9 m old for a week in Europe- what do I NOT need to take?!

[musicalmum40]

Help - I always pack too much and now we're flying with baby.!He doesn't get any luggage allowance or hand bag. I am taking his clothes, few light toys, pouches of food, bottles, sterilising tabs, nightgear, a pack of nappies etc plus the pushchair and back carrier.
Is there anything I should chill out about/ you wish you hadn't taken on hol?

Don't take nappies - just enough for the flight and first night if you're arriving late.

Pouches and steriliser tabs ditto - in fact I wouldn't bother to sterilise if he's 9 months old. But you'll be able to buy nappies, wipes, milk and baby food there.

Thanks YBB! It's Slovenia so I wasn't sure. Now I know what to discard!!

I also would leave nappies behind . Just pack the first day or so - and buy some when you are there. they aren't heavy, but do take up space.

Are you self catering or in a hotel?

In a hotel but have no idea what the food will be like so taking 7 weetabix and 14 pouches . Can you tell I'm first time mum?!!

They have babies in Slovenia you know

You are right I will have words with DH he is more uptight than me, although actually I think it's more to do with the fact he just wants to go out exploring as soon as we get there and avoid the shops

Take fewer clothes than you think you will need too.

You can always wash stuff if they get really grubby.

if you take nappies, you'll have more room for souvenirs on the way home ;)

I wouldn't bother with toys tbh, and we always take the bare minimum of clothing for ourselves. When you say pushchair and backpack, do you mean a rigid rucksack type carrier? can you get by with just the buggy for a week?

Only take enough food for flight and that night. Slovenia will be fine. At 9 months he can eat anything pretty much.

Wouldn't sterilise either as he will be getting more germs from floor than bottle.

Kveta dh is into mega walking so think we will go with the little life carrier. Maybe I should ditch the buggy?! Sounds like I should leave the food behind too. Thanks for the advice I do tend to like to cover all bases and then end up with luggage I can't lift!

Can you not get a smaller carrier like a beco Gemini?

Ooh thanks forevergreek I will investigate!

Don't ditch the buggy - you will need it. They are much better for sleeping in than carriers.

Don't bother with very many toys at all - there are all kind of interesting things for him to play with and you can always pick something up if you need it.

Agree not to take too many nappies - they are easy to get once you are there.

Sterilising has nothing to do with other germs they come into contact with. Milk is a breeding ground for bacteria that's why we sterilise. Having said that, no-one ever needs to sterilise if they are 100% careful washing bottles thoroughly 100% of the time - but it's just easier to sterilise and if you are washing bottles up in a hotel room then I'd say you have MORE reason to sterilise, not less!

Chipping- sterilising has nothing to do with the milk. It's the milk powder that is unsterile hence the correct way to make a bottle is with water over 70degrees to kill the germs in milk powder. A bottle should then used within 1 hour.

Having sterile milk ( ie made over 70 degrees), not left more than 1 hr will not need to go in a sterile bottle for 9 month old. 9 weeks maybe, but 9 months no. I'm sure op will be cleaning bottles anyway but warm soapy water and rinsed will be perfectly adequate.

forevergreek that's not right. They are two separate issues.

As an aside, the water should be 70 deg, not 'over' 70 deg, over that and it risks killing off the nutrients in the milk.

If the bottle isn't cleaned properly, the bacteria will multiply very quickly - that is why we sterilise bottles.

Slovenia is fab and very good value and has lots of Lidls. Their website has a section where you can look up the nearest one. You could even try to email them to check for certain products.

Just take Milton tablets to sterilise everything in a wash up bowl! We did this when we took dd abroad at 6 months. Def need a pram as I found the heat made dd sleep loads.

no need to take any toys. At 9mo they're just as happy banging a hairbrush on the table or whatever.

Chipping - www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/pages/making-up-infant-formula.aspx#close

70 degrees or above, anything less will not kill the germs. 100 degrees ( ie just boiled will kill some nutrients)

I have been studying this at great depth ( ie post grad level)

To op- take whatever is most convinent and you feel happy with

Sutton mum thanks for that info on Lidl! I had no idea!

forevergreek - Did I say less? Nope! You aren't the only one who has studied this. Clearly we have a difference of opinion - I am happy with mine and you are with yours - let's drop it for the sake of the OP who didn't ask for a debate on sterilising bottles :)

Can I go against the grain here and say take the lot if you have the room?
Clothes - if you're staying in a hotel then you'll presumably be eating every meal in a restaurant and not have access to a washing machine without spending £££ on hotel laundry. Unless your DS is a really neat eater, her'll probably get food on him at at least one meal a day (if not all) and, if you're eating in a restaurant, you may feel (I did) that you can't take him in for dinner in the top & shorts still covered in lunch. I ended up doing two loads of washing whilst we were away.
Weetabix/pouches - how fussy is he? And what sort of breakfast does the hotel offer? If a buffet breakfast, then there will probably be cereals provided and a 9mo will probably be happy eating rice krispies or cornflakes etc as finger foods. There's also likely to be fruit on offer so you can make breakfast out of that. Other meals you may struggle with more as, at 9mo, you're going to want him to be eating a proper food but not paying for something off the menu so I'd take pouches. At least then you don't have to worry about tracking them down. This is particularly the case if you don't have a hire car and so may be limited on getting to a big supermarket.

Nappies - these are always available but can be £££. In the very touristy bit of Spain we recently stayed in, it was 15euros for a pack of 28! And 3 euros for a pack of wipes. Again, if you're hiring a car, it won't be as much of an issue as you can buy them in a big supermarket.
Buggy - definitely! For naps, for going to sleep in in the evening whilst you go out for dinner etc
Backpack - personally, I wouldn't bother with this but sounds as though you'll need it. If you go for a sling or wrap instead, bear in mind that DS is likely to get hotter than in a backpack.
Toys - yes, take a few. Particularly take ones which he can play with in a restaurant.