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Original poster

Help!! Advise needed on first hol abroad wth 1 yr old

22 replies

wozzle1 · 14/04/2005 14:27

Hi Mumsnetters!!!

Need your help please.....

Im off with my parents to Majorca in June. DS will be 15 months old by then. I have been abroad before but never with a child.
Any Tips??
Do I take a load of nappies with me? What about his cows milk? What kind of swimwear do I take?
and what about what kind of medicines do I take???
Oh and the food...will they cater for him???

Help would be appreciated!
Wozzle

OP posts:
Surfermum · 14/04/2005 15:03

Hi Wozzle. We took dd to Majorca last year when she was 16m and it was fab. I took nappies with me but she spent most of the day in swimming nappies so I didn't need that many. I dressed her in one of thos all-in-one sunsuits, a sun hat with a flap over her neck and a pair of jellies. We were half board, and the only thing I took food-wise was weetabix for breakfast as I didn't want her getting used to sugary cereals! Oh and I took her organix crisps and cereal bars as well. I took Calpol with me, but there were pharmacies there so I could have bought it I'm sure if needed.

Where are you staying? Hotel or self catering?

Original poster
wozzle1 · 14/04/2005 18:29

Hi Surfermum...

We are staying in Palma Nova self catering.

Thats a really good idea about the weetabix...Im not one to eat out for breakfast and DS is a very routine child. So I might take his weetabix with us so not to disrupt his routine too much.

I am really looking forward to this trip. DH is away training for 18 weeks, so my parents have invited us along...free of charge (even better!)

DS does not have a baggage allowance so I think his stuff will have to be split between the three of us.

Thanks for your advise...I appreciate it!

OP posts:
Surfermum · 14/04/2005 18:43

It sounds great and GPs to help out too! I think you'll find you can get anything you need when you get there if you're short on luggage space. I was a bit worried about the size of my buggy when I went, as I still use my original travel system one and it's quite big, but they put it on board no problem and I was so relieved that I didn't get a lightweight one to take, as dd was able to lie flat in it and sleep, which meant we could tour the bars at night. Bad mummy alert!

KathH · 14/04/2005 18:48

i never go anywhere without calpol. we went to majorca when ds1 was about the same age and it was fine - they let you take babies anywhere! We took nappies and split them between us and i remember looking for pampers and huggies whilst we were there and they seemed quite expensive. We couldnt take weetabix as it was at the height of the mad cow disease in the uk and you werent allowed to take any food - including baby milk! - out of the country. At Palma airport they were even confiscating peoples sweets so everyone was sharing them out in the queue! We just gave ds1 whatever milk we were using with his brekkie and them a small amount at nite - i'm sure for a week or 2 it wont matter if he doesnt have as much as usual. We're taking ds2 to Lanzarote in October so he will have just turned 1. Have a great time!

KathH · 14/04/2005 18:52

funnily enough ds1 visited quite a lot of bars asleep in his pushchair!

Original poster
wozzle1 · 16/04/2005 09:11

Thanks Guys.

Great advise...only im going with my parents (both 50!) so no bar crawling for me!! (unfortunatly!!!)

OP posts:
SecondhandRose · 16/04/2005 10:01

Take one of those cheap inflatable paddling pools with you to keep by you when you're on the beach. You can fill it up and you won't have to worry about going in the sea all day.

I'd recommend you take a little blanket as a cover up for the pushchair either in the day or evening.

Spanish supermarkets have plenty of recognisible food so don't worry. Take a cool bag and some ice packs and maybe some Tupperware or plastic bags to put sandwiches in.

anorak · 16/04/2005 10:57

Loads of strong sunblock and a big hat. Baby sunglasses. And maybe one of those Australian sun-suits.

anchovies · 16/04/2005 11:00

Defo agree about the paddling pool, we always buy a £2 one and leave it there. The other invaluable thing for us is our shade a babe, a cover thing for the pushchair that keeps the sun of him, get so sick of changing parasol position. They're £30 but well worth it IMO. We have bought DS a 2 piece sun suit, hat and swimming shoes which will hopefully make me not as paranoid about suncream. We will take enough nappies for the week this time, was a pain buying them last holiday, cost a fortune. No food for him this time, last time was a pain with jars so this time he can eat junk for a week! Have you thought about those tent things for playing in on the beach? We bought the £7 one off kiddicare and it was brill, this time he's walking though so it might not be quite as easy!

Have a brilliant time!

anchovies · 16/04/2005 11:01

Do babies keep those sunglasses on? Keep seeing them and nearly buying but not sure he'd leave them alone?

Original poster
wozzle1 · 19/04/2005 16:25

Thanks for all the advise, I was too wondering about those baby sunglasses. It is going to be bad enough trying to keep a hat on DS as he really hates anything on his head.
Im going to buy a sun shade that covers the whole buggy, as I know what a pain it is adjusting the parasol to hundreds of positions.

Ive already got a beach tent but will now be buying a cheap paddling pool..great idea!!
This is costing me a fortune already...good job Mum and Dad r paying 4 us 2 go!!!

Thanks guys!

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derbymom · 21/04/2005 14:49

Hi great advice. am going to croatia in 6 weeks when dd will be 11 mths and just wondered if anyone knew what to do about water for bottles and to drink. can she drink bottled mineral water?

Original poster
wozzle1 · 21/04/2005 17:58

If its any help to you, then Ive always given ds mineral water, not sure If i should or not..but its got to be better than the tap water...
ds is the same age as your little one....

Hope that helps a little

OP posts:
LIZS · 21/04/2005 18:00

derbymum

You could use a low sodium mineral water for a holiday or boil the local tap water.

alexsmum · 21/04/2005 18:05

if you are going to buy nappies while in majorca, get the local brand ones rather than pampers or whatever. loads cheaper and just as good.when we went 3 years ago a small pack of pampers that is normally 5.65 was approx £15.00!!!!!
self catering will be great food wise, you will be able to buy stuff in the supermarket and make him what he likes or just try him with stuff in the restaraunts. our littlie (19 months) loves tapas!! as has done for months!
we too are going to majorca in june....can't wait! all that sunshine!

ambrosia · 21/04/2005 18:54

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

derbymom · 21/04/2005 22:37

Thanks. Yeah thought about boiling local water but not sure that hotel has this facility so nice to have a fall back option just in case.

alibo · 23/04/2005 09:52

we are off to majorca with ds for the first time in august, he will be 17 mths. we are renting a villa and will have full cooking facilities; but am a bit worried about meat/chicken abroad, has anyone had any problems? ds has never really liked jars etc, so thats not really an option. also has anyone had any problems with cows milk in spain?? btw, where are you all staying n majorca?

vickiyumyum · 23/04/2005 10:15

the things i would definatley buy to take are nappies (even the spanish own make ones were almost £10 for a small packet) and sun cream. the rest of the stuff is easy to buy and not too expensive. i assume as you are self catering that you will visit the shops to buy milk, cereal etc and most of the shops have them all. my ds was 18 months when we went to majorca and he became quite partial to bready croissant type things for breakfast.
when you eat out its easy to avoid the chips and nuggets that they think english kids live on, just ask for small portions of pasta, paella, anything that can be served as a half portion easily. (incidentally i do this regularly at home and abroad)
thats it really have a great time!

Original poster
wozzle1 · 25/04/2005 14:05

Hi everyone, Alibo, I know what you mean about the meat and stuff...I went to Majorca when I was 3 months pregnant with ds1 and came down with really bad food poisoning. So now am worried too.....Im paranoid about eating out in the UK so dont what i'll be like over there!

I think some people think that Iam an over fussy Mum, but after losing ds1 when he was a baby im just over paranoid now..I suppose I will just have to use my instincts (i think i spelled that right!) and my Mum will be there too so I can get her help too.

We are staying in Palma Nova...I cant wait..sunshine here I come!!!

OP posts:
fifilala · 17/05/2005 18:45

when we took our 1yr old - took nappies and cartons of formula milk - he got used to weetabix off the buffet with spanish milk and just nibbled on bits of suasage etc and also the salads. always yoghurts on the buffet and cheese so should be plenty to go at - we also managed to get him some jars of what was supposed to be spag bol! - he still ate it! Sat on our laps for the journey but we did end up doing quite alot of pacing up and down the plane oh save some milk in a bottle for him to suck on for take off - helps pop the ears

wanda · 17/05/2005 19:18

One of the best things we took abroad was one of those fold up seats that clip on to the table. It meant that dd could eat with us where ever we were and we didnt need to worry about high chairs. ( some of which looked really dangerous anyway) Picked mine up for £1 in a car boot sale. Bargain!! You'll have a fab time.

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