The first trips you take with your baby can seem to require a lot of gear. But one advantage of driving your own car is that you probably have the luxury of a bit more space than flying on a plane. The other clear advantages of reaching your destination by car is that you can stop when and where you choose and if your baby is crying or fussy you won’t have to worry about unsettling 200 other people (even though most of them have been in your same shoes). Essential Gear - As far as what to pack for car traveling, the requirements are the same as those for any trip- a bed, a high chair and the feeding accessories, the diaper bag essentials, the toys/entertainment, and how you will transport them outside of the car. When packing the car for a destination where you will be responsible for taking care of all the basic needs (as opposed to going to visit friends or family where they have may some or all of the gear you will require) there are plenty of great products available that take up little space and minimize the amount of gear you need to pack in and out of the car.
When thinking about a travel bed check out the Traveller Travel Crib by Phil & Ted’s, in our opinion, it’s one of the best all around Infant-3 Year Old bed available on the market today. It’s the replacement for the best selling T2 Travel Cot from Phil & Ted’s.
Up until now most parents have used a play yard as the portable infant/toddler bed; we are pleased to tell you that you can throw out that heavy cumbersome item. The Traveller weighs only 6 pounds, sets up easily in minutes, is fully netted, comes with a comfortable mattress and it fits easily into a suitcase!
Another great option is the PeaPod Plus pop-up travel bed. The PeaPod Plus is lightweight and practically sets up itself. The unique design of this bed features a side opening which makes it easier for parents to put their infants in bed, as well as allow quick access for feedings and diaper changes. It’s a great choice for any family on the go.
In addition, the Pogy Travel Bassinet is great for infant travel. With its pop open design, compact fold and generous size the Pogy makes an excellent travel crib. The foam mattress is washable and makes the Pogy cozy and comfortable for your baby.
As far as a high chair, obviously don’t pack that! But definitely look at the Me Too Chair from Phil & Ted’s. It is the most compact booster seat on the market, folding to a height of just 1″ thick! Another option that isn’t quite as light but folds very compactly is the My Chair Folding Booster Seat by Regalo International. It has an accordion type fold and has the added advantage of becoming a portable chair for your child long after they have finished using it as a booster seat (great for camping and watching sporting events). 
If you are on a longer road trip (or even an airplane trip) or if you have a baby who seems prone to the unexpected, then you may want to consider the Messez Car Seat Cover - it comes in a variety of the cutest animal prints and it saves you a lot of time and effort if your child is prone to motion sickness or diaper blow-outs! It slips on and off your car seat in seconds and it is easy to keep clean.
Car Pillows - You will notice, probably just from going around town, that when your child falls asleep their little head flops all over the place and they look terribly uncomfortable. This is about the time that most parents start to think about investing in a travel pillow, if they don’t have one already. Car pillows are difficult and there is no one perfect pillow for everyone, certainly it becomes a bit easier as your child gets older mostly because there is more choice and they have more coordination and the ability to sit still for two minutes!. While they are young (under 12 months) the choice available right now is fairly standard; the very common horse shoe shaped neck pillows or the pillows that attach to the shoulder straps of your car seats 5- Point Harness.When your child reaches 12 months of age or as soon as your child has moved to a forward facing car seat position the options open up a bit - the Toddler Coddler is a very well thought out system of two long contoured pillows that attach to the headrest posts. It prevents the forward head slump and because it is attached to the headrest it doesn’t interfere with the function or safety of the car sear harness or seatbelt. The Kid Coddler is a great choice for older children while the Cradler Adjustable Pillow is ideal for infants and small toddlers.
Entertaining - Entertainment for babies can be a bit trickier. Their attention spans can be very short, and you are requiring them to stay put in their car seat for extended periods of time, luckily most babies tend to sleep a fair bit in the car. If you embark on a family journey then you are traveling in style, especially if parents are willing to spell each other off. You will probably find that one parent sitting in the back seat will make your baby very happy and keep the journey as peaceful as possible. Keep a travel toy box and a cooler loaded up on the backseat with entertainment and snacks for both mom/dad and your baby. Check out the Ultimate Toy and Travel Cooler by Classy Kid or the Happy Traveler Family Gear Bag.
Have the toy box filled with items like bubbles, puppets, a mirror, CD’s, a small photo album for baby full of familiar faces, picture books, and rattles - check out our Games and Travel Toys for Infants and Toddlers article for more great ideas for entertainment. Also check out this article from Mom’s Minivan which gives more ideas on entertainment for baby. Don’t forget to throw a few items in for yourself, just in case you have a moment where there’s nothing else to do but relax.
If you find yourself in the situation where you are taking a car trip alone with your baby, whether it is a relatively short drive to spend a weekend somewhere or if it is a longer road trip, you will need to have some distractions for your baby that don’t require your help. Some parents have found another good distraction in portable DVD Players playing DVD’s made specifically for babies (recent research now shows that these types of DVD’s and videos don’t make your baby smarter but they do achieve the valuable goal of distraction and entertainment while traveling.)
Music and singing can also be a wonderful way to entertain your baby while traveling.How often should you stop? - Basically with babies, toddlers and pre-schoolers (and some might say with older children as well), you want to think about planning your stops every 2 - 3 hours. When your baby is young then plan your stops around feeding and diapering and what you may like to do and see. Bring a stroller, backpack or front carrier that is easy to get in and out of the car then you can go for a scenic walk or just get out of the car and stretch your legs along the way.
Once your child reaches toddler- pre-school age your stops will revolve around finding great parks and playgrounds, and in the summer perhaps a fun lake or stream where they can splash in the water for a while (with your close supervision, of course.). Go online and plan your route with organizations like AAA then you might just want to be a gypsy and see what comes your way or you might want to be super organized and plan your rest stops. Have a Rest Stop Kit at the ready with balls, cars, chalk, bubbles, bathing suits etc.; any things that will encourage your child to run around and get rid of some energy.
Safety Considerations - Do make sure that you are equipped to deal with car troubles and/or inclement weather. Carry a box in the back of the car with a comprehensive first aid kit, blankets or sleeping bag candles, matches, water, formula for your baby and food for you, flares, flashlight and of course do travel with a fully charged cell phone. Additionally, consider having a membership to a national car club that provides emergency roadside services (many new cars now come with an Emergency Roadside package or an OnStar option that you can subscribe to).
Family road trips can be great fun and the source of wonderful lasting family memories. Yes, as with so much of life, there will be frustrating times, but if you can take a deep breath and bring it all back into perspective then hopefully the frustration will only be a passing shadow on an otherwise fun time. Boredom, hunger, needing a diaper change or being tired are so often the source of unrest so make it a point to run down this list first before getting too crazy.
Have any other great product suggestions or travel tips? We are always interested in hearing your feedback. Email us at info@travelingwithkids.com or call us at 866-451-2252.
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