What to Pack?

... I know that people differ markedly in terms of their approach to packing. On one hand, some people try to go "carryon only" or to check only a very small suitcase. They bring just one or two outfits for themselves and their children, count on buying diapers and wipes overseas, and so on. On the other hand, many of us pack quite heavily, figuring that we don't want to be rushing around in a strange city looking for necessary things, while we are dealing with a new child who may be sick and/or grieving, and while we, ourselves, may be tired and coming down with a bug. You will probably want to take a middle ground. Whatever you do, simplify. Don't carry a purse. It is too easily lost, and will count as a carryon. Use a fanny pack, into which you place your passport, whatever cash you will need on a particular outing, one credit card, your hotel key, your comb, and whatever medications you will need on that outing. Going to China, fold up your diaper bag and put it in your carryon. Coming home, do the same, and put diapers and such at the top of the carryon for easy access. Carry large sums of money in waist or neck safes when traveling to China or between cities in China. Remember that airplanes are generally boarded via stairs, not jetways. Be sure that you can manage your carryon, your child, and your stroller, if you take one. As far as clothing, remember that China is a huge country, and that the weather will vary considerably from city to city. In some months, Beijing has winter coat weather, while Hong Kong travelers may be in short sleeves. Check on-line to see what the weather is likely to be in the cities you will be visiting, and pack accordingly. It's always best to think in terms of layers, for you and your child. I would suggest packing four or five casual outfits for you and your husband. Also pack one nicer outfit for the adoption formalities and the Consular appointment. You can probably get by with one pair of good walking shoes and, for you, a pair of nice flats; however, many people bring a second pair of walking shoes in case the first gets wet and won't dry out. I would pack at least six or seven outfits for your child. Remember that poop happens, and that you will be changing your child's clothing a lot more often than you will be changing your own. Since you probably won't have a good idea of size, pack a couple of different sizes. Remember that a little too big is better than a little too small. If your child is walking, shoes will be needed, but you won't have a clue about size, as clothing size does not correlate with shoe size. So bring socks with non-skid soles, or something like Padders (slipper socks) to keep his toes warm and clean; you can buy shoes in China, if you wish. Don't pack anything that needs to be dry cleaned; stick with washables. Laundry service is available and good in Chinese hotels, so count on using it, especially if you will be in a hot and humid area, as I was, where handwashing clothes was out of the question, as only the thinnest nylon panties would dry on the towel bar in less than two days. The only caveat is that sometimes clothes are washed in very hot water, so don't pack things that will shrink or fade easily. For travel both to and from China put at least one outfit for you and one for your child into your carryon. Going to China, there is a possibility that your luggage will go astray and may not catch up with you right away. You don't want to have to try shopping for adult clothing in a country where most people are much smaller than you. And you don't want either to have to wear your travel worn clothing or to sit around the hotel room in your underwear until the laundry cleans the outfit you wore to travel. Coming home from China, remember that your child may spit up or worse, all over both you and himself. You don't want to stink your way across the Pacific. Do NOT wear or carry fancy jewelry or watches. China is a safe country, and theft is punished severely. Still, an expensive ring or watch might be too tempting for someone who makes less than the cost of it in one year. Also, there are very adept pickpockets in Guangzhou. If your engagement ring has a very large stone, or if your wedding ring is jeweled, consider leaving them home and buying a simple gold band to wear, instead. If you normally wear a Rolex, leave it home and buy a Timex. If you are religious, it is OK to wear a simple cross or star, but don't flaunt it. (It's also OK to carry a Bible or prayerbook or rosary or menorah for use in your hotel room, but again, don't flaunt it or carry multiples. Proselytizing is against the law.) Be sure to pack any medications, eyeglasses, and such that you need regularly in your carryon. NEVER put them in your suitcase. And always hand-carry breakables. It's a good idea to carry medicines and such for your child in your carryon as well. As to medicines for yourself, think about all the prescription drugs you took in the past year. If the medical conditions are at all likely to recur, bring the necessary medicines with you. If you have allergies or asthma, talk to your doctor about getting on a good preventive regimen (Singulair, Advair, Nasacort, etc.), as well as about emergency medications. If at all possible carry a list of the medications, with the trade name, the generic name, the strength, and the correct dosage. If an open bottle of pills accidentally falls into the toilet, you may be able to get a replacement over-the-counter, if you know the generic name and strength you need. You will also need the list if you wind up needing a doctor or hospital while in China. Also think about the non-prescription items you have used, and pack travel sizes of those you are likely to need, such as Tylenol, Immodium, Tums, Tinactin (VERY useful when your feet have gotten wet), and so on. These drugs may be very hard to get in China. If you are still having menstrual periods, bring tampons or pads, which may be difficult to obtain in some out-of-the-way places. Remember that travel often changes one's menstrual cycle, and you could start your period when you don't expect it. People vary in their approach to bringing medications for their new child. Some people, and their doctors, don't believe in carrying things like antibiotics, because they worry that their children could have an adverse reaction in a place where the emergency medical system may be non-existent. They also may be willing to trust the Chinese medical system. Others carry a whole pharmacy. Consult with your pediatrician of choice and with an adoption medicine specialist before making a decision. You may not know until you get to China whether or not your son is toilet trained. We had a 2 year old boy in our group, and he was reliably toilet trained. However, some kids won't be, and others will regress under stress or have accidents because of illness. So by all means bring some pullups, which are hard to find in China, and maybe some diapers. Bring wipes, too, of course, and some diaper rash cream. You may also not know whether your son uses a bottle, a sippy cup, or a cup, and what utensils he can handle. The boy in our group was eating nicely with a spoon, and could use a cup. However, many children will be less developed. So bring a bottle or two, some sippy cups, a plastic cup or glass, and some child sized spoons or disposable plastic spoons. There is plenty of great food in China, so you really don't need to bring things for yourself. However, if you are a finicky eater, or want some comfort foods, consider bringing along some snacks for yourself, such as single serving packs of crackers, cookies, pudding, applesauce, and so on. Many families like soups that can be made by pouring hot water into a cup of soup concentrate (for example, Cup-A-Soup). For your child, you probably don't need formula; and if you happen to need it, you can get it in your child's city. Most of the hotels will have both cold cows' milk and hot soy milk, and you may be able to buy milk boxes that don't require refrigeration. Your child will probably be eating well-cut-up table food, so you don't need to bring too much in your suitcase. Still, it's a good idea to bring Cheerios (a favorite of even the toothless kids), biter biscuits, little plastic cups of applesauce, etc. for use while touring. Bottled water is readily available in China. Always have one in your diaper bag when touring. Some parents bring strollers for their toddlers. I did. If you do, get one that is very light in weight and that folds up small. I used the Combi Savvy, which was pricey, but which weighed about seven pounds and which could fit into an airline bin. Just remember that China has LOTS of steps and few elevators. There are also no "curb cuts." When you get to steps or an escalator, one of you will have to carry your son, and one will have to carry the stroller. It will also be a pain putting the stroller into and taking it out of tour buses. Also remember that some children are scared when they are sitting in a stroller in a crowd of people, as they are hemmed in by a sea of legs. I wound up using my stroller for going through airports -- I often carried my daughter and put the carryon in the stroller. I also used it for walks around the hotels and in the immediate neighborhood of the hotels, but I did not use it for touring. Some parents with strong backs prefer a back carrier for a toddler. The back carrier lets the child be above the scary crowds. But it also doesn't let the parent look at, and be looked at, by his/her child. The family in our group had a back carrier, which the father used; the mother had a disability and couldn't have used one, as she walked with a crutch. If you decide to use a back carrier, practice with it so you don't fall from being off-balance with it and so you can put it on and take it off easily. I'm not sure I've addressed your specific concerns. Please don't hesitate to contact me, on this board or by PM, if you want to talk further. Sharon