What to Pack for a Holiday with a Baby (0-18 Months): The Ultimate Packing List
We've taken Tallulah to Turkey at 4 months, Norway at 13 months, and Benidorm at 15 months. Every trip we packed too much, forgot something important, and learned what actually matters. This is the packing list we wish we'd had from the start.
Product-by-product reviews coming soon
We're currently testing everything on our month-long trip to Benidorm. Detailed product reviews with photos, prices and Amazon links will be added once we've properly road-tested them. Below is our actual pre-departure packing reality.
Our Pre-Departure Packing Reality
Two 20kg suitcases. A pram. Two small rucksacks. That's it. That's everything we're taking for a minimum of two months abroad with a 14-month-old.
The split sounds ridiculous but it makes sense: a tiny human needs tiny clothes, but she needs a lot of them. Nappies, swimwear, sleepsuits, comforters, formula, toys. The adults? We packed every bit of summer clothing we own and it barely filled half a case. We literally spent a few months around Thailand in baggy pants and a vest, same thing every day. This is no different.
Non-Negotiables: What Must Go in the Case
- Lambies. Her two lamb comforter teddies. These are the only thing Leila said "don't take them we're screwed" about. Everything else is replaceable. Not the lambies.
- Formula for the flight. You can take it through security. Don't rely on buying it airside.
- Baby swimsuits, armbands, waterproof nappies. Hard to find the right size abroad, especially at short notice. We packed these from home.
- Calpol. Just one bottle. It's so accessible everywhere — pharmacies abroad have everything you need. But having Calpol for the first night saves a panic trip.
- Trainers and gym gear. One pair of trainers each, something to work out in. The apartment has a gym and we plan to use it.
"Lambies. Her two lamb teddies. Don't take them we're screwed. They're her comforters. Everything else we can buy."
— Leila
What We Deliberately Left Behind
Most people would panic about leaving these out. We didn't even hesitate.
- Shower gels, shampoo, toiletries. Buy it there. The apartment will have something. The local shop will have the rest.
- Hair dryer. Every apartment has one. Not worth the case space.
- Sun cream. Cheaper abroad in a country that actually has sun. And you know it's made for the conditions.
- Extra clothes. We're going to the market on day one. Leila's planning to buy a new wardrobe there. Tallulah outgrows clothes so fast we'll buy cheap stuff at the Benidorm markets that run twice a week.
- A third suitcase. It's cheaper to buy stuff out there than pay for another bag and cart it around. With two suitcases and a pram, adding a third is just too painful.
"I'm quite happy with one face cream and mascara and a pair of shorts and a bikini top and flip flops and I'm happy. I don't need stuff."
— Leila
The Buy-It-There Strategy
This is the biggest mindset shift for anyone used to packing "just in case." We learned from 10 months of travelling as a couple: you can buy almost anything, almost anywhere, usually cheaper than at home.
Benidorm has local markets twice a week. Amazon Spain delivers fast. There are pharmacies everywhere. Sun cream is cheaper in a sunny country. Baby clothes are cheaper at a Spanish market than in Mothercare.
The rule is simple: if it's replaceable and it's heavy, don't pack it. Pack the things that are irreplaceable (lambies) or hard to find in the right size (waterproof nappies). Buy everything else when you land.
We even left stuff behind last time we travelled long-term. We took a blender to Vietnam because we were into smoothies. Left it there along with most of our wardrobe. You accumulate, you shed, you move on. With a baby, Tallulah outgrows clothes so fast that buying cheap and leaving it behind is more practical than hauling UK-bought stuff around Europe.
One thing we didn't expect: the constant little shops in the weeks before leaving. You think you're going soon so you don't do a proper shop, then you run out of milk. So you nip to the shop. Then you run out of nappies. Another shop. Wipes. Shop. It's a weird limbo where you're half-living in the house and half already gone.
Yet another little shop. Tallulah's got her own trolley now.
Documents & Admin Checklist
- Passports. All three. Tallulah's baby passport is valid for 5 years.
- GHIC cards. Sorted for all three of us. Free healthcare in EU countries — not a replacement for insurance but essential.
- Travel insurance. This is our outstanding grey area. Standard insurance doesn't work without a return flight. We need to look at nomad-specific policies.
- Immunisations. All up to date for Tallulah. Check what's required for your destinations.
- Flight booking. Ryanair to Alicante. One-way. We'll book the next leg when we know where we're going.
The "do we really need that?" argument
Everyone has this conversation before a trip with a baby. Ours was surprisingly painless. Leila chucked more stuff away rather than adding things. We just rolled everything, packed it in, and decided anything missing could be bought on day one. The best packing tip with a baby: pack less than you think, bring money, and buy what you actually need once you know what that is.
Products We're Taking (With Links)
Everything below is stuff we've bought ourselves and packed for this trip. Some have been on every trip, some are new for Benidorm. We'll update with full reviews once we've tested them properly.
Tried & Tested (Every Trip)
Clip-on Fan
Tallulah's personal air con. Used in Turkey, Norway (overheated hotel), and packed for Benidorm. Clips to the pram, cot, high chair — anywhere she needs a breeze.
View on Amazon →Portable Bottle Warmer
Game-changer for early morning feeds in hotel rooms. USB rechargeable, heats a bottle in minutes. Saved us at 4am in Norway.
View on Amazon →Travel Steriliser
Compact enough for hand luggage. Microwave steriliser that works in any hotel room with a microwave. Essential until they're old enough to stop sterilising.
View on Amazon →Pool & Beach Essentials
Roll-Up Armbands
Pack flat, inflate at the pool. Much easier to travel with than rigid armbands.
View on Amazon →
Reusable Swim Nappy
Hard to find the right size abroad. Pack from home — reusable so one or two is enough for the whole trip.
View on Amazon →
Baby Swim Shoes
Hot poolsides burn little feet. These protect them on tiles and sand. Light enough to pack without thinking about it.
View on Amazon →
Portable High Chair
Clips onto any normal chair. Not every restaurant or apartment has a high chair. This folds flat and weighs nothing.
View on Amazon →Feeding & Comfort
Tooth-friendly shape that doesn't push teeth out. Tallulah hasn't taken to them yet but we're persisting. Spares are essential — they vanish.
View on Amazon →
When you're out and about, milk goes stale fast in the heat. Always good to have a clean empty backup. We packed three.
View on Amazon →
Essential. Dummies hit the floor constantly. This clips to clothes and saves you buying replacements every other day.
View on Amazon →Organisation
Folds out flat with pockets for nappy cream, wipes, Sudocrem, and all the little tubes that end up loose in the changing bag. Keeps everything in one place.
View on Amazon →
Compact pouch for nappies, wipes and a change of clothes. Small enough to grab when you don't want to take the whole changing bag out.
View on Amazon →Our Family Trips
This post will include affiliate links to Amazon products we genuinely use and recommend. We buy everything ourselves - no sponsorships or gifted products.