What to pack when travelling with a baby this summer

The first summer trip with a baby looks simple on paper. A stroller, a travel cot, a bag of nappies. Then you are standing in a hotel corridor at 11pm with a cot that does not fit through the door and a bottle warmer with the wrong plug. Write this list in May, while there is still time to borrow, buy or add to a list the pieces you do not own yet.

Stroller, cot and feeding gear

A compact travel stroller with a big canopy gets you through a new town and blocks the afternoon sun at the same time. Something like the Babyzen Yoyo or the Cybex Libelle folds small enough for an overhead locker. Pick one that reclines flat, because on holiday most naps happen on the move.

A travel cot that goes up in under two minutes gives the baby a familiar place to sleep, and that counts for more away from home than in your own house. A portable white noise machine keeps the bedtime routine going in a room with thin walls and a bar downstairs.

For bottles, pack an insulated bottle bag and a compact warmer that runs off USB. If you are breastfeeding, a light nursing cover and a small travel pillow make feeding easier on a beach or in a cramped hotel room.

Sun and heat protection

For a baby over six months, use a baby sunscreen of SPF 30 or higher and a wide-brimmed hat with a strap, since hats without a strap come off within a minute. Under six months, shade is the only real answer, so plan the day around it. UV swimwear and a long-sleeved rash vest cover beach days and the pool.

A pop-up UV tent is worth the space in the car. It gives instant shade, keeps blown sand off, and doubles as the spot for nappy changes and feeds. Add a cooling towel and a handheld fan for the hottest afternoons.

Pack thin cotton or bamboo clothing, and keep three spare outfits in the day bag. One is never enough on a day with a blowout and a dropped ice cream.

First aid, medication and paperwork

Bring a first aid kit put together for a baby: infant paracetamol, a digital thermometer, antiseptic wipes, plasters and any prescription medication. Add oral rehydration sachets for infants, because heat combined with a stomach bug is behind a lot of holiday visits to the doctor.

Take more nappies, wipes and nappy rash cream than seems reasonable. Your usual brand may not be sold where you are going, and a baby with a rash is the wrong moment to try something new. A folding changing mat with a waterproof back lets you change a nappy on an airport floor or a park bench without thinking twice.

Carry the baby's passport, the travel insurance details and the vaccination record, and keep photos of all three in a cloud folder you can open from any phone.

Keeping a baby busy on a long trip

Put a handful of small toys, two board books and a teething ring somewhere you can reach without unbuckling. Once the baby is on solids, a snack box with a lid that opens with one hand does more for a long car ride than any toy.

A tablet with music, white noise or a few short videos will get you through a delayed flight; take child-safe headphones if you plan to use it in public. The most useful thing in the bag is the blanket or soft toy the baby sleeps with at home. It settles them into a strange room faster than anything you can buy.

Packing it so you can find it again

Packing cubes keep baby gear sorted: one cube for clothes, one for feeding, one for toys. Then pack a separate day bag with 24 hours of nappies, wipes, snacks and changes of clothes, and keep it with you. If a suitcase is delayed, the baby still needs feeding and changing.

Roll the clothes to save space, and fill the odd pockets of the suitcase with socks, bibs and hats.

A lot of this kit is bought once and used for years, which makes it a good fit for a list. You can create a baby registry with the travel stroller, the cot and the UV tent on it, so family who want to help can put something towards the trip.