The Ultimate Baby Packing List

Zach and I are headed to NY for an extended one month stay… which means our 5 month old, Emmy, is going on her first flight ever! We have done a few roadtrips with her, but this will be the longest trip by far. The task of packing for MYSELF for a month AND a baby was daunting at first, but one of my mom friends gave me the best insight! She said, it’s not that much different than packing for a weekend. You really just need more clothes! Which, is so true. This is all stuff we pack for a shorter trip too and have never felt like we were missing anything.

I hope this list is helpful if you are traveling with your little one soon! I have all my personal favorite baby travel items linked here, and some FAQ answers below!

FAQ’s

What do we carry on the plane? I carry my diaper bag with enough to get us through the day (a few changes of clothes, burp cloths, diapers, wipes, food/milk/formula, toys, etc.).

What do we check before security, and what can we check at the gate? You can check all of your baby’s items (pack-n-play, clothes, diapers, suitcases, etc.) before security. You can check the stroller before security, or at the gate if you prefer. The big thing to consider here is whether or not your stroller will be easy to maneuver through security, or if you’d be better off putting baby in a carrier and leaving the stroller behind. We like to use our stroller up until the very last minute at the gate – it helps with carrying baby and other bags.

Can we bring breastmilk? Yes! Formula too! Make sure you let security know before putting your bag through the scanner just to be over communicative.

What about diapers, clothes, and toys? We check all of those before going through security – as mentioned above, we keep our essentials for the day in a diaper bag with us at all times.

Do I need a ticket for baby? Babies fly for free on domestic flights until they are two years old. There will likely be charges if you are flying international. Call your airline ahead of time or add a special request to your reservation online to make sure you have an “infant in arms” ticket for baby.

Comment below if you have other questions or helpful tips for travel with baby, and as always thanks for reading!