Holiday abroad with a baby

[findmeatyoga]

Posting for traffic as desperately in need of advice!

Daughter is 9 months old and now being weaned onto formula. We are going to the Algarve in a couple of weeks and (possibly) hiring a perfect prep machine to make her formula up. She is also drinking water daily now.

What do other parents do about this while abroad? I'm aware she's not meant to drink mineral water at this age due to sodium etc.

Will be a big faff to have to boil water for her to drink all the time but clearly will do this if we need to!

Thanks.

Dd was just turning 1 when we went away. We stocked up on the pre-made formula. At our airport you can pre order as much as you want at the boots then pick at up after check in.
We did end up running out but found a supermarket close to the villa that stocked the ready made milk. Honestly it made the whlole holiday easier than a day out at home

I was told by our health visitor when we went abroad that babies can drink Evian. I think that some countries also have ‘baby water’, with a symbol of a baby on the bottle to indicate that it’s suitable.

Personally, I would keep breastfeeding until you return if it was me. I’ve travelled with one who was ff and one who was bf and bottle feeding is a massive faff. My bf one was so much easier. But if you’re keen to make the switch before, they yes, I’d use a kettle. I wouldn’t trust some dodgy hire perfect prep. As long as you have a fridge, it’s easy to make bottles with a kettle. Though I imagine for the cost of the hire, you could probably just buy a weeks worth of ready made and save the hassle.

We took our prep machine with us aboard and bought sodium free / low sodium water. Most water abroad is jsut check on the bottles.
If you think few and far between have filtered water systems abroad so they buy water too.....

You don’t need a perfect prep, a kettle will do the job. I would also bring some premixed cartons. You can take them on the plane in your hand luggage.
We were in Portugal recently, I was glad I brought food for the baby with me, there was very little in the supermarkets.

Would it not save you loads of faffing to just bf until you get home? Maybe take some pre made cartons as well though.

Evian is safe for babies. In fact mineral water in Europe tends to have a picture of a baby on it if it's safe for babies. But agree with PP. continuing breastfeeding will be much easier.

Where we went they did special baby water too, pre made milk sounds way less time consuming than powder milk

I’d stop weaning her into formula and keep breastfeeding. You’re making a whole lot of trouble for yourself here that you don’t need.

Thanks for all replies! Re: breastfeeding I've been weaning for 2 months so down to one feed a day, I really don't want to ramp up supply again as she's way more interested in the world and a pain to feed in the day. Plus, teeth!

She's eating 3 good meals so just down to 2-3 bottles a day. We are planning on taking ready made for when we are out and about but going for two weeks so can't take that much. We are based in a villa so a 'home from home' hence taking powder too.

Thank you for the advice on bottled water, j think that's what we will do. Evian. X