UK Holiday Check List (with a baby)
Since having our little one we have been away quite a few times in the UK to Wales, Center Parcs, and to stay with my parents and my husband’s parents. Each trip has involved a mammoth mission getting everything packed, and then stuffed into the car. Most of the time it feels like I am taking everything I own and everything we own for the baby. Before each trip I write a list of what I need to pack for myself, and for the little one, to avoid having to write it again I thought I’d pop it into a blog post:
For the baby
- Buggy
- Travel Cot, travel cot mattress and sheet
- Nappies
- Wipes
- Nappy bags
- Gro-bag
- Clothes – depending on how long we are going away for I may take a selection, or if we going away for a week I usually pack everything.
- Bibs (lots)
- Snowsuit
- Non-bio washing powder
- Video monitor
- Some toys and books
- Frozen food portions, snacks, Ella’s Kitchen meals, Weetabix and porridge.
- Plastic bowl, small tuppaware pots, plastic cup and spoons.
- Calpol, Nurofen, Dentinox, and Ashtons and Parsons.
- Sudocream
For me
- Clothes for the duration of stay
- Underwear
- PJs
- Bikini or swimming costume (if we are going swimming)
- Coat and/or Gilet
- Shoes – usually this will be my Nike Trainers, Adidas Gazelles or Converse. Depending on what we are doing and when in the year I’ll also take a pair of boots or flip flops.
- Toiletries
- Make-up
- Breast pump and breast pads
- Hairdryer
- Hair bands
- Phone and charger
- Laptop and charger
- iPad and charger
- Camera and charger
- Book
- Notebook and Pen
- Contact Lenses and Glasses
- Purse
For the baby’s travel in the car
- Film loaded onto the iPad – this keeps her entertained on the long car journeys we tend to do.
- Toys that she can chew on.
- Changing bag loaded with nappies, wipes, nappy bags, and a spare change of clothes.
- Food for stop at services – Ella’s Kitchen, Aptimal Porridge, Organix Carrot Sticks, Rice Cakes and Water.
For my husband
I don’t do his packing, but I imagine his list would be similar to mine minus the breast pump, breast pads, hairdryer, hair bands and make-up.
Am I missing any essential items? Are there any items that you found really useful when travelling with a little one.
Claire x
25 Comments
rachelbustin blog (@RachelBustin)
Great list! it will be our first time going away in july with our baby girl who will be 6 months by then so this is a handy list to keep. xx
#picknmix
whitecamellias
Great list and by the way you are lucky you don’t have to do your husbands packing. I have to do it for everyone!!!! X
The Pramshed
Oh no you should put a stop to that! I do sometimes habe to put clothes into piles for him. Thanks for reading and commenting. Claire x
whitecamellias
I’m too nice right?!? 🙂
Squirmy Popple
When we’ve gone away, we’ve also packed the highchair. It takes up loads of space, but I’m not sure how we’d feed her otherwise! The Popple won’t sit still unless she’s strapped in. We’ve only been away in the UK a few times, but we’ve always stayed in self-catering cottages so we can eat breakfast and dinner at home – we’re usually out and about for lunch.
The Pramshed
Yes the highchair is a useful item too, we’ve always been lucky and have a highchair where we are going. The highchairs that attach to a chair or table are so useful for travelling I can imagine. Thanks for reading and commenting. Claire x
acornishmum
Packing definitely gets a more complicated affair once you have children! With my eldest’s Type 1 Diabetes half a suitcase usually gets taken up with spare medical supplies, there’s definitely no such thing as travelling light for us even though they aren’t babies any more 😉
Thanks for linking up to #PicknMix hopefully see you there tomorrow lovely!
Stevie x
The Pramshed
Oh no, I’m sure that you are a pro at packing especially with all the extra medical supplies you need. That must have been pretty hard in the early days to sort out your packing list. I’m taking a week off Linky’s this week as we’re on holiday but I’ll be back next week. Claire x
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Jess Powell (Babi a Fi)
We haven’t traveled far with Marianna yet but even staying overnight at my mum’s is like packing for a week’s holiday pre-baby! I still always manage to forget something too. x #KACACOLS
The Pramshed
I agree with that! We had a long roundtrip in the car today, and even that required a long list….mostly food related. Thanks for commenting lovely x
Baby Anon
Fab list! We are about to go away for a few long weekends and Mother is terribly disorganised, I’ll leave this open on her laptop. I wonder how on earth she’ll cope when we go abroad…#KCACOLS
The Pramshed
I’m thinking exactly the same as we are off to Spain in a few weeks 🙂 x
tammymum
Oh my goodness packing to go away is such an expedition and we have 2 under 2, it’s a nightmare. We went for one night he other day and the car was full, and we have a big boot lol! Thank you so much for linking at #KCACOLS. Hope you can come back again next Sunday xx
The Pramshed
I can imagine packing for 2 under 2 is a nightmare, I’m not sure we would be able to fit another one in our car. I’ll be back on Sunday x
Katy (@hotpinkwellies)
So useful! The only thing I’d add is a second grobag – on our first trip away we had the unfortunate experience of a dirty and very leaky nappy that rendered the grobag unusable for at least until we could get it washed and dried! They do pick their moments! #KCACOLS
The Pramshed
Oh yes a second gro-bag with you on that one! We’ve been in this situation before and our little one is not the best sleeper under blankets – as she tends to migrate around her cot 🙂 x
justsayingmum
oh you are so super organised. hairbands – so easily forgotten! how about headphones – I find if I can’t sleep at night I fall asleep listening to music – works a treat xx #KCACOLS
The Pramshed
Also good if you want to tune out the children 🙂 x
Sarah Ella (Mumx3x)
I didn’t travel far when mine were little, mind I did have three under 4 years old! Can you imagine taking two highchairs etc haha. I hope you have a lovely time 🙂 #KCACOLS
The Pramshed
Oh wow! I don’t blame you for not travelling far, I’m not sure I would be able to leave the house x
Tracey @ One Frazzled Mum
It is shocking how much you need for a baby isn’t it! I am a pack for everything kind of person so I would end up with 10 times this! #kcacols
The Pramshed
We always have so much stuff we don’t use when we go away – mainly clothes. Thanks for commenting lovely 🙂 x
Savannah (@HowHesRaised)
LOVE this list! I always mean to write up a list, and then forget, and then subsequently realize we forgot something…or 10! It’s truly mind blowing to really see how much we need to remember, and how much we need to carry along once you have kids! #KCACOLS
The Pramshed
There is so much to carry isn’t there! We are going abroad in a few weeks time, and I’ve already written my list for that – it’s 3 pages long! 🙂 x