Long weekends with a baby require a particular kind of packing. You want to bring enough that bedtime feels familiar, but not so much that your car looks like you are moving. The list below is what we have learned to bring, and what we have learned to leave behind.

Sleep, the first priority

A familiar sleep set up makes a new room feel safe. Bring your Sleep Bag in the appropriate TOG for the season, a 0.5 TOG for warm summer nights at most cottages. Pack a crib sheet from home, the smell of the laundry detergent alone helps babies settle. A couple of swaddles work as light blankets, sunshades for car naps, or a quick layer over a pack and play.

Dressing for cottage weather

Pack in pairs. One swim outfit and one dry outfit for each day, plus one extra. Lake days mean wet feet, sandy bottoms, and at least one outfit change you did not plan for.

• Two swim pieces per kid, ideally one long sleeve and one short sleeve so they can rotate while one dries

• A bucket hat that lives in the bag

• A light cardigan or sweatshirt for evenings on the dock

• Pajamas in cotton, lake nights can swing cool

Bath and bedtime

A hooded towel or poncho does double duty as a beach cover up and a post bath wrap. Bring your usual baby wash and a small bottle of lotion, especially if the cottage has well water that can be drying on skin.

On the go essentials

Pack your Convertible Diaper Bag inside a Weekender Bag to save trunk space. Keep a changing pad accessible for stops on the drive. A Mini Pouch for medications, thermometer, and infant Tylenol lives in the front seat.

What we no longer pack

A full bottle of every toy. Cottages have lakes, sticks, rocks, and a thousand other things a toddler would rather hold than a plastic truck. Bring one beloved lovey, a small stack of books, and a few buckets and shovels. Less is more.

What we always pack

• Their own sleep set up

• Twice the swim you think you need

• A first aid kit

• Mineral sunscreen and bug spray, plus an after sun balm

• Coffee for you, ideally pre ground

A cottage weekend with a baby is rarely restful, but it can be magical. The right packing makes the difference between magical and miserable.