With hundreds of trips between us we've basically seen it all and made all the mistakes so you don't have to!
I've added at the bottom of the page my Ultimate Packing List for Babies but here are the key items that you will need to think about when packing! I've also added some of our favourite items we take away with us with links to the products for ease. Please note some of these may be affiliate links where we would earn a small commission on purchase - but these are all genuine products we bought and use ourselves.
Travel pushchair
There are lots of good travel pushchairs on the market and it really depends on your needs and your budget. We first needed one when we went away to Porto when O was 5 months old. We felt he was too little at this point to be facing out so got one that could face in. I've done a post that compares a lot of the main travel pushchairs which you can find here Guide to buying a travel pushchair.
For reference this is the one we have - Cybex Eezy S Twist 2
We will always take a pushchair away with us even if we don't intend on using it when we get to our destination as it is always handy in the airport and as a "just in case".
Car Seat
I've added this one in context of flying with a car seat and whether you actually need to take one with you or not.
Start by figuring out how you are going to travel around the location when you get there.
- Hire Care - If you are getting a hire car then you should be able to get a car seat with the hire company but do be mindful they might not be the best quality.
- Taxi - You should check the rules in the country you are travelling to if a car seat is needed in Taxis - but even if they aren't you need to decide what you are comfortable with. It may be that you want to take a car seat for this.
- Public transport - you wouldn't need a car seat if you are taking public transport.
If you decide you want to take you car seat then chances are you can take this in the hold for no charge (dependant on your airline) so it is worth checking this. We check ours into the hold in its own seperate bag (https://amzn.to/4eKATeo)but some carseats are able to be used on seats on the plane (you would again need to check your airline).
Blackout Blind
We actually use these at home as well to make M's room darker while he is little. They have been excellent (we have 2 of the large ones). They can be made smaller to adapt to different window sizes which is really handy.
Travel Cot
Again like with the car seat you need to consider if you need one. So many places offer a cot - however - I would always ask what type it is so you know whether it would be suitable for your baby or not. At the end of the day you want to get the best night sleep you possibly can!
We got a hand me down travel cot for O but found it quite small once he got a bit older so we invested in a new larger on (120cm x 60cm). We also bought a nicer mattress for when we are doing UK trips. See links to both below.
- Travel cot - https://amzn.to/3N6aJHg
- Travel cot foldable mattress - https://amzn.to/4dxcnw8
Sink plug
This is extremely useful for travel - we only had showers in Austria but they had quite a deep basin so we were able to use this plug to make a small bath for the kids in the shower.
Toddler Carrier
After lots of research we opted for the Osprey Poco Plus and we absolutely love it!
See my post about things to consider when choosing a child carriers
Snooze Shade
We use this all the time at home as well as on holiday for creating a blackout space in the puschair. The one we have also keeps the baby cool which is much safer than using a muslin (not recommended as it can create too much heat in the sleeping space).
Foldaway bucket and spade
We try to reduce the amount of plastic waste as much as possible so investing in a travel bucket and spade set was a must. This is a great find from Kidly.
Travel potty
There are quite a few travel potty's on the market and we actually have a couple and this is the most travel friendly one we have. It's a great multi use one - you can use it as a seat for the toilet as well as a sit on potty and comes with a handy bag to take out and about. It's come in very handy when out hiking.
Packing cubes
I've found packing cubes an absolute essential! The kids come with so much stuff it's easy to be able to pack and find things quickly using the packing cubes. We have a selection of various ones but my new favourites are the compression ones I bought recently from Aldi:
Childs sit on case
Our eldest loves his little suitcase and so do we! Not only does it provide a form of entertainment in the airport but it's also a handy way to transport him around. It's also a good size for fitting all their toys in for the plane as well as a change of clothes. They come in all sorts of designs but this is the one we have!
Baby food
It might be that you want to take baby food with you for various reasons - it could be you will be quite remote so it won't be easy to get, you don't want the hassle of the shop, your baby is quite fussy with their food or even allergies to consider.
In any case if you want to take food you absolutley can and we have done so on every occasion.
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