Packing for baby (babies)

[Gupsmom]

For anyone that has experience travelling with a baby...How did you pack for the babies? I know I need diapers, wipes, formula, bottles, baby food. We're crusing (Disney) so it's not going to be easy to buy supplies on the go.

What did you pack that I might not have thought of? Was there something that was extremely helpful for you? Keep in mind, with twins, I need double of basically everything. Any tips for compact packing?

For anyone who has cruised with a baby (esp on Disney)...What can I buy onboard in a pinch. How about in St. Thomas and/or St. Maarten?

Thanks...
Jess

 

[ClarabelleCowFan]

Bring a nightlight so you can see without turning on the light.

Bring extra pacifiers, clothing, bibs, etc... and also bring a travel size laundry detergent so you can do laundry if you need to do so.

Don't forget infant tylenol, infant motrin, mylicon, band-aids, saline drops/nose sucker, etc...

Always a good idea to bring some blankets and toys that smell like home so the kids can have a comfort item when it is bedtime.

Have a great time!

We cruised on DCL to St Thomas and St Maarten but we didn't need to buy anything so I can't comment on the ease of purchasing items but if you post over on the Cruise board they could tell you for sure.

 

[Gupsmom]

Bring a nightlight so you can see without turning on the light.

Bring extra pacifiers, clothing, bibs, etc... and also bring a travel size laundry detergent so you can do laundry if you need to do so.

Don't forget infant tylenol, infant motrin, mylicon, band-aids, saline drops/nose sucker, etc...

Always a good idea to bring some blankets and toys that smell like home so the kids can have a comfort item when it is bedtime.

Have a great time!

We cruised on DCL to St Thomas and St Maarten but we didn't need to buy anything so I can't comment on the ease of purchasing items but if you post over on the Cruise board they could tell you for sure.

A nightligt is a good idea. We do pack an extensive med-kit whenever we go away. I'll definately be adding all the infant items.

Thanks...
Jess

 

[DorkyDisneyMom]

What I did when we went to DL. I packed complete outfits in gallon Ziploc bags. It helped save room and also no one had on weird outfits (Dh dressing them). It also kept the dirty clothes from stinking up the clean ones.

Don't forget swim diapers, sunscreen and hats.

 

[CJBaby]

no one had on weird outfits (Dh dressing them).

I should have a system for this at home! ("What should I have done? She WANTED to wear (insert incredibly mismatched outfit that she took no part in) and I couldn't say no!")

 

[DorkyDisneyMom]

I should have a system for this at home! ("What should I have done? She WANTED to wear (insert incredibly mismatched outfit that she took no part in) and I couldn't say no!")

We do. It's a sweater stacker that hangs in the closet.

 

[nskjerven]

thermometer

 

[poohandwendy]

Great ideas, so far.

I think the most important thing to remember is that once they take your luggage, you won't see it for hours so you need to have pretty decently packed diaper bag. I would make sure not to pack everything of the baby's in one bag, just in case a piece of luggage gets lost you are not totally out of luck.

I would also pack a lightweight umbrella stroller (the kind that comes with a roof thing for shade) instead of the regular big one because it will be so much easier to maneuver/carry around the ship and at port.

 

[MerryPoppins]

An over the door shoe bag is great for a cruise. Buy one and throw it in your suitcase. When you get on board, it gives you all these wonderful pockets for storing all the little things that would otherwise clutter the cabin. I'm sure it would be a huge help with two babies. All their drops, pacifiers, sunscreen, etc can go in the pockets. You might even like it so much that you want to keep using it when you get back home...(I have one on the back of my bathroom door!)

You'll love the Disney cruise. I'm sure you'll make some wonderful memories.

 

[Gupsmom]

Thanks everyone....

I have used gallon zip locks before. They work great. I'm not doing it this time though. It's hard to get my 9 and 10 yr old's clothes into them anymore...and ALL of the babies' vacation outfits are one-piece (so no real need).

Does anyone have any ideas for compact packing of baby food? Also, how did you do formula on the go. I bought the little powder packets. I guess bottled water would be ok?

Packing the supplies is where I could really use any tips you might have...

Jess

PS...can't really get away with an umbrella stroller since I have twins. We'll need our side-by-side. It's fairly compact, thankfully...and there's no way we can live wthout it.

 

[MareQ]

Bottled Water with premeasured powder is fine - just watch sodium content.

When you pack - take all the diapers out of the packs and fit them all into all the cracks and crevices. Stuff them in the corners, outside pockets etc - they take up much less room that way.

How old are they? Do you really need to bring baby food? I would just bring a few jars - and ask for unseasoned freshly steamed veggies and you can mash right at dinner time. Plus they always have plenty of fresh fruit, bananas, watermelon etc.

 

[mjkacmom]

Thanks everyone....

I have used gallon zip locks before. They work great. I'm not doing it this time though. It's hard to get my 9 and 10 yr old's clothes into them anymore...and ALL of the babies' vacation outfits are one-piece (so no real need).

Does anyone have any ideas for compact packing of baby food? Also, how did you do formula on the go. I bought the little powder packets. I guess bottled water would be ok?

Packing the supplies is where I could really use any tips you might have...

Jess

PS...can't really get away with an umbrella stroller since I have twins. We'll need our side-by-side. It's fairly compact, thankfully...and there's no way we can live wthout it.

What kind of formula do they drink at home? We did concentrate with one of ours, and he/she (can't remember which one) would not drink powdered formula. However, if they will drink it, the water on the ship will be fine, and that way you can alway make it at the temp they like. The first time we brought our twins on vacation was when they were 18 months, and I totally underpacked for them - I have 5 children, and I always assume they will need one outfit a day - I end up buying a bunch of t-shirts when we go away!

 

[ClarabelleCowFan]

Bottled Water with premeasured powder is fine - just watch sodium content.

Dasani has a higher sodium content than most other bottled water brands and I believe that is what is on the DCL ships since it is a Coke product. I am pretty sure you can ship a case of water to yourself at the port and it will be in your room when you arrive. You may also want to ship a box with diapers, baby food, formula as well. The Cruise Board folks are the real experts on that.

How old will the twins be when you travel?

 

[momof3disneyholics]

Don't forget some baby toys to keep them occupied!

 

[Gupsmom]

Dasani has a higher sodium content than most other bottled water brands and I believe that is what is on the DCL ships since it is a Coke product. I am pretty sure you can ship a case of water to yourself at the port and it will be in your room when you arrive. You may also want to ship a box with diapers, baby food, formula as well. The Cruise Board folks are the real experts on that.

How old will the twins be when you travel?

Yeah...I'm worried about the bottled water. I'm not sure it's even good for adults to be drinking too much water out of a plastic container. The good thing is, when ON the ship, we can use tap water. I bought 8 individual cans of ready-made formula for our port days. Even with bottled water available, I couldn't see mixing bottles while covered in sand, salt water and sunscreen.

So...tap water onboard should be ok?


To answer a few questions: Taylor and Bailey are 8 months old. They definately need baby food (they're not ready to self feed...still working on that pinccer grasp). We use ready-made formula at home but they have had powder. I suppose we should test out the powder a couple times before we go just to be safe.

Thanks...
Jess

 

[Fizzgig]

Tap water onboard is fine and safe.

Feel free to fill up a water bottle from your bathroom sink. No funny taste, and iirc, they use reverse osmosis to create the potable water--making it purer than the bottled water.

 

[Gupsmom]

Tap water onboard is fine and safe.

Feel free to fill up a water bottle from your bathroom sink. No funny taste, and iirc, they use reverse osmosis to create the potable water--making it purer than the bottled water.

Good to know...thanks.

Jess

 

[KrnB]

Yeah...I'm worried about the bottled water. I'm not sure it's even good for adults to be drinking too much water out of a plastic container. The good thing is, when ON the ship, we can use tap water. I bought 8 individual cans of ready-made formula for our port days. Even with bottled water available, I couldn't see mixing bottles while covered in sand, salt water and sunscreen.

So...tap water onboard should be ok?


To answer a few questions: Taylor and Bailey are 8 months old. They definately need baby food (they're not ready to self feed...still working on that pinccer grasp). We use ready-made formula at home but they have had powder. I suppose we should test out the powder a couple times before we go just to be safe.

Thanks...
Jess

If the powder ends up not working, you can probably still make the ready-to-feed stuff work. It only needs to be chilled once the bottle is opened, and you can probably fit one in an ice bucket to keep it cool enough. We fed our boys the same thing, as we have well water at home - plus it's just a lot easier when you're dealing with two. I don't know how easy it would be to work with a few cases, never having been on a cruise, but I would think it would work if you needed to do it.

Disposable utensils might be a good idea - a bowl you can use to mash food in and baby spoons to feed them with. I usually try to bring a few sets to get through one day so I can wash everything at night - same thing with bibs (we use the waterproof Bumpkins bibs which dry in a few hours' time).

I'm really good at forgetting one thing on every trip, so I try to put together a checklist a few days in advance. As I use something at home during the course of a normal day, I add it to the list (Bathtime - shampoo, washcloth, towels, toys, etc). That way, most of the everyday stuff is there.

 

[MerryPoppins]

When mine were that age I had a portable baby food grinder. It was called Happy Baby. I just looked and they still make it. It's by Kidco and it runs about $16 with it's own case. It made it easy to mush just about anything to be the appropriate texture. We used it a lot when we went out to eat. Just a thought. It might cut down on the amount of food you'd have to pack if you thought you could find appropriate foods at Topsiders or off your plates, even just part of the time.

Even if you don't want to take it with you, you might look into it. I think they're really handy. My kids ate a lot of what we ate for meals, they just had it ground up really smooth.

 

[teskak]

Sorry - I am not a cruiser, but I was in St Thomas with an 8 week old baby and I did find a Kmart there. It is not the biggest, or the "best" but is close to the port, has taxis outside for getting back to the ship and does have enough of a range for your baby stuff if you need to stock up.