I was halfway through my pregnancy when my mom finally set a wedding date; April 2022 in Las Vegas. Las Vegas? In APRIL? I was due in late March; there was no way I could go. I was not going to drag a newborn across the country, to Las Vegas, of all places.
But I also wasn’t about to miss watching my mama marry her soulmate, so on a road trip we went!
Since we spent every waking moment tending to our new baby and adjusting to parenthood, Jacob and I didn’t plan ahead much for the trip. Thankfully, we brought almost everything we needed. Our biggest hiccup was booking the sketchy hotels we booked, not knowing they were sketchy until we pulled up. (Don’t worry, we made alternative arrangements right away!)
There were several things we brought that made the trip easier, and some that weren’t as useful as expected.
Must Haves
Clothes – We brought one outfit per travel day (or for each day until we anticipated doing laundry), a couple of extra onesies, and a few footed pajamas we could rotate. We also packed a few warm items in case it was cooler outside than predicted (which it was, so I’m glad we brought them).
Car seat – An obvious one since you can’t leave the hospital without it! We chose a seat that had high safety ratings and was easy to install and transfer into and out of the car and stroller. We occasionally used it outside of the car to transport Amara and as a seat for brief periods of time. Our seat doesn’t have the best head support for a newborn, so we used an additional headrest insert to keep her comfortable during the drives.
Haakaa manual pump – Anyone who knows my breastfeeding journey knows I adore my Haakaa pump. It is super convenient to have for on-the-go pumping sessions, in-between feedings, and in the mornings while packing. It also came in handy when I was away from the baby for extended periods of time (while getting ready for the wedding or when Jacob was watching Amara).
Kiinde twist pouches – The Kiinde twist pouches provided an easy, no-wash way to store and feed pumped milk. I transferred milk directly from the Haakaa pump to the pouch, stored the pouches in a cooler (yay for saving space!), and popped an adapter and nipple onto the pouches in the afternoon for direct feeding. We ordered extra adapters for a few dollars so we could use the nipples that came with the bottles we normally use.
Medela sterilizer bags – I actually learned about these sterilizer bags after we got home, and I wish I had found them sooner! My MIL had picked up a microwave sterilizer last minute for us to try during the trip. While we did get a lot of use out of it, the sterilizer was bulky to store and did not fit into several of the smaller microwaves. The Medela bags, on the other hand, store flat, use less water per cycle, sterilize more quickly, and can fold to fit into smaller microwaves. While they are disposable, each bag can be used 20 times before it needs to be thrown out.
RTIC 6-can Day Cooler – This was another Item I purchased after coming home, because I knew I would use it in the future. During the trip, I stored my milk in either my grandparents’ or MIL’s cooler. It was honestly a hassle having to keep a large cooler in the car and within reach, since it took up a lot of (already limited) space. The RTIC 6-can Day Cooler is compact, comes in a variety of colors, and keeps ice cool for most of the day, according to reviewers, so it is the perfect size for my Kiinde pouches. I will be testing out the new cooler in the Texas heat and sharing how well it fares!
Travel-size dish soap – Another self-explanatory item. I put a few drops of dish soap and warm water in a Tupperware to clean my pump and bottle parts before sterilizing. I initially forgot to bring my own soap, and my pump smelled like hotel hand soap for days! I was worried Amara wouldn’t drink what I pumped, but luckily, I rinsed enough of the smell out.
Sanitizing wipes – I wouldn’t have said these were a must until I had to sanitize our car seat after a blowout! Sanitizing wipes were also nice to have around to wipe down any contact surfaces and our portable changing pad between uses.
Diaper bag – We took our fully stocked diaper bag everywhere we went, so it was nice to have a backpack-style bag rather than a tote. It was light and easy to take along on longer/more strenuous hikes.
Carrier / Wrap – Since we did some hiking and climbing, we needed a comfortable and secure way to carry Amara. We used a structured carrier that had been highly recommended, but it didn’t provide very good neck support for her at such a young age. She is a bit on the smaller side, though, so it may just not have been the best fit for her. We are still trying to troubleshoot the carrier though, so I will be sharing more thoughts on it in the near future!
Swaddle – Amara doesn’t usually sleep swaddled, so bringing a swaddle wasn’t a necessity for us. It was extremely useful to have, however, when she was chilly or extra fussy at night. For babies who typically sleep swaddled, I would highly recommend bringing one! Having a swaddle helps maintain some familiarity in an otherwise unfamiliar situation and/or place.
Pack & play / bassinet – A safe and approved sleeping space for the baby is a non-negotiable! Our pack and play isn’t the most travel-friendly (it was one of our first baby purchases, and there weren’t any road trip plans yet) since it is on the larger side. However, it is extremely quick to set u,p and it folds up nicely for transport. Space-wise, a bassinet may have been more practical for the trip, but we didn’t want to spend the money on something single-purpose that Amara would grow out of in a few months.
Bibs / burp cloths – I’m a little hesitant to include these on the must-have list, since they didn’t exactly work out as intended. We brought five of each, which is already ten additional things to keep track of, and it still wasn’t enough. Between the leaky bottles, spit-ups, and accidentally being dropped on the floor, they were all dirty in a matter of days. Since our bibs and burp cloths are super absorbent (yay!), they are hard to thoroughly hand wash and air dry. Bringing or using the provided towels in place of bibs/burp cloths would likely have been a better option. It would have been less costly if one was inadvertently left behind, and we ended up using hand towels from the hotels most of the time anyway.
Muslin swaddle blanket – I loved having a muslin blanket on hand in case of cooler weather and to use as an impromptu nursing cover! I usually keep one in my diaper bag, but I brought an extra one to have in case the other one gets misplaced or dirty.
Optional Faves
Stroller – Yes, I know, it’s a shocker! I refused to go on this trip without a stroller, and we honestly didn’t get much use out of it. We mostly used the carrier or car seat when necessary. The stroller mainly ended up being used as a dolly to transport luggage. Even then, it took up a lot of space in the hotel room and was more of a hassle than a benefit.
Disposable changing pads – These were definitely a luxury and not a necessity. Since they are disposable, we tried to use them only when we expected to have a messy change (i.e., a blowout) and wanted to avoid scrubbing down the portable changing pad afterwards. Since they are absorbent, they also helped keep the car seats clean, since we primarily change her in the car.
These are just a few of the items that we used (or didn’t use) for our last trip. As we continue on future adventures, I will update this page with any additional recommendations and things to avoid. I hope this helps you have a successful journey with your little one(s)!
Disclaimer: This commentary is based on my personal opinion; feel free to consult any other resources you may find necessary or useful. This post contains affiliate links that we use to earn a commission at no cost to you. I only recommend products that I love and use, and all comments are my own.