Travel Gear

I consider packing cubes a necessity when packing for multiple people to organize the chaos that would be my suitcase. I love that these are different colors to more easily identify (and tell Bryan) whose clothes are where. 1 color for me, 1 color for Serena, 1 color for Huntington, and 1 color for special activities like swimming!

When I travel internationally, I don’t have to think twice about making sure I have the correct travel adaptor. This has covered me in Japan, Thailand, Philippines, UK, Amsterdam, France, Belgium, and of course, the US. This also has 2 USB-A ports and 3 USB-C ports, which are more popular these days. I also like that it can fit a 3-prong plug, which my old international adaptor couldn’t do.

Pro-tip: My friend who is an avid traveler brings an extension cord with him to plug in one of these international adaptors, so that he always has enough outlets for all of his electronics.

I prefer having these small bottles on hand and refilling them with big shampoo and conditioner bottles I already have, rather than running to Target in a panic to get small items that I ran out of. It’s more cost-efficient in the long run, and it saves me time. I really like these silicone bottles…they just feel good to the touch, and there are so many variety of items in this set! I also use the pump dispenser for my face wash and the small storage container for my makeup remover. I have brought this set through TSA many times without a problem.

It’s tough enough traveling with kids and now that we have to provide documentation for everyone, having that in one place is a must. This family passport holder holds boarding passes to easily access in the front and 4 passports inside. I also wear it around my neck with a lanyard to be as hands-free as possible.

This is one of my favorite baby items, and I used this for a baby and still use it for my toddler today. It has a maximum weight of 44 lbs. Considering my 3 year old is only 26lbs, we still have a ways to go. If anyone has seen me in the last 3 years, you’ve probably seen me with this Tush Baby hip carrier. I love it especially for going to family parties, birthday parties, restaurants, parks, playgrounds, even weddings. This works for a child that doesn’t walk yet like a baby or a toddler that walks but then gets tired or whines and wants to be carried. If we’re walking for longer, then I prefer an ergonomic baby carrier like the Ergobaby baby carrier.

I use the Tobiq 30L Duffel as my diaper bag, and it really helps me stay organized amid all the toddler chaos. I love wearing it backpack-style so my hands are free to chase after little ones. The colorful packing cubes make it easy to keep snacks, toys, and clothes sorted, and each pocket has its own zipper—no more digging around for wipes! Plus, it’s machine washable, which is a total bonus when messes happen. It’s just made life on the go much easier for me.

Gamechanger for us! I heard about this from other parents when I was looking for a lighter alternative to a car seat when traveling. This was extremely simple to figure out (red arrows literally point you to what you need to do) and was so much lighter than dragging a car seat around town. It can easily be put in a small backpack to carry and makes getting into rideshare cars like Lyfts and Ubers much faster than installing a car seat.

I love this Make-a-Face sticker set (and similar ones) because they’re fun, light, and disposable—my backpack gets lighter as we go. The different animals keep it fun and fresh every time. I use them on planes, trains, car rides, and especially at restaurants.

Around the holidays, I’ll grab a festive version—Valentine’s Day, Halloween, Christmas, Easter—to keep things seasonal without adding bulk.

Easy to put on, cute, and comfortable for my toddler. Even though we adults are always present at the pool, it gives me an extra sense of security knowing she’s safe in it.

Bryan and I were pretty anti-stroller (insisted on traveling everywhere with carriers). However, we got this as a hand-me-down from my sister, and boy was it a game changer. It’s a baby stroller designed to collapse into a car seat and expand into a stroller. We love it. Since babies can’t walk, they have to be carried in 1 way or another, so this has been awesome for us. It also makes it easy when the baby is sleeping in the car seat, so just expand as a stroller and keep letting him sleep. And after pushing him around town in the stroller, it can easily be collapsed into the car seat, even with our baby still in it, to click into the base.

It’s also helpful for those times where you go down an escalator and have to look for an elevator…well not if you turn it into a car seat!

When traveling far, especially flying, it’s so much easier to take only a carrier and not carry a stroller. We’ve done this for both babies, and there is not a single flight or road trip we take that we don’t bring a baby carrier for the baby. It’s essential to our travel (or else my arms would just break off my body). This particular Ergobaby carrier is ergonomic (hence the name), breathable (nice mesh material that doesn’t make it too hot for me or baby), and just a cute color. I’ve used it in other states and countries as well as hiking and shopping in places where I’m walking a lot.

These were the bottles I used for both babies, and I was able to breastfeed and bottle-feed both babies using this brand. I’m told that the nipples on this mimics the breast enough and has slow flow, which allows baby to transition. I found these bottles soft to the touch (silicone), light (if baby got hit with it, it wouldn’t hurt), and easy to clean (wide to easily use a bottle cleaner or dishwasher safe).

If you’re looking for a travel toy that actually works, you have to try this pop-it fidget spinner. I keep it in my diaper bag all the time. My 1-year-old loves it, and my 4-year-old still plays with it! They pop it, spin it, stop it, touch the cute animal in the middle.

We pull it out on planes, trains, buses, and restaurants, or anywhere with a table or a window. It’s quiet, mess-free, and honestly, a total lifesaver when you just need something to keep those little hands busy without a meltdown.

These wearable pumps have really been a game-changer for me and have allowed me to pump and keep my milk supply up while going on a walk or driving to un an errand. I even used it at a wedding (baby wasn’t invited). I highly recommend it!

Some things I don’t love about it: the app sucks (inaccurate on how much milk is in the container). I just don’t use the app at all. Also, it does take some practice to use it correctly to get the best milk output, mostly by placing the breast shield first align with your nipple before putting on the electronic part.

If you’re breastfeeding, nursing bras are a must! When I was on maternity leave and even when I went back to work, if I was ever breastfeeding, which could easily be 6-8 times a day, I easily just unclipped a side and breastfed my baby. I’ve used these bras for 2 babies now and have even bought a second set (it does get worn after 2 years of wearing them daily!).

One thing that I don’t like much about it is the padding. I ended up having to buy new bra pad inserts because a layer started peeling after several washes in the washer machine.

If you have a standard double electric pump (not a wearable), then you can either sit there for 20 minutes holding these pumps against your boobs and work out your arms, or you can be hands-free. I definitely choose the latter. I have used this hands-free pumping bra to pump and still type on the laptop for at least 2 years now. I used this exact bra and I can say it’s been durable, lasting for both babies, and I have it in 2 colors so I can switch off.

This nursing cover is amazing. 360 degree coverage, breathable, light, and easy to wash. I’ve been spit up on many times, and it comes out easy. I’ve taken it to tropical places like Thailand and the Philippines, on local hikes, used it when I’m at restaurants, at the airport, at the park, and at friends’ houses. I just love it. I love how discreet it is, that it also just looks like a shawl. I’ve also used it at a temple in Thailand just to cover my shoulders, as a sign of respect at the temples.

I will be real for a minute and say this particular brand is expensive. I got it as a hand-me-down from my sister, so I don’t know if I’d spend that much on a nursing cover, but if you want to gift someone something nice, this is it! I don’t know if I could justify buying this at full price, so if you could find a secondhand one from Facebook Marketplace or Offer Up, that’d be better.

These are my favorite nursing tank tops and come in 3 different patterns/colors. I did buy bra pad inserts to insert in them, so I don’t have to wear an extra bra underneath. It makes life so much easier (put on shirt only) and it’s fashionable enough to wear outside and is loose on the stomach area for that postpartum belly. You’ll see me wear this shirt in a lot of my travel pictures because I seriously wear these every single week, especially during the summer.

These wipes are versatile. When on the go, it’s really nice to have something to easily wipe down pumps and pump parts, tables, and chairs where you and your child will be sitting. We’ve used it on the airplane trays, train trays, restaurant tables, desks, coffee tables, and more.

Another plus is that they are not liquid and can be brought on as a carry-on on the plane (as opposed to the Madela cleaning spray).