It’s been a week since we went travelling with baby to Gran Canaria and although we’ve been back a week, I’m still not through the washing pile!! So, while I wait for the next load of washing to finish I thought I’d evoke that last minute packing feeling (yes, I am the kind of person who packs at 9pm the night before leaving for holiday) and tell you all what I packed, what I didn’t need and what I wished I’d taken!
In case you haven’t been keeping abreast of our family trips (you are forgiven), here are the details so you know whether to cut the amount for shorter trips or double it for longer (it’s a bit like a recipe!), or increase/decrease the clothing layers.
- Destination: Gran Canaria,
- Weather: approx. 24 degrees so pleasantly warm but not boiling
- Duration: 7 days
- Baby’s age: 8 months (he’s having 3 meals a day and between 3 and 4 bottles of formula)
- Other details: all inclusive (not to make you jealous, but in case you want to take more baby food!)
Travelling with baby – the clothes and stuff
travelling with baby – the clothes I took
In rows from top (I couldn’t get my head round numbering the picture, sorry!!)
- 3 romper suits – 2 short (for popping on after a swim and for bed) and 1 long (which he wore on the plane)
- 5 t-shirts
- vests – 3 sleeveless, 5 short sleeve – all 9-12 months so they wouldn’t cling if it was hot – he slept in these every night.
- woolies – 1 cardigan (we used this ALLLL the time), 1 jumper (we didn’t use this once!)
- 3 sleep suits – it was too hot for these but he did wear one on the way home.
- 2 tracksuit type bottoms – very useful for popping on with a vest when it was getting a bit cooler, I wish we had taken more.
- socks – I always have lots of these, we didn’t really need them!
- shorts – the shark shorts were not comfy enough for regular use but he looked cute in them! The other shorts were 0-3months and comfy, so we did use them with a vest!
- 2 bibs – 1 was a bandana bib in case he suddenly started teething, the other a wipeable bib for dinnertime.
- 3 long sleeve vests – we didn’t use them all but it was useful for evening times.
- waterproof mattress cover and sheet – to go over the cot mattress in the hotel – I used this even through they supplied a sheet as a) waterproof bit might protect Reuben from whatever is on the mattress and b) the smell of home might have helped him sleep better (not sure if this worked but he slept ok!)
- 1.5 tog sleeping bag – I’m sooooo glad we took this. He slept in it every night and also wore it at night when we were watching the entertainment with Gabriella (he would fall asleep on his dad during this!). I also took a normal sleeping bag but we didn’t use this.
- loads of burp cloths
- 2 sun hats – Essential!! If you’ve seen the swimming post, you’ll know he even wore these in the pool and underwater!
- wetsuit and swimming shorts – we only used the wetsuit, as I was paranoid about him getting burnt! When he was in the shade in the dingy that we got there, he just went in swimming nappies or his birthday suit.
- towel – I thought maybe we should have taken 2 but 1 was fine for using by the pool. There were towels in the hotel room that we used after bath time.
- jacket and 2 blankets – not on the picture. We also took a jacket (it was only used to get him to the airport at 5am) and 2 blankets, which were really handy for covering over the buggy during nap time (I’m not sure if it helped him stay asleep longer but I like to think it did!).
Travelling with baby – the other things
The ‘other things’ required a suitcase to themselves! This is everything from nappies to nail clippers.
Travelling with baby – the ‘other things’
In rows from top (I wish us both luck following this one!)
- Buggy and Rain-cover – we didn’t need the rain cover, as it didn’t rain. But it might have done!
- Nappies – I only took enough nappies for the first few days and bought some out there. I wish I’d brought more as the ones were bought there were truly awful.
- 1 pack of wipes – this was enough
- 2 packs swimming nappies – this was 1 pack too many! I thought he would be in swimmers all day but really Reuben used 1 or, occasionally 2, per day.
- 1 box of formula and 2 cartons of ready made milk – Reuben is now exclusively using formula and this amount of milk was exactly right, we came home with a wee bit of formula left. My theory was that if we ran out we could buy more there. Some people advise to make sure you have enough in case you can’t find your brand and baby turns his nose up to what ever you offer him out there!
- Bottle brush and cold water sterilising powder (see point 23 too)
- Baby rice – I only used this once and then it exploded all over our luggage on the way home. I just wouldn’t bother (unless your baby has just started weaning!) Reuben just ate what we did.
- Nappy bags – I normally have one of those super cheap Asda nappy bag packs that end up distributed all over the inside of Reuben’s changing bag, so this Toss and Tie Nappy Bag dispenser that Nuby sent me just before we left was a neat-freak’s god send!
- Sudocrem in a tube – love it
- Hand sanitizer
- Baby Paracetamol, Ibuprofen, bonjela and teething granules – in case for some miraculous reason Reuben finally starts to get teeth! We didn’t need any of it but obviously wouldn’t have travelled without it.
- Flash anti-bacterial wipes – we used them on the highchair tables and other dubious looking things
- Baby food holders and spoon – they are great for storing little bits of fruit for snacks; however, because of the abundance of food (all inclusive and don’t my hips know it!) we didn’t use them as food holders much. They actually came in handy as something for Reuben to play with, especially when we sat him in water in his little dingy!
- Insect repellent – we didn’t need it but could have done. Be sure to check it’s suitable for your baby’s age!
- Baby sun cream – we took factor 50 for Reuben and Gabby
- Nail clippers – so glad we had these, Reuben’s nails seemed to grow even quicker out there!
- Baby food – just in case! Handy for the plane out and on the way back. Although we had 3 I only used the third when we got back home and the cupboards were bare.
- Some toys – I’ve only pictured a mirror and some bubbles here but we took a whole bunch of toys in his hand luggage.
- Changing mat
- Some books – on the way back for the last half an hour, his animal sounds book that we got free from Bookstart was the only thing I could keep him entertained with. He LOVES the cat.
- (see picture below) 4 bottles – we were going to only take 3 but I’m glad we didn’t, it just made it easier to have an extra one on hand so you didn’t have to keep running back to the room to clean and sterilise bottles and boil the kettle.
- Milk dispenser – nobody goes anywhere without one!
- Travel steriliser – we had a microwave, however, I wasn’t sure if we would. I wanted to take this anyway so we would have something to use the steriliser tablets in (see point 6).
travelling with baby – bottles, milk dispenser and travel steriliser
Travelling with baby – Entertainment (Baby Beethoven)
24. Entertainment – and finally…Baby Einstein’s – Baby Beethoven. I meant to also bring some songs on my phone or ipad for him but never got round to it. Fortunately (but not for the plane passengers), I had them in my head. Heh heh.
And, of course, don’t forget to get your baby’s passport well in advance and any relevant travel insurance.
I found that we pretty much had everything we needed, except perhaps more comfy little trousers or shorts (he spent probably too much time in just a vest!), and I was confident that if we didn’t have it we’d be able to buy it out there. You may not be as confident or relaxed about travelling as me though, so I’m sure there’s a whole bunch of things a more careful traveller would have taken too.
Other things you might want to make sure you have when travelling with baby are baby’s favourite toy, music or programme. Also you could consider taking blackout blinds and a breathable cover for the buggy…Reuben struggled to sleep outside in his buggy during the day – too much going on!
I hope that’s useful…what have I missed?! Please do let me know in the comment section below.
And, happy holidays if you’re off soon (Sarah!) xx
Hi Hannah
Thanks 4 the info! We are taking our 8 month old lily to italynext week and Ive been mentally packing for weeks!! In addition to the stuff u mention we are taking a baby backpack carrier!! Off to buy a v big case!!
It was v helpful and amusing, thank u! X
Glad I could help, Rebecca!! Yes, because ours was an all inclusive slob out holiday by the pool (I’m unashamed to say I only left the hotel once!) we didn’t need a baby carrier, but if you’re off hiking (hey, we’re all different!) then you certainly will 😉 I’d also recommend taking one for city breaks, they’re really useful for being a bit more streamline in the crowds!
Have an amazing holiday with little Lily!! Hannah xx
Thank you so much for this list. I am going to Italy with my 10 month old twins, Jack and Izzy, this weekend and I am finding this post invaluable. If I had the time (!) to sit down and really think I would have probably packed most of what you listed, but it’s so great to have this checklist! We’re taking our slings for the airport and flight as well. C
Hi Hannah. I’m going to Spain next week with my son who will be 7 months and this is fantastic help! I’m a bit worried about food for him though. Was it easy to feeding your son when you were out there? I’m sure breakfast will be fine (he can eat toast and scrambled egg etc) but not sure about his other meals. Any advice you could give would be great.
Hi Lianne, you are sooooo lucky – I want to be going to Spain next week!!
Right, food. I have to admit Reuben didn’t have the best diet while we were away… [There were 8 adults and 3 other kids and everyone would be passing Reuben little bits and pieces. Reuben is quite stubborn. He likes bread. So if he’s passed bread along with cucumber or something else healthy, he will only eat bread and moan if I took the bread off him (as you would!). In the end I had to say “no passing him things until he’s eaten something healthy!”]
Like you say breakfast is fine, scrambled eggs, fruit etc is all fine. Later in the day I would grab some veg (nearly always boiled within an inch of its life, so easy to mash!) and mix it with some of the pasta sauce, etc. I had to kind of ignore salt content for that week though which I wasn’t too pleased about. If I could do it again, I think I would go see the chef and ask if he could do a few different things…maybe? I’m a bit of a chicken!
What you could do is save things you like from breakfast and store them in your fridge for lunch? Definitely store fruit, I’d always have an orange (that I’d peel and then de-skin for my little emperor!) or kiwi in my bag for little snacks.
I hope that helps. Do let me know how you get on (or if you get some more useful advice from elsewhere!!).
Happy holidays! hxxx
Hi, we are taking our 5 month old to Greece next week and I was wondering where you got the sudocrem in a tube and also the travel sterilizing container? Thanks!
Hi Lauren, lucky you!! The sudocrem I’m pretty sure I got in either a big supermarket or boots. And the tercel steriliser is by Nuby £9.99 http://www.nuby-uk.com/view-product?filter_name=Travel%20steriliser&product_id=479
Have a lovely time and let me know how you get on 🙂 hxx
Hi Hannah
Love the checklist. I’m more of a plan three months in advance what to pack kind of tourist. Quick question, how did you bring milk for baby back through las palmas? I’ve planned to pick up milk at boots in Manchester airport on way. But not sure what customs will be like on way back. Do I take powder and water or can I take pre made cartons?
Thanks – I know it’s a while since you posted your blog but would really appreciate your feedback x
Hi Natalie, thanks for your question – we are so very different 😉 I normally find this stuff out at the airport!
We took water and powder to make up bottles as we needed them. They might make you taste the water to be sure.
We recently went to Egypt and took cows milk now Reuben is 17 months – again they made me try it but there was no big issue. I have a feeling that cartons would be OK BUT I don’t know for sure – it would be awful if they made you open them to try them!! so perhaps stick to powder to be on the safe side?
Thanks again Natalie and I hope you have a fantastic trip in April 😉 xxx
This is fantastic!!! Just about to go to Lanzarote on our first all inclusive family holiday with a 9month old. So your list will be invaluable! Going for slightly longer but got travel wash as determined not to over pack her clothes. Thanks for the tips. X
Oh good! So glad it is helpful 🙂 I actually used it a few months ago when my little fella was 17 months and apart from the milk and steriliser, it was still pretty much spot on! Have a great time, Zoe 🙂 xxxx
Thank you so much for this. We’ve just booked to go to Gran Canaria with our 17m old and 3 year old and it’s the first time we’ve been brave enough to go abroad. Will definitely be using this list 🙂
This is great my little girl will be 7 months an her 1st time away so it’s good to know what others pack! This helps a lot! Thanxs x
My goodness – that is a lot of stuff! It’s amazing how much they need! #The List
Great tips, we’re lucky we usually get the ferry to England on our holidays so we basically bring the kitchen sink!! #TheList
Oh wow! I am much more of a minimalist and only take the basics when we travel. With three boys, the clothes will definitely get dirty and we just don’t have the luggage allowance to take everything we’d really need.
Funnily enough I have to pack today for the weekend away.
#TheList
Fionnuala from http://www.threesonslater.blogspot.com
This is such a useful list/guide! You’re like me I leave it all until the last min but I make a list of everything so it’s easy! Gran Canaria is gorgeous too. I’m too nervous to travel abroad with a toddler and baby but so many others do, I can’t wait to eventually take them abroad though xx
Oh you need so much stuff to travel with kids don’t you! It’s ridiculous! I always completely overpack, but then forget something crucial!
I eeded to read this. We are going on holiday tomorrow and I am procrastinating with packing by reading blog posts! This has given me some ideas on bits I haven’t thought of. K x #thelist
Oh my Lord, look at all that stuff. We are going away soon and I have been kidding myself that we can get lots of baby things when we get there as there is no room to pack lots of nappies and formula (and all that stuff you have a whole case of). *panic setting in*
I just don’t have the time to be as organised as I used to be. That and the thought of coping on a 7 hour flight with a 12 month old is filling me with dread!
Wow that’s quite a list! Glad I don’t have to lug all that with me on holidays anymore !
I couldn’t see after sun. The kind of thing you hope you don’t need but is good to have. And sunglasses or visors. Eyes need protection from the sun.
There is no such thing as travelling light with children! Have a lovely time!
Great list. Although I have a toddler this is still something good to work from. Thanks for sharing. #thelist xx
It’s such a military operation packing for a holiday with a baby isn’t it?! We did a two week holiday last September with a 3 year old and 5 month old. We went to New York for a week, so had to pack appropriate for a city, then followed it with a week in fort Lauderdale so we also had to pack for a beach/pool holiday! I’m not sure how we managed to only take 2 suitcases!! 🙂 x
Good tips – I am sure this will be a good reference for many families #TheList
Hannah, I’m going to Costa Rica next week, want to come pack for me? You’re so darned organized! I remember my kids at 8 months, I really miss those sweet, baby smelling, cuddles; but I don’t miss traveling with them. I hope you have a fantastic trip! #TheList
Omg that is a lot. that puts me off traveling until Chloe is older. Lol well I suppose she’ll be 18 months until we might take our first family trip. #thelist
What a great list! It is really useful to have an idea what to bring with you when you are travelling with kids. I used to be very exaggerated when packing with my first daughter but now with the second one I’m much more relax. There are so many things you take that ended up in the corner of your luggage with no use. I also bring a small flask so I can put hot water to mix formula with baby rice or porridge. Thanks for hosting , xx
This is such a useful post, tentatively considering a canary island trip at some point. Travel lots in the uk though and the two things that stay in my bag (apart from son’s favourite things) are a blackout blind…gro anywhere I think it’s called and masking tape…vital to tape down flappy curtains if you don’t have a blind or if there’s more than one window. Not that I’m obsessed with sleep or anything!! #thelist
Love this 🙂 We went to Italy when my Monkey was 15 months – but drove!! I couldn’t face trying to fit everything into suitcases, so figured the boot of the car would be easier…. However I have book marked this incase we ever have another as we would fly next time 🙂 x #Thelist
I wish I could say that we were taking Lily away soon butttt we’re not, there’s just too much going on at the moment. We’re hoping to move very soon and when we’re settled, a trip to the Travel Agents will definitely be in order to see what’s on offer. I’ll definitely come back and re-visit this post for some packing inspiration/reassurance! Thank you for sharing!
#TheList
Just come across your list and I’m going away on Monday with my baby boy who turns 8 months the day after we travel. I’m still writing my list so yours is really helpful and has great detail.
Thank you so much for taking the time to write such a great blog.
Wendy and baby André x
Hi,
Your list is amazing! I will definately be checking off each of them, we go to grab canaria in May, I was just wandering how you got on with security taking bottles through? I’m in panic mode of what I’m allowed to take?
Thanks
Jodie
Hey Jodie, ooh! How exciting 😀 We didn’t have any problem getting through security – I think I took a couple of his normal bottles through (boiled water with the power in those little pots) and they just asked me to drink some…maybe?! My memory is hazy!! But worse comes to worse you can always buy some cartons from boots once you’re through security!
Have an amazing time!! xx
This is so helpful! I would never have thought of nail clippers! 🙂
Do you take baby vest style wet suits (the body warmer Velcro on type you put them in for cold public swimming pools over here) for your little ones on hols or just the cover up from UV baby swimwear on top of a happy / swim nappy? Not sure whether they need the extra warmth that they get from the wet suit, or just to be kept out of the sun. My little man is 7 months old and loves swimming, but I’m not sure if he’ll find it too cold in the water when we’re not in a nice warm baby pool. We’re going to Tenerife and it’s expected to be 24 – 27 degrees, so nice and warm – but not sure the pool will be heated.
Any thoughts gratefully received! x
I would pop your little one in a swim vest for both those reasons! The pool we were in in Tenerife (the holiday village) last summer was lovely and warm but the sun is so strong. Reuben caught the sun a bit and I felt terrible but it’s just so hard to keep them topped up with suncream when they’re just straight back in the pool! Have a great trip xx
I’ve been looking through a lot of baby travel essential lists at the moment – I think it’s because I’m imagining some lovely holidays that are nowhere near happening at the moment. This might be the most detailed, though. Thanks.