Traveling to Europe!!! and I need help.....

[kelso44]

This question is for those of you who are avid travelers with your little ones. My wife and I have been on several weekend roadies with our infant (500 mi+) however, we are on to a new adventure and we need the wisdom of may of you out there.

We are traveling to Europe for 13 days in July, the little guy will be 8 months old at the time. We will be traveling to France, Switzerland, Austria, & Germany. Here are some of the questions:

He is on formula, what do we do about it over in Europe?

What is the best way to carry him for long hikes and day trips around cities? - we will have a car most of the time but that is just to get from point a to b.

Are there any certian things that we should know about these countries in regards to traveling with little dude that would be good to know?

thanks! and any other advice would be awesome!!!!

Brendan

[newbelly2002]

We moved to Germany when Dante was 5 weeks old and have traveled a fair amount since then as well.Where to start....

For getting around the city(ies) I would recommend either a back-pack carrier or an umbrella stroller. We traveled to Sicily when Dante was 9 months and used both. City traveling, a stroller works better. Beach/hiking/ruins use a backpack.

I can only speak to Germany for formula but ready to mix is hard to come by. Most grocery and drugstores will have a baby section and that is where you find the powder for the formula. Usually it's separated by age (0-8 mths, 8-12 mths, etc), so be sure to check. There are two major brands out there. We used a hypoallergenic one recommended by our pediatrician when we occasionally supplemented our nursing son.

If your child is eating solids, be aware that some of the heartier breads--while very healthy--do have nuts in them. Be sure to ask.

Baby food is readily available, and usually sold next to the formulas. Again, suggested ages are on the bottle.

Be sure to check what your insurance policy requires in terms of travel should something go awry.

The best advice I ever received when traveling with a little'un. Plan one thing for the day. Just one. If you end up being able to do more, bonus. If not, then you have acheived your goal. Trying to plan more only leads to frustration and dissapointment. We followed this advice in Sicily and had a wonderful, memorable, and positively relaxing vacation. I pass the same on to you with bets wishes for a safe and happy trip!

Paula
Mama to Dante, 8/02

[egoldber]

We took DD to France when she was 9 months old. I can't speak for other countries, but in France formula and babyfood was readily available. In fact, there were so many brands of formula it was overwhelming, far more brands than we have in the US. As for diapers, know his weight in kilograms, but Pampers and Huggies are generally readily available.

I totally agree with Paula. Umbrella stroller for the city and a backpack carrier or other carrier for the countryside.

And I totally agree with the "one thing per day" rule. :) We were traveling with my ILs at the time, and we were MISERABLE the first few days because we were trying to do and see too much. We were MUCH happier when we went to the "what ONE thing do we really want to do today" rule. You definitely have to slow down when traveling with a baby.

I think our biggest mistake was overpacking when we traveled. Its Europe and they have everything you could possibly need there.

HTH,

[newbelly2002]

Oops, Beth, was it you that said that? I thought it might have been...then again, you've passed along such amazing advice so often that I kind of attribute all advice to you. :)

Paula
Mama to Dante, 8/02

[egoldber]

LOL! It may have been. Who knows? :)

[emilyf]

We took ds to London, and the other posters had great advice, just wanted to add make sure you get a passport! My cousin didn't realize she needed one for her daughter until the very last minute.
Emily \r\nmom of Charlie born 11/02

[RwnMayfair]

Formula is readily available in Austria as well. Taran is exclusively breastfed, so I don't know much about exactly what's available, but I do know several expats in Vienna who buy it locally. It's generally found at the grocery stores in the same aisle with the baby food, though the diapers are sometimes found in a totally different aisle. ;) Luckily, it's almost always labeled in English as well as German (and frequently a few other languages as well), in case you don't speak German. Some of the diapers do list their weight range in pounds, but not all do so it helps to know his weight in kilograms as well.

You will need a passport for your son, as silly as it sounds. ;) (Taran's is rather cute, though he's no longer going to look like the picture in it long before it expires.)

I don't know where you're planning on going in Austria, but in Vienna the common quip is, "The Viennese like their dogs better than their children." They themselves will say this. It is true for a lot of people there - you can take your dog almost anywhere, but people will look at you in horror if you take your child some places. However, this isn't usually as much of a problem in the areas popular with tourists. It also is only really something peculiar to Vienna, not all of Austria. :) (Vienna is a lovely city though, and nice to play tourist in, though I can't say we enjoyed actually living there full-time.)

If you take a stroller, I would suggest something not too heavy, or you'll be kicking yourself if you're on public transportation too much. (Again, I'm mainly speaking for Vienna, so this probably won't apply in some other cities.) In Vienna, there are places specifically for strollers on the trams, subways, and buses, but the trams and local trains have steps you have to lug things up and down. Luckily, a stroller is relatively easy to get on and off of the subways and buses. Also, many of the stores (at least in Austria) close earlier than most people are used to in the States, usually around 5 to 7PM. (The restaurants are of course open late, so you can still eat later.) The stores at gas stations are frequently open later, but they also tend to be a fair amount more expensive than the "regular" stores.

That's all I can think of off the top of my head, I'll have to ask my husband and see if he's got anything he thinks is important. :)

-Melissa

Taran Reed - Nov, 20, 2003

[Lucia]

We live in Japan and have done quite a bit of traveling with our little guy since he turned two months (he is now 15months old). I agree with the previous posts about keeping your activities pretty limited.

The one thing that has been a big help to us is a combination back pack stroller. We bought and love the Kelty combination carrier. It is lightweight, very easy to use, and very functional. After taking a few trips with both a stroller and a backpack, we finally made this purchase and it has really made our trips easier! Here is a link for the Kelty we have:

http://store.babycenter.com/product/gear/carriers_and_backpacks/2219

I also recently saw a similar item on the babystyle website and it is much cheaper, but I have never seen in real life so I can't comment on the quality.

http://www.babystyle.com/common/dProductFrame.asp?DepartmentID=36&CategoryID=26&SubCategoryID=127&ClassID=68

Good luck and have a great trip!
Lucia
mom to Noah 2/2003

[kelso44]

WOW!!! it is great to hear of the travels of other parents with their rugrats!!!

All of your advice is awesome - it is very good to know about the formula status, viennese people, and the passport

and the combo stroller we just saw yesterday - it looks incredible!!!

gonna test drive one this weekend.

any more advice would be well appreciated - we are going on a 2 week cruise to start the entire trip off and we understand they have formula ready their too.....

as for our travel plans.....

cruis to paris to interlaken to bavaria to salzburg to vienna to munich to NY to California

thanks for all of your help!

Brendan

[american_mama]

I live in Belgium with my 2 year old. Just to concur with others advice, formula is also sold in a pharmacies, which are closed weekends. You will need a voltage converter AND plug adaptor if you use an electronic bottle warmer from the US in Europe. Bring vinyl bibs for easy washing and drying. Diaper changing stations are rare in Belgium, but more common in Germany; still, be prepared to change your son in his stroller or on the bathroom floor. Bring a big waterproof, padded changing pad. Does your son sit well in a highchair? They are fairly common in restaurants here, but often not super soft or reclining.

Europe is not as stroller/handicapped friendly as the US, so you will be lifting your stroller a lot more, so lightweight is good. BUT you will also be carrying a lot more stuff, spending all day touring with son in stroller, and facing some cobblestone streets, so big air tires, reclining seats, and big baskets are also good, and those can be mutually exclusive with lightweight. You'll have to make your choice, and know that if you choose the opposite, it too would have drawbacks.

I had good success recently planning a morning AND afternoon sightseeing activity with my daughter, but still, modest expectations are best. There can be a pleasure in going slower, not forcing yourself to do more, sitting and watching while baby eats, and watching people interact with your baby. There are rewards to traveling with a child. It's fascinating to see how the universal experience of child-rearing is conducted so very differently in different countries. Enjoy!

[kelso44]

I just want to thank all who have helped me with planning this part of our trip. You have released a lot of anxiety in me.

thanks so much!!!