Quick answer: For a baby or toddler, pack two to three outfits per day rather than one, keep a full change of clothes plus nappies and wipes in the cabin bag, and buy bulky consumables at the destination. The clothes are small; it is the volume of spares that catches people out.
What this guide covers
The first holiday with a small child is the one where packing stops being about you. It is also the trip where people most reliably take too much of the wrong thing and not enough of the right one.
How many outfits per day
Two to three for a baby, two for a toddler. That sounds excessive until the first morning, when a full change happens before breakfast.
The good news is that baby clothes are tiny. A week for a one-year-old fits a single medium cube with room left, which is why a small set of cubes works so well – you can give the child a cube and still have most of the case.
The cabin bag is the important bag
Whatever happens to the hold luggage, the cabin bag has to work. It needs:
- A full change of clothes for the child, and a spare top for you
- Roughly twice the nappies the journey should need
- Wipes, nappy bags, and a changing mat
- Food and drink for longer than the flight is scheduled to take
- One familiar toy, and one new quiet one held in reserve
Keep all of it in one bag you can open one-handed. A clear bag for the changing kit means you can see what is left without emptying it in an aisle.
Buy the bulk when you land
Nappies, wipes, formula and baby food are heavy, bulky and available almost everywhere. Carrying a fortnight of nappies to Spain is a common and entirely avoidable mistake.
Take enough for the journey plus the first day, then shop. Milk and baby food are also exempt from the 100ml liquids limit – the detail is in the liquids rule post.
Give the child their own colour
Even with one child, a dedicated colour of cube is worth it, because the person rummaging at 3am is not always the person who packed. With two children it stops being optional.
The system is in the family packing guide, and the colour-coding post covers how it scales as they get older.
The short version
- Pack two to three outfits a day for a baby, two for a toddler – changes happen more often than you plan for.
- Baby clothes are tiny: a week for a one-year-old fits one medium cube.
- The cabin bag matters more than the hold bag – full change of clothes, double the nappies, food for a delay.
- Buy nappies, wipes and formula at the destination rather than carrying two weeks of bulk.
- Baby milk and baby food are exempt from the 100ml liquids limit, but expect them to be screened separately.
Frequently asked questions
How many clothes should I pack for a baby on holiday?
Two to three outfits per day, which for a week is around 15 to 20 pieces. It sounds like a lot but baby clothes are small enough that the whole lot fits one medium packing cube.
What should be in the cabin bag when flying with a toddler?
A full change of clothes, roughly twice the nappies the flight needs, wipes, a changing mat, food and drink for longer than the scheduled journey, and two toys - one familiar, one new and kept back for the difficult hour.
Can I take baby milk through airport security?
Yes. Baby milk and baby food are exempt from the 100ml rule, though you should expect to declare them and have them screened separately. Tell the officer before you go through rather than after.
Should I take nappies for the whole holiday?
No - take enough for the journey and the first day, then buy them there. Nappies are bulky, heavy and sold almost everywhere, and the space they occupy is better used for almost anything else.
Do we need a separate suitcase for the baby?
Almost never. A baby's clothes fit in one cube inside a shared case. Where you do want separation is the changing kit, which should be in its own bag in the cabin luggage so you can reach it one-handed.
