summer is heating up! it is time to get out and about or possibly across-country for a trip to nana and papa's house. here is a list from baby center
www.babycenter.com of all of the must-haves when venturing...
Food and comfort
• If you're breastfeeding, pack a water bottle or thermos filled with extra liquids to help you stay well hydrated.
• If you're not breastfeeding, ready-to-use formula is the most convenient thing to bring for your baby. Or just make a few bottles of formula at home to bring along.
• If your baby has started on solids, bring only as much baby food as you'll need for the journey. You can always buy more once you reach your destination. (Exception: If you're traveling internationally or to a place where it might be tough to find what you need, it may be less of a headache to pack a full supply of food.)
• Also helpful if your baby is eating solids: A bib that's large enough to cover most of his outfit, has a plastic or waterproof coating that allows it to be easily wiped off and reused, and can be folded or rolled for easy packing.
• Bring enough diapers for the trip (or enough to last until you reach your destination and can buy more), bags for dirty diapers, and diaper-rash lotion. Diaper covers provide added insurance against leaks.
• Pack at least one extra set of clothes for yourself and your baby that's easily accessible (for instance, in your carry-on bag). You never know when a diaper leak, spit-up, or other mess might render an outfit unwearable.
• Travel with a blanket so that when you're stopped in a park, a motel, or an airport, you can offer your baby a nice spot in which to lie down, crawl, roll, or otherwise stretch his little limbs.
Entertainment
• Bring along a goody bag containing a few of your baby's favorite toys, plus some surprises. Possibilities include nesting toys, baby-proof mirrors, rattles, musical toys, soft animals, pop-up toys, plastic keys, and teething rings. Limit the number to a handful to make packing easier.
Travel gear
• Stick a travel-friendly changing pad in your diaper bag for use in public or airplane bathrooms.
• Stash some large, resealable plastic bags in your car trunk or diaper bag. They're a simple solution for the temporary storage of messy items like dirty diapers, clothes, and bibs.
• If you need both a car seat and stroller for your trip and your baby is still small enough for an infant car seat (around 20 or 22 pounds maximum, depending on the seat), a stroller or stroller frame that will carry the car seat cuts down on the gear you have to lug, as well as the hassle of getting in and out of cars and airplanes. It also allows you to move your sleeping babe from the car to the restaurant without disturbing his slumber.
• A lightweight stroller (sometimes called an umbrella stroller) makes sense for babies who can sit up. It isn't as cushy as a larger stroller, but is tops for travel because it can be carried easily and folded compactly — and even stowed in a plane's overhead bin, if permitted by your airline.
• To keep your hands free, front-carriers or slings are great for carting around younger, lighter babies, while baby backpacks do the trick for heavier kids who can sit up.
• If you'll be staying in a hotel or motel, request a crib when you make your room reservation or you may be out of luck when you arrive. Another option: Bring your own portacrib, play yard, or portable bed.
• A portable play yard makes an instant, child-safe area that you can plunk down in relatives' homes, hotels, or other places that may not be childproofed.
