Zulay and Kennedy take Medellin! Travel tips & must have baby gear
Ok we did it! We traveled internationally, to Colombia, my birth country for the holidays with extended family, multiple babies and two travel legs each way! CRAZY, but we did it and we did it well! Leading up to any large , overwhelming and long distance trip there is always so much planning, logistics etc involved, it is easy to forget the small intricacies that come into play when traveling with a toddler! In my case, my daughter Kennedy is 19 months old and is DYNAMIC, HONEY! HA, HA, I mean that in the best way! She is active, and loves to explore. Here is the bottom line, traveling with any child of varied temperaments, and personalities will come with its challenges! Thank God for the internet, friends, and amazing brands who can offer advice and products that truly save the day!
I of course went straight to my first -time mom, go to resource for all things baby. Yep, you guessed it- GUGU GURU and they did not disappoint.
Amigas, here are my top SUPER STAR brands and products that can make your next trip more enjoyable for both you and your little one (s)!
First on my list!
This stroller hit all of the checkmarks for me and far exceeded my expectations.
-airplane compliant
-Lightweight at 13.4 lbs!
-easy one hand fold (serioulsy)
and as CHIC AS CHIC gets..
The JOOLZ AER maneuvers beautifully, if you were wondering what the compromise would be with a smaller stroller ( I did)! Kennedy especially loved the bumper bar, as she is very independent and loves to have autonomy and agency to move around!
Medellin is a huge city with a lot of attractions that require a lot of tight space manuevering, like small pueblos, cobble stone streets and tiny coffee shops. The JOOLZ was amazing for it all! It was so lightweight I was able to push with one hand and enjoy a cup of cafecito while taking in all the beauty around me! Check out this coffee shop in Santa Fe de Antioquia a stunning colonial cobblestone town just 35 miles outside of Medellin.
Above is a picture of Kevin, Kenni and I enjoying an afternoon stroll through Provenza in El Poblado. This area is chic and fun offering various 5 star restaurants, shopping, night clubs and more! You can really get an eclectic mix of local culture, designers and music!
As I mentioned earlier, Medellin features a lot of outdoor attractions that require a lot of walking from the Comuna 13, a barrio once considered one of the most dangerous cities in the world run by drug cartels and now considered a beautiful kaleidascope of art and culture and a night out on a Chiva ( yes, a Colombian party bus) to see the world famous Medellin River Christmas light exhibit. Of course we did both, back to back! After 15 years of not visiting, we all wanted to witness the growth and evolution of the country!
For these types of outings you need a back up plan! You can only expect a baby to sit in a stroller for so long, right?
-Award Winning
-Ergonomically designed to support full baby weight and protect mamas back!
I can't fully express how grateful I am for this product! This would have been an entirely different trip had I not been able to walk around with Kennedy comfortably. I have dealt with lower back pain due to an injury when I was in my twenties which has been intensified since giving birth via c-section! (If your'e in this boat with me, DM me, let's start a support group!) We went from the Comuna 13 tour to our night out on the Chiva with multiple walkable stops throughout the Medellin River with ease, a lot of back and hip support as well as minimalist design for less baggage and overall obstruction of fashionable outfiits (lol, yes this matters, its the Latina in me!)
A+ on this product all around, the carrier also includes storage space for your phone, or diaper changing essentials.
Our Chiva, above, was colorful, beautiful, filled to the rim with all of our family and was a full on traveling party! Salsa and Cumbia music, Aguardiente and Ron de Caldas! Que Chimba!
Next on my baby travel SUPER STAR PRODUCT line up
Let me start with the obvious, Luli Bebe made sure that style & elegance were not compromised, the matching diaper bag, travel bag and snack bag are beautifully designed and made of vegan leather!
This is clearly a mom owned business because they covered it all! YES, Mami! The Monaco diaper bag is lined with wipeable satin (pero, like, yes, super luxe), has enough compartments to keep yourself organized (we mamis know how difficult this can be.) My favorite features are the stroller straps that made it super easy to attach to my JOOLZ, I also loved that I could easily carry it multiple ways.
I absolutely loved the snack bag, which as you can see from the above picture is also versatile enough to configure for stroller or carry in other ways. This snack bag is not small by any means, I was able to pack juice boxes, fresh fruit, milk, and perishable pouches for the long travel days and everything was kept fresh/cool/hot. This is my favorite item of the set! The Monaco travel bag (not pictured) was a life saver, as we did a lot of weekend trips to different pueblos and fincas (country homes). It was spacious enough to fit both my stuff and kenny's for a weekend trip without the need for extra luggage!
This was at our 4 hour layover in Mexico City! (yes Margaritas were had:)
I was able to offer Kennedy a variety of fresh snacks while waiting in line to go through immigration!
A few must have's while traveling with a toddler: toys, sanitizing wipes, more toys, snacks and a baby massager (YES, READ ON)
Thanks to PlanAire -
I was able to safely sanitize all travel space and beyond. Made with 99% plant based ingredients & no added alcohol or ammonia
I conveniently carried their spray bottle, (not pictured) in my stroller caddy to safely disinfect all surfaces and sanitize messy, curious hands:)
A variety of toys are a moms best friend from long flights to hotel rooms and beyond!
Kennedy is a big fan of stickers, we love you Mudpuppy, thank you!
Here she is enjoying stickers & puzzle time!
And now meet KAHLMI the worlds first baby massager!
In full transparency I was hesitant at first, but I was intrigued. I first introduced Kahlmi at home after a small tantrum, which is how they suggest you do it and it was magic! Her sad face suddenly turned into a soft gentle and relaxing smile.
This baby handheld massager was developed by a certified infant massage instructor and approved by pediatricians and wellness experts.
Here is Kennedy enjoying a gentle, self-administered massage while sitting in Medellin traffic, genius!
THE END
And happy traveling!
I hope you enjoyed my list of SUPER STAR baby product travel recommendations! Thank you so much GUGU GURU for doing what you do best, take all of the guess work and anxiety out of shopping for baby products period!
Until next time my beautiful Medellin!