After My First Trip With a Baby, These Are the 10 Things I’d Never Travel Without
Charlotte Stavrou
The travel essentials, routines and little discoveries that made our first holiday as a family of three far easier than expected.
I recently returned from my first family holiday with my husband and our five-month-old baby. I was nervous about the whole thing because like all new mums, I’m obsessed with my child being comfortable, but my goodness, did he thrive.
We visited the Greek island of Alonissos in the Sporades—the place we visit every year. It’s where we got engaged five years ago, so it felt like the perfect place to take our son for his first holiday.
What made the trip even more special was that my husband’s parents were there too, which honestly felt like the ultimate holiday hack. Having grandparents on hand to take him in the morning so we could have a lie-in was priceless.
The baby was waking more than usual during the night because he had a tooth coming through, so we needed all the help we could get. They also watched him while we slipped off to Amani Spa for our annual massages with our favourite masseuse, Awa.
One decision I made for the week was to keep him on UK time. It felt a bit pointless changing his entire routine for just seven days and because we were two hours ahead, it actually worked brilliantly. We could go out for dinner at a sensible time and still be back for bath and bedtime at what was essentially 8.30pm UK time.
We tried to pack as light as possible (which seems impossible with a baby) and only bring things we thought we’d actually use. We managed with one large suitcase for mine and the baby’s things, a small cabin bag for my husband, a backpack for the baby’s essentials and my handbag for in flight essentials.
Because we were travelling with a buggy, we didn’t want loads of extra bags to carry around while moving between the airport, hotel, ferry and villa. Anything that reduced stress felt worth it.
Here's Everything We Packed
Travel Buggy
At home we use the Bugaboo Dragonfly, which is incredibly light and brilliant for London, but it’s not really a travel buggy.
After spending far too much time researching online, I came across a video that completely sold me on the Joolz Aer 2. My baby isn’t sitting up yet, so I needed the bassinet setup too. Rather than buying one outright, I rented the full system from Tiny Travellers for £43 + £18 postage.
It was one of the best decisions we made. The buggy is incredibly light and an absolute dream to use. We’ll be buying one before our next holiday in July. Thankfully, by then we won’t need the bassinet because he’s very close to sitting up.
Our villa doesn’t have a bath, which makes complete sense when it’s hot most of the year. We ordered an inflatable bath to keep our bedtime routine consistent and it turned out to be one of our best purchases. The baby absolutely loved it and it was so easy to use. Highly recommend.
Shade Tent
Babies under six months shouldn’t be exposed to direct sunlight, so we bought a small shade tent for the beach.
It was perfect. He could play, nap and relax while staying protected from the sun, which meant we could actually enjoy being at the beach or pool without constantly worrying. He wasn’t rolling yet, so he was happy just chilling in there. Now that we’re home and he’s on the move, it’s still a great size for him and we’re using it in the garden.
Play Mat
We bought a lovely play mat from Momcozy, which is now also getting plenty of use in our garden.
We took it everywhere: the beach, the pool and the villa. The floors were hard tile, so it made us feel much more comfortable letting him play on the floor. It’s a great size and has a non-slip base, which was really useful.
Portable Fan
We brought a portable fan that wrapped around the buggy handle. Simple, but essential. And it’s been an absolute lifeline in London this summer.
Baby Carrier
A baby carrier is an absolute must when travelling. You can’t take a buggy everywhere, particularly down to beaches or uneven streets.
It’s also invaluable in airports and on planes when you need your hands free or your baby just wants to be close to you.
We use the Artipoppe carrier and absolutely love it. It’s quick to put on, comfortable to wear and made travelling much easier.
Nanit Pro Camera and Flex Stand
We use the Nanit at home as part of our bedtime routine, so it made sense to take it with us.
The camera is surprisingly compact and takes up very little room in a suitcase. It meant we could enjoy the holiday during nap times and after bedtime while still keeping an eye on the baby.
Mosquito Net
We bought a mosquito net specifically designed for a travel cot because I was determined not to spend the week worrying about bites.
Every evening we’d cool the room with AC, check for mosquitoes, then put the net over the cot before bedtime. During the night we’d lift it just enough to take him out and then secure it again.
It gave us real peace of mind. In fact, he only got bitten once during the entire trip, and that happened while we were out at dinner.
Sun Cream
Guidance suggests that babies under six months old shouldn’t wear sunscreen and should instead be kept out of direct sunlight. That said, I packed Childs Farm Baby Sun Cream just in case. Given that he is 6 months old very soon, it will come in handy through the summer months.
Ear Defenders
I originally bought these for the plane, but we didn’t end up needing them.
What we did use them for was a large church event involving plenty of bell ringing and noise. Definitely worth packing if you are planning to be in louder spaces.
Using the Airport Facilities
One thing that really impressed me was being able to order essentials to Boots inside the airport. We ordered nappies, formula and Calpol, which meant we didn’t have to use valuable suitcase space or worry about liquid restrictions.
You’re allowed to bring one shopping bag onboard in addition to your hand luggage, so this was incredibly useful. For anyone travelling with formula, it’s worth checking the rules in advance. Baby formula is allowed through security, but there are limits depending on the type and quantity you’re carrying.
What We Didn’t Take
Steriliser
Tommee Tippee bottles can be self-sterilised in the microwave, so we simply used that method. We also packed sterilising bags for my pump parts and his dummies, which worked brilliantly.
This is one thing I will be buying before our next holiday. The bassinet kept him nicely shaded this time, but once he’s in the buggy seat we’ll need the extra coverage.
Bottle Maker
We’ve only recently started combi-feeding and currently use ready-to-feed Kendamil (the liquid formula) for one or two feeds a day, so there was no need to bring a bottle prep machine.
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