What to Pack for Baby’s First Overnight Stay

That first night away from your baby can bring up all sorts of feelings. Your little one might be spending the night at a family member’s or another trusted caregiver’s home, and it might be for a fun reason, like a night way, or a necessity. If you’re feeling anxious about what to pack, we can at least help with that.

First, see what supplies and gear your child’s caregiver already has on hand. Once you know what they have, you can start planning what to bring, from a travel crib or bassinet to feeding and diapering supplies.

Here are the potential items to include in your baby’s overnight bag—as well as all the key details to relay to your caregiver before you head out.  

Overnight Bag Essentials 

As you start packing your little one’s overnight bag, these are the things to start with.

Travel crib or playard

If your baby’s caregiver doesn’t already have a crib set up in their home, pack a travel crib or playard and at least two crib or playard sheets in case one gets dirty.

Diapers

Your baby may not need to bring a full pack of diapers, but think about packing the number of diapers your little one will need for their stay based on the average amount they use over the course of an average day. For a general guideline, consider this rough estimate by age:

• Babies under three months old: one diaper for every two hours

• Babies 3 to 6 months old: one diaper for every three to four hours

• Babies 6 months and up: one diaper for every four to six hours

Depending on whether or not the caregiver has a changing table, you might also want to pack a portable changing pad or kit. 

Wipes 

Including one full pack of wipes should do the trick.

Clothes and sleepwear

Choose a few options for daytime and nighttime clothes, in case a meal, spit up, or blowout fuels a wardrobe change over the course of their overnight stay. Pack two to three outfits per day, socks and booties, pajamas and outerwear if the weather warrants it. Include two swaddles (if baby is still using them) in case one gets dirty, as well.

Feeding supplies 

A few items to ensure your baby has what they need for feedings during their overnight:

If you’re breastfeeding and/or formula feeding

• Four to six bottles

• Breast milk in cooler bags with ice packs, or formula, separated out into individual portions of formula using a travel container or premade bottles (unless you've discussed formula prep with your caregiver) 

• Two to three burp cloths

Make sure your caregiver knows about the safest methods for storing and heating breast milk and/or preparing formula.

If baby is eating solids

• Prepacked meals, purees, puffs, snack bars or teething crackers, depending on baby's age

• Baby’s bowls and spoons

• Bibs and two to three burp cloths (yep, more burp cloths is always the answer)

Teethers and pacifiers

If your baby is teething, pack one or two teethers you know they like. Similarly, if they’re using pacifiers, include at least a couple in their bag. 

Toys and comfort items 

A couple favorite toys, like a soft crinkle book or fidget toy, can be smart to include. 

Comfort items like loveys (plush toys that act like a security blanket) can be OK for awake, supervised play (think: holding it during feeding, playtime or during a wind-down routine ahead of bedtime) but not for sleeping. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends removing plush toys from cribs for infants under 12 months to reduce the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).  (Be sure to talk to your caregiver about safe sleep guidelines in general). 

A comfort item, used safely, can “make the transition to a new environment much easier if they have familiar things with them,” says Seana Diemer Iwanyk, LMFT, a therapist at The Mother Hood, a maternal mental health practice in Los Angeles. 

Comfort items can reassure parents, too, says Dr. Cassidy Freitas, LMFT, author of Mom Needs a Moment. “Babies and young children tend to regulate through their senses, and a lovey will smell like home, like you, and these transitional objects can provide that familiarity.”

Medications

If your little one requires medications or supplements, make sure they have enough for their stay.

Pro Tips for Sharing Care Instructions

How much detail you share may depend on how familiar your caregiver is with your baby’s routine. Either way, review feeding, safe sleep, allergies, any medications and emergency contacts.

You can give your child’s caregiver a basic sense of when they’ll need to nap, eat and get to bed with a straightforward, written schedule. You should also share contact info for your pediatrician or advice nurse. 

Iwanyk recommends asking the caregiver if they have “any specific questions, or, in the case of a babysitter, what information other parents have given them that you might have missed.”

And if you’re feeling nervous, it’s OK to acknowledge that, says Iwanyk. “It can make the over-explaining based on inexperience rather than lack of trust, especially for a new caregiver to your child or in the early days of overnights,” she notes.

A Final Word on Baby’s First Overnight 

Spending that first night apart from your little one and trying to figure out what they’ll need while they’re away from you can definitely bring up a bunch of emotions.

“Anxiety and worry make sense—our brains are wired to keep us and our loved ones safe, so it will often prioritize possible threats,” acknowledges Freitas. “But it’s important to consciously provide space and time for the ‘why.’ [Ask yourself] what is the positive here, whether it's space to connect with another part of yourself through work, or to spend time with an older child, with your partner, or to do something for yourself, or even get errands done that will help the home feel settled.”

Another silver lining, according to Freitas, is the opportunity for your baby to connect with other caregivers who can address their needs and keep them safe. “For a child to build relationships with other adults who love them, that’s really healthy for kids—and it’s a beautiful gift.”