Traveling to Cancun with a baby? A little terrified at the thought? No worries – check out these tips before you depart! While traveling with a baby is not nearly as easy as traveling without, it will definitely be an adventure. I do acknowledge all babies are different, and the advice below may not be relevant for everyone. Your mileage may vary. Without further adieu, let’s talk traveling to Cancun with a baby! This blog post is based on my experience traveling with my 7-month old son Cole.
Pack Accordingly
Packing was one of the most difficult parts of the planning. As my now 8-month old is exclusively formula fed, I had to make sure I packed all of his milk along with jar foods. Traveling in a foreign country (away from his pediatrician) is NOT the time to start experimenting with new foods. So I recommend packing the foods your infant is already used to and comfortable with to help with the trip. It was so tempting to give him some goodies from the buffet, but nope!
As I’m generally a light packer (only needed 1 carry-on bag for 2 weeks in Thailand!) this was all new territory for me. The real estate in your bag is expensive when you are traveling with a baby. I recommend creating a checklist at least 1 month in advance. Here’s a checklist to get you started:
- Diaper bag to carry all of your important documents
- Baby’s valid passport
- Food (plus all related parts if you’re breastfeeding)
- Diapers
- Sunscreen (reef-safe if you plan on swimming at the beach, we stuck to pools)
- Comfortable clothes and a hat
- Swimmable diapers
- Pajamas (my son specifically slept in the Merlin Magic Suit at 7 months old so I had to bring that)
- Disinfectant wipes
- Stroller – this was a lifesaver and doesn’t count as a carry-on item! It’s a BONUS
Pre-Book to Ensure Availability
As you think about what to pack, you will also want to consider what you will need to pre-book ahead of time. Mexico doesn’t require car seats, so if you book an airport transfer from CUN, my recommendation is to book with Cancun Valet and specify that you need a rear-facing car seat for your infant. It was only a small upcharge (I think $30). I highly recommend their service – on time, courteous, and safe driving. You can recognize them at the airport wearing bright yellow shirts! Overall, my son did really well in the van. He is always great as long as we are MOVING! He does not like to sit still (at red lights in the car, in the stroller in line at TSA, etc).
Another recommendation is to pre-book their crib with the hotel. Make sure they have a comfy bed to sleep in. You can bring your own crib sheet if you feel that’s best for you, but hotels do provide. Remember, the real estate in your bag is competitive! So you have to decide what is a “need to have” item and what is a “nice to have item.”
Use Bottled Water for Everything
My husband’s only stipulation for allowing me to take Cole to Cancun was to use bottled water for everything. I had to rinse the bottles with bottled water, bathe him with bottled water, and of course only use bottled water for his sippy cup by the pool. While many of the all inclusive resorts in Cancun have filtered water, better safe than sorry. I’m sure the Guest Services staff was tired of me constantly asking for more bottled water.
Enjoy Baby-Friendly Activities
When traveling to Cancun with a Baby, you’re most likely staying at an all inclusive resort. My recommendation would be to find a resort that has an onsite child-friendly and baby-friendly area. It doesn’t take much to entertain an infant (at least for my son). He just enjoyed splashing around at the kid’s pool area, or swimming with me in the main pool of the resort. If you plan to walk along the sand, I recommend bringing a body harness with you. Sand and strollers don’t mix!
Stay on Schedule
I’m sure you already know how important it is for babies to stay on a schedule. Day 1 of traveling to Cancun with a baby will likely be a bust and nearly impossible to stick to your schedule; however, the rest of the trip I recommend staying on schedule. It may mean no full-day excursions so you can make nap time. My son naps twice a day for a few hours each time, your mileage may vary. I downloaded Netflix videos on my laptop and watched them while he slept. Or, I would check emails and work a little. A few days I even treated myself to room service while he took his nap. His naptime coincided with the sun at its peak during the afternoon, and it was way too hot for him to be outside for too long.
Make sure to give your baby lots of breaks from the heat and provide them with lots of cold (bottled) water! That heat is no joke, and it’s no surprise why he enjoyed cooling off in the pool with his mom so much!
Slather Lots of Sunscreen
Continuing on the heat conversation, it’s so important to apply sunscreen to your baby. You can check out different brands and reviews for yourself. I always recommend the lotion-based sunscreen that rubs into your skin versus the spray-based sunscreen. If you’re like me and have a million alarms set on your phone, you can set an alarm for when you need to reapply. I also added alarms on my phone for his feedings so I wouldn’t get caught up on vacation and forget when he needed to eat.
In addition to sunscreen, wearing a hat is also another level of protection (and shade)!
Don’t Freak Out
Missing an item from home? Don’t freak out! Aside from important prescription medications, many of the day-to-day items you use for baby can be purchased right in the Cancun Hotel Zone. I ran out of diapers and ended up purchasing from a nearby store. The brand was called “BB Tips” – a brand I hadn’t heard of before. They did the job and were absorbent enough! I understand the panicky feeling of forgetting something at home. Just try to take a deep breath and see if what you are missing is something you can easily replace with a quick shopping stop. That same airport transfer company I mentioned above, Cancun Valet, should be able to assist you with trips to the store as well.
In terms of keeping you and baby’s passport safe, I always recommend placing them in the safe. Beforehand, be sure to take a photo of it on your phone so you have a copy if need be.
Book With a Travel Agent
Book your upcoming family trip with an accredited travel agent who has booked MANY family trips and has experienced it themselves. I can assist you with ensuring your lap child infant is booked correctly for the flight (any child under 2 years old is eligible). Also, I can ensure the hotel will have your crib ready to go in your room at the time of check in so you don’t have to wait. I can also assist with the airport transfers and ensure you have the proper safety seats in place. Email me for a free quote. I will ensure this family trip is one for the books.
Enjoy Your Vacation
Traveling to Cancun with a baby is a lot of work, but worth it in my opinion. Book yourself a stay at a nice all inclusive resort in the centrally-located Cancun Hotel Zone area. Plan ahead and pack everything you think you’ll need. Spend time with your little one making memories. They won’t necessary remember, but you’ll have the photos to share with them. And it’s something you won’t forget!
