Tips and destinations for a smooth holiday with a 6 month old baby

[ShySwan]

Hi All, My partner and I have a baby girl. We’d like to go on holiday for a week this May she’ll be 6 months. Can anyone give any recommendations on places or tips on how to travel as smoothly as possible with a baby. I’m a bit apprehensive and wondered what I should or shouldn’t pack.
Shes formula feed so I suspect that will need a bit of planning.
All advice very welcome
Thank you.

At that stage, we enjoyed villa holidays. I loved having the extra space, plus access to a washing machine and a proper kitchen with a dishwasher and microwave for preparing bottles. It meant I didn’t have to wash bottles in the bathroom sink or worry about running out of clean clothes. We always chose villas within walking distance of a town, restaurants and shops. Most places have deliveroo or similar so you don't even need to go out to eat for every meal if you don't feel like it.

6 months is a great age to travel. Babies aren’t mobile yet, so there’s no need to worry about childproofing, but they tend to sleep better and can stay awake for longer stretches. By that age, your baby should be able to sit in a stroller, which is much easier to travel with than a bassinet.

I’m also a big fan of ready to feed formula. It’s incredibly convenient - no need to worry about water quality or temperature when you’re out and about. I actually packed enough for the entire holiday, which took up half a suitcase 🫣. It worked brilliantly: feeding was stressfree and on the way home, we had plenty of extra space in our luggage for that all important wine 😅

City break!! Get an apartment hotel so you have somewhere to sit and have dinner/chill when the baby goes to bed. We used to do days wandering and seeing the sites, slap up lunch, more wandering, then one would do bedtime whilst the other popped to the deli to find treats for a light supper. I recommend Barcelona, Seville, Florence, Rome, Berlin, Naples (we did these around that age). Use the time to do things you want to do as in a few years it will be all about doing what they want to do for an easy life!!

We just used formula out there, it was all pretty much the same.

Oh and most aparthotels have washing machines so you can pack very light!!

A nice cottage with decent washing machine and dishwasher. Lake District or Pembrokeshire.

If you want to go abroad...

We found all inclusive easiest at this age as we didn't want to be cooking/cleaning on holiday when already faffing about making bottles, changing nappies etc.

We took milton tablets and a collapsible 5ltr bucket to save space in the case and allow us to sterilise bottles.

Book a room that has self catering facilities e.g. kettle, fridge, microwave and sink to make formula feeds.

If you don't have a cabin approved pushchair, take your baby carrier to be hands free as you board the plane and for getting off the other side. They will take your pushchair away at the gate and nothing feels heavier than a 6month old baby when queuing for passport control 😂

Take a proper wetsuit for baby as for some reason the baby pools are freezing - plus helps protect them from the sun.

Maldives over water villa

I found apartment style within hotels the most useful at this age. So you have all the facilities without the faff of cooking. Pine cliffs in Portugal, Sun Gardens Dubrovnik spring to mind. Decent views when you just want to chill when the baby is asleep. Ready made formula also handy for travelling.