Ready for your first Adventure with baby? What essentials do you need to pack?
Trying to figure out what to pack for your new family's first outing can be challenging. Whether it's a picnic in the park, a short morning hike on your favorite forest path, or a plane ride to introduce relatives, you want to be prepared and not overpack.
We like to think about everything you’ll want (and need) to do with your new addition when you’re out and about. If you are like us, you'll want to be prepared, but you don't want to be over-encumbered with items you won't use. If you're in states like Colorado, the weather is also a key consideration when exploring.
To get you started, these are the things pretty much all parents should have on their diaper bag checklist.
- Diapers - In our experience, having a diaper on hand every 2 hours seems to be the safest approach.
- Baby cream/ointment - Save space with travel-sized tubes.
- Wipes - Specifically baby wipes that are soft on the skin. Try and find a travel-sized pack so you don't get weighed down by the 200+ packs. These are great all-around cleaners for babies, hands, and any spillage along the way.
- Hand sanitizer - Do we really need to say why? Find a reusable travel size.
- Changing Pad - We really believe having a layer of protection and padding between babies and public spaces is basic. Find the cleanable ones if possible. Trust us on that. PS: Our bag includes one;)
- Reusable Small, cleanable, lightweight sacks - Organization is key here. These are really great for spoiled clothing, diapers, and wet clothes. They are great to keep the grime away from your camera.
- Burp cloths - The workhorse of baby adventures. Grab a handful...seriously.
- Light snacks - You will learn really quickly that "hangry" is a real thing. Nothing changes the mood like a healthy snack, treat, or juice box, especially when in the toddler phases. NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE POWER OF SNACKS!
- Food for baby - This fluctuates depending on the age of our baby. Food, milk, juice, pumped milk, applesauce, and the like. Make sure whatever you use to pack, it has some sort of waterproof or insulated component to keep spoilage risk low.
- Change of clothes - Decide what you think you may need (we typically do 1-2) and then add an extra. Spills & blowouts happen in the worst possible moment, always! Be Stylish. Be prepared. Check the weather.
- Hat - Especially when young, a hat is a great way to protect a baby's soft skin and show off some style.
- Sunscreen - 6 months and older toss in some sunscreen if you’ll be out and about in a stroller or at the park. This is also for you! For younger babies use a hat or blanket for shade.
- Light blanket / Ground over - "Don't forget the towel" is one of the greatest lessons in The Hitchhikers Guide to The Galaxy. The blanket is invaluable for warmth, sunshade, comfort, and ground cover. Find one that packs up and is light when traveling.
- Toys - Aka the enjoyment zone - rattle, teething rings, a colorful book, and a stuffy are all good starters. We also recommend some sort of connected strap to keep them off public area floors and on the bag.
- Your stuff - Don't forget yourself! If you are happy, the kids are happy. Make sure your bag has room for a hoodie, raincoat, keys, wallets, purses, sunglasses, a carbonated beverage, or anything else that supports you. After all, you are the leader in this adventure.
Experiment with your own style of travel. For us, we like to travel light. Nothing is worse than having an extra 5 pounds of stuff you won't ever use.
If you are looking for the perfect carrying technology to support you on your adventures we are working on just that. Take a look at our Adventure Diaper Backpack to learn more.
Please remember:
Each adventure with your baby will have its moments of pure bliss and utter anxiety. Accidents WILL happen!. It's all about how you choose to deal with them when they come. We find laughter in all things chaotic is a great tool. i.e., like a blowout right at the gate when you are running late for your flight...yea that happened. You will laugh about it later! (we hope) Remember everyone has been there. Don't be afraid to ask others for help.
Leave a comment