Travel with your infant like a boss

Olori the traveler has entered the chat...

Chances are you are about to travel your infant and you want to be prepared. You are smart and you will master this after reading this. When I was pregnant, someone told me , I would stop traveling since I would be a mom. I hope she reads this 😏! I will breakup this blog in Road Trip, Domestic and international flights. This will help you digest what applies to you!

Road Trip Essentials.

First of all, do not dread this, this is a great oppurtunity to help your baby learn. They probably haven't been on a long trip their whole life and you will have lots to talk to your baby about. Studies shows that chatting to your baby and sharing experiences helps your babies brain develop. So if you are like me and don't really know what to say to a 2 month old, this is a great opportunity to just talk about what you see! Another helpful hint is, you remember all the talk of sleep when the baby sleeps, welp if you can , this is a great time to do this. Okay now that we've got that out the way lets start with what you'll need in the car.

In the car needs: Breastfeeding essentials: Frozen milk storage bag:

You will need this even in the hotel if you are pumping.

Breastmilk Warmer : Basically something that will warm the breastmilk quick to room temperature .

-Budget Friendly - $19 Portable Travel Bottle Warmer, Car Baby Bottle Warmer for Breastmilk & Formula by USB Charging, BPA Free

-The one I have - $65 Bopopo water warmer for brewing formula is perfect for travel，car，and on the go. Built-in 4400mAh large capacity battery for power supply, a real WIRELESS bottle warmer.

Reviews don't lie - $85 Baby's Brew Portable Bottle Warmer Pro - Milk Warmers for Breastmilk or Formula, Leak-Proof Design, Travel-Friendly, Cordless, Battery-Powered, 8-12 Hour Battery Life, Warmer Set

If your baby doesn't take bottles add about 1-2 hours to. your trip since you will have to stop to feed and soothe baby. Me , I have big breast, so I am able to feed Kamil while my husband is driving!

*awkward laugh*

Formula essentials:

You may use baby powder or premixed baby formula. Bring lots of that lol

If your baby likes their food warmed then use on of these below.

-Budget Friendly - $19 Portable Travel Bottle Warmer, Car Baby Bottle Warmer for Breastmilk & Formula by USB Charging, BPA Free

-The one I have - $65 Bopopo water warmer for brewing formula is perfect for travel，car，and on the go. Built-in 4400mAh large capacity battery for power supply, a real WIRELESS bottle warmer.

Reviews don't lie - $85 Baby's Brew Portable Bottle Warmer Pro - Milk Warmers for Breastmilk or Formula, Leak-Proof Design, Travel-Friendly, Cordless, Battery-Powered, 8-12 Hour Battery Life, Warmer Set

Portable White Noise Machine.

Here's an Apple Music song ( loop it) -

Youtube 8 Hours

* If you do not have the premium option there will be ads.

If you don't want to listen to hours of a lady saying shhhh you can opt for a white noise machine, which I like because you can keep it close to the baby then you want this shusher ---> https://rstyle.me/+OC5Y5PARl7FiDs_MIpLcaw

I highly recommend, its portably, and can be charged in the car !

Diapers - let me tell you , you need MORE than you think is necessary! This one is very important, pay close attention.

You will need a diaper bag, I will link the one we use below , but you can use any CVS, Target, or grocery store bag you have laying around. Please bring a lot of these. If your baby has a blow out, you will know what I mean hahah.

Here's a 225 pack and here's a 120 pack with a carrying case .

To my mental health, these disposable diaper changing pads have been life changing. There are some cheaper options , but I didn't want it looking like a doggy pad so I spent a bit more. With these disposable changing pads you don't have to worry about poop because you will be able to dispose of these in your poop bag along with the dirty diaper and wipes. This is a car ride MUST HAVE in my book.

Have Diapers and wipes ready and pack more than enough. For Kamil, we would bring half a box for peace of mind. For the most part that was enough, once we had to buy a small pack just for 1 or 2.

Change of clothes. Even if you packed extra clothes in the suitcase, make sure to pack some in the backseat with you for ease.

This last one is the most important- GRACE. This is different but not difficult. You can do it, here's an affirmation to say before the trip :

You are prepared to be an unstoppable mom! Your Baby is an unstoppable baby! My Partner will be helpful! We will arrive Safely.

Here's an Affirmation for when you are feeling out of Control:

Unstoppable Moms like me are unstoppable because we push past, we are learning each other and doing amazing.

I Hope this helps, if you go on a road trip Tag Me @oloritrini and use hashtag #UnstopableMomsTravel

Domestic Flights

First things first We are going to talk about a lot, so do not overwhelm yourself,You got this!

Let's get the big stuff out the way. Under 2 you will not need to buy a ticket for your mini unless you want to, and you can for extra space. I am personally to cheap to pay for mine lol.

Car Seat/ Stroller- We have traveled with and without it so I will give you my take on a Pro's and Cons list!

Travel With Stroller/ Car Seat	Travel Without Stroller/ Car seat
​Peace of Mind once you get to your location	Peace of mind while you travel
You have to figure out how to bring your stroller, base for car seat and car seat AND your luggage.	You have to figure out how you will get in the Uber or Rental car. We rented a carseat from the rental car provider. We worried about if it was clean and safe. We ended up buying and returning a car seat because we weren't comfortable with the quality of Car seat we rented.
You have to keep disassembling and reassembling if you want to use the stroller in the airport. ( You can get a Doona and this wouldn't be an issue lol , if you have an extra $550 lying around)	We used our Solly Baby carrier which I live by anyways. The Con to this is your back may hurt if you use it for a long time. The plus is you can wear your baby through TSA and in the plane.

After reading this , please do what's best for you , the deal breaker for us is having to find another quality carseat. and the car seat would be annoying to carry without the stroller , so we will choose to bring our car seat and stroller moving forward.

Extra clothes- PACK EXTRA CLOTHES IN THE DIAPER BAG! You want at least 3 options just in case of delays and/or blow outs. Not so Fun fact, Kamil had 2 blowouts on the way back from Hawaii, and we just knew the airports on layover will have baby clothes. Not a onsie in sight lol I had him in a onesie with no pants and covered my baby with his blanket and my love. I felt horrible lol , don't be like me haha.

Breastfeeding stations:

Mamava is a breastfeeding pod and they have them in all 50 states but are missing some. Check out the locations HERE.

Some Airports like IAH have a big breastfeeding room that you can lock, look for those too!

International Travel

With southwest you do NOT have to buy an extra flight for your baby, so check with your airline, because I know with Delta you do.

Q & A

Q:How do You cope with an infants schedule ? Does it limit you?

Thank you for this question @_Charlizabeth on Instagram.

A: This is a very good question , I think this is a question of perspective. We are all still learning each other, and I can either be learning him in the house or a beach lol! No, but really for Kamil as long as he is fed and napping he is A ok. It really helps that I have a supportive partner that would watch Kamil while I take IG pics. I didn't feel limited , I feel blessed that I can share new experiences with the my family.

Q: What do you do when Kamil is Crying? Do you get flustered or stay calm?

Thank you for this question @jakiahsorzano on Instagram.

Another good question. When I am traveling with Kamil it is important to set healthy expectations not only with myself, but with my partner Kofi and my son. I tell my husband how to help me if I start feeling overwhelmed. So in advance, he knows when I am crying out for help even before I open my mouth. I also have been telling Kamil " Kamil , we are both learning and we are going to get through this together!" He listens and understands. This sets the Tone. For me , I tell myself, It's great you want to travel with your son , you're an awesome mom for that, but it'll come with a few thorns like a rose. Get past the Thorns Olori, you can do it! When Kamil cries I quickly resolve his need with either food or by wearing him. These things usually work, but if I cannot then I will give him to his dad and re-strategize or finish what I am doing then revisit. The Short answer is I stay calm because I am prepared.

In Conclusion

Traveling with the mini's is the most interesting colorful and unique experience. You have to manage your expectations and give yourself grace. Take lots of pictures because these are memories your kids will really be grateful for. Subscribe to this blog and follow me on social media @oloritrini on everything :) I will be talking more about traveling with your mini as well as some other topics. Please ask questions !