I am interested in knowing what other guppies did when they took their babies to Pakistan. My son is 10 months old and he is totally formula fed. I have been using bottled water to prepare his formula here in US.
Should I take his water with me? Just concerned about the water not being clean in Pak, i will be staying around Lahore area…
I am staying there for a month so a month supply of water and formula would be too much luggage, but if I have to I will pay extra to take it but just want to know what did you guys do?
You would not be able to take a month's supply of water from US. I recently came back from Pakistan & I also used formula there for my son. Just buy crates of Nestle Pure Life Water bottles, but make sure to buy from a trusted resource. We got ours from a known bakery there that my Father-in Law knows, and make sure the bottles are sealed. My son was fine. Also you can take enough formula for a month, but in case you run out, you can easily find formula there as well, they sell Similac/Enfamil etc. However if you use a special type of formula (like colic or soy) take it from here. Just make sure to clean baby's bottle well & dry. You shouldn't have any problem. At 10 months I am sure he is eating as well. Make sure to only feed him food at home that u can trust, don't let him have any strange or dirty stuff. Also take meds that your baby may need that you KNOW suit him from here. You should be fine really.
oh I thought id mention, I was a bit paranoid about paki like you were & took Gerber cookies/meals etc...but it was not a problem. The pharmacies there...like dr watsons in pindi...not sure what they have in lahore...carry baby items
Thanks Afro!
My son is on Soy based formula Isomil... I doubt I will be able to get it there so I will take that with me...
someone told me that even bottled water wasnt trusted there? Is it true or is Nestle water just fine? Did you boil it or use it as it is?
I am planning to take playtex drop ins so cleanning can be easier.....
My son has acid reflux which is getting better but i dont want to take any chances you know....?
yeah i might take his baby food and cookies and stuff from here as well.... it was jsut the water i would need atleast 3-4 crates of those poland spring litre bottles and they weight a LOT :)
Did you get any vaccinations for the baby? Malaria medicine?
How was the flight? how did baby do in teh flight?... I am so concerned... thoguh I will have my family with me in the flight to help out ofcourse :)
Carp, did your doc talk to you about using bottled water for baby formula? The reason I ask is that bottled water is lacking in certain important minerals and in fluoride and I was told not to use it here in US, rather use tap water with a brita (or other brand) filter.
As far as in Pak, I'd use bottled instead of local water. If you have to use local water, make sure its boiled for a while (I think it has to boil for a minimum of 2 minutes) and perhaps bring a brita pitcher with a couple of replacement filters and all will be fine.
If baby happens to get sick (esp if diarrhea) during your visit, make sure you visit your doc when you return and ask for baby to be tested for parasites. Some, like Giardia, have symptoms that only last a few days to a week but the parasites are still there. Best to check and make sure - its a simple fecal test, nothing invasive. And is cured with a course of anti-parasitics. So not to worry.
Have a great trip!
I just read the rest of your concerns....first, if you get those dryer sheets, the ones that soften clothes as they dry in the dryer), they repel mosquitos. So you put a couple of them around baby's crib or stroller, keep a couple near the baby and mosquitos stay away - and no risk like there is with those insecticides.
On the plane, make sure baby is drinking a bottle or sucking on a binky during takeoff and landing. See if you can get the "bulkhead" seats - they have SO much floorspace.
Last, you should call your doc to ask about the vaccines.
I used bottled water available there, a good brand like Nestle. I used it as is, right from the bottle and my baby did just fine.
Make sure your vaccinations are up to date. Carry the immunization card with you and if you will be there long enough for the next shots, ask your doctor here to write up a prescription for what he should get next, over there. Most likely, he will ask you to get your baby's next set of vaccinations when you return.
I took some Infant Tyelenol and some Benedryl with me. At that age anyways you don't need to give them any other medicine. My daughter was pretty good in the flight. Slept most of the time. You may want to keep a couple of fun teethers, like the ones that vibrate, and some hand held toys to keep him busy. Airlines usually provide baby food so call them ahead of time and confirm that.
I also used Playtex drop ins. They are great. Keep the disposable liners, a few extra boxes in your suitcase. And also keep one or two extra nipples to be changed later.
On the plane, of course you'll have a diaper bag, so keep a small tin of baby formula. Make one bottle, you cannot take water in the plane so make sure you ask for water from the staff as soon as you get in the plane and keep it with you. Keep 1-2 change of clothes, lots of wipes and wash cloths, tissues and lotion, diapers etc.
I did talk to my doctor about bottled water and he said it was just fine.... now since he has started teething he was given floride multivitamin drops by doc so his teeth are well....
Thanks for the tips and Nisik thank you so much!
I am staying in dubai for couple of days so I do need a big can of formula with me in the flight :) guess his diaper bag will be huge :)
Also he is in a stage where all he wants to do is crawl or stand up holding things.... not into toys and teethers for more than 10 minutes.... thats whats scarring me the most... the flight part :)
The Nestle Pure Life should be fine in Paki. I think for the flight there, the mini tin of Baby formula should be sufficient and you can keep the huge container in your suitcase for when you get there. By the way I don't know where your flying from, but pretty much any airline in the US will not let you take liquids. Aas Niksik mentioned, you may not be able to take water on board. Hopefully the flight is on time and you board quickly & are able to ask for water etc.....but it easy if you have 1-2 bottles of formula made on hand. What I found to be wonderful was those premade 6-8 oz ready made formula bottles (both similac n enfamil have them). You can carry 2-3 bottles in your diaper bag along with the formula tin. That way if baby is hungry at an awkward moment or flight is delayed, you have milk ready to go and no worries of cleaning the feeder...etc....
As for vaccinations, my son was due for his by the time we went so his pediatrician gave him his vaccine about a week early. All you really need for him would be baby tylenol/motrin, benadryl as mentioned above. Remember all your other diaper bag essentials including rash cream. & remember paki has plenty of local and imported diaper brands like pampers so NO need to take a month's supply of those. Definitely carry a little more that you think you need on the flight.
One last thing Mamaof3 mentioned, is call the airline & request a baby seat..those are at the front. Its a pop-down make-shift bassinnet. Even if your son doesn't sleep in it, it will come in use for him to sit up & play, change him etc...and there is plenty of leg room.
As for the baby, don't worry to much, just play it by ear. All babies are hyperactive. Whenever he gets hyper, just take him for a little walk around, stand him up in your chair so he can stand n be free. Just keep one thing in mind though, the seats which have the baby bassinett....you can NOT lift the arm rests....
so if you are travelling with other family members....maybe it may be easier for you to just put baby in your lap, pick up arm rest and lay him there.
Thanks everyone!
He is uptodate on his vaccination but my doctor recommended Melarin for malaria... he went on CDC health site to check what diseases were common in the area....also recommended hepA immuno globlin but said he would be ok if I took care of what he drinks and eats and food should be homemade... nothing from outside.....
Melarin is a tablet everyday for the entire stay in Pakistan... has anyone used it? or have gotten malaria while being there in Pak?
I am interested in knowing what other guppies did when they took their babies to Pakistan. My son is 10 months old and he is totally formula fed. I have been using bottled water to prepare his formula here in US.
Should I take his water with me? Just concerned about the water not being clean in Pak, i will be staying around Lahore area...
I am staying there for a month so a month supply of water and formula would be too much luggage, but if I have to I will pay extra to take it but just want to know what did you guys do?
Thanks,
Sanna
carpdiem last year my nephew went to paksitan, even though he was really sick and was on special formula, we used bottle water in pakistan, but lahore's water is clean and better than other cities.
as we were staying there for several months, we got his formula from pakistan. HKM (h karim Bakash) has all foreigner brand of formula and baby food and is trustworthy to use.
you dont have to carry from us, just purchase from there.
if you're going to use bottled water there, then i'd get only nestle. however, when my toddler ended up with a stomach infection, i was told to boil even that by the peds. doc. btw, i hope it doesn't happen, but Allah forbid, if your baby gets sick, then the doc to go to in lahore is dr.shahid hamid. he was in the u.s. before he moved back to pakistan. i took my daughter there...he is very good.
Why do "moms" have to ghaseeta their kids to pakistan? The poor souls shouldn't be put through so much stress. Go when your kids are 8-10 years old!
so a long plane ride will scar an infant for life? I think not lol!! Its a worry for a parent to bring an infant but heck, life is the same for an infant whether its getting a diaper change and a bottle on a plane or in a living room in a house yeah? Dont see any stress for the little one here. The stress is on the mama.
BUT for the mama, when you get over there, your baby will get ALLLLLLLL kinds of love from family who will SO love that you've come to visit and show off your baby. AND you will get a little break/vacation for yourself while you are there.
YEH MUST TAKE WATER FOR UR BABY...MY COZEN WENT TO INDIA WITH HER BABY AND SHE TOOK WATER BOTTLES FROM Uk COZ IN INDIA WATER IZ NOT CLEAN ASWEL SO MUST TAKE IT FOR UR BABY AND IM SURE U MIGHT CAN GET FROM pAKISTAN BUT NOT SURE 4 DAT........:)
Why do "moms" have to ghaseeta their kids to pakistan? The poor souls shouldn't be put through so much stress. Go when your kids are 8-10 years old!
so speaks someone who obviously doesnt know much about kids!! its the "MOMS" who go through all the stress!!! I go back home once a yr, and my kids have been totally healthy and happy there (mashallah) after the parents take necessary precautions, its SO WORTH the hassle. Kids need to know their family and roots. and yes Nestle is a very reliable bottled water in Pakistan, in lahore u can get all kinds of imported baby food and formulas, from stores like H.Karim Bukhsh, Potpourri, AL-Fatah etc.
i visited last month with my 4 month baby,, what i did in pak for formula milk i boiled nastle water for formula and it was fine with my baby, and another option is you can take water filter like brita and you can filt nastle water again in filter than u can boil , my bay was fine with dat,
