From what to pack and how to get around, to the best places to visit, my tips for travelling to Mexico with a baby will help you plan your trip.
Are you pregnant or have a new little person in your life and you’re thinking of planning a big adventure for some sunshine, paradise beaches and tacos? Well, let me tell you, a trip to Mexico with a baby is a great idea! I’ve done it, so I know!
We recently spent three weeks travelling around Mexico with our two children: our daughter was just 4 months old and her big brother was about to turn 3. We flew long-haul from London, hired a car in Cancun and road tripped around the Yucatán Peninsula, visiting beaches, cenotes, Mayan ruins and pretty towns.
We went on a big adventure to Vietnam and Thailand when our son was a baby (and loved it!) and so we knew those early months were a great time to travel.
If you’re planning a trip to Mexico with a baby, my guide is packed full of advice, packing tips and route suggestions. Plus, there are lots of photos to show you the reality, too.
Is Mexico a good destination for a holiday with a baby?
Yes, although it depends where you decide to go and how ambitious your plans are. Mexicans are very family-oriented, and we found locals very warm and welcoming towards our children. They were extra kind when it came to helping with our baby. Some staff even offered to hold her while we ate in restaurants!
Under 6 months, babies are so portable, routines are flexible and they’re not moving or eating solid food. You don’t need to think about too much, other than milk and clothes. I love this age, when you can put them somewhere and they don’t roll over or crawl away. With a 12-month-old around now, things have changed a lot!
Our 3-year-old had much greater needs, so I’d say that travelling around Mexico with a baby is simple, but a toddler is a whole different world!
Is Mexico Too Hot for a Baby?
One of the things I worried about before travelling to Mexico with our baby was the heat. Mexico can get very hot (30+ degrees) with very strong UV rays. I wondered whether we’d spend the whole trip trying to keep our baby cool and barely be able to go out.
Thankfully, it wasn’t something that stopped us enjoying the trip. We spent a lot of time outdoors each day, but avoided being out at the hottest time of day. We always kept her in the shade, and often used her stroller with the shade down, so she wasn’t getting hot in the baby carrier.
We also dressed her in light, breathable clothing. Although sunscreen isn’t recommended for babies under 6 months, we used some as I’d read it was more about skin sensitivity (and the recommendation is to stay out of the sun anyway).
What about the mosquitoes in Mexico?
The mosquitoes were quite bitey in a few areas on this trip, but they barely touched our daughter. We used these mosquito patch stickers which contain natural citronella. You can stick them to the baby’s clothing, carrier or stroller, and it helps fend the insects off. I think they worked well, as she fared the best out of all of us.
Our Mexico Itinerary with a baby
I’m writing another post with our full itinerary, but as a quick overview, we spent three weeks road tripping around the Yucatán Peninsula and Quintana Roo. We packed a lot in, and if there’s one bit of advice I’d give, it’s that this route was a little ambitious with two young kids in that time length. My husband and I agreed afterwards that perhaps removing a couple of places and reducing the long drives would have made the trip more relaxing.
Our route included:
- Cancun
- Isla Holbox
- Mérida
- Campeche
- Bacalar
- Tulum
We’re not people who sit around by a pool or beach all day, so we enjoyed the variety of experiences. Right now, I’m glad we did so much as we have so many amazing memories of doing different things. But at the time, we found some of the days a little tiring!
Travelling to Mexico with a 4-month-old baby
As mentioned, our daughter was just four-months-old when we travelled to Mexico. If you’re planning a similar trip, you might hear some strong opinions from friends and family. Some wanted to warn us about how dangerous Mexico is, or worried it would be too hot for a baby. They also worried about how we’d handle things if she got sick. To be honest, we’ve been to this part of Mexico several times before, so we didn’t have huge concerns over safety.
The flight felt long, but she napped OK. We took our own car seats for both kids and booked self-catered accommodation for the majority of our trip. I think this is a good idea when travelling with young kids, as you have more space to spread out, a kitchen to make basic meals, and a kettle and microwave which are useful for milk preparation. It also meant that we had somewhere to hang out after the kids were asleep.
We also travelled with our own travel cot, as so few properties said they would provide them. I think this is a really good idea, otherwise you’ll find you’re limited to choosing between only a handful of properties (mostly hotels).
At four months, she was really easy to travel with. She wasn’t mobile, wasn’t eating solid food and was quite happy in the baby carrier or buggy.
Her big brother needed more entertainment each day, found the hot weather tiring, and was at an age where tantrums were a daily occurrence. We found the first few days a bit tough as we worked through our jetlag, figured out foods he’d eat, and got into the swing of things. We also made sure he had time to enjoy a swimming pool, beach or a playground each day, so he could let off some steam!
If there’s one big lesson I’ve learned since travelling with kids, it’s that you need to slow the pace a little and lower your expectations.
Is Mexico safe with a baby?
This is probably one of the first questions you’ll have when planning a trip, as will most of your friends and family. We felt comfortable during our time travelling around the Yucatán Peninsula and Quintana Roo, but it’s important to remember that Mexico is a huge country and safety conditions vary considerably by region.
There’s a lot of misinformation about safety in Mexico, relating to cartels. The Yucatan is a very touristy region and it isn’t a priority for criminals. As with travelling anywhere, you should always have your wits about you and avoid situations that feel unsafe. Petty crimes and thefts happen everywhere in the world, so keep your belongings close, especially money, phones and passports.
The other big safety issue is about driving. I’d read that it wasn’t advised to drive at night, mainly because the roads can be poor, so we plotted a route to be off the road by nightfall.
Obviously, my experience relates to one region of Mexico and you can’t apply my advice to the whole country. I’d recommend researching the areas you’re visiting in detail. I’d also suggest you check your government’s advice before you travel, as they will sometimes say to avoid certain areas for health or safety reasons.
13 Tips for visiting Mexico with a baby
Pack your plane bag carefully
I stressed a little over what we’d need on the flight to Mexico and how to keep things relatively compact. In our changing bag we packed:
- Changing mat
- Nappies (always pack more than you’ll need, just in case!)
- Wet wipes
- Tissues
- Hand sanitiser
- Sanitising wipes
- 2 changes of clothes (just in case of accidents!)
- A sleeping bag – I read it’s good to keep sleep associations like using the baby’s usual sleeping bag on the flight.
- White noise machine – This is useful for the airport if you’re trying to squeeze in a nap pre-flight.
- SnoozeShade – We used this in the airport before our flight, and previously draped this over the plane bassinet for our son’s nap when he was a baby.
- A few small toys such as these spinners
- Baby bottles + formula if needed
- Calpol and syringe
We also downloaded a few videos onto our phones (Dancing Vegetables and Miss Rachel) as they’re good for instant distraction / calming. Plus, we had our baby carrier on us for the flight as it’s always been an easy way to get our kids to nap on the go.
Buy a supportive baby carrier
I’ll talk about prams and pushchairs in a moment, but one of my top tips for visiting Mexico with a baby is to invest in a really comfortable baby carrier. Unless you have an early walker on your hands, most likely you’ll be carrying your little one for a lot of this trip. We’ve always loved the Ergobaby carriers.
We have the Aerloom and find it really comfortable to wear. It balances the weight of the baby well and is made of a breathable material, ideal for hot climates like in Mexico. There are some cheap baby carriers on the market, but after trying some of them, I found they didn’t provide the same support (although some looked a lot more stylish!)
We used it absolutely loads on this trip. We had a compact stroller too, but our son often wanted to be in there, so our daughter ended up strapped to our chests.
Decide whether to take your stroller
When we travelled to Vietnam with our son when he was 8-months-old, we were unsure of whether we’d use our Yoyo stroller much. We’d heard the pavements weren’t great and we wondered if we could manage without. Well, it turns out we were SO glad we took it. Even just for days when he needed naps in the airport, or for somewhere to sit while we had lunch or dinner, it was 100% worth it. If you’re deciding, I’d definitely take your stroller to Mexico.
Taking a baby and toddler to Mexico, we decided to take it (we knew our toddler would use it!) But, we also bought the car seat adapters so that we had an option to put our baby in it too, as she was too young to use the main buggy seat (recommended from 6 months+).
We used the buggy almost every day. Our son found the heat tiring, so he liked to be wheeled around too. Our baby enjoyed some naps in it while we all played on the beach or by the pool. Plus, it made our airport days a lot easier, having both of them strapped in safely, one in the carrier and one in the buggy!
If you decide to take your stroller to Mexico, I’d recommend buying a rechargeable fan to attach to it. You can keep your baby cool when the temperatures are soaring.
Think about baby sleep essentials
When you’re a new parent, sleep is everything! If you can get a few continuous hours, you’ll recharge your batteries and be better equipped to deal with what happens each day.
For our baby, we tried to replicate what was working at home. We packed a travel cot, sheet and a white noise machine (great for covering up little noises as we moved around the room).
When we used the pram for her naps, we often used a SnoozeShade. I’d be lost without ths item – it’s such a game changer! This handy item covers the pram and blocks out all light, acting almost like a blackout blind. We used ours in brightly-lit airports and even by the beach when the sun was shining. It’s got ventilation, but you should always be careful when it’s super-hot, not to leave the buggy in full sun.
We also love using the Rockit Rocker, which jiggles the buggy to keep them sleeping longer.
While you might think a baby wouldn’t need to wear much at night, remember that it’s so hot in Mexico, everywhere has air conditioning. This meant we’d often dress her in a full sleepsuit and sometimes a 0.5 tog sleeping bag.
Pack a supply of baby formula and baby food
I was breastfeeding throughout this trip, but we also had a routine of using one bottle of formula per day. This was just to keep the skill up, as we learned the hard way on our Vietnam trip! There, we decided not to use bottles for 3 weeks for ease, and when we returned home, our son refused to take milk from a bottle again. If you have a system at home that works, try to continue it on your trip abroad.
I’d recommend packing enough formula for your entire trip. While Mexican supermarkets sell formula, it’s a lottery as to whether your baby will accept an alternative brand. For reassurance, take it with you. As you use it up, you’ll end up with lots more space in your suitcase for souvenirs.
If your baby is on solids, I’d suggest packing some baby food you know they like. Pouches are great for travel days. As a quick guide, on our previous trip to Vietnam, about ¼ of one of our suitcases was dedicated to baby food. We also packed a silicon plate and spoon for meals on the go.
It’s easy to buy fruit in Mexico. But, you might find a lot of general foods have sugar added. Even basic bread and cereal is sweeter there. Just remember, it’s only a few weeks away, and so long as they’re fed, you can get back to a better diet once you’re home!
Think about baby bottles for your trip
If you’re taking baby bottles, you’ll need to think about sterilising them. To make this process easy, I packed Milton tablets. Our bottles can also be sterilised using water in the microwave, so when we had access to one of those, that made it really simple.
We only used bottled water during our trip. Drinking the water in Mexico isn’t recommended, and we didn’t want to take any risks with our children.
Take a travel high chair
When we visited Vietnam we packed this travel high chair. It was brilliant! It packs down really small and can be attached to most restaurant chairs. If your baby is weaning and can sit up ok, then you’ll want something like this in Mexico. A lot of places, especially small roadside taco shops won’t have high chairs. You can also use it on the beach as a little beach chair.
We didn’t pack it for our trip to Mexico as our daughter was only 4-months-old, but had she been weaning, we’d have taken it with us.
Take your own car seat
While some families visiting Mexico will simply fly in and stay in a resort the whole time, I know many of you are adventurous like us and will head off on a road trip. If you’re planning a road trip with kids, I’d always recommend taking your own car seat. Not only does it mean you’ll have a car seat you trust and your kids are happy using, you’ll save money by not hiring one from your car rental company.
For our baby we used the Maxi Cosi 360, which has a way to secure it using a seatbelt. It also has adapters to fit on our Yoyo stroller.
For our toddler, we’ve loved using the RyRy Scallop – a compact style of car seat, suitable for kids 15 months+, which packs into a backpack
As a quick parenting hack, if you didn’t know, you can hide a lot of baby bits in car seats, like nappies or items of clothing. It’ll save a bit of space in your suitcase.
Pick baby clothing wisely
If you’re doing a long trip like we did, you’ll need to do laundry at some point. A few of the apartments we booked had washing machines, so we made use of those. We also paid to do a huge load of laundry in Merida.
We dressed our baby girl in short-sleeved baby vests, shorts, romper suits and dresses. We also took a full-body swimsuit made from material with built-in UV-protection. Don’t forget to take a sunhat. I also bought her some baby sunglasses, but she pulled them off immediately, so they were redundant! We also packed swim nappies for pool days and cenote swims!
Stock up on baby items in big cities
So, what happens when you run out of something? How easy is it to stock up on baby supplies in Mexico? I was a little worried about this, but it was very easy in tourist towns and cities. We had to buy nappies a few times.
As a quick guide, check Google maps for Chedraui or Walmart. These are big supermarkets and tend to have all the baby essentials including formula, nappies, baby food and bottles. Even on Isla Holbox, there’s now a small Chedraui in the main square, so you’ll always be able to find what you need.
Buying a Dummy/Pacifier in Mexico
This might sound like a random point to mention, but if your baby takes a dummy and you need to purchase one in Mexico, read the packaging clearly.
Our daughter occasionally used a dummy (great for soothing her on car journeys). We looked for one in the supermarket, and made a surprising discovery. Many dummies in Mexico contain honey! They’re usually called chupones con miel. For me, I was surprised as in the UK we’re told to avoid giving honey to a baby until they turn 12 months, as there’s a risk of infant botulism. Health advisories don’t recommend them, so I’d steer clear.
Getting ill in Mexico
If you’re doing a big trip around Mexico, keep in mind that hygiene standards may be a little lower than what you’re accustomed to at home. Always wash your hands, have some hand sanitiser in your bag, be careful when choosing where to eat, and pack some basic items to make you feel better. Stay hydrated and always drink bottled water. Ice is generally fine, as most restaurants and cafes use ice cubes from a bag.
We managed three weeks without any bad tummy bugs, but they can be pretty common in this part of the world. With a baby to look after, you need to take your health seriously too.
I packed a basic kit with pain killers, rehydration sachets, stomach medicine, plasters and Calpol for the kids. We also had full travel insurance including decent medical cover, just in case.
Go with the flow
My final tip for visiting Mexico with a baby is to go with the flow! The phrase I’ve said a lot before going on trips with our little ones is that “there are babies everywhere!” And that’s the thing… there are babies being brought up in Mexico, so of course it’s possible to travel around the country with a little one!
Being away from our home environment encouraged us to change our routine, pack in more experiences each day and not worry about some of the little things. We missed naps, did feeds at different times and stayed up later than we would usually, but that’s all part of the fun of travelling.
You’ll be spending quality time together and having the most amazing experiences each day. That’s what really matters! The more we relaxed, the more enjoyable the trip became. Yes, it’s a bit of a mindset shift, but it’s a positive one!
Favourite places to visit in Mexico with a baby
We started our family road trip in Cancun and spent three weeks touring the Yucatan. There were lots of great experiences, but here are a few of my personal highlights.
Isla Holbox – I love this relaxed island and it was a great stop with a baby. We spent our days at beach clubs, walking the beach, enjoying cocktails and street food. Find out more about visiting Holbox with kids.
Cenotes Santa Barbara – We took our four-month-old swimming in her first cenote here! It was actually the first time she’d ever been swimming (even in a pool!) It was a lovely family-friendly experience, with stunning cenotes surrounded by nature. Our toddler loved it too.
Bacalar – This beautiful lagoon is one of my favourite places in Mexico. There’s a relaxed vibe here. We went on a boat trip, found lovely lagoon-side restaurants and enjoyed the beautiful views. Read more in my Bacalar travel guide.
Wakax Hacienda – We stayed at this stunning family-friendly hotel near Tulum for our last few nights. It’s like a small town, with meandering paths, pretty lagoons, cenotes and swimming pools, and lots of wildlife. They were so accommodating, providing a lovely cot and baby bath, as well as holding our baby while we ate one day! Read more in my Wakax Hacienda hotel review.
Useful words and phrases for visiting Mexico with a baby
- Nappy / diaper — pañal
- Nappies / diapers — pañales
- Wipes — toallitas húmedas
- Baby food — comida para bebé
- Formula milk — leche de fórmula
- Breast milk — leche materna
- Bottle — biberón
- Dummy / pacifier — chupete
- Baby carrier — portabebés
- Pushchair / stroller — carriola / cochecito
- High chair — silla alta
- Cot / crib — cuna
- Changing table — cambiador
- Changing bag — bolsa para pañales
- Swimming nappy — pañal para nadar
- Sunscreen — protector solar
- Baby sunscreen — protector solar para bebé
- Thermometer — termómetro
- Medicine — medicina
- Pharmacy — farmacia
- Hospital — hospital
- Do you have nappies?
¿Tiene pañales? - Do you have baby food?
¿Tiene comida para bebé? - Where is the nearest pharmacy?
¿Dónde está la farmacia más cercana? - Where is the nearest hospital?
¿Dónde está el hospital más cercano? - My baby needs a doctor.
Mi bebé necesita un médico. - My baby is four months old.
Mi bebé tiene cuatro meses.
I hope these tips for visiting Mexico with a baby help you to plan your adventure. If you’re looking for more advice to plan your trip, I’d recommend clicking through to read these posts:
- Visiting Isla Holbox With Kids
- Bacalar, Mexico Travel Guide
- The Ultimate 5-Day Cancun Itinerary
- The Best Isla Holbox Travel Guide
- The Best Luxury Hotels in Tulum – 5-Star Hotels in Tulum, Boutique Resorts and More
Plus, if this is your first trip abroad with your little one, I’d suggest a quick read of my newborn travel essentials post too.