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Does she need formula? From what I understand formula in china is not trusted.

I am an expat in Asia, I would get her Western branded baby toiletries like natural baby wash shampoo or lotion, baby tylenol, snot sucker, triple paste rash cream. or sunscreen. Baby over the counter meds in general are Often appreciated. Carter's footed sleepers and halo sleep sacks are hard to get here or expensive so I am always looking for those too. Check whether she is shipping a container or just suitcases, as that will make a difference on what size items to get as well.

@gracecat: I agree about checking to see if she is taking suitcases or gets a shipping container. We are expats in Europe and got a container when we moved, so we didn't have to be nearly as careful about packing. If she is just taking suitcases, I would just give something very small.

Personally, I would give her a card right now and tell her you're shipping a gift (or just do it). I don't know how seasoned a traveler she is but I think just about everyone gets a little overwhelmed and lovely at first in a new country. A gift package with some practical baby things and maybe a few little things for the new parents and older sibling might be way more exciting then getting a gift now that she just has to worry about packing.

I lived in Beijing for 1.5 years. We just left 3 months ago. I agree with the others who said find out if she is moving with a shipping container or just suitcases. We moved there with a large shipping container so I stocked up on everything...wipes, diapers in current size and larger sizes, diaper rash cream, formula, soap, lotion... basically everything. Also, even though we had a container, it took over a month to arrive and clear customs, so I also made sure we brought essentials in my suitcases. Many imported items are available in China, especially in Beijing and Shanghai but it's at least triple the price you would normally pay. Also, if she is loyal to certain brands, the stores may not carry it. A lot of the imported items are from Europe like Hipp Formula from Germany. Baby clothes are expensive because there is no Target or stores like that. Many of the stores are brand name stores like Jacadi. There are stores like GAP, Zara, and H&M but more expensive than in the States. Plus, also keep in mind, if she is moving with just suitcases, things like soap, lotion, formula are all very heavy.

As for mailing a package to her, make sure you print out her address in Chinese and put it on the package somewhere. We've also missed a couple of packages. I don't know what happened to them but we never received them.