Packing list advice for 1st timer for international travel?

[Anonymous]

We'll be traveling to Europe for about 3 weeks when DS turns 6 months old. Our itinerary will include about 10 days or so in hotels or apartments and then staying with family for the remainder of the time. DH will fly home first, which leaves me to fly back by myself. So, as a first timer, I would love some packing advice on what to bring, etc. I've already come up with a few questions:

Should we bring the pack n play for sleeping? When we're staying with family, they're not set up for a small child and I'd rather not co-sleep for (potentially) 3 weeks. Can pack n plays be checked - is this advisable? (May seem like a silly question to ask, but remember I have no idea how baby travel works)

For the first 10 days, we may not have ready access to laundry - would you pack a crap load of clothes to take along? Right now (2 months), we're averaging about 3 outfits a day (1 extra for diaper blow outs; the 3rd for PJs). Not sure how the clothes scenario would be in 4 months, but if we were to travel now, he wouldn't even have enough clothes to take along since I do laundry 1-2/week

We'll need a car seat when staying with family as we'll need a rental car then. Do we bring our car seat AND base? I assume DS will still be using the infant car seat - clearly, I don't have a concept of how big he'll be at that time The infant car seat attaches into the stroller - can these 2 things be gate checked? What do we do with the base for the seat?

What type of things do you buy locally? I imagine diapers. But what about things like body wash for DC?

This seems like a huge challenge to me because I *never* check luggage I pack only what my carry on can hold for me - literally, no matter the season or length of stay. I guess those days are a thing of the past. I'm thinking that DS and I will pack into a large suitcase so that I only have to wheel 1 piece of luggage when flying back alone with DS and all the gear.

TIA for tips, advice, answers to questions!!

[Anonymous]

I did the same type of trip -- going with husband but coming home with son alone (husband flew back later).

Here's what I did:

Check the pack and play (do you have a bag for it?) It's a safe known place to put your child no matter what chaos/sleeping/hotel/house you may be in.
Take an umbrella stroller for the baby. Check it at the plane. Crucial for layovers.
Take only the car seat, leave the base. Practice belting it in the car while at home. It really is pretty easy to do.
I packed all my sons' and my stuff in one huge rollling (key) suitcase to check.
I only flew with the large diaper bag as my one carryon. The less you have to manage by yourself in the airport, the better.
I bought one of those dorky hanging passport carriers for around your neck from LL Bean. One less thing to carry/lose.

For the diaper bag/flight:

3 changes of clothes for baby, different weights for hot planes/cold planes/throwup/blowout diaper.
at least one extra shirt for you because of throw up danger from baby.
Several plastic bags.
little first aid kit with thermometer and tylenol
twicethe number of diapers I thought I would need (to account for layovers.)

Twice the amount of formula (to account for layovers).


Good luck, it is very doable with lots of planning.

[Anonymous]

Oh, and if your husband is flying home later, let him take the pack and play and other stuff with him, to lighten your load through the airport with baby.

[Anonymous]

They also make this whiz bang gadget that has wheels and you attach your car seat to it, with your kid strapped in!!! I LOVED it for the airport - that way i checked my stroller...previous poster has very helpful suggestions...

[Anonymous]

OP here. Thanks for the helpful comments and suggestions! Any thoughts on packing for baby? Should we plan to pack for a week and find a laundromat?

[Anonymous]

Their clothes are so small that you can take a lot. I'd pack as many as you can fit in the suitcase. I would think, though, that finding a laundromat wouldn't be too bad within a week.

Also, don't waste space with diapers and wipes. Buy them at your destination. Just pack enough for the flight and a day or two. Same goes for baby wash. All of that stuff is readily available in Europe -- probably the same brands, although they someetimes have different names thatn you're used to.

I've always brought the carseats on board and used them in the baby's seat -- but I always buy a seat for baby.

Strollers you can gate check.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Thanks for the helpful comments and suggestions! Any thoughts on packing for baby? Should we plan to pack for a week and find a laundromat?

You know what I did? I packed for week, but also took some travel sized Woolite detergent packages, and hand washed a lot of stuff and hung it on the clothes line in the hotel bathtub. It could be an in-a-pinch solution for you. Most hotels I've stayed in had laundry services, too (but that was the middle east, so I don't know if European ones do that).