable and comfortable for a mobile baby.
#6 Wet/Dry Bags
Let’s face it, babies are adorable but, can make disgusting messes. Having a wet/dry bag (or even a zip lock bag in a pinch) makes dealing with those undesirable messes less of a hassle. We learned this lesson first hand on our son’s first flight. We experienced an epic diaper blow out and had no where to put the once adorable and now disgusting outfit so, it ended up in the trash! We have never been caught empty handed since!
Bumkins has cute wet/dry bags that can be used as your kids get older as well. Great for wet items coming back from the pool or stinky soccer uniforms! Parenting can be a messy affair but, Bumkins (and similar products) is here to help with these handy bags that zip up the mess (and are washable)!
# 7 White Noise App
Number 7 on our list may seem a bit odd for flying with a baby but, it can be a life saver. Imagine trying to get your little one to fall asleep for over an hour and you are exhausted. The baby finally falls asleep and five minutes later the meal service cart comes down the isle and every single passenger is loudly opening their drinks and treys. You start to sweat knowing that your baby is going to wake up any moment. Then it happens…the scream that makes all of the other passengers turn around and stare. It doesn’t have to end that way.
Having consistent noise in the background will block out the noises from the plane and help your baby stay asleep longer. We have used a white noise app in more places than imaged like restaurants, touring a new city, hotels and so much more! We recommend searching the app store on your mobile device and choosing a highly rated app there. They are all great.
#8 Germ Wipes
The eighth item on our list has become even more important in recent months due to COVID-19. We always carry antibacterial germ wipes on a plane.
After boarding we wipe down all of our trays and seat belts as best we can with antibacterial wipes. These also come in super handy when you have a little one potty training… they tend to touch every surface of the airplane bathroom. We gravitate towards Wet Ones because they come in travel packets but, any brand will do!
#9 Snacks
Are there ever enough snacks when it comes to a baby? Snacks can be so much more than just food to a baby. Snacks provide entertainment, dexterity practice, some form of sustenance and usually a few moments of peace.
Some of our favorite snacks for flying with a baby are puffs, squeeze pouches, happy baby teethers and yogurt melts. We usually put snacks in smaller zip lock bags for carrying on the plane and always use our #5 item, a silicone bib for catching missed food items and the inevitable spit up. Also a tip, let your child snack as much as they want while flying. They can get back on a schedule later :).
#10 Travel Size Toiletries
The tenth item that we recommend for flying with a baby is really multiple items and may vary by family. We prefer to pack minimally while we travel but, always carry a travel sized Motrin, Benadryl, and baby lotion. In most cases we don’t use the medicines but, one of the last places on Earth (or above it) you want to be when your child gets a fever or shows signs of an allergy is on a plane.
Having these small items with you provides peace of mind. Also, always carry any prescription medications with you in your carry on. Our general rule is to carry anything with us that we can’t easily purchase at our destination. Travel sizes of these items can be found at your local pharmacy, Target or Walmart.
In-Flight Entertainment
You might have noticed that we don’t include any toys or forms of entertainment for flying with a baby. ‘How do you entertain a baby on a flight?’ Our solution is simple. Cups, sugar packets, spoons, water bottles, snacks and an occasional walk up and down the isle. From our experience, it didn’t matter how many toys we packed, our son always wanted to play with the cups and cutlery from the meal service so, we stopped packing anything extra.
We also recommend strategically scheduled naps. On many occasions we kept our son awake in the airport so that he would sleep on the plane.
Flying With A Baby - Summary
Flying with a baby can be a lot of things including stressful, exhausting and messy but, it doesn’t have to be! Babies and children are so happy to be with their families and on an adventure. We hope these 10 items help make your next adventure flying with a baby a confident and comfortable experience for all!
About The Kid Packer
Here at The Kid Packer, we want to help you live your best life. A great baby backpack child carrier can help you do just that! After having used a child carrier backpack for over 1,500 miles of adventuring and exploring, we have a passion for them and know what makes a great pack that both you and your child will love. We hope our comprehensive research allows you to confidently find the right backpack for your needs!
