Packing for a baby is not really about remembering everything — it is about working out how much of each thing you actually need, and which of it has to stay within arm's reach on the journey. This is the full checklist we use as the starting point for every PackBaby list, written to be read on a phone with one hand.
Travelling with a toddler rather than a baby? See our Toddler Holiday Packing List — it covers toilet training, journey entertainment and the things toddlers get through fastest.
Before you start: quantities depend on your trip, not on a list
Almost every baby packing list you will find online gives you fixed numbers — twelve vests, six sleepsuits, forty nappies. Those numbers were right for whoever wrote the list, on the trip they were taking. They are not a rule.
Five things change how much you need to pack, and they change it a lot:
Your baby's age and stage. A newborn goes through far more changes of clothes and nappies in a day than a settled one-year-old, and a baby who has started solids needs a different set of things again.
How long the trip is. Not just the nights away, but the travel days at either end, which are usually the messiest.
The destination and climate. Hot and sunny, mild, or genuinely cold all pull the clothing list in different directions, and a hot destination adds swim and shade items while removing bulk.
Whether you will have laundry. A washing machine at the accommodation, or even a sink and a bottle of travel wash, can cut a clothing pile by roughly a third. Without laundry, you are packing for the whole trip in one go.
Your own baby. Reflux, teething, a particular bottle they will accept and no other, a comforter that cannot be replaced — these are the things a generic list cannot see, and they are usually what matters most.
Use the checklists below as a completeness check — a way of making sure no category has been forgotten — and set the quantities yourself against the five points above. If you would rather not do that arithmetic in your head, PackBaby works the quantities out for you.
Baby clothes
Clothing is where overpacking happens, and also where under-packing hurts most, because a wet or dirty outfit has to be replaced immediately. The practical approach is to count outfits per day rather than garments, add a small buffer for accidents and delays, then reduce the total if you will have laundry.
The core checklist
Bodysuits / vests
Sleepsuits or babygrows
Daytime outfits (tops and bottoms, or all-in-ones)
Cardigan, jumper or fleece for layering
A light jacket or coat appropriate to the season
Socks — more pairs than feels necessary
Soft shoes or pre-walkers, if your baby is walking
Sun hat, or a warm hat, depending on where you are going
Bibs, if your baby is feeding or teething messily
Muslins or burp cloths
Swimwear and swim nappies, if you will be in water
A sleeping bag or sleep suit in a weight suited to the room temperature
One complete spare outfit that lives in the journey bag, not the suitcase
A sensible way to set the numbers
Rather than a flat count, think in terms of outfits per day plus a buffer:
A younger baby, changed often — push the outfits-per-day figure up. Newborns can go through several in a day.
Laundry available — pack for a few days plus a buffer, rather than for the whole trip.
No laundry at all — pack for every day of the trip, plus the travel days at either end, plus spares.
Hot climate — lighter, thinner layers take almost no space, so spend the space you save on shade and swim items.
Cold climate — fewer outfits fit, so lean on outer layers you can re-wear over fresh base layers.
Dressing a baby for sleep or for the weather is a safety question as much as a packing one. Follow the guidance of your midwife, health visitor or doctor, or your national public-health service, on room temperature and what a baby should sleep in. PackBaby is a packing tool and does not give health, medical or childcare advice.
Nappies & changing
There is no universally correct number of nappies for a holiday, and anyone who gives you one is guessing. It depends on your baby's age, how many days you are away, and whether you can top up when you arrive. What is reliably true is that you want enough to get you through the journey and the first day comfortably, without carrying a fortnight's supply through an airport if there is a supermarket at the other end.
If you would like to work the number out properly, our short guide how many nappies do I need for a holiday? gives you the calculation, a nappy calculator and worked examples for 3, 7, 10 and 14-day trips.
Changing checklist
Nappies — enough for the trip, or enough to bridge you until you can buy more
Wipes, split between the journey bag and the suitcase
A travel changing mat, or a foldable changing kit
Nappy sacks or bags for disposal
Any cream or barrier product you already use at home
Hand sanitiser or hand wipes for you
Spare clothes for your baby — changing accidents are the main reason you need them
A spare top for whoever is doing the carrying
A wet bag or a couple of plastic bags for soiled clothes
Swim nappies, kept separate from the ordinary ones
Reusable nappies, liners and a wet bag, if that is your normal setup and laundry allows it
Two questions worth answering before you pack
Can you buy your usual brand at the destination? If yes, pack a few days' worth and buy the rest on arrival. If you are unsure, or you are somewhere remote, pack the full trip.
What happens if the journey doubles in length? Delays are the normal case, not the exception. Whatever number you settle on for the journey bag, the buffer belongs there rather than in the suitcase.
Only pack creams, lotions and medicated products your baby already uses. Ask a pharmacist, midwife, health visitor or doctor about anything new, and about anything you are unsure of for a particular destination.
Feeding
Feeding is the part of the list that varies most between families, so it helps to treat it as three separate checklists and pack from whichever ones apply to you. The notes below are about packing only — what to feed a baby, and how, is a question for your midwife, health visitor, doctor or pharmacist.
If you are breastfeeding
Anything you normally rely on: nursing bras, breast pads, a cover or shawl if you use one
Nipple cream or balm, if it is part of your routine
Your pump, its parts, and the power adaptor or charger it needs — plus a plug adaptor for the country you are visiting
Storage bags or bottles if you express, and a plan for keeping them cold
A refillable water bottle for you, kept in the journey bag
Muslins, and a change of top for you
If you are formula feeding
Enough of the formula your baby already takes — brands and preparations vary between countries, so do not assume the same product is on the shelf at your destination
Bottles and teats, plus at least one spare of each
A bottle brush and your usual sterilising method — sterilising tablets or bags travel more easily than an electric steriliser
A flask or a way of getting suitable water, if that is how you prepare feeds at home
A formula dispenser or pre-measured pots for the journey
A cool bag, if you need one for prepared feeds
If your baby is on solids
Familiar snacks and pouches for the journey and the first day
A couple of spoons, a bowl, and a beaker or cup your baby can already use
Bibs — a wipe-clean one earns its space
A portable booster or fabric highchair harness, if the accommodation may not have one
Reusable containers or snack pots
Rules on liquids, powders, formula and expressed milk in hand luggage differ by airline, airport and country, and they change. Check your airline's and airport's current rules directly before you fly, and check the destination's customs rules for any food you plan to bring. PackBaby does not check airline or customs rules for you.
Sleep
The single most useful thing you can pack for sleep is familiarity. A baby in an unfamiliar room settles more easily with the sleeping bag, comforter and bedtime routine they already know, so the items worth the suitcase space are usually the ones that smell of home.
The comforter, and — if one exists — the identical spare
Your baby's usual sleeping bag or sleepwear, in a weight suited to the room
A familiar sheet, or a muslin that has been in the cot at home
A travel cot or crib, if the accommodation has not confirmed one
The mattress or mattress cover that belongs with that travel cot
A blackout blind or blackout cover, if you use one at home
Your white-noise source, or the charger for it — a phone app works if you can spare the phone
A nightlight, or a torch, so you are not turning the main light on
Books or the bedtime routine props you use at home
Confirm the sleeping arrangement before you pack it
Whether you need to bring a travel cot at all is the biggest single variable in your luggage. Ask the hotel, host or family you are staying with to confirm in writing what is provided, and what condition it is in, before you decide to leave yours at home.
Safer-sleep practice is a health and safety matter, not a packing matter. Follow the advice of your midwife, health visitor or doctor, and of the recognised safer-sleep guidance for your country, for anything about how and where your baby sleeps, including in travel cots and unfamiliar rooms. PackBaby does not give sleep, safety or medical advice, and nothing on this page should be treated as such.
Bathing & toiletries
Most accommodation has soap and towels for you; almost none has anything suitable for a baby. This is a small, cheap category that is easy to forget entirely.
The baby wash and shampoo you already use, decanted into travel bottles
Any moisturiser, emollient or cream that is part of your routine
A hooded towel, or one soft towel that is only your baby's
A flannel or two, and a bath sponge if you use one
An inflatable or foldable baby bath, or a bath support, if your baby cannot yet sit safely in a full bath
A couple of bath toys — small ones
A soft hairbrush or comb
Baby nail scissors or clippers, packed in the suitcase rather than hand luggage
A toothbrush and your baby's usual toothpaste, if you have started brushing
A thermometer of the type you already know how to read
Any medication your baby already takes, in its original packaging
Take only the medicines your baby is already prescribed or already uses, keep them in their original labelled packaging, and speak to a pharmacist or doctor about dosing, storage in heat, and whether anything you carry is restricted at your destination.
Journey bag versus suitcase
This is the distinction that makes travelling with a baby manageable, and it is the one generic lists get wrong most often. The suitcase can be inaccessible for eight hours without any harm. The journey bag cannot — everything in it has to be reachable from a seat, on a train, or standing in a queue with a baby on one arm.
Journey bag / hand luggage
Reachable one-handed, sized for the journey plus a delay.
Nappies for the journey, plus a delay buffer
One pack of wipes
A compact changing mat and nappy sacks
Two complete spare outfits
A spare top for you
Feeds, snacks, bottles or a prepared feeding kit for the journey plus a buffer
The comforter — never the suitcase
A dummy and a spare, if you use them
A muslin or two
A light blanket or extra layer for a cold cabin
Any medication your baby needs during the journey
Passports, tickets and booking confirmations
A wet bag for whatever comes off
Phone charger or power bank, and a couple of quiet toys or a book
Main suitcase
Everything that can wait until you are through the door.
The bulk of the clothes and sleepwear
The bulk of the nappies, wipes and creams
The rest of the formula, bottles and sterilising kit
Bath things, toiletries and towels
Sleeping bag, familiar sheet, blackout cover
Travel cot and its mattress, if you are taking one
Swim things, beach items and shade equipment
Warm outer layers for a cold destination
Nail scissors, clippers and anything else restricted in a cabin bag
Larger toys, and the spare of anything you would rather not lose
Split consumables across both bags rather than putting all of one thing in either. If the suitcase is delayed you still have a day's supply; if the journey bag has to be checked at the gate, you have not lost everything. Hand-luggage allowances, pushchair and car-seat handling, and what counts as an extra bag for an infant vary by airline — check yours before you pack to it.
Hot weather and beach holidays
A hot destination shifts the list rather than shortening it. The clothes get smaller and the shade and water equipment gets bigger.
Swim nappies — both the disposable and reusable kind have their moments
Two swim outfits, so one can be drying
A wide-brimmed or legionnaire-style sun hat, and a spare
Lightweight long-sleeved tops and trousers for covering up
A UV or sun-protective swim suit
Sun cream suitable for your baby's age, in the formulation you already use
A pop-up beach shade, UV tent or parasol
A pushchair sunshade or clip-on parasol — not a blanket over the hood
A lightweight muslin for shade and cover
Water shoes or sandals, if your baby is walking
A cool bag for feeds and water
A beach towel that is only your baby's
A bag for wet and sandy things
Insect repellent suitable for your baby's age, and a pram net if you need one
Sun exposure, heat, hydration, sun cream and insect repellent for babies are health matters with real risks. Follow the guidance of your midwife, health visitor, doctor or pharmacist, and of your national public-health service and the destination's, on shade, timing, products and ages. Do not rely on this page or on PackBaby for health or safety guidance.
Cold weather trips
Cold destinations are a volume problem. Warm layers are bulky, so plan around re-wearing outer layers over fresh base layers rather than packing a complete warm outfit per day.
Thermal or merino base layers — two or three sets
Mid-layer fleeces or knitted jumpers
A warm, weather-appropriate outer layer or snowsuit
A warm hat that covers the ears, plus a spare
Mittens — several pairs, because they disappear
Thick socks, and booties for a baby who is not yet walking
Waterproof or insulated boots, if your baby is walking
A pushchair footmuff or cosytoes, and a rain cover
A blanket for the pushchair, car or train
Lip balm and a richer moisturiser for wind and cold
An indoor layer, because heated buildings and cars run hot
Car seats, pushchairs and bulky outerwear interact in ways that matter for safety, and cold-weather care for babies is a health question. Follow the manufacturer's instructions for your car seat and pushchair, and your midwife, health visitor, doctor or national public-health guidance on cold weather. PackBaby does not give safety or medical advice.
Documents and travel essentials
Documents are the one part of the list where being wrong cannot be fixed at the destination, so they deserve their own check the night before rather than being lumped in with everything else.
Your baby's passport, if the trip requires one — babies need their own
Any visa, entry authorisation or travel permit required for the destination
Your own passports and documents
Tickets, boarding passes and booking confirmations, offline as well as on your phone
Accommodation address and contact details, written down
Travel insurance details, including whether your baby is named on the policy
Any state healthcare entitlement card you are relying on
Your baby's health or immunisation record, if you have been advised to carry it
Prescriptions and a note of any medication your baby takes, with the medication in its original packaging
Your GP or health visitor contact details, and the emergency number for the destination
Car hire and car seat booking confirmations
Documentation for travelling without the other parent, where the destination expects it
Plug adaptors and chargers for anything you depend on
A little cash in the local currency
Entry requirements, passport validity rules, consent documentation for a child travelling with one parent, hand-luggage and security rules, medication restrictions and customs limits are set by airlines, airports and governments, and they change without notice. Check the current requirements for your route and destination yourself, with your airline and with your government's official travel advice, before you travel. PackBaby cannot and does not check any of this for you.
Why generic baby packing lists lead to overpacking
A printed checklist has to work for everybody, so it is written for the worst case: the youngest baby, the longest trip, no laundry, nothing available at the destination. Follow it literally and you carry a fortnight of nappies to a city with three supermarkets, twenty outfits to an apartment with a washing machine, and a travel cot to a hotel that had one waiting.
The problem is not that the list is badly written. It is that a static list cannot know:
how old your baby is, and how many changes a day that really means;
how many nights you are away, and how long the journey is door to door;
whether the destination is hot, mild or cold;
whether you will have laundry when you get there;
whether you are packing nappies, bottles or swim things at all this trip; or
which items need to be in the journey bag rather than the suitcase.
Those six answers are what turn a checklist into a quantity. Work them out on paper if you like — the sections above give you everything you need to. Or let the tool do the arithmetic.
Create your personalised baby packing list
PackBaby asks a short set of questions about your child and your trip — their age, how many nights you are away, how long the journey is door to door, the destination and its climate, whether you will have laundry, and whether you are packing nappies, bottles or swim things — and then builds your list from those answers.
You get two lists, not one:
A suitcase list with quantities worked out from the trip length, a delay and accident buffer, and whether laundry is available.
A separate journey bag list sized from the door-to-door journey time, so what you need in the air or on the road is not buried in the hold.
PackBaby creates a personalised suitcase list and a separate journey bag list that you can print, save as a PDF, copy as text and save with your trip.
Free to build your first list. The quantities are practical estimates to adjust for your own child and trip — PackBaby does not give medical, health or childcare advice, and it cannot check your airline's rules or what is available at your destination.
Common questions
How many nappies should I take on holiday?
There is no single right answer, which is why this page does not give you one. It depends on your baby's age, the number of days, and whether you can buy more at the destination. Work out a realistic daily figure for your own baby, multiply it by the days including travel days, add a buffer, and then decide how much of that total you actually need to carry rather than buy on arrival. Our guide on how many nappies you need for a holiday walks through that sum with a calculator and worked examples.
What should go in the changing bag for the flight?
Enough nappies and wipes for the journey plus a delay, a compact changing mat, nappy sacks, two full spare outfits, a spare top for you, feeds or snacks with a buffer, the comforter, and any medication your baby needs en route. The journey bag section has the full list. Your airline sets what you may carry and how much, so check with them.
Do babies need their own passport?
For international travel, babies generally need their own passport, and some destinations also require visas or entry authorisation and have their own rules about passport validity. Requirements depend entirely on your nationality and destination, so check your government's official travel advice and your airline before you book.
Should I pack a travel cot?
Only once you know whether one is provided. Get it confirmed by the hotel or host before you decide, because it is the single bulkiest thing on the list. See sleep.
Does PackBaby tell me my airline's baggage rules?
No. PackBaby builds a packing list from what you tell it about your child and your trip. It does not check airline, airport, customs or destination rules, and it does not give medical or health advice — check those yourself with the airline and with official sources.