Road Trips with Babies

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Road trips can be fun-filled adventures heading towards family or vacation destinations. Road trips with babies can be a bit more stressful if you aren’t prepared. Be ready for extra stops, unplanned delays, and lots of memories.

We travel to Maryland twice a year to visit family. This trip can take anywhere from 5.5 hours to 11.5 hours, depending on traffic. We’ve done the trip with babies as young as 3-months-old. Unfortunately, that is the time it took 11.5 hours (do not recommend). We also routinely made 2-3 hour trips to Boston when our kids were babies, also to visit family.

Over the years of traveling with babies, I have learned tips and tricks that are included in this Road Trips with Babies post.

Traveling with kids? Be sure to check out my Tips for Road Trips with Kids post, and grab your family’s free copy of Road Trip Bingo here!

Safety First

Ask your pediatrician about the recommended length of time for your baby to be strapped into their car seat and listen to their advice.

Be sure to check your car seat installation, or have it checked by a Certified Car Seat Technician before a long road trip. This is especially important if you have recently removed or replaced the car seat. Click here to head to the United States Department of Transportation and enter your zip code in the Car Seat Inspection field to find a local inspection site.

Consider Your Destination When Planning Timing

What is expected of you on arrival at your destination? Is it a relaxing vacation destination? A big event or family function where you need to be “on” for the entire trip? A busy Disney trip with non-stop activities?

Answering these questions can help you plan your road trip. If you are thinking of leaving at night to avoid traffic, but that will result in little to no sleep for you/your driver, you may want to reconsider if you have a busy few days at your destination. Same if you have a baby who does not sleep at night and you will be up all night on your arrival.

Keep an Eye on Traffic

Checking Google Maps before any major highway interchanges can save you invaluable amounts of time! There may be an accident that a quick detour can scoot you around, or you may need to change up your route entirely.

We abide by moving is better than sitting. Taking an out-of-the-way detour that could save us time and keep us moving is huge. Plus it is far easier to accommodate an unexpected pit stop when moving, than when stuck in standstill traffic.

Blowouts, throwing up, baby being inconsolable and hungry babies could all lead to an unexpected stop.

Feeding Considerations

Breastfeeding Babies

If you are breastfeeding, you are NOT the driver and your child takes pumped milk, it may be faster to give a bottle at pit stops than to breastfeed. Grab a car adaptor for your pump and get to work Mama! You will have a fresh, warm bottle ready for your next pit stop if timed carefully.

Bottle/Formula Fed Babies

If you are bottle/formula feeding be sure to pack at least 1-2 more bottles worth than you think you will need. That 11-hour trip I mentioned was double the time we expected, due to holiday traffic that unfortunately could not be avoided.

It’s not the end of the world to have to stop and buy more formula, but in today’s times with shortages, etc it could be a big deal. A long car ride isn’t the best time to be switching up a baby’s formula due to supply issues.

If your little one needs a certain temperature bottle to eat well, plan accordingly:

• If Baby will take room temperature bottles, be sure to keep water bottles out of the cooler in the car and mix them to order. A small container of formula powder may be easier to manage than the whole tub. I used this divided one by Dr Brown’s that holds 3 bottles of powdered formula, one in each compartment.
• If Baby needs warm bottles, I loved this portable bottle warmer by Tommy Tippee that we filled with boiling water when we left the house and stayed warm for an entire day without issue. It would be best to wait and pour the hot water into the warmer once the car is stopped for safety as it stays VERY hot!

Accessible Items

Depending on the length of your road trip and the time at your destination, you may have a very full. Be sure you have safe access to the following items:

• Pacifiers if you use them (bring extras!!)
• Extra Clothes
• Extra Burp Cloths
• Light Blanket
• Pacifiers if your baby uses them
• Any medications your baby may need
• Diapers and wipes
• Diaper cream
• Feeding supplies (depending on your baby’s age and needs)
  • Bottles (at least 2 more than you plan on needing)
  • Bottle Warmer
  • Breast Pump (with car adaptor)
  • Formula
  • Purees and spoon if applicable

Be Patient

Road trips can be stressful for everyone in the car at baseline. Add in a crying baby who doesn’t know or understand why they are strapped into a car seat and things can escalate quickly. Take the time to stop, get out, and stretch when needed, for your mental health as much as your physical.

Remember, you will eventually get to your destination. Keep that GPS on and watch the miles go down if you need to, it helps me to keep that end in sight!

I would love to hear any tips you have for traveling with a Baby in the comments below and I hope this Road Trips with Babies post helped you in your travels!