Don’t Let “Baby Gear” Weigh You Down

The biggest argument I hear about traveling with young children and babies is that they require too much “stuff”, and hauling everything across the country or the world is far too much of a hassle. Though it is certainly true that carrying large amounts of baby gear can be harrowing, most people would be surprised at how little they actually need to take with them. When I travel, everything my daughter needs can fit in a small backpack, making her the lightest traveler in our family.

Here are some common large baby items that are often unnecessary to take with you if you want to pack light:

- Stroller
- Pack-n-Play
- High Chair
- Loads of Toys
- Pack of Diapers

Stroller

Though a stroller can be nice for neighborhood walks and strolling the boardwalk at the beach, they can be extremely cumbersome. Strollers can easily be replaced by a sling or other type of baby carrier as a way to transport your baby or child. My favorite is the Ergo carrier, since it’s lightweight, very strong, and can hold nearly any size child from a few months old until he’s basically too big to carry. Though framed carriers aren’t always comfortable for children, they usually love riding in slings, wraps, and other cloth carriers. They go wherever you go. When they get tired, they can fall asleep right in the sling. When they aren’t riding in the carrier, it can fold up a be slipped in a backpack.

Pack-n-Play

Most travelers that bring a Pack-n-Play with them on a trip do so because they want the baby to have a comfortable place to sleep. I wonder what’s wrong with the bed. The easiest and most natural place for a child to sleep in a hotel room or hostel is in the bed with his parents. It’s comfortable, and Mom and/or Dad are right there to meet his every need. If you worry about having enough room to sleep, most hotels will send up a cot or fold-up bed, allowing ample room for the whole family to sleep. Falling out of bed isn’t as much of a concern as you might think, but if you’re worried, put some pillows on the side of the bed and tuck the sheets in tight. You can even move a chair or table over next to the bed to block a child from falling out. Even the smallest baby can easily share a bed with one or both of his parents, especially if it’s just for a few nights.

High Chair

Since most restaurants have high chairs, there’s little reason to ever need to travel with one. Small baby chairs that strap to existing chairs can be useful, but are unnecessary if you want to travel light. If you’re having a picnic or visiting a friend or relative, the baby can sit in a lap or be passed around among friends and family during the meal.

Toys

Many babies have “the toy”. You probably know what I’m talking about. It’s the one thing that they are always carrying with them wherever they go. Take that with you on the trip - maybe one other small thing, and a book or two if you’re baby likes to be read to. If you must have more toys, buy them along the way. Most babies can be entertained by just about anything, from a boarding pass to an empty plastic cup. You don’t need to bring baby’s toybox with you for him to entertained.

Diapers

Before you leave, count out how many diapers you think you’ll go through before you can get to a store at your destination. Add five, and pack those in a backpack Get a small travel pack of wipes, and a blanket and you’re set! If you want to get fancy, get a travel changing pad. These can hold a few diapers and wipes, and are usually covered in plastic, so they won’t pick up anything gross from where you lay the baby down.

Traveling with a baby doesn’t have to require a ton of “stuff”. Before your next trip, get together everything you plan to bring for the baby, and go through it one by one starting with the largest or heaviest item, and think “Do I really need this?” and “Is there something else I can use in place of this that would be easier to bring?”, and finally “Can I buy something like this easily and inexpensively at my destination?”

Happy Travels!

This entry was posted on Tuesday, June 24th, 2008 at 7:47 pm and is filed under Packing Light. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.