1. Homeopathic medicines – pulsatilla has saved us every time….keeps her ears unclogged, us both healthy and tummy free of gas. I have several others that I regularly use (my sister is a homeopath) and am a big fan.

2. Liquids: I don’t bring any open liquids anymore as TSA is required by law to test (they open the bottle, put a swab in – nasty) them for exlosives. I now bring the 3 oz bottles of apple juice (Gerber organic) and mix with water after security. Most airlines offer free apple juice so this is also an option but I like having the little ones as I often stay in downtown hotels and don’t like to pay 7-11 prices for apple juice.

3. Beds: hotels really don’t have cribs anymore. They typically have Pack and Plays and you must call ahead to reserve. I don’t like my baby sleeping on a hotel floor in a used bed (I am a frequent business traveller – I know what is on those floors!) so I purchased the Baby Bjorn Travel Bed (http://www.babybjorn.com/en/American/products/Mobility/BABYBJORN-Travel-Crib-Light/) from Amazon and LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this. It is light (weighs less than my purse/carry-on bag) can be a carry-on, can be checked as a piece of luggage and the sheet and blankie fit right into the case. This takes about 5 seconds to put together and put away, has a super comfy mattress, also doubles as containment for crawlers/walkers, and is smaller than a pack and play but big enough for a bed for infants and toddlers.

4. Car Seats – I always take my base for my car seat as a CHP officer taught me that it is safer to use our seat (Graco SnugRider) with the base. All airlines will let you check the base F.O.C. (free of charge) and not count it as a an additional ba. You have to ask at the counter for this service. I always take a large plastic bag that I got from United Airlines and just re-use and put the base in that and check it.

5. High Chair – one of my best friends loaned me her travel high chair, which is the kind that folds flat and opens up to latch onto any type of table. This is so wonderful when staying at family or friends homes and also if you are going to be eating at a lot of restaurants (high chairs are so incredibly dirty and often missing seat belts in many restaurants). I put this with my car seat base in the same bag and check for free. This also fits into my large leather carry-on diaper bag/purse/laptop bag/whatever else I am carrying.

6. Toys: I have a huge ziploc plastic bag (~ the size of a laptop) that some toy came in that I use (and reuse and reuse) to put her toys in when we travel. This keeps them sealed up so we don’t lose anything and lets me bring out new ones one at a time. Invaluable.

7. Stroller – I always take our BOB Revolution stroller. It is so very easy to fold up at the gate and holds so much. Our still has the infant seat adaptor on it so her car seat fits on it and we load it up with all of our carry-ons (always have our little bug in her baby Bjorn in the airport) including the massive leather bag that serves as my diaper bag/laptop bag/purse etc….This stroller rides so nicely and is so much easier to push that I love having it with us always.

8. Boarding: I am the highest level on United so I board first but they let families board after 1st, business class and global service/1K so you are still boarding ahead of 85% of the plane. Southwest lets you board after the “A” group and before the “B” group”. My new favorite family-friendly airline is Allegiant Air (www.allegiantair.com). Very inexpensive ($29 one ways), and families board FIRST. Great staff on board. This is no-frills flying – you pay for anything extra including water, snacks, specific seat etc….but a great experience for travelling with kids.

9. I always bring a baggie of Dreft for doing baby laundry. It is hard to track down if you are staying at a downtown hotel and I don’t like paying 7-11 prices if it is found.

10. Breast Pumping – I am back to travelling for business so I pump…in lounges, airport lobbies, bathrooms, planes, towncars taking me places……I am fortuante in that I often fly first class and only have to explain that I will be pumping to one man (where are all of my fellow lady business travellers?? Come up from the back of the plane!) that I will be pumping (I have to pump two times from Boston to LAX). Try to get a window seat unless you want to give the rest of the passengers a show. I have the Medella pump in style pump and it comes with four bottles and an ice pack in the top compartment. I have never had a problem taking the frozen ice pack through security. You need to let TSA know that you have a breast pump as it always gets flagged. Take an extra set of batteries (mine takes 8 double As) for using on the plane or in a car. I also take baggies to fill with ice (before getting on the plane) to keep milk that I pump cold if my ice pack is not completely frozen. Airlines don’t have unlimited ice so get it before you board from a restaurant. I have also checked milk in bottles in my suitcase with the frozen ice pack and then also a baggie of ice (all if it then put in a plastic bag to save the contents of my suitcase in the event of a leak) and it stays cold/for 7 hours plus so far. If you need to pump at the airport, use the lounges (red carpet club, crown room et….if you belong or pay a one-time fee) if you can – much cleaner and outlets at every seat. If you are in the general boarding area, hunt down those elusive outlets and get ready to fight the business travellers charging their laptops and phones.

11. I now bring enough food (baby food in unopened containers, juice) for a day and a half in my carry-on. You never know what is going to happen, especially during busy summer travel. I also carry the following in my large leather bag: Baggie of meds (homeopathics, nasal saline, infant tylenol, nasal aspirator, extra pacifiers, small bottle of baby shampoo, baby underarm thermometer, mylicon, CA baby diaper cream, CA baby Diaper spray in a travel spray bottle); Bag of toys, extra blanket, extra socks, shirt and pants, bottle to fill with water for mommy, food (energy bars, PB sando, whatever….there isn’t always time to eat before and it is tough to eat with a tray when travelling with a child), extra diapers, baggie of wipes and also travel container of wipes…..