What to pack when taking 6 month old on holiday?

[firsttimemothergoose]

Hoping to visit parents who live abroad soon and starting to think about what I need to actually take for DD.

Do people really take car seats on holiday?
Is a travel cot the only option for sleeping?

How do I get these on a plane?!

What else will I need apart from clothes? I'm bf so shouldn't need anything for feeding as parents will have things there for weaning.
We can use the travel changing mat while we are there.
Shouldn't need a pram as it's not easy to get out of the house so cRrier should suffice.

I've thought as far as the flight and it's suddenly occurred to me that they don't have a cot etc. Help - what have I forgotten and how do I get it there?

Can they borrow from a friend to save u taking them with you?

Baby first aid kit just in case - calpol, teething gel etc that might not be straightforward to get abroad

Presumably they can pick up nappies/wipes etc for you?

If you hire a car you can hire a car seat but if not you will need one! Could cosleep if space allowed /you were happy to and didn't want to bring travel cot?

Given its your parents and you'll likely go again and with subsequent kids could they pick up a travel cot (maybe second hand) for you.

I'd just take enough clothes for the travel and time to do a wash there so 2 to 3 days worth.
Spare top at least for yourself in your hand luggage.

If you're going in a car you need a seat bucket baby seats are easy to take as checked luggage and you normally get one free piece for an infant. Again I'd look to pick up a 1 to 3 seat to leave there before you go again esp if you will go often as they don't cost much and hiring is really expensive.

Use a towel for changing, I've never needed mat while travelling.
If your not a hundred percent on the pram you get a cheap umbrella pram, you can often take these on flights so also useful in the airport.

Maybe a few toys wap if you need anything specific to get them to sleep. Tbh mine was as happy with empty bottles, keys etc.

I'd only take medicine if they live really out of it as presumably people there have kids and airports have pharmacies. You might want some sterilizing tablets for weaning items though if you're so inclined, personally I never bothered.

Its a lovely age to travel with them as they need little and aren't old enough to want thwir toys and stuff.

At this age you should get a free luggage allowance for 1 car sear and 1 pushchair. Id use it then leave it with parents. I assume you ll be visiting again? And maybe with a 2nd DC? You can hire car seats (with a car) but its very expensive.

Do take calpol - I give it to my young DC about 15mins before boarding to help if their ears hurt.

Take an old towel on the plane to protect you if baby is sick (then throw away)

Take a light blanket as planes can be cold.

I would get you parents to buy a travel cot to keep at theirs.

And a full change of clothes for baby for the plane. And a top for you

Chair for the baby to bounce in/ sleep in in the day. You can get relatively cheap travel ones that dissemble and go in your suitcase.

Will it be hot and you might go swimming? Swimming nappies if so.

Under twos don't get ear problems something to do with being in 'water' inside you or so I'm told.

Tiny toys for the flight? My dd loved bright ribbons at that age as a tiny toy that didn't take up room.

I took my baby to Australia at 7 months and would just go with a sling if I were you. Prams are just added hassle at airports (in my opinion). The sling/carrier leaves you hands free to deal with luggage and passports etc.

As for cots, prams and car seats, borrow them from locals or give your parents the task of sourcing them cheaply for you.

I wouldn't pack any or many toys for the flight either. They are just extra baggage for you and mostly conpletely ignored by baby at that age :-)

Wow, thank you for all of the suggestions!

I think I will ask them to try and buy a cot but they live somewhere where I think it might be hard to source. I doubt they can get a car seat but I hadn't thought to leave one there.

Does anyone know where I could get a cheap 1-3 car seat which would only be used twice a year for a week?

I'm sure we can get nappies, wipes and weaning bits whilst there but will probably need to take swim nappies - hadn't though of that!

Car seats are normally about 30 on Amazon so may be worth checking their sales.
If they can't get a cot I'd take a travel cot with you and leave it there - either get one second hand or you can pick up a new basic one for around 30 pound.

ps what are 'weaning bits'? I just went with 'food' for mine so can't imagine what else is required?

Take sling and car seat and travel cot

The sling to carry her, car seat and travel cot will count as the x2 pieces of free baby equipment.

Look at babybjorn travel cot. Not cheap but lasts until 3/4 years if spare bed needed as anti tip and folds smaller than most with actual mattress. Will actually fit inside a large suitcase as square not long fold. Can use as play pen also outside etc if needed

Get a happy nappy swim nappy. It's reusable so you only need one. Wee goes through all swim nappies anyway, so would just be a case of tipping poo out and rinsing if needed. Many never poo in the water anyway

So ideally one large case. Put travel cot in taking up half the space. Few changes of clothes for you both and odd bits in other side. Rucksack or shoulder bag as handluggage, baby in sling so hands free. Car seat balances on suitcase over handle

A 1-3 car seat won't suit a 6 month old. And tbh I would take own as you know how safe it is, especially when driving abroad often worse than in uk

www.babybjorn.co.uk/travel-cot/travel-cot-light/

Honestly, where are you going that you can't get swim nappies? We travelled with ds at that age and biggest issue is the flight in that you need plenty of spare clothes for you and dc - ds vomited. A lot. And of you are already weaning you should take appropriate food on plane.

If your parents any get car seat or travel cot cheaply, take them with you to leave. You can take a car seat in luggage as extra. And the baby gets the same allowance as you so use that suitcase for all the extra bits like travel cot etc.

Once you arrive, it's unlikely you can't get what you need.

Working - I never saw swim nappies in most Asian or African countries we have travelled to.

Actually we have always taken a few reusable nappies with us travelling if staying with family/ at a house with washing machine/ or non commercial travel areas. Just x3/5 depending on location but meant we didn't have full panic if we were low on disposable in area without many shops. You can even hand wash in bath/ sink if needed. We did use reusables at home usually though. Disposable for travel primarily but used reusable supply in Vietnam , Croatia and Russia several times when staying remote (6 weeks supply of nappies would have been crazy to carry!)

Sorry should have made clear I'm suggesting the 1 to 3 car seat for later trips, you'll need to take your bucket baby seat for this time. I've was allowed to tale a travel system (pram and car seat) as one piece of checked luggage bit I'm not sure if that's the norm.