So now that I’ve traveled to China, again, with my baby, I’m much wiser about what to pack for her. And basically, don’t bother packing lots of things.

Pack: clothes, blankie, favorite toys, bottles (you can easily buy bottles there, but you need them on the way there anyway), just enough diapers for being on the road, and formula (see last blog for reasons why)

What you can buy in China: basically almost everything, besides good formula

- Diapers: just as good and maybe even better. We bought ultra thin ones (I don’t think that option even exists in US, but I’m not sure, I don’t usually buy pampers). It was great, we just changed more often, used a bit of butt paste and my daughter never got a diaper rash, even in the extreme Beijing heat!

- Bottle sterilizer: can be easily purchased for several hundred RMB. These were great. You place the already cleaned bottles in these plastic pots. Put in the required amount of water and press the button and the bottles become sterilized. Convenient for hotel living.

- Baby wipes: comes in big packs and easy for travel packs. And there were types where it was safe for cleaning hands, not just the butts.

- Baby lotion, shampoo, soap: There are so much more baby lotion options. Like milk lotion. I personally like the one that comes with spf 15, bought that for my daughter to be used in US. Lots of baby toiletries for purchase.

- Baby butt paste: I saw a bunch of types, didn’t get to try it out since I had brought my own.

The bottom line: Basically there was so much more that could have just been easily bought there than I realized. The only thing is to definitely bring your own formula. Other foods, like rice formula is readily available as well. Really would have saved me a lot of packing both ways.