Travel gear must-haves for babies and toddlers
You'll need somewhere for your little one to rest his or her weary head away from home. And if your destination can't provide a cot, you'll to have to take your own. Traditionally travel cots have been surprisingly impractical – too heavy, too bulky and too much of a nightmare to assemble.
One of the new generation of lightweight models, this weighs in at just 2.2kg, and doubles as a sun protection tent outdoors. It pops up ready for use, has a self-inflating mattress to add comfort and packs away compactly when it's time to go home.
Travel gear must-haves for babies and toddlers
If you'll have to sterilise feeding gear, these innovative bags are cheap, pack flat and sterilise one or two bottles in a microwave in just three minutes. They can be re-used up to 20 times, so one bag should do a whole week even for frequent bottle-feeders.
Alternatively: No microwave where you're staying? Check out the Boots Travel steriliser (£8.99, www.boots.com) which can be used with cold water sterilising tablets (but also in a microwave too). A bit bulkier than the bags but you can save space by stowing feeding bottles in the box during the journey.
Travel gear must-haves for babies and toddlers
Buying a buggy especially for a holiday is a little extravagant but if you travel a lot or are looking for a lighter second pushchair anyway, the Micralite is hard to beat. It weighs just 6.2kg - half the weight of some popular pushchairs - and the combination of two big and two smaller wheels means it copes well with beaches, countryside and town alike far better than typical holiday buggies with their small plastic wheels.
It also has a ventilated mesh seat to keep your baby cool. The pushchair seat does recline but not that flat, so it's only suitable for babies under six months if used as a travel system with a Maxi-Cosi car seat (not included).Alternatively: If you're travelling with a newborn and need a lie-flat pushchair, check out the excellent Petite Star Zia (£125, www.petitestarproducts.com).
Travel gear must-haves for babies and toddlers
Carriers and slings really come into their own when you're travelling – you'll be able to breeze through airports, stations and shopping centres (no queuing for the lifts with the pushchair pushing parents) and can avoid struggling to get your baby's set of wheels through crowded tourist towns.
Carriers can be a bit fiddly to get on at first, but it's worth persevering and the Babybjorn is relatively simple compared to most. If you get stuck, search for a demo video online. A few practice runs before your holiday and you'll probably be able to get it on and your baby in, in seconds.
Travel gear must-haves for babies and toddlers
Ever been into a baby changing room and found it so skanky that you'd rather not put your changing mat down in there, never mind your baby's bottom? These disposable mats (actually they're semi-disposable – you can re-use them unless they get soiled) pack really small. Also great for putting under your baby's cot sheet or on car seats during potty training.
Travel gear must-haves for babies and toddlers
Whilst babies seem to require everything including the kitchen sink when you travel, the good news is things do get better. Once they're out of nappies (or at least going through fewer a day) and no longer needing bottles and the like, you'll manage with far less special holiday kids' kit.
Travel gear must-haves for babies and toddlers
Ever since these colourful 'ride-on' children's cases appeared on Dragon's Den a few years back, they've been spotted in the nation's airports in increasing numbers. Why? Well, not only are they cute, they solve that problem of your child being too old for a pushchair or carrier but too little to fairly be expected to traipse around the terminal for hours.
Large enough for assorted crayons/ toys/ books for the journey but compact enough to be cabin baggage. Also makes a welcome place for them to sit if you're stuck in one of those interminable check-in queues.
Travel gear must-haves for babies and toddlers
Simple but effective, this snack bowl has a special slatted lid which allows little fingers to grab biscuits/ crisps/ fruit out of it, but when turned upside down stops contents spilling on the floor of the car/ train/ plane.
Travel gear must-haves for babies and toddlers
Kids need some sort of car seat in most European countries up to around the age of 10 or 12 (rules vary so check before you travel) but even if it's not legally required at your destination, it's safer to use one instead of the adult seat belt alone.
Most parents with older children invest in a booster seat for holidays but these can still be quite hefty. Step in the rather clever Bubblebum - despite being inflatable, weighing hardly anything and packing away much smaller than standard boosters, it passes key safety tests for a Group 2/3 seat (UN ECE Regulation R44/04 to be precise) and is suitable for children weighing from 15kg (around age four) upwards. It's also perfect for keeping in your car boot for occasions when you unexpectedly need to give another child a lift.
