Traveling (by car) with a 6 month old--need advice on what to bring, pack, etc.?

For the ride: food, diapers, bottles, toys, snacks Other: Pack and Play, stoller (umbrella is fine), toys, first aid kit (tylenol, thermometer etc just in case). I take out of town trips with my son often (7hr drive) and that is all we take with us.

You will want to stop at least every hour if your baby is awake so he can stretch and get out of the car seat and eat. If your baby is asleep you can power through some miles. Bring a couple favorite toys. You can use an umbrella stroller at 6 months if you baby can sit up. You can feed your baby in the car seat, just prop it up so he is sitting up. See if the cabin rental people have portable cribs you can rent. If I was going on vacation the only big thing I would bring is the stroller, and I'd bring the full size one because we'd probably do a lot of walking and the full size one is more comfortable for mom and baby. My daughter is perfectly happy sleeping in my bed or her crib. Remember, the more you haul the more you have to deal with there and unpack at home. Just bring the vital stuff... clothes, toys, diapers, medicine, food.

I suggest bringing a portable dvd player with a couple of kid movies. We took our daughter on a drive from FL to TX when she was 6 months old and the dvd player was a lifesaver. Plan on stopping a few times for feeding and stretching. We also drove all night long (it was like a 26 hour car drive) so she slept for 12 hours of it. I think you could leave the big stroller at home and the umbrella one would work just fine. We didn't take one with use b/c the family hardly let her stay on the floor for more than 10 minutes. Definitely take a pack-n-play...it's easy to get them to sleep in one and you won't have to worry about them rolling around on the floor or off a bed. We didn't need the highchair b/c she wasn't really into eating solids, plus we could prop her up in a chair to feed her and it worked out fine. But if you have room to bring one, your son might be more comfortable eating in it since it's familiar.

Wow, what a drive. Good luck. I would just be smart with the traveling. Start when your son just goes to sleep or put him to sleep with warm milk or something. I would take the Graco stroller personally, and realistically are you going to use the high chair, or hold your baby? I would hold my baby if we weren't at home. Music, amazingly actually helps a little bit when kids are seated for a long time. And have one of you in the back with your son and I think you'll be fine. Just don't be afraid to stop if he gets irritable. Remember babies have no clue you almost there or getting closer or what.