Having a child is a game changer – once you hold your beloved little peanut, you know that your life won’t ever be the same. What might not cross your mind (at first) is that your vacations and trips also won’t ever be the same.

Traveling with your baby for the first time is a big deal; the mere thought alone is enough to make new and experienced parents alike become filled with excitement, nervousness, and fear. While it can be easy to worry about taking this first journey, it isn’t as scary as it may sound. However, the trip will require additional planning on your part. Here are 8 tips for traveling with your baby:

Pushing around a stroller is great for some cases, but it can create all sorts of hassles for you while you travel. Wearing your baby on your person will help you navigate stairs, move around with more gracefully, and overall make you travel more efficiently. Plus, your child loves being close to you!

If your journey requires a plane ride, especially a long plane ride, take your child into consideration when booking your ticket. Will you be purchasing a separate seat for them? If so, you will need to bring a car seat with you on the plane. Aisle seats are preferable as this will make it easier for you to get up and change baby’s diaper.

Airlines will have different policies depending on the specific one you fly, but generally, they require the infant to be two weeks old (although some will allow two days old). However, don’t just settle for this number – consult with your child’s doctor. You will find that medical professionals recommend that you allow your infant’s immune system to develop further before flying, which can be from 3 to 6 months old. Check out My Traveling Baby for more helpful information about parenting essentials.

While this may seem redundant, it is still an important reminder. The less you bring, the better. The key is to make sure that each single clothing item is able to pair with every other item – you don’t have room for “what ifs.” You also don’t need to take up space by packing diapers for the entire trip – you only need enough to get you there plus an additional day or two, then you can just purchase diapers at the location.

Many rental car options will allow you to get a car seat, which saves you a lot of trouble as you won’t have to travel with one. It helps to get one that can be transferred to your stroller. Or, better yet, take the train. Trains are the safest public transit option.

If this is something you are comfortable with, check out some (well vetted) nanny services in the location you are traveling to. Having a friend in the area who can recommend a sitter or a nanny service can help. If you need to do some work while you travel, this can be invaluable.

This is some simple science – the earlier you go to a restaurant, the fewer people will be there, which means the less stress you might feel if your infant begins making any unfortunate loud noises (as they are known to).

Instead of lugging around a noise machine, download sounds of rain and other relaxing sounds to your phone or laptop to soothe your baby in stressful situations, like taking a long train ride.