This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of UPPAbaby. All opinions are 100% mine. And a huge thanks to you, my readers, for supporting the brands that keep Later Ever After going!
Hello friends! The past few weeks have been a bit crazy and the holidays are around the corner. Which means lots of travel to see family and friends. I’m so glad we successfully completed our first trip with Lizzie on a plane. One of the reasons we survived was the UPPAbaby MINU stroller. It’s the best travel stroller.
We took an extended weekend trip to Marco Island, Florida and it was wonderful! In other words, it was 90 degrees and sunshine all day long! However, we arrived home to snow in Chicago. To sum it up, that meant I was quickly back in my winter coat.
While the stroller has changed my perspective on traveling with a baby, I learned a lot of tips and tricks on this first trip with her. Some of these things I researched ahead of time and implemented. On the other hand, many things were learned in real time on the trip, mainly by trial and error.
Many of you reached out to me on social media with questions about traveling with a baby and specific questions on the UPPAbaby MINU stroller. There were so many questions that I decided to create one post with everything in it for you all.
Therefore, I’m sharing my top 15 travel tips with a baby for you. It will be no surprise that my final tip is to travel with the UPPAbaby MINU. This stroller is life changing, seriously. It is the best travel stroller. Keep reading to see why.
Top 15 Travel Tips With A Baby
1. Attach Infants To Your Ticket – When traveling by plane, with a lap child you need to link the child to your ticket. Once you book your ticket, call the airline and add the infant to the reservation. Your ticket will note that you are traveling with an infant.
2. Gate Check – Most airlines let you gate check a stroller or car seat. While you can bring both through security you can only gate check one item per person. Meaning if there are two adults traveling with one child, one of you can check the car seat and the other one can check the stroller. Gate checking your stroller means that it is walked down the jet bridge onto the plane. It’s not tossed around with the normal luggage on conveyer belts.
3. Have a Loose Plan – Notice the word loose. No plan with a baby is solid, no matter how good your baby is. Have an idea of how you are getting through security and how you are getting on the plane. Don’t plan out everything because it will not go as planned.
4. Pack an Extra Outfit For the Plane – Always have an extra outfit with you, even if your kid isn’t a messy one. It never fails that when you need something you won’t have it. So pack the extra outfit.
5. Bring Your Own Crib Sheet – If you are using the hotel pack and play (or crib) I would bring your own crib sheet. On our recent trip we used the hotel’s pack and play and they didn’t use a fitted crib sheet. Instead, they folded and tucked a regular sheet to fit it. It wasn’t completed tight and could have come loose at anytime. To be safe bring your own.
6. Naps In the Crib – I am pretty strict on nap time, but being on vacation it can be a little hard. I insisted that we did one crib nap a day to keep some normalcy. Whether it was a morning or afternoon nap, I planned it out so we could be in the room for the nap.
7. Enforce Rules – Being on vacation doesn’t mean there are no rules. While some rules may get relaxed you still have to enforce many of them. For me it means no pulling on the curtains in the hotel room.
8. Bedtime – It’s vacation and if bedtime gets pushed back a little it’s going to be ok. At home Lizzie has a 6:30pm bedtime (she loves sleep) and will sleep for 12 hours. On vacation we push her a little later and it works just fine.
9. Bring Familiar Toys – You don’t need to bring every toy with you, but having a few on hand will help your baby keep their routine. In the morning Lizzie loves to play with her coffee cup and newspaper so we have that on hand when we travel.
10. Naps on the Go – If your baby is a two nap a day baby you will need to do a nap on the go. Sleeping in the UPPAbaby MINU a breeze. With the multi-position recline seat your baby can lay almost flat for a quick (or long) nap.
11. Plastic Bags – Bring a few plastic bags (like a Target or Walgreens bag) with you. You can use them on the plane for soiled items. You can also use them in the hotel room for dirty diapers.
12. Organize Yourself – Be prepared ahead of time with formula for your baby. If you are going to fill up bottles of water or a sippy cup be sure to loosen the lid to accommodate the changing pressure in the plane. Otherwise you will have an unexpected leaky mess.
13. Diaper Bag – Pack your diaper bag for the plane first and reorganize for the trip when you arrive at your destination. Only bring the essentials on the plane and pack the rest in your suitcase. For example you may need sunscreen when you get there, but you don’t need it on the plane.
14. Baby Carrier – Carrying your baby on you with a baby carrier is a good option. It allows you to be hands free and can also soothe your baby to sleep. It’s also nice to have on the plane in case you need to pace the aisle to calm your baby down.
15. Travel with the UPPAbaby MINU Stroller – The best tip I can give you in this post! This is the best travel stroller and is truly life changing. Many of the features of the stroller are perfect for everyday use, but they really shine when traveling.
7 Reasons The UPPAbaby MINU is The Best Travel Stroller
One Step Fold
You simply squeeze the handle and push down and forward. In seconds the stroller collapses into a small package that is 11.5″L x 20.5″W x 23″H. The size is ideal to store in a small hotel room and at a table at a restaurant. It also has a carry handle and shoulder strap, which makes it completely portable.
Easy to Use Foot Brake
The brake system on the UPPAbaby MINU is completely intuitive. The brake is located right by the wheels so you can easily use your feet. With a green and red tab on each wheel it makes it easy to put the break on take it off.
Wheels That Glide
The wheels on this stroller are small, but mighty! They move so smoothly on any surface. It literally feels like you are gliding on ice no matter what the surface is. The reason why it’s such a smooth ride is the shock absorbing all wheel suspension. It’s as sophisticated as my car 🙂
Multiple Fabric Options
The UPPAbaby MINU comes in four color options. I opted for the Devin color, which is a light gray. I’ll be honest I was truly torn between this and the black. The black was the easy choice as it would disguise the dirt the best. However the light gray spoke to me, so I went with it. And I love it! I can spot clean it and have the option to purchase a spare seat pad and canopy cover.
Travel Bag
The UPPAbaby MINU has its own travel bag that fits the folder stroller exactly. The travel bag allows you to gate check your stroller and know your item is protected. With their Travel Safe Program your UPPAbaby items are protected when traveling. Simply register them on this site https://uppababy.com/travelsafe/ and your items are covered under the terms of your original warranty. They will replace any broken item while traveling and using this bag.
Luxury Touches
This stroller really does reflect my personal style. In fact, it’s my biggest accessory these days. From the fabric to the handle, the quality of the material is top notch. In addition, the handle bar is 100% full grain leather. It is buttery and lush and I love looking down at it.
Consumer Confidence
Do you guys read the Wall Street Journal? If not you will want to check out their recent article (found here) where they list the UPPAbaby MINU as one of the top strollers out there right now.
A good stroller is a huge investment and it’s so hard to make a decision before trying it out in real life. Take it from one Mom who wouldn’t settle for anything less then perfection. The UPPAbaby MINU is the ultimate travel stroller.
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