What to pack in an emergency car kit when you have a baby

September is National Preparedness Month in the US. It's so very important to be prepared for an emergency before the disaster happens. Living here in Silicon Valley California there are several types of natural disasters we can typically expect even if we can't predict when they will occur. The most common ones are: earthquakes, fires resulting from earthquakes (or possibly tsunami from very big earthquakes), flooding, and wildfires. But in reality just about any type of disaster can strike at any time and often without warning. ​

So what do you pack for your family to be ready in case of an emergency especially if you have a baby? Well first it's important to decide what type of emergency kit we are talking about. There are three main types: 72 hour kit, emergency car kit, and long term food/water supply.

​Two weeks ago we covered the 72 hour kit. Today we are going to focus on the Emergency Car Kit. Sometimes driving a car can be very unpredictable; you may unexpectedly need roadside assistance. There could also be inclement weather that causes an emergency situation. But an emergency car kit can be extra useful when you have a baby. There may be times when you are in a rush out the door and forget something very basic that you need like diapers or wipes (it happens to the best of us). Having a well supplied kit in your car solves this problem. Basically having an emergency car kit can help in everyday mishaps or larger scale emergencies.

We keep ours in a backpack but I know some people put their kit supplies in a small plastic storage bin, a storage cube, or even a collapsible shuttle bin. Whatever you use your bin should be big enough to fit everything you need but small enough to fit in your trunk without monopolizing your trunk’s storage space.

Here's some ideas about what your baby might need in your emergency car kit:

• Diapers in an appropriate size for your baby (make sure to rotate the diapers when your baby outgrows their current diaper size) (I usually pack around 5-10)
• Diaper wipes (make sure they are sealed to prevent moisture loss)
• Diaper rash ointment
• Change of clothes for baby (1 or 2): one piece outfits work great, also socks and hat
• Burp cloths for the inevitable spit up
• Something to snuggle like a blanket or lovie (just like the 72 hour kit we want to keep stress levels as low as we can during an emergency)
• Nursing pads (if applicable)
• Formula (if applicable): Get to-go packets/sample packets and don't forget to pack extra water to use with it
• Extra bottles/sippy cup (1 or 2)
• Bib (just in case you go out to eat and forget to pack one in your diaper bag)
• Extra baby blanket for sleeping or swaddling blanket
• Baby first aid kit – any prescriptions from your baby's doctor, infant acetaminophen and syringe, baby safe sunscreen, baby safe bug repellent, nose suction, thermometer, allergy medicine if prescribed by your doctor, adhesive bandages, baby first aid manual
• Pack a few non perishable snacks that your baby likes - examples: small cereal boxes, small cracker, pretzel packs, or squeeze twist top applesauce (packing extra snacks in my car kit is critical for me as we always seem to run out of snacks in our diaper bag before we get home after a long day of running errands)
• Water if they're older than 4 months - between 4-6 months not more than 2oz of water per day, older babies offer limited water as a supplement (not replacement) to breastfeeding or formula
• Small trash bags for containing any waste or possible laundry
• Hand sanitizer

Optional:

• Change of clothes for mom! (once we went on a hike and my baby’s diaper leaked all over me while she was in a front carrier and I didn’t have anything to change into so I just had to wear baby pee until we got home a couple hours later!)
• Baby carrier - get one that is compact so that you save space in your car. Check out this link for small carriers.
• Diaper changing pad (I usually just used a blanket, but having this could save your car from getting wet if you have to do an emergency diaper change)
• Pacifier (1 or 2) if you use them

 
I also found a great list on DMV.org that recommends the basics of any emergency car kit whether you have a baby or not:

• First Aid kit: Antiseptic wipes, Antibiotic ointment, Bug spray, OTC Pain reliever medicine, Cotton balls, Gauze pads, Tweezers, Bandana, Ace bandage, etc.
• Fire extinguisher
• Road flares (if not already in your tire-changing tools)
• Jumper cables (and you should learn how to use them!)
• Rain ponchos
• Tarp
• Flashlight and extra batteries
• Rags
• Duct tape
• Multipurpose tool

Optional items:

• Ice scraper
• Kitty litter for slick roads
• Small battery-powered fan (for hot summer days)
• Blankets and/or warm clothing (for wintry days)

I would also add that you should keep water and snacks for you and your passengers in your car. I had a friend in an accident and while she wasn’t injured very badly she was stuck at the scene for hours and wished she had some water and something to eat while she was there.

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