The Ultimate Out-of-the-Country Packing Guide

As we’re getting ready for our third out the country trip Annabelle and I have a lot of preparations to make. Before becoming a mom I used to pack the night before leaving and now I usually start a few days ahead of time. I want to make sure I have everything and a lot of the things we use on a daily basis I just can’t find where we’re going. When Annabelle was still in diapers I even brought those with me, because we used a natural, dye free brand- thank goodness the days of diapers are over!

Yes- we could go without all this stuff but when we’re gone for more than a couple of weeks I like having everything with me. We try not to do medicine unless we have to so I want to have some homeopathics and some immune boosters with me and most of the products we use are all natural, organic and mostly chemical free so it just wouldn’t be easy to find. And to be perfectly honest I’d rather just have everything in my suitcase than worry about having a shopping trip to track everything down. Now that Annabelle has to have her own seat she also gets to have her own suitcase which makes packing a ton of stuff so much easier.

So here it is:

1. Oscillococcinum. A homeopathic remedy for flu-like symptoms. I didn’t have this with me on our last trip and of course Annabelle got the flu. Thank goodness we were traveling with my sister-in-law and her family and she was very well prepared and let us have hers. This time I wont forget it.

2. Natural Magnesium Calm. Because the majority of us are magnesium deficient and Annabelle has a glass of it every night in an attempt to keep her bowels regular and help her sleep.

3. Organic Elderberry Syrup. We all usually have it during cold and flu season- it’s a natural immune booster and helps you get over being sick faster. It’s traditionaly a winter remedy but since it’s an immune booster I like for us all to take it when we’re traveling to help prevent us from getting sick.

4. Collodial Silver. It’s one of my favorite things to have on hand. We use it on cuts and scrapes, diaper rash, in the eyes for pinkeye or eye irritations, in the ears for ear infections, for sore throats, in a netty pot for sinus infections. It’s one of those things (along with coconut oil and tea tree oil) that every crunchy – or somewhat crunchy- household should have.

5. Dessert Essence Face Wash. Because I’m obsessed with it and I think it’s fabulous.

6. Barleans Omega Swirl Fish Oil. Because Annabelle won’t go for fermented cod liver oil and this stuff tastes amazing. It’s the highest quality I’ve found that still has a good flavor profile that Annabelle enjoys. We like the mango peach flavor. It tastes like candy.

7. Kids Spry Toothgel. Flouride free, good tasting toothpaste that is safe if swallowed.

8. Badger anti-bug sunscreen. I’m very picky when it comes to sunscreen and last time Annabelle got eaten alive by mosquitos so this time I’m killing two birds with one stone. Sunscreens can be full of dangerous toxins (especially the sprayable ones!), for help choosing a safe sunscreen read this article. 

9. California Baby Bug Repellant Spray. Because bugs come out at night too.

10. Earth Science Deodorant. Again, it’s one of my favorite natural products and who doesn’t pack deodorant?

11. Vitamin D3 drops by Natures Answer.

12. Hylands Homeopathic Calms Forte. According to the packaging it “temporarily relieves the symptoms of restlessness, sleeplessness, night terrors, growing pains, causeless crying and occasional sleeplessness due to travel and lack of focus in children.” It will not put your kid to sleep, trust me, it just helps them chill so that they can fall asleep easier.

13. Back Flower Remedies Rescue Remedy. It’s for natural stress relief, so it’s another good thing for an overtired, overstimulated kid that’s going nuts on a trip.

14. Amazing grass Green Superfood, Berry Flavor. It tastes pretty good on its own just mixed with water and makes a good mid-afternoon snack or you can toss it into a smoothie. It’s a great way to get a little extra nutrition especially when on vacation and probably not eating as many vegetables as you would at home.

15. Activated Charcoal. It didn’t make the picture but it’s great to have on hand in case someone gets really sick or has food poisoning (my husband got food poisoning on our last trip so I had to learn the hard way). Basically it binds up the toxins in your body and helps flush them out, it does pretty much the same thing as bentonite clay.

Essential Oils.

I’ve started using Essential Oils a lot more in the past few months and I use them for everything from spot treating pimples (tea tree oil), to putting in Annabelles cold mist humidifier at night (chamomile), to making home made cleaning solutions (rosemary). They help to reduce fevers, relax, soothe itchy bug bites, help headaches… pretty much everything. And all you have to do it mix them with a carrier oil- coconut and almond oil are my favorites.

Snacks

Yup, I pack snacks for Annabelle. She’s 100% gluten free so I just bring some gluten free things for her: crackers, mashups, and gluten free pasta. I’m really picky when it comes to her food and I’ve spent a lot of time doing research about which gluten free products are GMO free so I’d rather have a few things I know she likes to have, and I know that we’ll be making pasta while we’re there and it’s one of her favorite foods, so there you go. Anything for my baby.

There you have it. I’m pretty sure that’s it. My ultimate packing list. If I were going on a shorter trip or staying in the U.S where I knew I could find things I needed it would be much more condensed. As much as I loved living on the edge before, the mom in me likes to be very prepared.

Speaking of snacks, I’m also taking a Squooshi Reusable Food Pouch because Annabelle drink a Lifeway Organic Pro Bugs Kefir almost everyday. And though I know I can get kefir and yogurt down there, if you have a very picky eater you know that sometimes it doesn’t matter if the food, or drink, is the same if it’s not in a similar receptacle it won’t even be tried. So I can just buy regular big bottles of kefir and pour it into a squooshi for her. I like to limit our food fights as much as possible. Helps keep everyone sane.

Did I miss anything? What are some of your travel must-haves??