Last April, we packed (many) bags and took off to Italy for my cousin's wedding and a little vacation. Our daughter was about 8 months old, so I made sure to bring the necessities we'd need for the 3 weeks we'd be away.
We usually stay at my Nonno and Nonna's home/Zia's, like I did every summer growing up, and we also rented a car, so we knew we'd be able to get whatever we needed at the nearby stores.
But we also were staying at a few hotels and Airbnbs along the way, so I wanted to make sure I packed things with me in case I needed them before we could stop at a store.
If you plan on traveling to Italy, they have the most amazing food, so you don't need to worry much about bringing fruit pouches for the baby because their yogurts and fresh fruits are SO good. We packed just a few for the flight.
Breastfeeding Gigi was definitely a plus and helped me tremendously on the flight (she was so good, and when she was fussy, I would just nurse her and she would be content). We brought a tin of formula just in case, but didn't end up using it much.
She was also starting to eat solids, so I decided this trip would be the perfect opportunity for her to try everything (even with no teeth and all!). Whatever we were eating (pasta, mozzarella, pancakes at the hotel, gelato, fruits, etc.), I made sure to cut it into tiny pieces and had her eat it with us. This worked so well because I didn't have to buy much specifically for her, and she was trying all of the delicious foods we were!
*Tip for flight: If you can call and book ahead of time, request a bulkhead seat, which includes a wall-mounted baby bassinet in front of your seats. These are limited and first-come, first-served, so make sure you do call the airline to request it. These seats were nice because we got more legroom, and when we needed a break from holding our daughter, we placed her in the bassinet to sleep or just sit and play.
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Here is a list of items that helped make our trip a bit easier:
Ergobaby Metro+ Deluxe Compact Stroller
This stroller is great! Sturdy, lightweight, and slim—perfect for travel and fits through doorways.
These disposable bibs are a MUST for all travel. You don't need to worry about washing anything or carrying dirty bibs—just use, toss, and go.
Breastfeeding Nursing Cover with Loop
I used this nursing cover the entire trip, everywhere we went, and way past Gigi's first birthday—it's lightweight, not see-through, pretty, and private. I can watch her as I nurse her, and she can breathe without the blanket in her face.
Oh my goodness, if you do one thing, please do yourself a favor and purchase one of these—your arms will thank you! When Gigi didn't want to stay in the stroller and we were on cobblestone streets walking for hours, this saved our arms, and she was a very happy baby being eye-level and seeing the world in her little bouncy seat.
I always made sure to keep one set in a plastic bag in my purse so that she could eat with us whenever we went out.
I absolutely love this diaper backpack. I must have purchased and tried over 3 different bags and finally settled on this one. It is just the right size (not too big/not too small), the pretty leather makes it look like a stylish everyday backpack, and it easily converts into a side purse—perfect for when I was walking around in areas where I wanted the front zipper to be accessible to me.
You can really buy any brand shoes you'd like, but I wanted to mention Toms because they were so comfortable and stylish to walk around in for long periods of time.
Obvious, but quite necessary when traveling—packets and packets of wipes in every bag you have.
Keeping one of these in my diaper bag was so useful when I was in places that didn't have a clean changing table (if any).
We didn't end up using it much, but we brought it anyway in case we wanted to blot out any noise for naps.
Blankets
Even if it's summertime, the evening can always get chilly, and flights tend to be cold.
Baby Pajamas in diaper bag
Also quite obvious, but these are always great to have, along with a fresh change of clothing.
Baby Sweater/Jacket in case it gets cold
It's always a good idea to have a few "jingle" toys in your diaper bag for your baby to play with/keep entertained as you travel.
A baby towel just in case of emergencies
If you love organization like me, then these are for you. Call me crazy, but these actually made packing fun—it's so much easier to plan out your outfits when everything is in its own little cube! I had a set for me and a set for Gigi—it also helped with keeping everything separate and knowing where everything was during the trip.
This little kit is great to keep your baby clean and groomed during your travels.
***Organic Baby Medicine***
Disclaimer: This is a personal choice based on what you feel is best for your child. These are the medicines we chose to bring just in case.
Hyland's Baby Mucus and Cold Relief
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