Packing for Our First Trip With a Baby

I have always liked to pride myself on being a light packer. I’ve traveled to the other side of the world for weeks on end in a carry-on-sized backpack. But if one thing was going to change my travel style, it was adding a new baby! Packing for a trip with a baby can quickly turn you into an over-packer. 

For our first trip as a family of three, I wanted to be as organized as possible. Between figuring out what to pack for our baby, how to fit everything into our luggage, and what we needed accessible throughout the day, there was definitely more planning involved.

Luckily, we partnered with LEVEL8 to try out their Luminous Checked 24″ suitcase and packing cubes to help keep everything organized because, as a traveler who has always traveled carry-on only, it was time for a serious suitcase upgrade! 

So, whether you’re planning your first flight with a baby or looking for ways to make family travel easier, here’s what we’re packing, how we’re staying organized, and what we’re learning along the way.

Note: This post was created in partnership with LEVEL8 and may contain affiliate links. As always, all opinions are my own.

Tips for Packing for a Trip with a Baby

Start Packing Earlier Than You Think

For me, this hasn’t really changed since having a baby. I’ve always been someone who liked to pack at least a week in advance for a trip because, without fail, there were always things I thought about throughout the week that I had forgotten, or wanted to switch out or include. 

When packing not just for you, but for your baby as well, especially for the first time, there is so much to think about and many things I do not want to forget. That’s why my biggest tip is to at least start making a packing list well before your trip. I break ours down by: 

• Clothing for Baby
• Toiletries for Baby
• Clothing for Mom (and/or Dad)
• Toiletries for Mom (and/or Dad)
• Things for Plane 
• Misc

Starting early gives you time to figure out what you already have, what you need to purchase, and what you can leave behind. By starting early, I always find I remove things and add things to my list throughout the week as I think of them. And in full transparency, I leave my husband to fend for himself and worry about my son and me only. 

Plan Outfits Ahead of Time

One of the easiest ways to avoid overpacking is to plan outfits instead of throwing random clothes into your suitcase.

For ourselves, that means choosing versatile pieces that can be mixed and matched. For our baby, I’m taking a slightly different approach.

Between spit-up, diaper blowouts, and unexpected messes, babies go through a lot of clothes. So I’m not going to organize by outfit, but more just ensuring I have versatile pieces that match and go together, while ensuring I have plenty of extras just in case. 

I also always like to book accommodations along our trip that have laundry facilities or services so I don’t have to worry about packing enough clothes to last us the entire duration of our trip. This helps limit the amount of stuff we need to bring! 

Pack Smart, Not Necessarily Light

Everyone talks about packing light, but when you’re travelling with a baby, sometimes that’s easier said than done.

Instead of bringing as little as possible, I’m focusing on packing smart. That means prioritizing what we’ll actually use, avoiding unnecessary duplicates, and keeping in mind that we can always purchase things at our destination if we need to. 

In our case, we only brought enough diapers and wipes to get us through our travel day (and a few extra in case of delays). Then we purchased a box once we arrived at our destination, since these are space killers!

For our first trip, we traveled to a family home in Florida, and thankfully it’s already outfitted with a travel crib, a high chair, a car seat, etc. If you don’t want to have to bring this all along with you, there are several services that exist that let you rent these things at your destination if your Airbnb, hotel, or rental car company can’t provide any.

How We Stayed Organized With LEVEL8 Luggage and Packing Cubes

One of the biggest changes when travelling as a family is figuring out how to fit everyone’s belongings into our luggage without bringing an excessive number of bags.

For this trip, we used the Luminous Checked 24″ suitcase for the baby and me, along with their packing cubes, to help keep everything organized. My husband packed separately, and of course, we had our diaper bag to carry on with us. Here’s why we loved our LEVEL8 luggage and accessories. 

LEVEL8 Luminous Checked 24″ Review

I’ve always appreciated good luggage, but now that we’re navigating airports with a baby, stroller, and extra travel essentials, functionality is more important than ever.

The first thing that caught my attention about the LEVEL8 Luminous suitcase was its sleek, minimalist design. It’s stylish without being flashy, which I love because it’s practical. 

Beyond its appearance, there are several features that make it perfect for us (and family travel). 

Spacious, organized interior: The suitcase has a fully lined interior with dividers to help separate belongings. When you’re packing for your family, designated spaces (plus packing cubes) make organization much easier. I am a sucker for pockets and dividers these days!

Smooth rolling luggage with 360° wheels: The anti-shock spinner wheels are designed for smooth, quiet movement. This is especially helpful when we were going through the airport with a stroller, baby, diaper bag, and everything in between. Honestly, I wish my travel stroller’s wheels were made like this!

Durable hard-shell exterior: Made with Makrolon® polycarbonate, the suitcase features a diamond-textured, scratch-resistant finish and water-resistant shell. One of the reasons I stopped checking bags was how damaged my suitcases would get, and dealing with airlines to have them repaired or replaced was always a headache. So I was pleasantly surprised when our LEVEL8 suitcase arrived at our destination looking brand new! The durable, scratch-resistant shell is definitely something I appreciate.

TSA-approved lock and adjustable handle: The built-in combination lock adds security and makes it so I don’t have to remember where I placed my lock or keys (because Mom brain is real!), while the three-step aluminum handle makes the suitcase easier to manoeuvre.

The 24″ size is also a nice middle ground, offering more packing space than a carry-on without immediately jumping to an oversized suitcase. I managed to pack all the things for my son and me for an 8-day vacation. However, if you are notoriously an overpacker, they also have their Luminous suitcase available in 28”. Just make sure you weigh it once packed so you don’t have overweight bags! 

The Key to Organization: Packing Cubes for Family Travel

If there’s one travel accessory I’ve always appreciated, whether I’m packing in a suitcase or a backpack, it’s packing cubes. And now that we’re travelling with a baby, they are even more essential! 

Instead of mixing everyone’s clothing, we used LEVEL8 packing cubes to organize our belongings by person and category. This makes it easy once you arrive at your destination if you don’t have a dresser or closet to fully unpack, or even if you do, to just keep things organized.

I separated the baby’s clothes and my clothing into separate cubes. This way, when we needed something, we didn’t have to dig through an entire suitcase to find it. The Luminous suitcase also has built-in pockets, which are great for underwear, socks, bathing suits, and some of those random little items you need to pack. You could even use these for dirty clothes.

What We’re Packing for Our Baby’s First Trip

Packing for a baby can feel overwhelming because there are so many things they use throughout the day. The trick is figuring out what’s essential and what you can realistically leave behind.

Here’s a breakdown of our baby travel packing list:

Clothing

Yes, there is a chance your child will go through multiple outfits in a day, but packing 2+ outfits for every day of your trip is a lot. Instead, pack enough for 1x outfit a day, plus 2-3 extras. I’m also trying to choose clothing that’s easy to mix and match rather than packing completely separate outfits for every possible scenario. For example, I love plain coloured pants or shorts, versus patterns, because they’ll go with almost anything. Here are a few things to consider: 

• Pjs
• Long- or short-sleeve bodysuits
• Neutral pants or shorts 
• Layers (sweaters, jackets, etc.) 
• Bibs
• Hats (summer or winter depending on climate) 
• Socks and/or shoes (depending on child’s age) 
• Swimsuits (if required)

Diapering and Feeding Essentials

For diapering, most of this will go in our carry-on/diaper bag for the flight (see more on that below). We plan to buy wipes and diapers at our destination to save us space. 

Feeding essentials will depend on your baby and their routine; our son is 7 months and is still primarily getting the bulk of his nutrients from breast milk. However, depending on their feeding routine, there may be a few things you want to consider bringing.

• Snacks (essential to keep your baby occupied and happy on the plane if they’re at an age they can eat solids) 
• Formula (and sterilised water if required)
• Breast pump and charger 
• Bottles (and potentially cleaning supplies depending on where you’re traveling)
• Feeding utensils (if your baby can’t handle adult size)
• Bottle warmer (if using hot tap water isn’t suitable for your situation)

Sleep and Other Baby Essentials

One of the biggest things I’ve been thinking about is how to make sleeping in a new environment as comfortable as possible. We recently sleep-trained, and I do not want his schedule and routine to go completely out the window. My non-negotiables are: 

• Sleep sacks x2 (in case he soils one in the middle of the night)
• Sound machine (don’t forget the charger)
• Baby monitor 
• Bedtime book(s) 
• Overnight diapers (you can buy these at your destination, but since we only went for 7 nights, I just brought 7)

Some people also love to bring a sheet from home for their Pack N’ Play or crib to help the sleep space smell familiar. 

Lastly, a few other essentials (in my opinion) are: 

• Stroller (we have a travel one that takes up less room, and we aren’t as concerned about it being damaged on the plane) 
• Car seat (if it’s not provided or is required at your destination) 
• Toiletries (I like to have Tylenol on hand, a thermometer, and bathing essentials like shampoo; however, depending on where you’re going, you could almost always buy this in your destination if you need it) 

➡️ Tip: Keep your medications in your carry-on with you in case of delays or unexpected illnesses. 

What We’re Packing in Our Carry-On for Baby

While our checked suitcase will hold most of our clothing and baby essentials, anything we might need during our travel day will go into our carry-on or diaper bag. This is arguably the most important bag when flying with a baby!

Here’s what we’re keeping accessible:

• Diapers, wipes, and a portable changing pad (I’m keeping this in a smaller pouch so I don’t need to try and fit the full diaper bag in the small bathroom)
• Lightweight blanket (something big enough for floor play in the airport) 
• Burp cloth
• Multiple changes of clothes for baby
• An extra shirt for each of us 
• A few small toys or books
• Lightweight layers 
• Travel documents
• Bags for soiled clothing (I like to use doggy bags for this)
• Baby carrier (this is mainly for the airport)

One thing I’m making sure to do is pack more than we think we’ll need for the flight itself. Delays happen, and the last thing I want is to run out of diapers halfway through the travel day.

➡️ Tip: It’s worth checking your airline’s infant baggage policies and airport security rules for baby food, formula, and breast milk before flying.

Things We’re Learning About Travelling With a Baby

Even before our first trip as a family of three, I’ve realized that travelling with a baby requires a different mindset.

Organization is everything. Having designated spaces for clothing, baby essentials, and travel-day necessities means less time searching through bags and more time enjoying our trip.

You don’t need every baby product you own. It’s tempting to bring everything, but the more you pack, the more you have to carry. I’m trying to focus on the things we use regularly and what will make travelling easier.

Give yourself extra time. Everything from airport security to boarding might take longer with a baby. Plan to arrive earlier and leave room for unexpected diaper changes or feeding breaks.

Be flexible. If there’s one thing having a baby has taught me, it’s that things don’t always go according to plan. Go into your trip knowing there might be challenges, and that’s okay!

Where to Buy LEVEL8 Luggage and Packing Cubes

If you’re looking to upgrade your luggage before your next family adventure, you can check out the LEVEL8 Luminous Checked 24″ suitcase and packing cubes here.

LEVEL8 offers premium luggage designed with style, durability, and functionality in mind. Luggage purchased through its official website also comes with a lifetime warranty.*

And if you’re shopping for new luggage before the holidays, LEVEL8 is offering a special Black Friday promotion until December 3, 2026. Use code L8BF26 for 20% off**. 

*Subject to applicable terms
**Visit the LEVEL8 website for applicable products and promotion terms.

Frequently Asked Questions About Packing for a Trip With a Baby

Final Thoughts 

Packing for a trip with a baby definitely has a learning curve, but it’s also something I’ve been excited to experience as someone who loved to travel before we had our son! 

While packing for three requires more planning, I don’t think it has to be overwhelming. For us, the biggest priorities are staying organized, packing the essentials, and making sure everything we need during our travel day is easy to access.

Having the LEVEL8 suitcase and packing cubes as part of our packing system helped us prepare for this new chapter of family travel. And while I’m sure we’ll learn plenty along the way, I’m excited to start making travel memories as a family of three!