When I say we never travel without this… I mean it’s the first thing we pick up at the store out of the train, bus, or airport. There’s no sense packing anything that’s easy to obtain at your destination! In this case, it’s coconut oil.

That’s right. The first thing I do when I arrive in any new place is to give my little one a bath, followed by a nice long coconut oil baby massage. Planes, trains, buses, and taxis are filthy, there’s no two ways about it. In some countries, there are even less stringent policies on cleaning and maintaining public transportation than in the US and it makes for a frightening trip if you’re nervous about your little one getting a bug.

Coconut oil is anti-fungal, anti-viral, antibacterial, it smells great, and the massage really makes my little one feel as relaxed as he is at home when we’re on the road. It’s a way I choose to usher in the trip and because I have this consistent routine (babies do love routines), it puts my little one at ease.

Is your little one prone to diaper rash? Coconut oil helps, plus it’s cloth diaper safe! Similar to mainstream diaper rash creams, coconut oil has moisture resisting properties that make it jive with just about any diaper you use, even reusables. Just don’t slap it on as thick as peanut butter… then it will repel the diaper.

10 Ways to Use Coconut Oil When Traveling With Your Baby

Endless uses, all designed to make baby better. And really, every family member can benefit from this, not just your wee one!

1. Lotion

Massages – for everybody! Who knows, maybe somebody will be so kind as to give Mommy a massage too!  (Schlepping a baby across the country sure takes a lot of work!)

2. Cooking

It’s delicious and less messy than carrying another oil or butter because it solidifies at room temperature, making it easy to take on road trips or camping.

3. Oral Health

If you haven’t heard, swishing coconut oil in your mouth for 10-15 minutes per day helps clean bacteria from your mouth as well as whiten teeth! For more information just search “oil pulling” and you’ll be ah-mazed at the testimonials and benefits.

4. Romance

Yep, coconut oil is the best lube on the planet! Who wants chemicals and perfumes “down there” when you can use an organic, naturally scented, and perfectly safe oil?

5. Weight Gain

From the time my son was 6 months old I’ve used coconut oil to help him get additional calories outside of breast milk. My son was almost exclusively breast fed for his first year, eating solids only occasionally as a novelty.  Breastmilk mixed with coconut oil or coconut oil in his “smoothie” of green powder and water were a great way to get him some extra healthy fats.

6. Natural Diuretic

For some reason, traveling always comes with its share of digestive maladies. One often gets constipated traveling. A tablespoon of coconut oil helps clear that right up while giving your body and brain a boost of beneficial nutrients. I used to give my son a teensy teaspoon of coconut oil when he got constipated as a baby and it helped him immensely, and quickly! Problem solved, let’s move on to the fun part of our day.

7. Eye Makeup Remover

I can’t tell you how amazing this is while traveling! I used to use regular hand soap because I hated to travel with makeup remover pads. And let’s face it – baby wipes are a poor substitute for makeup remover! Coconut oil works as a great eye makeup remover that also nourishes your skin… and doesn’t burn your eyes.

8. Moisturizer/Stretch Mark Reducer

I gained a LOT of weight (all in my stomach) with my pregnancy, and was lucky not to have a single solitary stretch mark. I credit that to my daily ritual of coconut oil on my belly before bed, as well as after a shower. I have girlfriends who rub their entire bodies down every day after a shower with coconut oil because it’s believed to prevent and reduce wrinkles. Truly, their skin is glowing! The results speak for themselves.

9. Topical Anti-fungal

When my son had thrush we used coconut oil in lieu of a doctor prescribed anti-fungal to cure it. We aren’t against the doctor-prescribed anti-fungal. It’s just that the coconut oil worked better for my son when the anti-fungal just wasn’t clearing his thrush after several weeks. If you’ve ever had a baby with thrush you’ve bared witness to how miserable they are. This solution is more than a day saver, it’s a vacation saver!

10. Sunburn & Itch Relief

Once the heat is gone from your skin, coconut oil helps soothe and heal sun burnt skin.  It’s also good to help soothe the itches you get from bug bites, which was extremely welcome to me after getting devoured by sand flies in New Zealand or stepping in a fire ant pile in Austin, Texas!