Here is my Adoption Packing List

This is the list of what i took to China in November 2004. Since I am writing this retrospectively, I can include my comments as to whether I made good decisions or not. We traveled in November and were in Beijing, Nanchang & Guangzhou. Temps is Beijing were 45-55 degrees. Nanchang temps were 80-60 degrees. Guangzhou was 75-88 degrees.

Clothing for Mommy
1 pair of jeans
2 sweatpants (I wore one pair on the plane, so technically not packed)
4 t-shirts all dark colors
1 long sleeve t shirt
7 pairs of socks
7 underwear (i bought disposable underwear that you can rinse out & dry overnight & then throw away after a second wearing).
3 bras (I wore one on the plane, so technically not packed)
1 sweatshirt jacket
1 lightweight jacket
1 pair of sneakers (wore on the plane, so not packed)

Clothing for Daddy
1 pair of jeans
2 sweatpants (Wore one on the plane)
5 shirts
1 sweatshirt
1 jacket
7 socks
7 underwear
1 pair sneakers (wore on the plane, so not actually packed)

Clothing for baby
5 onesies
7 pairs of socks
3 shirts
3 pants
4 sleep outfits
1 jacket

Baby apparatus
Baby carrier
2 baby blankets
1 hair brush - turned out to be her favorite "toy"
1 pack of Pampers
2 cans powdered baby formula
4 baby bottles
1 bottle brush
palmolive wipes (to wash baby bottles)
plastic bowl
plastic spoons
baby shampoo wipes (not liquid, just add water to the wipe and it gets soapy)
baby powder
3 packs baby wipes (80 count) just the refill packs. These doubled as toilet paper when we were out on the town
1 bottle hand sanitizer
Thermos for making baby formula
funnel for pouring hot water - you need this!
zippy bag of cheerios
1 pack of goldfish
4 jars of baby prunes - she didn't need these, but I gave them to other parents who needed it
baby tylenol
baby mylicon drops
baby laxative
powdered pedialyte
scented diaper disposal bags - these were well worth bringing!
Cortisone cream
stacking cups - great toy
beachball - okay, but wouldn't bring

Other stuff we Brought
Digital Camera + one extra battery
Regular camera - Would not bring since I rarely used it
film - leave at home
Video camera + one extra batter
Video tapes - brought 3 and gave one to someone who ran out
tripod - never used it, but lugged it all around China
tablecloth - was supposed to be used to let the baby crawl around on the floor in the hotel room, but we never used it. Would not bring again
disposable toothbrushes that required no water. You cannot drink the water in China, so I thought these would work well as they work with your own saliva. I never felt like my mouth was clean. I would bring a toothbrush and use bottled water.
Journal - I did write in this nearly every day and am happy that I took it.
2 pens
plastic zippy bags - I brought sandwich bags and gallon sized bags. These were used every day to store opened boxes of crackers or Goldfish etc or take along snacks for the baby.
adult cold medicine
duct tape - didn't need it, but would bring again just in case.
diaper bag


What I will be sure to take next time
White Out. We all needed it when doing paperwork and only one of us had any.

Instead of beachball, I would bring some balloons. My daughter loved the balloon someone at the hotel gave to her and it was smaller than a beachball so she could handle it easier.

Baby Motrin.

Adult cold medicine. I would bring 2 boxes

Antibiotics. We were all sick in China and the mediciine there is not the same.

One pair of shorts for mommy & daddy because we were sweating some days

Hair bows or some such cute things for the baby. I didn't bring them and then i saw all other babies who had them in their hair and they looked so cute and I wish i had them too.