Travelling with an infant - what to pack?

[QueenOfWeeds]

Going abroad with DD for the first time when she will be 4 months old. I’ve got lists coming out of my ears but I’m still a bit sleep deprived. What have I forgotten/overlooked??

So much depends on where you’re going, what time of year and how you feed her. Regardless of location though, I’d take a night light, portable black out blind, white noise and baby monitor.

White noise! Added to the list, thanks.

We’re off to France and taking the car so we can load up supplies and bring back wine. We’ll be doing a short internal flight whilst there but with minimal luggage.

Leaving next week, so I’m planning for weather similar to this but with options for layers and a few rash vest type things in case we have a sunny day to the beach. She’s formula fed, but I think I’ve got that covered - bottles, powder, steriliser, ready made ones for day trips out.

My top tip would be not to forget about what you need! I always spend a lot of time thinking about what to pack for children and the car and my stuff gets left to the last minute. Nothing I can't usually get hold of whilst away but annoying! Have a great trip

Good tip - thanks! I haven’t quite shifted all my baby weight yet, so am living in the same few outfits on rotation. Makes my packing easier in one sense, but also means a bit of last minute washing before we go to make sure everything is clean.

A thermometer and calpol in case you are worried about her being poorly.

Suncream!

Travel cot and a travel cot black out blind! Best thing I've ever bought, saves faffing with unknown windows and suction cups that fall off - and if you're sharing a room (4 months old so probably are?) then you can have a lamp on and not have to fiddle about in the dark.

Oh also, whatever you pack this time, write in all down in a list to refer back to for future trips - great to have a checklist!

Snooze shade

Definitely calpol, nurofen and syringes as a PP has said. Bedding if you'll need it. Baby monitor. Baby carrier if you use one.

What should you remember?

Babies don't need as much as you will take. You will cope if you forget something. They have babies in France too, as well as shops.

You NEED the same feeding kit as if you were going out for the day in the UK. Plus sterilising kit. Nappies. And clothes. And a travel cot. That's it.

Everything else is surplus. You can carry a four month old at worse case.

Seriously you can over think it and go overboard and get overly stressed about it. Don't.

A change of clothes for you in case you get spewed on, especially on the plane

Think I’ve remembered most of that - thanks. I considered the travel cot blackout blind but I like to be able to look over and see DD, and I assume I wouldn’t be able to with that on?

We do have a blackout blind for a window and I know at least one of the properties has proper shutters.

I do have a tendency to overthink, so I really appreciate the reality checks too.

Oh! Is it silly to take DD’s red book? I take it with me if we travel within England assume it is effectively meaningless outside the UK? I don’t even know if it is used in all the countries of the UK, come to think of it.

No need to sterilise - very hot water, bottle brush and washing up liquid. Sterilising was for last century when people were educated or didn’t have hot water.

Lots of evidence for this. I didn’t sterilise once with DS2 after reading this at a UK teaching hospital. People are just frightened to stop.

Make the change now and reduce your packing.

Take a giant Muslim in a dark colour and some pegs. So useful !

I’ve been hit by this same autocorrect before…

going to assume you meant a large square of cloth 😂.

I took 4m old to Greece a few summers ago, and the best thing I took was a cheap 3 ring paddling pool…. Made an amazing safe place for him to lay and kick. Just padded out the bottom with a few towels/blankets, Uv umbrella above him and he was happy for ages!
also served as a baby bath as accommodation only had showers!
Baby carrier for the airport. So much easier to check the pram in and used the carry cot to transport all the nappies!
Have a lovely holiday.

🤣🤣🤣

Somewhere to sleep
Lots to wear, if you have access to a washing machine you can take less.
A decent stack of nappies so you don't need to run first thing
Feeding kit
Pram/sling
Calpol/thermometer
We took a photo of the vaccination pages of the red book. Never needed it but at least we could show the dates and kind of jabs DD had.
Travel insurance covering a baby and also pays for a parent to stay.

Don't forget space in your suitcase, France has seriously cute baby clothes you can buy in the large supermarkets (no need for the expensive baby boutiques).

We travelled with DS at the same age and took his bouncy chair and play mat. Just as in the U.K., I needed somewhere to put him whilst I was doing things and just when I'd had enough of a velcro baby being attached to me all of the time

I’ve already told DH we’re going to be going to Monoprix children’s wear as a matter of urgency.

Bouncy chair and a playmat were on the list, but exactly the sort of thing I would overlook, thanks. I’ve tried to keep track of things we use during the course of the day so that we can replicate it as much as possible. We will have a washing machine, which definitely takes the pressure off slightly.

Just to state the really obvious - you have got her a passport, haven't you?

Yes, thanks! And her GHIC card (felt quite smug that I remembered that in time to order one), and a letter from DH giving me permission to travel without her (he isn’t doing the internal flight).