Moving With a Baby? What to Do


Moving is always a challenge, but it’s especially challenging when moving with a baby. Taking care of your baby’s needs and keeping the things your baby uses on hand is important. Doing this takes coordination, planning, and communication with your movers. Here’s what you need to know.

Pack a Go-Bag of Baby Stuff

You always need to have several things on hand to take care of your baby. Diapers, toys, wipes, blankets, pacifiers, and extra clothes are common examples of the things that parents need to help them take care of their little one. Some babies also have medical needs and require medicine or special accessories like skin creams or physician-prescribed formula.

Whatever your baby’s needs, these things must stay available throughout the move. Make a list of all the things you use to take care of your baby. Keep a go-bag of all of these baby care items so that your baby’s things won’t get mixed up with the items being packed into boxes.

Keep Your Baby Safe From the Moving Mess

Babies who are able to crawl are able to get into trouble. During a move, many homes become messy. Boxes aren’t the only thing lying around at the end of the day when the house is getting packed. Packing tape, scissors, and utility knives are commonly strewn about while people pack. It’s hard to keep track of everything.

Keeping your baby safe from all these hazards is important. Set up a room where your baby is safe to crawl around and explore items on the floor. Put up a baby gate to keep your baby in that room. Keep many toys and other items within to ensure your baby is entertained, and of course, have someone available to monitor your baby while you pack.

You may need to get help from a family member, loved one, or even a sitter. Paying someone to watch your baby can help you stay productive while you pack the house.

Think Ahead

If your move involves any time spent in a hotel between homes or time spent without access to a kitchen where you can warm bottles, then planning ahead will become very important. Babies need special accommodations when they’re away from home. You may need to bring a cot or a play pen with you to the hotel, or you may need to purchase a bottle warmer specifically for this move.

Once everything is locked away in a moving truck, you won’t be able to access anything until the moving truck is unpacked. Planning ahead will help you have access to those things that you need to make this transition a smooth one. If you don’t have what you need, then you can buy it in advance and keep it out of the stuff being packed.

Make Arrangements for Your Baby at the New Home

Your move may involve leaving behind services that are important to you and your baby. For example, you may be moving away from your baby’s doctor, day care, and babysitters. Once you arrive at your new home, you’ll need to make arrangements to resume services in your new location.

You can speed up this process by starting in advance. Find out from your baby’s doctor what it will take to transfer files from the old doctor to the new. Start looking up daycare centers as soon as you have a new address. Read online reviews, find out how much each center costs, and calculate how long it will take to get to the center from your new home.

Put all this information into a binder and keep that binder available throughout the move. Label the binder clearly so that it can’t be mistaken for something else. If necessary, use a binder that is a distinctive color that’s hard to lose. This helps prevent the binder from getting packed with the rest of your stuff.

With the binder on hand when you arrive in your new location, you’ll be able to hit the ground running.

Set Up Your Baby’s Bed First Thing

Once you move into your new home, you’ll be forced to decide what to do first. Set up your baby’s bed so that your baby will have somewhere safe to lie when the time comes for a nap. Next, set up a play area that is contained and safe from boxes and moving debris. With two safe spots where you can set down your baby as needed, this will make it easier to unpack in your new home.

Hire Professionals for Help

If you’re a parent with a baby who is moving into a new home, hiring professional movers will help. With professional movers around on your moving day, you can focus on keeping your baby safe while your stuff is relocated from one home to another.

For more information about moving with a baby, contact Wheaton World Wide Moving. We’ll be happy to answer your questions.