SILVER SPRING, Md, May 24, 2012 – Summer brings, warm weather, longer days and vacations.  Whether it’s a trip to the beach, a trip to the lake or a trip across the country, traveling with children, especially very young children, can be a challenge.  Luckily for parents, clever manufacturers have developed a handful of products to make traveling with very young children easier, regardless of the time of year you go.

Earth’s Best Organic Fruit & Grain Puree

While there are a number of baby food companies out there making food pouches, Earth’s Best has done something no one else has. They have put the common baby cereals in the pouches with fruit and have not added exotic grains. 

For a mother trying to introduce one food at a time to her baby, this makes breakfast on the go clean and easy.

With pear/apricot/barley, apple/peach/oatmeal and banana/raspberry/brown rice moms have options for multiple days without having to worry about how to introduce millet, quinoa or salba to baby’s diet before the trip. Another thing Earth’s Best does which is helpful to moms introducing new foods is they don’t sneak other ingredients into their pouches.

Unlike other companies that will sneak things in like tapioca flour, quinoa, apples, bananas and other ingredients as filler or supplements, if Earth’s Best called the product Apple Peach Oatmeal, that’s what in it, making it easier for moms since they don’t have to scrutinize the ingredients on the back of the pouch.

Plum Dispensing Spoon by Boon

Boon has come up with a brilliant product in these spoons. Specifically designed for the Plum Organics foods pouches, but compatible with pretty much ever baby food pouch on the market, these spoons make feeding baby on the go easy and (relatively) mess-free. 

The spoons eliminate the need to carry bowls with you because the spoon screws right onto the nozzle of the food pouch. A hole where the spoon meets nozzle allows you to squeeze the food out onto the spoon without fear of over filling or missing the spoon. The best part about these spoons is that they reduce waste because you are squeezing food out one spoonful at a time as your baby wants it. 

When she’s full simply unscrew the spoon and screw the lid back on the pouch for use later. A quick rinse of the spoon is necessary to keep the hole from becoming clogged with dried food.

Brica Fold ‘N Go Travel Bassinet

When traveling with a baby there is so much you need to take. Who wants to add a play yard to the pile? But where will baby sleep?

Brica has developed an ingenious solution to this problem with their Fold ‘N Go Travel Bassinet.  When you need it, the bassinet unfolds with a frame that snaps into place creating a safe and surrounded place for baby to sleep. It takes less than 30 seconds to fold and unfold and is compact and folds flat for easy transport.

The travel mat comes with a thin mattress to cushion baby.

The Fold N’ Go Travel Bassinet is great for over-night travel or even for nap use during day trips to visit family since it can be placed on the floor. It can comfortably accommodate babies up to 27” long. Weighing just 3 pounds and folding to 22.5” x 17.5” and only 3.2” thick, why would you bother taking something bigger? 

Munchkin and Arm & Hammer Diaper Bag Dispenser

For decades people have been putting boxes of baking soda in refrigerators and closets to control odors. Who is better known for odor control than Arm & Hammer? Having teamed up successfully with Munchkin to make a full-sized deodorizing diaper pail, they moved on to tackle the challenge of the traveling diaper change. 

They now make rolls of “single use” deodorized diaper bags that are perfect for travel. The diaper bag dispenser is a cylinder with a carabineer-like hook designed to be clipped to diaper bags. The bags pull out of the roll easily and the lavender deodorizer smells pleasant. 

Each bag is large enough for several diapers, so these are ideal if you have multiple children you have to change.  Each roll has 12 bags, and you can buy a refill pack that has 3 rolls for about $5. If you think you might have to change a diaper in the back-seat of a car, or you don’t want to stink up a friend’s house with a dirty diaper in the trash can, these are a great solution and a must for every diaper bag.

The Home & Away Video Monitor by The First Years

While this is a great portable monitor with video capability, there are a few key features to The Home & Away Video Monitor versus its competitors which caused it to make this list. While most video baby monitors have portable, battery-powered hand units for mom to use, this one has an impressive range. 

It can receive a signal up to 600 feet from the camera unit. Why is this notable in a piece about travel products? That extra range allows parents to get out of the house while still checking on a napping baby.  You can sit on the deck , or on the shore of the lake, or in hammock in the back yard.

The extended range let’s you enjoy your setting and not be trapped inside while waiting for a sleeping baby to wake.  And even though this monitor has a longer range and a lower cost than some of the other video monitors out there, it still has a clear picture and clear sound. 

One other feature that earns it a spot in our list is its unique feature to be used with Skype in conjunction with any computer.  So, if you and baby are traveling and want to chat with the other parent that had to stay home, or if one parent is traveling and you are using this monitor at home, you can similarly use it to connect.

Munchkin Travel Bottle Warmer

Some babies will take a cold bottle, others won’t. If you’re traveling and have a baby who is picky about bottle temperature, the Munchkin Travel Bottle Warmer might just be the solution for you. 

Plugging into your car, the travel bottle warmer’s flexible heating band wraps around your bottle to quickly warm the contents. This is perfect for those long road trips when you don’t  have access to all the normal ways to warm a bottle. Just like when warming any bottle, check the temperature of the milk or formula before you give it to your little one.

Pampers Bibsters

Made by Pampers, Bibsters are the traveling mom’s alternative to carrying and washing food covered bibs during trips.  These disposable bibs allow you to dispense with the mess – literally. They have leak proof liners that keep clothes dry and pockets to catch falling food, keeping floors, car seats, laps, and any other surface below an eating baby cleaner.

Just like with their diapers, Pampers has created different size Bibsters for different aged babies. Available in 0-6 months, 6 months + and extra-large, these handy bibs are designed to be used all through your baby’s time learning to eat. 

Available in packs as small as 4-count and in cases of 32-count, you can get a package to suit any length trip or one that simply fits in your diaper bag for an unexpected need.

Flyebaby

The Flyebaby is the solution to holding an infant in your lap for a long flight.  This sling creates a hammock-style seat for your baby to ride in during your flight.  It hooks to the tray table on the seat in front of you and has a harness to secure your baby. When not on a plane, Flyebaby can be used as a harness system to turn kitchen or restaurant chairs into high chairs using its three-point harness system.

Please note, while Flyebaby is approved to use while a plane is cruising, it is not an approved safety device, and you should follow all standard safety protocols and instructions at any other time.

Regalo Easy Diner Portable Hook-On Chair

High chairs are not available everywhere, and you won’t want to pack on to use in the beach house you’re renting. Or maybe you just need something that can be used on weekend trips to grandma’s. 

The Easy Diner is the solution you’ve been looking for.  Foldable with a carrying case and only 6.25 pounds, this chair hooks onto the edge of tables replacing the need for a high chair in most situations.  Unlike some other hook-on chairs, the easy diner can support children up to 37 pounds, and has a convertible harness that goes from 5-points for infants to 3-points for older children. The versatility of this product makes it something that you can use for years.

Whether it’s a summer trip to the beach, a retreat from the winter cold, or just a visit to family or friends, these products will help make the trip more enjoyable and manageable.

 

Follow Brighid on Twitter at @BrighidMoret and receive updates when new columns post on Facebook. Read more about first time parenting issues inParenting the First Time Through at The Communities at The Washington Times.

 

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