jul, 31st - packing...again.....

day 169:

we're off to the continent on monday to see the family. i've added a couple of things to my packing list from day 147 (especially for a Summer break). so here is my full baby-Summer-holiday-survival-check-list....it's a long list and yikes! babies' ESSENTIALS take up all your holiday-shopping space:

• travel cot (we bought the extra mattress to make it more comfy. the mattress folds up and fits into our suitcase)
• cot sheet
• baby monitor (really helps when you want to sit on the terrace enjoying the view and a sun-downer without wondering whether every new noise is limi squeaking)
• buggy (we use the car-seat-buggy combination...so that we have a car-seat on the other side. although the downside is that the car-seat is fairly warm for her to nap in during the day)
• rain cover for the buggy
• a sling/ baby carrier (the lightest, cotton version that you can get away with)
• mosquito net for the travel cot and the buggy
• clothes (with plenty of layering options)
• sun-hats and glasses
• swimsuits
• enough nappies, wipes, cream to get you through the first couple of days (or enough for the whole trip if going rural....at least it means some shopping space for the trip home)
• swimming nappies
• baby sunscreen
• biting insect repellent wipes/ cream
• baby friendly bite cream
• readymade baby food for the first two days while you're sourcing and preparing local produce
• a strainer if you can't use a blender...you can just push the softened food through the strainer with the back of a spoon
• formula and a couple of readymade cartons for emergencies (including the flight)
• bottles and the spoons that she's familiar with (i just use a local bowl or even the bottle lid in an emergency)
• sterilising tablets (even though they smell horrendous, i think that it's worth taking them along even once you've stopped sterilising. just means that in unfamiliar environments, you still have the option of sterilising the bottles, plates, spoons.)
• bibs/ muslins
• nail scissors/clippers
• thermometer (or the easy travel thermometer strips)
• small bottle of calpol (just prevents having to hunt for it in a local supermarket at some inconvenient hour)
• bedtime routine essentials - soundtrack and her giraffe lullaby toy
• bath essentials - sponges, baby wash, one rubber duck, brush
• towels (unless some are available for swimming and bathing)
• some shade options (large muslin for covering the cot, a shade tent if going to the beach, or something that you can fashion into a shelter...think sticks, cloth, weights)
• a blanket option for throwing down on the floor/ grass/ sand (can use towels, sarongs, swaddles)
• a familiar toy
• a bottle of baby friendly mineral water (low sodium content)

things that i've learnt from our baby trips so far:

1. pack in zones (read: separate bags that can be layered according to importance): bathing, feeding, sleeping, clothing…..so that when you get to your destination late at night, you’re not digging through the bag to find the travel-cot sheet…. was that us in Greece…um…yes
2. a trip bag (which is a pimped-nappy-bag) – along with the essentials and depending on the length of your flight include two changes of clothes (for both of you), a warm hat, a sleep suit and a blanket 
3. local water is not always safe to boil as it can use softeners. use mineral water but find a baby-safe mineral water that has a low sodium content
4. leave the mosquito net on the cot all through the day so that pesky bugs don't decide to hide in it
5. google the directions to the local hospital or clinic. always worth just having for emergencies
6. your days of pulling a trolley bag onto the plane are over (unless you can push a buggy and a bag at the same time). i still haven't found a stylish option but i've seen plenty of mums using backpacks

and one final sneaky tip: in my experience they don't weigh the buggy so you can usually get away with slipping a few things in the under-storage