Your First Holiday with a Baby: What to Pack, What to Skip, and How to Actually Relax

“Wait until they’re older,” everyone says. “They won’t remember it anyway.” And sure, your six-month-old is not going to write a travel diary about their first trip to the coast. But you will remember it. The sandy toes, the nap in the shade, the slightly chaotic restaurant meal where you both ate with one hand. Holidays with a baby are different, not impossible, and honestly? Some of the best bits are the quiet ones you never planned.

Here is what actually matters when you are planning your first trip away with a little one. Less stuff than you think, more flexibility than you expect, and a few clever bits of kit that make the whole thing far less stressful. ✈️

Picking the Right Place to Stay

Forget the boutique hotel with white linen and a “no under-12s” vibe. Your ideal holiday base with a baby has three things: a separate sleeping space (or at least a dark corner you can blackout), a kitchen or kitchenette for warming bottles and making food, and easy access to outdoor space.

Self-catering apartments, holiday cottages, and family-friendly rentals tend to tick every box. You get your own fridge, somewhere to sterilise bottles, space to spread out, and no one judges you for the 6am wake-up or the nappy explosion on the sofa.

If a hotel is more your thing, look for family suites or rooms with an adjoining space. Many hotels will provide a travel cot on request, but bringing your own means you know it fits, your baby already recognises it, and you are not relying on whatever the hotel has left in storage.

Sleep Sorted (This Is the Big One)

The single thing that makes or breaks a holiday with a baby is sleep. Yours and theirs. If baby sleeps well, everyone relaxes. If they do not, the whole trip feels like survival mode.

The good news: most babies adapt to a new sleep environment faster than you would expect, especially if you bring the familiar stuff. Their usual sleeping bag, a white noise machine, and something that smells like home (a muslin from their cot, for example) can do wonders.

A lightweight travel cot is worth its weight in gold here. You want something genuinely portable, not the kind that takes two adults and a YouTube tutorial to assemble.

Stick to your normal bedtime routine as closely as possible, even if the timing shifts a bit. Bath, feed, sleeping bag, white noise, dark room. Babies are creatures of habit, and the routine is the signal that says “time to sleep” regardless of where they are.

Nappy Changing Without a Proper Station

You will change nappies in places you never imagined. The boot of the car, a beach towel, a bench in a square while eating gelato. It happens.

A decent travel changing mat is the one thing that makes impromptu changes feel manageable rather than chaotic. Look for one that rolls up small, wipes clean, and has a pocket for a couple of nappies and a small pack of wipes.

Pack more nappies than you think you will need. Seriously. Holiday heat, new foods (if you are weaning), and the general unpredictability of babies means you will go through them faster than at home. A full pack per two days is a reasonable estimate, and buying locally is always an option too.

Bathtime in Unfamiliar Bathrooms

Hotel and rental bathrooms were not designed with babies in mind. Deep baths, slippery surfaces, and nothing to prop a wriggly baby against. If your little one is used to a proper baby bath or bath seat at home, the holiday bath can feel like a wrestling match.

A compact bath support solves this entirely. It sits inside any standard bath and gives your baby a secure, slightly reclined spot so you have both hands free. Much less stressful than one-handed baby-holding in an unfamiliar tub.

If you would rather skip the bath altogether on some days, a quick flannel wash works perfectly well. Babies do not need a full bath every single day, especially on holiday. Face, hands, neck creases, and nappy area. Done.

Feeding On the Move

Whether you are breastfeeding, bottle feeding, or somewhere in the messy middle of weaning, feeding on holiday takes a tiny bit more planning than at home.

For bottle-fed babies, an insulated bottle holder is a small but brilliant piece of kit. It keeps prepared feeds at the right temperature while you are out exploring, and saves you hunting for somewhere to warm a bottle in a beach town at lunchtime.

If you are weaning, pouches are your holiday best friend. Yes, home-cooked is lovely, but this is not the week to stress about it. Pre-made pouches, some soft fruit, and a few rice cakes will get you through restaurant meals and day trips without any drama.

For breastfeeding, a lightweight muslin works as a cover if you want one, a shade from the sun, a burp cloth, and an emergency picnic blanket. Muslins are the Swiss Army knife of baby gear. Pack at least four.

The Packing Edit: What You Actually Need

The temptation is to bring everything. Every outfit, every toy, every “just in case” gadget. But overpacking makes travel harder, not easier. Here is what actually earns its place in the suitcase.

The essentials:

• Nappies and wipes (enough for the first few days, buy more locally)
• Two sleeping bags or swaddles (one to wear, one to wash)
• A cellular blanket for versatile layering, beach shade, and pram cover
• Sun hat, sun cream, and lightweight UV clothing
• Travel changing mat
• Favourite comforter or muslin
• White noise machine (or an app on your phone)
• Any medication or teething gel

What to leave behind:

• The full-size baby bath (a bath support is all you need)
• More than two or three toys (new surroundings ARE the entertainment)
• Fancy outfits they will wear once and ruin
• Anxiety about doing it perfectly

You Are Going to Love This

Your first holiday with a baby will not look like your pre-baby holidays. The late dinners become early ones. The lie-ins become sunrise walks with the pushchair. The spontaneous day trips become roughly-planned-around-nap-times excursions.

But there is something genuinely magical about watching your baby experience the world for the first time. Sand between their toes. The sound of waves. A new face smiling at them across a cafe table. These are the moments, and they are absolutely worth the extra packing. 🌴

Ready to start building your holiday kit list? Add your favourites to your BubsNest registry and let family and friends help with the travel gear.