Expats Helping Expats: Preparing for Baby's First Move Abroad

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Being a first-time mom I had no idea what I needed to prepare for and Lord knows there’s no Amazon Prime out here. But more than compiling lists, this community has encouraged me to be the momma and adventurer that I am. Here I have compiled the various lists of supplies, as well as the notes of encouragement that I was given, as a resource for women that are starting out on an expat-baby adventure of their own.

If your baby had a passport before it was a month old, you probably have an expat baby. Expat babies, also known as third culture kids or TCKs, are a rare breed—they will have some of the most unique experiences that they will never even remember.

I gave birth this fall to a little girl in the United States, and we brought her back to Ethiopia when she was just eight weeks old. I felt so sorry for our tiny little girl. We pulled her out of the comfort of America, and flew all the way across the ocean—far away from her grandparents—then traipsed through smelly-chaotic airports, climbed in-and-out of beaten up cabs, all just to get to our dusty home in Mekelle, Ethiopia. The remarkable thing is that she didn’t even seem to notice the smell, the dirt, or the chaos. She didn’t think anything of the mosquitos and the foreign conditions around her. She just kept on smiling as if to say, “everything is okay, as long as we are together.”

All of the women in this Taking Route community were so helpful in “making a list and checking it twice” for what I needed to bring with me back to Ethiopia for our little nugget. Being a first-time mom I had no idea what I needed to prepare for and Lord knows there’s no Amazon Prime out here. But more than compiling lists, this community has encouraged me to be the momma and adventurer that I am. Here I have compiled the various lists of supplies, as well as the notes of encouragement that I was given, as a resource for women that are starting out on an expat-baby adventure of their own.

What Do I Need for My Medicine Cabinet?

What else should I take for my baby? (If there is room in my suitcase!):

You might also be asking, “what kind of supplies am I going to need overseas with a baby?” I am now realizing that there is very little that a baby actually needs besides love, food, clean diapers and somewhere safe to sleep. If you have that covered, you are golden. Most of the other baby items might seem to be of life-or-death importance for a few weeks, but you will survive, and then your baby will be on to the next critical item they “need” to survive. I don’t have all of the stuff on this list—mostly because I didn’t have enough room in my suitcase and I am penny pincher. You just have to decide what is important to you!

Things I Have Made Do With Here in My Host Country:

  • Baby Backpack—my baby actually likes the traditional Ethiopian way of being carried on my back, more than the Ergobaby pack. But I like the Ergobaby for hiking.

  • Crib & Changing Table—We actually had a carpenter make a crib and changing table for us. To this day I don’t think the carpenter was clear about what a changing table actually is. Make sure to look up the typical safe dimensions of spaces between the rails of the crib—which is important so the baby doesn’t get their limbs caught.

  • Wipes—I cut up a piece of fleece and dip it in water. I have wipes on hand for travel and in the middle of the night when I am delirious.

Tips for That Long International Flight (Thanks to all the ladies who contributed these tips!):

  • Nurse while the plane is taking off.

  • Book the bulkhead seat with a bassinet.

  • Remember to take care of yourself on the flight—postpartum mothers can be prone to blood clots, so walk around and hydrate, hydrate, hydrate.

  • Go easy on yourself. This is not just a new experience for your baby but also for you!

  • If you are traveling with someone, have them sit in between you and a stranger so you can easily whip out the boob and nurse. Nurse if you can, as bottles can be harder to use on planes.

  • Take your water bottle back to the flight crew and ask them to fill that puppy up!

  • Get to the airport very early for check-in.

  • Introduce your baby to the people around her on the plane—people will be more friendly if she is crying.

  • Keep calm and your baby will be calm.

You’ve got this expat momma!
Here are words of encouragement from those who have done this before:

“…God decides what is going to happen according to His weaving all things together for good. All I can do is be as responsible as I can be for our situation (know what hospital to go to in case of an emergency, arrange for a local friend who can help, know how to help a choking baby, have a “Where There is No Doctor” book or access to Google, etc.) And then just rest in [the thought] that God is sovereign, even if the worst happens. Talk to Him about it and try not to feel judged by well-meaning people in America who may view any risk as irresponsible.” —Vanessa

“Bottom line: no matter where we raise them, there WILL be challenges. I, too, think it takes a lot of asking for wisdom for our specific situation.” —Ashley

“Your ‘nest’ is the perfect spot for what God may desire to do. Your children are absolutely His responsibility, too. Keep looking for the benefits & awesome rewards & perks of raising kids in Africa…” —Melissa

“The more we talk about our irrational fears and bring them in to the light, the more we can see them for what they are… It also helps to try and find other moms in your area that you can connect with. Where I live in Ghana, we have a baby group for expat moms. Every week someone takes a turn hosting and we all just show up for tea and coffee, let the babies play, and talk about everything and nothing.” —Ladonna

“There are difficulties, dangers, and challenges everywhere, though some places definitely have more than their fair share!” —Kristy

“Draw yourself some red lines [with your kids]. We didn’t allow the kids to ride on the backs of motorcycle taxis until they were old enough to hold on by themselves. We were really particular about letting our kids drink unfiltered water. But we decided that we’d let the kids eat street food because it’s delicious and also because how better to get to know the culture where we’re living?” – Theresa

“Being a first time mom in Haiti… I found that I had to quit reading parenting books, blogs, and forums. I was going crazy with all the conflicting advice. I decided I would just do what felt natural to me and ask a limited number of people for advice.” —Britney

Thank you to everyone that contributed. If there are products or encouragement you would like to add, please comment below and we will add it.

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Series, Travel & Moving, New ExpatElizabeth Spencerbaby, expat helping expats, moving abroad, parenting, tcks, third culture kids6 Comments