First trip away with the baby - packing help

[dotladotla]

We have a trip to Glasgow planned at the end of the month to visit lots of folk (we used to live there). It will be the first trip away with our 14 week old baby.
It's a 3 hour car journey there and back that we intend to do with as many stops as needed, just taking our time. We are staying in a centrally located Premier Inn.
Can anyone share tips on important things to pack or not to bother packing? Any tips on being away with a wee one? We usually would go out for lunch then shopping then dinner then drinks but that's obviously going to have to be adapted! Are babies allowed in restaurants all night or will we need to eat early? DD not in a proper routine yet.
I'm breastfeeding but have been trying to get her to take an expressed bottle. Will take pump and steriliser with me but there won't be a fridge in the room-is it strange to ask reception to store my breast milk?
So many new things!

Bump

Here's my holiday packing list for self catering with our 21 month old. It has developed over time, our first trip with her was at 12 weeks staying with friends, not hotel. Main hotel problem is keeping busy in a dark, quiet room when baby sleeps, but yours might still be happy with lights and to on. Hope this helps.

Baby spoons, bowls, cups etc
Bibs
Washing powder
Napisan
Vanish
Baby snacks/food/cereal
Nappies
Wipes
Bepanthen
Muslins
Cotton wool
Bowls for bum
Nappy sacks
Bin liners
Baby bath soap/shampoo
Changing mat
Sleepyhead & cover
Blankets
Towel
Cot sheets
Baby toys & books & for bath
Travel cot
Pushchair and rain cover
Clothes incl coat, puddle suit
Feeding cushions& cover
Reins
Comforter
Slippers
Dressing gowns

Custard powder
Flour
Pesto
Roast in bags
Ketchup
Coffee
Tea inc decaf
Mints
Sweets
Washing up liquid for hotels
Dishwasher tabs
Cooking oil
Jam
Honey /marmite
Cereal
Freezer bags/ties
Dishcloths/tea towels/scourers
Antibacterial spray
Pasta
Rice
Tins?
Soap
Vitamins
Pill
Calpol
Torch
Chargers-toothbrush, phone, iPad, camera
Baby monitor
iPads
Sonos
Hairdryer

Sun tent
Sunglasses
Sun cream
Sunhats
Swimming kit, swimming hat

Wellies/outdoor shoes
Umbrella
Golf clubs etc
Cool bag
Flasks/thermal mugs
Binoculars
Passports
Driving license and dvla code
First aid kit
Sat nav

We went to Ireland for 5 days for a wedding with a 9 week old in November.

She slept in her carrycot attachment for the pram (took spare sheets), also took her bouncy chair and changing mat. I wouldn't have bothered with the chair and mat, as they went used. There were too many family members desparate for a cuddle.

I exclusively express so had to juggle keeping milk cold, and me expressing. We did buy little 200ml bottles of readymade formula to ensure she could be fed. A very cold bathroom windowsill in Wales and a bag of ice from Bangor Tesco got us through. I had a pump and a load of sterilised bottles in a little square cool bag, and then the other bottles with milk in in another. Took a couple of froze bottles too. We took our big cold water steriliser, and bought the single bottle one too just for years so we could use the flat lids as more stable. We also have the travel warmer (all tommee yippee).

I took little travel size bottles of shampoo/soft wash/baby bath, and most of it came home. I didn't need 3 towels for her!

Clothes wise, I wrote a list of days and matched up clothes (trying to make sure those bought as gifts were warn when the person who bought them was there) plus a baby grow and vest for the night, plus a spare vest and baby grow for each day. Brought a load home clean, as she's not a sicky baby.

Muslins, bibs and cloths I just chucked a handful in. We took a pack of aldi size 2 nappies (44?) and a pack of pampers size 2 (20 odd?) as people said they held more so thought they would be better for travelling. Didn't like them, they smelled funny, just the aldi ones would have been fine.

We took a couple of packs of baby wipes, and bought a pack in Dunnes after an explosive poo when we only had a quater of a pack left, in the knowledge they sold nappies, but not wipes on the ferry. Didn't bed them in the end.

We didn't take a baby bath as she either came in the bath with me or we used one we borrowed in Ireland. I also packed sample size wash powder and fabric conditioner of the type we use in case we needed to do a wash, but didn't need them.

We were lucky that we were staying with family, and several extended family and friends have babies so we could have borrowed anything we needed or bought it - as my MIL said, they do have shops, just not 24h ones like at home!

We're looking forward to going back next year for the next wedding 🙂

Didn't use the formula in the end, which I was quite pleased about.

We also took our passports, but they never checked them, so they could have stayed at home too!

At 14 weeks id just take sleepsuits and vests, clothes wise. No faffig with matching outfits, comfy, and if she ends up falling asleep out somewhere can just be put to bed.

WRT evenings, id head back to the hotel late afternoon, change the baby into fresh sleepsuit and have a little playtime. Then wrapped up nice and warm into her buggy and go for a nice walk til she drops off then head into somewhere for dinner. My choices would he based on somewhere that would fit the buggy next to my table

How long are you away?

Id take a pack of nappies, three packs wipes, a couple of muslin squares, swaddle/grobag whichever you use, pushchair.

You could get a little mini fridge to take, or call the hotel direct and see what they have - at the hotel I work in (not Premier Inn) we have three small fridges we can put in rooms at request, and also a big fridge behind reception for other guests. We can also supply ice buckets for in rooms.

If u r eating in a restaurant baby will be allowed for as long as u r. If it's more of a pub that serves food u will have to be done by 8 - so go for a restaurant! U can check in advance.

Prince's square is gorgeous for wee ones with all the lights to look at and very child friendly.
Glasgow in general is v child friendly. Buses are fine with prams but for the underground u will have to fold. (Bring a baby carrier?)
U won't need much. Your own bedding for the hotel travel cot. What u would bring for a long day out, jammies, and an extra change on top of that all round.

Almost forgot - have a great trip!!

Bloody auto correct, the single bottle steriliser was used for teats not years

Orange - wow! That stuff is more that we have in our entire home!

My list would be:

Babygrows and vests
Blanket
Muslin
Sling

Baby co sleep in with us and wouldn't bother pumping and all that for the trip is feeding is fine

Babies allowed everywhere tbh apart from some pubs late at night or nightclubs! Defiantly allowed in restaurants

I took baby away for the first time at six weeks. I used public transport and stayed in a youth hostel. I took a sling, nappies, wipes and baby clothes, baby's medication (six times daily) and syringes for administration, plus a Tupperware tub and Milton tablets to sterilise the medication equipment with cold water.

I was several miles from a town but you won't be, so anything you need can be bought in a pinch. Most restaurants are happy to have babies, as long as you are considerate which I am sure you would be. Sling is of course useful as most people won't even notice the baby is there then unless it cries.

Personally in your place I would skip the expressing and bottles for your trip if you can, to save bother, and pick that up again when you get home.

First trip was at 4 weeks an hour and half away at my parents. We go every two weeks and a whole week at Christmas and have got better at packing. Our list:

One bag for DD (small hold-all thing):
Babygros (1.5 per day)
Vests(1.5 per day)
Outfits (1 per day we are going out or seeing PIL)
Muslins (many but DD is very sickie)
Sleeping bag
Mini bottle baby wash and talc
2/3 packs of wipes(depends how long)

Changing bag (normal pack):
Folding changing mat
Nappies
Infacol/gripe water
Ready made formula bottles
Bepathem
Bibs

Large stuff (all fits in Moses basket as she still fits)
Ewan dream sheep
Tommee Tippee perfect prep (a luxury I know)
Bottles in steriliser(FF baby)
Formula tub
Pack of nappies
A toy

Seems more written out than it really looks and we do take the bulky bottle maker but we can't fit bottles in my mums fridge and means we can always have one ready.

I forgot to say that we're away for two nights (three whole days).

I'll make sure that we stick to restaurants at night.

Thanks for everyone's help, that gives me a clearer idea. I wasn't sure about things like the change mat and the bouncer but I might leave them at home.
I can use the change mat that's in my bag.

Marmite27 - what a great idea about bringing outfits that the people we are visiting bought her! Would have never thought of that:)

What are 'bowls for bum' orange?

I've taken a bit of what everyone has said and this is what I've come up with:

Nappies
Wipes
infacol
Dribble Bibs
Mini bottle baby wash
Muslins
Nappy sacks
2 outfits
4 sleepsuits
4 vests
3 pairs socks (if cold will put under sleepsuits or outfits)
Hat
Scratch mitts (use as gloves if cold)
Kari-Me Sling (and umbrella)
Blanket
Car seat and waterproof cover
Pram wheels (can't decide whether to take carrycot or just use car seat)

Haven't decided yet on whether to take the pump and steriliser. I wanted to express so I could have a few drinks. She's still refusing a bottle/dummy at the moment so we'll see if she's taken either by then.

Anything other than that I can buy whilst I'm there should the occasion arise. There's an H&M two minutes from the hotel if we have a clothes emergency and a Sainsburys for anything else.

Thank again everyone

Tbh if your taking the car and pram wheels
Anyway I would probably take the carrycot. That way you get tuck her up for sleep in the evening in restaurant and leave her in carrycot to sleep. Can sleep in that also overnight if not co sleeping

Remember things already there can double up. Ie a towel from bathroom can be used inside as changing mat or playmat.

I still drank a little when breastfeeding. Just a small amount and tries to work feeds around it. Such as feed baby at 7pm. Have a small glass of wine after feed. Baby needing next feed by 9.30pm so the peak amount of alcohol reduced. Also it's not like your going to be drinking more than a small glass or two of something as you will
Need to be fine to look after baby all evening and night also between you.

This is a good article on the matter

www.laleche.org.uk/news/alcohol-and-breastfeeding

I should add we don't take all of that every time, obviously adapt depending on trip! Bowls for bum-as dd is pfb we didn't use baby wipes at first, so had big yoghurt pots for water/cotton wool bum washes. If we are ever lucky enough to conceive dc2 af arrived today, again, arrrggghh we'd def use wipes!

We're co-sleeping but trying to get her in the bedside crib just now but she always wakes up and won't go to sleep in it.
That's true, might just take the carrycot. Our car is going to be packed haha.
I've had a small glass of wine a couple of times whilst b/f but it would be nice to have just a couple of small drinks without worrying about it. Maybe my husband being more on baby duty than me for a night!