Dr. Steve and our Club Bébé Voyage members agree that the key to staying zen while traveling with a baby is balancing preparation and letting go. Preparation includes everything from trip planning and budgeting to implementing good habits at home, whether it is a mindfulness practice or a healthy lifestyle. Letting go, on the other hand, has to do with knowing when to ease up on your preparations and focus instead on connecting with your family, yourself and your experience. While neither of these is particularly easy, there are multiple techniques that we’ve shared in the blog posts above. And like most things, with practice, the easier it will get.

In fact, the goal of minimizing stress means that you have all the more reason to start traveling with a baby right away. The smaller they are, the easier it is, especially if they are not yet mobile and still breastfeeding. This reduces items you have to bring, and along with it your worry about packing and carrying lots of gear. But even if your child is well past the infant stage, don’t let fear and anxiety keep you from going out into the world. Just invest a bit of time into planning and taking care of yourself so that when you are away from home you can let go and relax!

Bébé Voyage has pulled together a handy and very comprehensive packing lists to help you in your planning and preparation stages. And of course, don’t forget to check out our destination, gear and advice resources to help you get ready for your trip.