Advice needed for week's holiday with 4mo to Canaries!

[boozybird]

We're going away for a bit of winter sun early Jan, to La Gomera in the Canaries, with 4mo DS. Just starting to think about what we'll need to take and have managed to come up with sunhat and suncream, then got stuck on the buggy issue... the one we have is very big and very heavy - it's one of those older travel systems where the buggy bit clips on and you have to take it off and fold the wheels up and carry them separately. it's so cumbersome, it will be a nightmare to take with us. Should we buy a cheaper easy-fold-up-in-one buggy that reclines? like a maclaren? what else will i need? should i take many toys? he's only 3mo now, so isn't that bothered about toys... what will i do about getting him to go to bed at his usual time (7pm) when it won't be dark etc... god, i'll need to take the steriliser too... why did i think this was a good idea?

We took dd to France at 4 months and it was fine but a bit of a shock to us as we hadn't realised how we rely on the home environment. If we went away again I'd make sure that there was:

• at least one bedroom. We ended up sitting in the kitchen every night.

-playmat and few toys from home -tv with dvd -baby listening or babysitting facilities. We didn't dare take dd out at night because of her home routine being disrupted (not that it'd have really mattered.) Regarding you questions. You should be able to wheel your buggy up to the plane. I'd take that one so he'll have somewhere comfy and familiar to sleep in. Take milton tablets for sterilising in a pan or bucket. Take milk. We needed just over a tub. He will sleep. If you want to make it dark, stick bin liners to the windows. I made a list of everything we'd need. If you'd like a copy contact me. Also several baby websites give sample packing lists. I think Babyworld might.Just google baby packing holiday.

boozybird, don't worry, you'll be just fine
the sun is the only thing to worry about - as long as they're in the shade babies are fine. after all they live there too!
we took ours away at 5 months to mexico, and 2 months to lanzarote
Good advice from puffling re sterilising tablets, I'd also recommend taking a container where you know how much it holds so you know the dilution (god that was waffly, sorry)and a travel kettle for boiling the water.
Take your good buggy too, airlines are used to really bulky things like that, and you'll appreciate it when you get on the sand!
take a couple of waterproof toys that can go in the pool and the bath and the steriliser, but don't carry too much, the heat might make him sleep all the time (fingers crossed)
a battery monitor is a good idea, then if you are on balcony waiting for him to drift off you can hear any cries. We just used to go for a long walk after dinner, with our LO bathed, in jarmies in the pushchair, and walk till he fell asleep. It helped me loose the baby weight, and I have to admit, we did park up outside a cocktail bar a couple of nights and enjoy some couple holiday time!
Hope you enjoy it, see travellingwithchildren website, they have packing lists - insect repellant, floatie things etc.
good luck!

oops forgot, we also took our bouncy chair, don't know the technical term - you know those wire frame baby chairs? it didn't weigh much, and came apart to fit in the case easily, and made a chnage from being sat in the pushchair all the time in the room

you can get steriliser bags if you have a microwave which i found much easier than tablets here

Def bring your own buggy, you can bring it right up to the gate and then you could even go out at night with ds wrapped up and fast asleep in it!? (that age is perfect to travel, before weaning starts, which makes travelling far more complicated i found)

you can get DODOT (same as pampers) & Huggies nappies in spain so you don't need to bring all you need, but do bring formula as it is totally different brands there (nestle mostly)

i found a baby bjorn carrier really useful, esp for when you land back in England as you won't get your buggy until the carousel and it can be a long walk from the plane (esp Gatwick).

Have a fab time!!

Dh and I went to spain on holiday when DD was 11 weeks old and it was a great relaxing break. We bought a cheaper easy to fold buggy to take away as we had a heavy travel system pram and did not want to chance this being damaged in the hold (buggy came out perfect though). We only took a few little toys to amuse DD although at that age they are still too young and dont need too much. We managed to find steriliser bags in tesco that do not require microwave, they have tablet in them, you fill with cold water (foreign water ok) then place items in and in 30 mins, done. As for going out at night, we used to bath and feed DD as normal then wrap up in buggy and go out at around 7pm, once she was sleeping we found a restaurant and even went to a sangria bar a few nights afterwards, DD sound asleep the whole time then just placed into cot when back at the apartment. There was only one night she woke up and only needed a cuddle before going back down. Definitely a perfect age for holidays, cant imagine it being this easy once she is older
Have a great holiday!

We took dd to spain when she was 5 months - it was fine! We even managed to go out for a meal in the evenings with her (although we were back in our room by about 9.30pm!). We stuck to the same routine with her feeding as at home. She had just started weaning so it was mostly just bf anyway (so no sterilizing either!)with a bit of stewed fruit and veg which is easy enough to do. We fed her at her usual time before we went out at night and then she'd usually sleep a bit in her buggy while we ate - then 'topped' her up when we got in before putting her to bed.

We bought a lightweight buggy to take with us which was a god-send esp if you get one that reclines (we got the M&P Nippy). Do you have any friends with babies who could lend you one?

Other vital items - pop up sun shade that she slept in by the pool (got ours off Ebay), big hat &sunblock.

Take something familiar for your ds, say a toy and it is a good idea to take your own sheet for the cot. We found the appartments one a bit 'scratchy' and yours will have familiar smells on it!

You won't need loads of toys - at that age dd was endlessly amused by keys, beer mats and bottles of sun lotion!

Finally, on the flight try and feed ds during take off and landing. The sucking will help stop his ears popping (landing seemed to be worse for dd) and if you are lucky it might send him to sleep for the flight!

Have fun!

You'll be fine, we went to Wales when DS was about 4 mths.

Bonuses are he won't have started weaning by then, big plus in terms of things you need to bring.

Twickers mum is spot on the mark about sterilizer bags for the microwave.

Does he normally have a bath at bed time, if so you might want to bring an inflatable one. Bin liners for the window is a terrific inspired idea.

Wouldn't bother with many toys, just pack a couple he likes.

Shade-a-babe is an all over cover for the buggy, worthwhile if its going to be hot, also good for taking him to restaurants in the evening for making sure he stays asleep.

Oh and do go out in the evening. Our DS is a 7pm routine boy and when we went to Wales we didn't go out for any meals. Then in France we arrived at the appartment about 8pm and had to go out for something to eat taking DS with us. He slept fine that night. Give it a go and if it doesn't work out then don't do it again.

Finally REEELLLLAAAAXXXX. I gave myself a right epi over packing for France and then when we got there I couldn't understand why. Try to get your DP to double check that you have got everything.