Travel Baby Gear Guide

After we graduated from college and went on our 59 National Parks tour, people said, “well it’s good you’re traveling and doing all this before you have to get real jobs and have kids.” Then we got pregnant while on the road and had Theo and people said, “well at least you’re traveling with Theo when he’s still young and it’s much easier.” Now, people see us traveling with our baby and say, “at least you only have one kid, because two would be crazy.” Haha (not a pregnancy announcement) but, the moral of the story is LIVE YOUR LIFE NOW! Excuses will pile up if you let them. Having kids (in most cases) does not need to be an excuse that prevents you from traveling or living your dreams.

Traveling with Theo has honestly been easier and more rewarding than I could have ever imagined. Our style and pace of travel may be a little different than our old ways of spontaneous, cheap, fast-paced adventuring, but that’s okay! That was definitely a fun time in life for us, but I wouldn’t trade Theo to get any of that back. Theo is the best addition to our crew and seeing the world through his eyes is such a joy to us!

That being said, having the right gear in any situation makes life and travel SO much easier and more efficient. We have compiled a Travel Baby Gear Guide below of all the things that we have found to make traveling with an infant a breeze (until they have 3 blow outs on a plane, I can’t help you there haha).

Doona all-in-one Carseat/Stroller

This is #1 item that people ask us about as we stroll around the world. The Doona is the most genius contraption because it is a carseat AND stroller all in one! It’s a certified rearward facing infant carseat with fold-up wheels that pop up and down in one motion, with one button. Nothing detaches or needs to be switched out. It folds up into a car seat that fits in cars and on AIRPLANES (super crucial!) and folds down to a stroller in seconds. You might have to see it to believe it, so watch these videos.

Here are some additional stats:

Rearward facing infant car seat
Infant Weight: 4-35 lbs
Infant Height: up to 32” (81 cm)
Product weight: 16.5 lbs

We don’t really need any other stroller while we travel and it’s been our everyday stroller at home as well and Theo is almost a year old. Imagine that your baby falls asleep in the car, but then you arrive at your destination and need to get to sight seeing (or whatever). With one button, in seconds you get your baby out of the car and are strolling away without waking them up. While the price of the Doona may shock you a little, we decided it was definitely worth it since it’s roughly the price of a regular carseat and  stroller combined. This product isn’t sponsored, we just LOVE it so much and want everyone to know haha. Anyways, for us the sheer ease and efficiency of the Doona make it worth every penny.

Dock A Tot

For the first few months of Theo’s life we traveled mostly in the RV with some trips to Hawaii and other islands. We co-slept with Theo until he was about 6 months old and the Dock A Tot was one of the safest, best ways we found to do that. The Dock is not only great for co-sleeping, but also napping so you can move the baby around the house with you without disturbing them. A lot of parents use the Dock on airplanes as well for sleeping babies, although most of the time we just try to get the Doona on if there is space on the plane (they will do that free sometimes if there are lots of empty seats). The Dock A Tot Deluxe is usually good for babies up to 9 months old. There is also a larger model for older babies and toddlers called the Grand.

4Moms Breeze Go

If you’re looking for the EASIEST portable crib out there, look no further than the 4Moms Breeze Go. You know those “infomercials” with adults struggling hardcore to do basic tasks? I feel like that’s me when trying to set up (and wrestle into place) pretty much any portable crib. Can I get an amen?! The Breeze Go is so insanely simple and streamline it makes me want to cry mommy-tears of joy. It sets up and packs down in seconds. If you don’t believe me, I don’t blame you. Check out this demonstration video. One push to set up, one pull to pack away, all latches are automatic and it comes with a convenient travel bag. We love this play yard for Theo’s main crib, RV traveling, road tripping, and Grandma’s house. I am officially a Breeze Believer!

Lotus Travel Crib

If you’re counting every ounce and inch when you’re traveling, the Lotus travel crib from Guava Family is actually going to be one of the lightest and most compact options for you! This travel crib fits as a carry-on and amazingly weighs only 11 pounds! The setup is not quite as breezy as the Breeze Go, but the plus side is the weight and the fact that you can wear it like a backpack and take it anywhere. We love the Lotus especially for the times when we’re really trying to pack light.

 

KidCo Peapod Tent

This tent bed is for the ultimate light packer or just days at the beach! We’ve used it for both! The Peapod tent provides breezy shade and padded comfort for a babe at the beach, in the park, at a soccer game or wherever they need a safe, covered place to nap and play. We’ve also used this as Theo’s bed in hotels in pinch situations. We love it because it packs up very small, is extremely light, and keep the sun and bugs away.

Deuter Kid Comfort 3

Behold the chariot of all kid backpacks: the Deuter Kid Comfort 3. This is as luxury and comfy as it gets when hauling a kid around. This backpack is absolutely the most comfortable way for us to carry Theo long distances because of its max ventilation system, padded straps and waist belt support, and fully adjustable back length so Cees and I can switch off wearing it in a matter of seconds. It comes with a super soft, supportive chin pad so Theo can nap, a full sun shade (so Theo looks like Yzma from Emperor’s New Groove), a kickstand for snack breaks and 18L of storage!!! The massive storage was a huge selling point for us. It’s the largest model in the Deuter Kid Comfort line, but we have to have all the storage we can get for backpacking trips. Since one of us is carrying Theo we’re left to share one adult pack. If you don’t need all that storage I would recommend a smaller model, especially for day trips, city walking, or lighter travel in general.

Deuter Speed Lite 20 Pack

This is our “sporty dad” diaper bag haha. When Cees is in charge of wearing the diaper bag, this is his first choice. It wasn’t designed to be a diaper bag, but it’s super lightweight, comfortable, and fits everything we need for us and Theo for a day out and about.

 

 

Fawn Design Diaper Bag

This is my first choice for a super cute diaper bag that can be a backpack as well! We’ve traveled everywhere with our Fawn bag from Bali and Thailand, to Iceland and Hawaii and everywhere in between. I love the organization inside the bag and the cuteness factor of the outside. It’s made for wild adventures, city exploring and everyday life!

Diaper Changing Pad

I won’t lie, this seems super hideous and crappy. It is. Hahaha. I have searched far and wide and could not find a more suitable changing pad that is A) large enough B) easy to clean C) durable for adventures. This is the best I could come up with when Theo was first born. I planned on it being a temporary fix, but I haven’t found a better one yet! Please, let me know if anyone has any better solutions that we can try :). We do like this one because it folds up fairly small, is easy to wipe down, and is BIG 26×31! I am kinda a germaphobe, just a little, and the thought of my baby not fitting 100% on a changing pad and risk touching the nasty nast public changing tables was not acceptable to me. So, there you have it, this lovely, cheap Amazon specimen. Truthfully, it has done a fine job for diaper changes camping in the wilderness, on the side of a trail, on an airplane, and everywhere in between.

Bambo Nature Diapers

Speaking of changing diapers. This is our favorite diaper. EVER. Bambo Nature diapers are eco-friendly, sustainably sourced, gentle, and super absorbent. Originally, I had my heart set on using cloth diapers instead of disposable to cut back on waste and what not. While living full-time on the road with very limited water supply and no washer or dryer, this is just not feasible for us, especially when a newborn uses anywhere from 10-15 diapers per day! We love Bambo Nature’s eco-friendly products because we care immensely about the environment. While we know that we have a long way to go to better our impact on the earth, we believe that choosing Bambo is a big step in the right direction.

Tubby Todd Travel Kit

Toiletries on the go! Tubby Todd’s travel kit is our number one pick. If you haven’t smelled their bath products yet, GET ON IT. They are incredible. I won’t lie, I sneak squirts of the rosemary lavender lotion any chance I get. This kit features 3oz carryon friendly sizes of Tubby Todd’s hair & body wash, everyday lotion, bubble bath, and all-over ointment (that will change you and your baby’s life. It’s a miracle worker!). This is all we take for Theo when we travel and we especially love the spill-proof ziplock case. Tubby Todd’s products are beautifully:

• natural + organic ingredients
• gluten-free
• dairy free
• certified animal-cruelty free
• natural, plant-based fragrances
• made in the u.s.a.
• safe for sensitive skin of all ages
• free of toxins, parabens, sulfates, preservatives, and bpa

Deuter Zip Packs

We LOVE these organizational zip packs. It’s the perfect way to keep all the tiny baby clothes from flying around in a backpack or suitcase. We actually use varying sizes for all of us when we travel. Theo can usually fit all his clothes and toys in 2 size 4 zip packs. Cees really loves it when things are perfectly organized and efficient. We have our packing system down pat with these zip packs and never have a single item floating around in our bags. Everything has in its place in its pack.

Bumbo Seat

The Bumbo is great for the floor, as a booster, and feeding seat and is recommend for children 6-36 months. We don’t have room for a high chair for Theo, especially in the RV, so the Bumbo is perfect for us or anyone doing car camping or even just trips to Grandma’s house. It’s a great portable highchair or booster! It’s heavy enough so it doesn’t tip over.

 

 

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