Real-Life Guides for Pregnancy, Babies, Toddlers & Travel

Flying alone with a baby can feel intimidating, even if you've flown with kids before. Between getting through security, managing a stroller or car seat, and wondering what you'll do if your baby cries the entire flight, there's a lot to think about when you're the only adult traveling. I've taken more than 20 flights with my kids, but I was still nervous before my first solo flight with my daughter. We were taking a red-eye from Los Angeles to Boston, and she was around four

One of the questions I get asked most often whenever I put up an Instagram question box about traveling with babies is: How do you get your baby to nap on the go? And I get it. When you're planning a vacation with a baby, one of the biggest questions is what you're supposed to do about naps. Do you have to go back to the hotel room every few hours? What if your baby is used to sleeping in a dark room with a sound machine? And what happens when your baby just refuses to sleep?

Traveling with kids is already stressful enough. Between the luggage, stroller, diaper bag, snacks, and everything else you need to bring, the last thing I want to deal with is a bulky car seat. After taking more than 20 flights with my kids, I've learned that simplifying travel wherever possible makes such a difference. And one thing I would never do? Bring our everyday car seat on vacation. It's heavy, bulky, and just not practical for the way we travel. Instead, I'm a big

Flying with a baby or toddler can make it tempting to stuff your diaper bag with everything you could possibly need. After more than 20 flights with my kids, I’ve learned that I’d much rather have a diaper bag that’s organized and easy to access than one packed with every baby item we own. My system is pretty simple: I keep anything I’m likely to need during the flight in the diaper bag under the seat in front of me. Extra supplies and things I’m bringing “just in case” can g

Traveling with a baby or toddler? Here’s what I actually keep in our family travel medicine kit, including the medications, first-aid supplies and baby essentials I always pack.

After 20+ flights with my kids, I’ve learned that when it comes to flying with a toddler, less is usually more. I used to think I needed to pack an entire bag of toys and activities to keep my child entertained on a flight. Now that I’ve flown with my kids everywhere from short domestic trips to long international flights, my packing list has gotten much simpler. At this point, I bring the things I know we’ll actually use, plenty of snacks, and enough backup supplies to handl

If you’re taking a long flight with a baby, an airplane bassinet can sound like the perfect solution. Your baby gets somewhere to sleep, you don’t have to hold them for the entire flight, and you may even get a little rest yourself. That was exactly my thinking before taking my four-month-old on an 11-hour overnight flight from Los Angeles to London. I planned our entire flight around getting an airplane bassinet. I called to book our seats, added my son as a lap infant, aske

If you’re flying with a baby under 2, one of the biggest questions is whether you should buy your baby their own plane seat or fly with them as a lap infant. After more than 20 flights with my kids, I’ve done both. I’ve flown 11 hours internationally with a four-month-old on our laps, purchased a seat for a four-month-old when I was flying alone on a red-eye, and bought my one-year-old his own seat only to have him spend much of the flight wanting to climb all over me anyway.

Yes, you can bring baby formula through TSA. Here’s what’s allowed, plus how I pack powdered formula, water and bottles after 20+ flights with kids.

Making formula on a plane doesn’t have to be complicated. Here’s exactly how I pre-measure formula and water, pack bottles and feed my baby while flying.

If you’re flying with a baby and staring at the growing pile of bags by your front door, you may be wondering: Does a diaper bag count as a carry-on? The frustrating answer is that it depends on the airline. Some airlines allow you to bring a diaper bag in addition to your regular carry-on and personal item, while others count it toward your standard baggage allowance, particularly when you’re traveling with a lap infant. I’ve flown more than 20 times with my kids on most of

Traveling with a toddler does not require an entire suitcase of toys, gadgets, and “must-have” travel products. In my experience, the more we travel with our kids, the less I bring. My son is three, and at this point I know what actually makes traveling with him easier. I also know what sounds useful in theory but usually ends up becoming one more thing for me to carry. The airport itself is entertainment. He can watch airplanes for what feels like hours. Snacks are entertain

Flying with a baby can make you feel like you need to pack your entire house. You don’t. After flying with my kids more than 20 times, I’ve learned that the best travel gear for flying with a baby isn’t necessarily the stuff marketed as a “must-have.” It’s the gear that makes the airport easier, keeps your hands free, helps your baby sleep, and prevents you from hauling way more stuff than you actually need. It’s the gear that makes the airport easier, keeps your hands free,

Flying with a baby or toddler can make even an experienced traveler question everything. Should you pre-board? Where do you change a diaper on the plane? Can a flight attendant warm a bottle? What should you do if your baby cries the entire flight? I’ve taken more than 20 flights with my kids, but I also have a resource most parents don’t: my mom has been a flight attendant for 50 years. So I asked her what she wishes parents knew before flying with babies and young kids, inc

If you’re wondering about the best age to travel with a baby, my answer might surprise you: 0 to 6 months has been the easiest age for me to travel with both of my kids. After 20+ flights with babies and toddlers, including an 11-hour flight to London with my four-month-old and a solo cross-country flight with my three-month-old, I’ve found that traveling often gets harder as babies become more mobile, not easier. Of course, every baby is different. Some young babies may str

Before my first flight with my son, I had no idea that a lap infant could potentially end up with an empty seat for free. I learned about it in the mom group I joined when my son was about six weeks old. I mentioned that I was flying to the East Coast to visit family for the holidays, and another mom gave me a tip: If you’re traveling with a lap infant, bring your car seat to the gate and politely ask the gate agent whether there are any empty seats on the flight. If there ar

The first time I flew with a baby, I was so worried he wouldn’t sleep. I packed for every possible scenario, mentally prepared for the worst…and he slept almost the entire flight. After 20+ flights with my kids, one of the biggest things I’ve learned is that more stuff does not make flying with a baby easier. In fact, it usually makes it harder. So if you're wondering what you actually need, here's my flying with a baby packing list after 20+ flights with my kids. My goal now

Airport security is stressful enough without standing in the TSA line wondering whether they're about to make you throw away your baby's bottle. The good news: TSA makes several exceptions to the standard liquid rules when you're traveling with a baby. You can bring formula, breast milk, baby food, water for your baby, and other essentials through airport security — including quantities larger than the usual 3.4-ounce liquid limit. Here's what you need to know before heading

Traveling internationally with a toddler can feel overwhelming, but after taking our own long-haul trip overseas, I learned that it doesn't have to be. Here's everything that made our trip smoother...from the travel gear we swear by to the mindset shift that changed everything. You can find all of my baby and toddler travel tips, guides, and favorite gear in my travel resources. Before We Left, I Was Nervous About Traveling Internationally With a Toddler If you've ever search

The complete guide to flying, packing, and traveling with a baby from a mom who's traveled internationally with a 4 month old, taken a solo red-eye with an infant, and learned what actually matters. When I Booked My Son's First Flight, He Wasn't Even Born Yet When I booked our first family trip, my son hadn't even entered the world. We had an 11-hour international flight to London planned for when he would be just four months old. Most people thought we were crazy. "You'll ne