Travel Essentials For Your Baby: 5 Things to Pack in Your Pannier

As most parents will agree, when you’re out with your baby, it’s best to prepare for every situation. You never know when a small stroll can turn into a longer adventure.

Whether you happen to meet up with friends, hit a farmer’s market, decide to stop at a park or run some errands, you’ll want to bring a few essentials along for the ride. And since it’s hard to know exactly *which* essentials to bring, because let’s face it, you do want to keep up that spontaneous spirit of yours, you might need to pack some extras.

Thankfully Orbit Baby designed Panniers to let your stroller do the heavy lifting for your unplanned ventures. And here are some things we think you should keep handy in your Panniers.

A large blanket.

Perfect for impromptu picnics at the park, quick swaddles to hide the effects of diapers that didn’t hold, sitting at the beach, covering stains on clothing, warming up chilly little ones, or for use as nursing covers, weather shields, oversize bibs, changing stations, and so much more, the one-size-fits-all-and-fixes-all blanket is practically a national treasure. Don’t leave home without one.

Reusable Shopper Totes.

These fold up pretty small, so you can easily stow more than one if your strolling route often takes you by the market, a fruit stand, or anywhere you might pick up a few things to bring home. Plus, in the event of a diaper emergency, or a quick stop at a friend’s wading pool, a reusable tote can hold dirty or wet clothes, and can be washed afterwards and live to see another day.

Sunscreen.

We love the sun and its vitamin D, but it’s important to protect you and baby from harmful UV rays. And a potentially exploding tube of sunscreen is NOT something you’ll want in your purse or diaper bag. Keep it in the Pannier where it’s easy to grab, and safe from creating a gooey mess that’s hard to clean up.

Snacks.

Every outing is better on a full stomach. Even if you think you’ll be back by lunch, it’s never a bad idea to toss a couple granola bars into the Pannier, to bring along in case you need something to munch on in a pinch. And don’t forget to pack a snack for baby, too. Little snack pouches and insulated zippered cubes are easy to grab and pack for meals on the go. 

Hand Sanitizer or Sanitizing Wipes.

Being practical here, keeping sanitizer or wipes in the Pannier means you don’t have to paw through your diaper bag with dirty hands. You’ll thank us for this tip later. Plus, they’ll help protect both you and baby from germy surfaces and clean up playground or fingerpaint hands before eating.

The one thing we recommend to bring on every single outing doesn’t actually fit in the Panniers. But it is the most important. It is a Sense of Humor. Babies aren’t always the easiest of companions. And try as you might to prepare for their needs, sometimes it just doesn’t work. Know that you will need to adjust your expectations, find a smile in overwhelming situations, and above all, know that this tiny human will not be small forever. And soon you’ll miss those eyes peering up at you from the stroller, asking, “Where are we going next, Mom and Dad?”



Why we love the Orbit Baby G5 Panniers

We may be a little biased, but we think our Panniers are the best!

• They are spacious and easily clamp on the sides of the Orbit Baby SmartHub™ Base without straps or buckles.
• Unique handle design means parents can carry the Panniers by hand, too.
• Works with any Orbit Baby Seat docked in the SmartHub.
• One step removal.
• The outer pocket stores an included rain fly, for easy access when caught in the elements.
• Stroller frame can still fold with the Panniers attached (once Panniers are folded)
• Strollers with Panniers attached can still fit through a standard doorway.