A baby emergency kit adds to the family emergency bag everything that general lists forget: what you need to feed, change and care for your child for 72 hours. The French authorities recommend being able to manage for three days without outside help. With a newborn, food is the first thing to plan for.
A long power cut, a storm, a flood or a sudden evacuation: these situations are rare, but they always catch you off guard. With a baby, just a few hours without hot water or a fridge are enough to make the day difficult. Here is the list to prepare, and how to keep it up to date.
Why prepare a baby emergency kit?
The French government points out that the first 72 hours of a crisis are often the hardest. The emergency kit helps you stay self-sufficient during that time, at home or if you have to leave in a hurry.
In November 2025, the French General Secretariat for Defence and National Security (SGDSN, Secrétariat général de la défense et de la sécurité nationale) published the guide “Tous responsables”. Distributed nationwide, it is aimed at everyone in France. One of its sections answers a simple question: what should go in an emergency kit?
Babies need particular attention. British Columbia’s public health service (HealthLinkBC) stresses that their immune system is still developing, which makes them more vulnerable to illness. Doubtful water or a poorly cleaned bottle matters more for them.
The basics: the whole family’s emergency kit
The official French list, published on the government website, includes:
- a battery-powered radio, with spare batteries;
- bottled drinking water, allowing 6 litres per person;
- non-perishable food that needs no cooking, including jars of baby food;
- medicines and a first aid kit;
- a torch with spare batteries, candles, a lighter or matches;
- warm clothes and a space blanket;
- a phone charger, a spare pair of glasses and some cash;
- photocopies of essential documents in a waterproof pouch;
- spare keys for the house and the car;
- games to pass the time.
Jars of baby food are the only item specific to babies. The rest of the baby equipment is up to you to add, depending on your child’s age and how they are fed.
Feeding your baby in an emergency
HealthLinkBC advises having enough to feed your baby for at least 3 to 7 days. That is more than the 72 hours of the general list, because a baby cannot skip a meal or make do with a cold dish.
If your baby is breastfed
Breastfeeding is the safest way to feed a baby in an emergency, according to HealthLinkBC. It needs no drinking water, no clean equipment and no electricity. Breast milk also contains antibodies that protect your child against certain infections.
Still, pack some breast pads and hand sanitiser. If you express milk, a manual breast pump can still be used during a power cut. For an electric model, take all the parts, the cable and batteries. Our comparison manual or electric breast pump covers both options in detail.
If your baby drinks formula
Ready-to-feed formula in single portions is the safest option in an emergency, says HealthLinkBC. It needs no drinking water and no preparation equipment. With powdered formula, you need to add:
- bottled water, both for making up feeds and for cleaning;
- bottles and teats, or disposable cups;
- a measuring cup;
- washing-up liquid and bleach to disinfect the equipment;
- a way to boil water, used outdoors only.
Disposable cups help out when there is no clean water to wash the bottles. The choice of water matters too: our article on which water to use for baby bottles sets out the official rules. To carry milk and water, our guide to bottle feeding on the go gives the time limits to follow.
If your baby already eats solids
Jars of baby food, fruit purée pouches and baby cereal complete the supplies. Choose what your child already knows: a crisis is not the time to try a new food.
Changing, caring and comforting
The official list does not mention nappy changing. For three days, allow plenty of:
- nappies in the right size, in sufficient quantity;
- wipes or cotton pads and a small dedicated supply of water;
- a nappy cream and bags for dirty nappies;
- two or three changes of clothes, a hat and a blanket;
- their comforter or a familiar object, and a small quiet toy.
Your baby’s medicines
Put a thermometer and your child’s usual treatments in the kit, with their prescriptions. If you include paediatric paracetamol, keep the dosing syringe with the bottle. Our article on the paracetamol dose for babies explains that the dose depends on weight.
Documents
The official list recommends photocopies of essential documents, such as ID cards and prescriptions. For a baby, it is useful to add a copy of the family record book (the French “livret de famille”) and the vaccination pages of the child’s health record. A recent photo of your child can also help if you become separated.
What to avoid during a power cut
HealthLinkBC is clear: a camping stove must never be used indoors. Fuel-burning appliances in a closed room expose you to carbon monoxide, an invisible and odourless gas. Our article on carbon monoxide and babies sets out the right steps.
Also keep everyday home safety in mind. The candles and matches in the kit must stay out of reach, like any other dangerous objects. Our guide to babyproofing your home goes through the risk areas.
Where to store the kit and how to keep it up to date
Keep the kit in a bag that is easy to grab, near the exit or in an accessible cupboard. Everyone at home should know where it is. A rucksack leaves your hands free to carry your child.
Babies grow fast, and their kit has to keep up. HealthLinkBC advises checking it every month and replacing products that are nearing their expiry date. In practice, at each check:
- move up to the next nappy size if needed;
- adapt the clothes to the season and to your child’s size;
- replace formula and baby food jars that are nearing their use-by date;
- update treatments and prescriptions;
- check the batteries in the torch and the radio.
To avoid waste, use products close to their date in everyday life and replace them straight away. That way the kit stays up to date without buying everything twice.
Key takeaways
- The baby emergency kit adds to the family kit recommended by the authorities to last 72 hours.
- Plan enough to feed your baby for at least 3 to 7 days, according to HealthLinkBC.
- Breastfeeding remains the safest way to feed your baby; failing that, ready-to-feed formula in single portions.
- Add changing supplies, usual medicines, a thermometer and copies of your child’s documents.
- Check the kit every month, and never use a camping stove indoors.
Sources
- Gouvernement, “Se préparer à une situation d'urgence”, info.gouv.fr, published 12 May 2023, updated 22 September 2023.
- SGDSN, guide “Tous responsables”, presented by the French Ministry for Ecological Transition (ministère de la Transition écologique), 20 November 2025.
- HealthLinkBC, “Nourrir votre bébé : se préparer aux situations d'urgence”, HealthLinkBC File No. 69l, June 2025.
