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I just returned from taking a 2,300-plus mile road trip by car with my seven month old son sans my husband and although I'm pretty convinced that packing to travel with a baby is pretty much like moving, I can share some useful gear that made traveling with baby much easier.

PACK N PLAY

Your baby will need somewhere to sleep and nap during your travels. The Pack N Play is probably one of these most widely known great travel items. It is perfect for a few nights at a hotel or a week at grandma's house. It folds up easily into a travel bag that comes with most Pack N Plays and takes up little room in your trunk.

READY-TO-FEED FORMULA

Most formula brands offer convenient ready-to-feed bottles that make feeding on the go easy. No mixing or warming required! Similac even offers travel packets that come in 4-ounce packets of powder formula that you can quickly mix in a bottle with water. These take up less space than the ready-to-feed bottles but require you to mix the formula.

A DURABLE PLASTIC BIB

With one nice plastic bib that can be wiped down, you won't have to pack dozens of cloth ones. I bought a really nice one at Target for around $5. I still use it now that we are back home and it has really helped cut down on my laundry.

THE BOON SQUIRT FOOD DISPENSING SPOON

This little "extra" is wonderful for traveling and feeding baby on the go. I have to be honest, when I registered for the Boon Squirt: Baby Food Dispensing Spoon, I really had my doubts it would work well. I thought a few ounces of food would always get stuck in the bottom clear part and not be able to be used. During our road trip, we got to test it out. It holds about 4 oz of baby food and works wonderfully! The food squirts out to the last drop with almost zero mess! It comes in orange and pink and I have seen it at Babies 'R Us and Target stores. It retails for a little over $7. Now we use it anytime we are going to be out of the house during a feeding time. I highly recommend it!

STROLLER/SLING

Since I was traveling by car, I packed my full-size Graco stroller, but if you need to travel lighter take along an umbrella stroller, Baby Bjorn or a baby sling (I like the HotSlings brand since it works for babies and children up to 35 pounds, the Bjorn has a 25 pound weight limit).

A PORTABLE DVD PLAYER

We wouldn't have survived this road trip without one! My husband picked us up one from Wal-Mart for under $100 and it was well worth the entertainment it provided my son. Since he is still in a rear-facing car seat, I kept the Baby Einstein DVD's rolling and we made it 13 hours of our drive the first day with no fussing.

NUK SIPPY CUPS

These cups are awesome! They transform from bottle to sippy cup with the simple addition of snap-on handles. I packed a few of these in lieu of a dozen bottles. The handles make it easy for older babies to feed themselves, which is invaluable when baby gets fussy and you're traveling alone and on the highway.

MUNCHKIN INFLATABLE DUCK BATHTUB

This was so great for traveling! Target carries it for a few dollars cheaper than Babies R Us. I paid around $10 for ours. It can be blown up in a few minutes and it even quacks! It is great for babies who aren't ready for the big bath tub yet and it takes up almost no space once deflated. My son loved it so much it has become our everyday tub as well.

If you are short on space, only pack enough of what you'll need while you are traveling and buy more once you reach your destination. Items like diapers, wipes and baby food are things that can easily be purchased anywhere. Don't forget to pack a few of baby's favorite toys and pacifiers to keep him/her entertained during your time away.

Learn more about this author, D. Warnaar.
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