Traveling to Europe with 11 Month Old

If you can travel at night she'll be able to sleep probably the whole way there.
We just went to london over Christmas but my son is a teen and we went at night so they are tired and sleep rather than be bored.
I believe it will work better for you at night.
Good luck and have a great trip
C.

Purchase several new small toys, books, etc., and hide them in a separate carry-on bag. Whenever the moment arises, pull one out of the bag & give it to her - it should keep her occupied for a while and help pass those hours on the plane by quicker. Buy enough for the trip there and back. Make sure to have her run around a TON in the airport before you board, because she won't be able to once you're on the plane. I made sure to walk my child up and down the aisles of the plane periodically (when the flight attendants weren't serving), which seemed to help with "cabin fever". Pack any and all medicines, fever reducers, extra clothes for her AND you (we've had diapers leak on us & have been thrown up on). Ask for little pillows and blankets as soon as you get on the plane, sometimes they run out and that's something you'll definitely want. If you bring toys, make sure they have a volume control or an off switch. That said, we gave my child several bendy straws and that kept her busy for hours. Good luck!

We have flown many times with our little guy who is now 16 months old. Here is some advice I have to give:

1) Bring your good stroller (Sorry but I don't think it was a very practical suggestion from the mother who said to ditch the stroller. Traveling with an 11 month-old is VERY different than traveling with a 2 month-old) - it might be a little heavier and bulkier than the umbrella stroller, but you will want it when you are walking in the airport or when you arrive in Europe...it will give you the storage you need for your bags, let the little one sleep in there (I'm assuming yours reclines), and if you have a treat tray, even better for snacks or meals on the go. Not applicable so much now, but during the summer months for traveling, the bigger strollers have better sun shades, too.
2) Purchase earplugs. Walgreen's sells these for pretty cheap - they come in a clear plastic case, and the ones we've used are bright orange - they are waxy and moldable -you break them in half and use 1/2 in each ear. These are a MUST if you guys want to stay up late with the wedding party or have later dinners after the little one goes to sleep. When we travel, we always get him to sleep, put the earplugs in, get him cozy and recline the stroller, and we're good to go. Make sure you remove the earplugs at the end of the night when you transfer her to bed though, so she doesn't find them in the morning and try to taste them!
3) If your baby has seen/likes any movies like Baby Einstein, you can purchase a tiny portable DVD player and take it on the plane. This has been a godsend for us when he's tired of the trip - chills him right out for about 20 minutes, then we can read more books or play with toys some more.
4) Stash some plastic bags in your diaper bag for diaper changes you might need to make on the plane, and just to have a little trash space.
5) Make SURE you have something to drink and/or a pacifier ready to go for take-off and descending. Their little ears can hurt them miserably, and the sucking motion will help relieve that pressure.
6) Don't forget the wooby, fave toys, or anything else your baby can't live without. Try to stagger letting her see the toys you brought so it keeps things fresh and interesting for her. My little guy loves having sets of things, so I always travel with little stackable colorful cups or baby spoons. These are fun to count, chew on, and countless other imaginative games!

Best of luck and have a great time!!

I think a lot of traveling with young ones is about attitude. Understand you can't pack your days with activities the same way you would if it was just adults. There needs to be time for naps and lounging, etc. The same common sense about what your baby/toddler can put up with here applies overseas (no 8 hour stints in a museum, etc.) There are *wonderful* things about traveling with a baby. We took our daughter to Japan when she was 7 months old, I wouldn't trade that experience for anything. People we so kind to us, always stopping to admire and play with the baby.

One specific item we found very helpful--we took her favorite little blanket with us on the plane, it really helped her relax. And we walked her *a lot* on the plane so she'd stay calm and so our fellow passengers wouldn't hate us!

J.,

I am heading to Ireland for the 3rd time next month with my 9 month old and my advice is to stay relaxed, what will be will be. I have had no problems outside of a little tired but he was great. A little Tylenol before we board and ENJOY. I think too many peopple get stressed by it and it can ruin your trip so try to enjoy.

Definitely take a pacifier with you... without it the take-off and landing will make her ears pop and it hurts an awful lot. The pacifier will ease that, or even get rid of it altogether. It also helps with motion sickness.

hello! i'm mom to two girls, 4 and 1 and we moved to london from chicago 3 years ago and are now back. so, i have had a lot of experience going back and forth between the u.s. and europe with little ones. my best advice is to try to immediately change to the new time zone as best you can. that said, it is very hard to do. i do whatever i can to keep my kids awake long enough so they won't be up and 4 in the morning and then will wake them in the morning even if they're exhausted to get them adjusted. i just do whatever i can to go immediately into the new time zone with sleep and meals. it is very hard to do and usually takes about a day for each hour of time difference until they are normal again! good luck!!!

Yay!!! That is great that you are taking your daughter to Europe! From the time our little guy was 6 weeks old, we had him on airplanes all over the US, and he's almost always been really good! He went to London and Whistler when he was 15 months old, and since has flown to Hawaii, Turkey, Greece, and Cabo, and he's now 2 1/2! So it can definitely be done - and we find that we enjoy ourselves so much having him with us. The nice things about European flights is that is will likely be an overnight flight one way, which is easy. Then we just bring all sorts of quiet games and books to entertain him. I actually find that our little guy is well behaved, because he loves the constant attention from us. You might not get a nap in, but at least everyone will be happy! We've downloaded a few movies onto my husband's computer/my ipod for emergency situations, but otherwise, we love to use sticker books, coloring books, puppets, reading, etc. Plus on the big planes, each seat has a TV screen, which provides tons of entertainment when the baby is ready for a distraction! Good luck and I'm sure it's going to be wonderful!

Hi J.,
I love what Abby H had to say below.... My 4-1/2 year old has been traveling with us to Ecuador about twice a year since he was about 18 months old. When he was free to fly, we flew first class for the extra room and attention. Now we'll be flying there again with my 1-year old and the 4-1/2 year old so I had to remember all these things for myself. When the 4-1/2 year old was 18 months, he actually was easily entertained by the surroundings of the airport and once we were on the plane, he spent the first 30 minutes just checking everything out before we had to start with the small toys... buy new ones that she has never seen before and mix with her favorites. When the toys weren't enough and he wasn't ready to sleep, we had a bunch of Baby Einstein videos ready with a FULLY CHARGED DVD player. (once we had to recharge in the terminal while we were on our layover in Miami airport) Unfortunately, if you get flight attendants who don't have kids of their own or have a good repoir with children, they can insist the child wear headphones and any kid under the age of 3 really won't wear them. Keep the volume low and check with those around you to be sure that the noise level isn't bothering them. I doubt they will mind listening to Bach or Mozart instead of a screaming baby. Stroller is an absolute must! If you have a lightweight one with at least some storage and a good sun visor you'll be fine. Bring lots of her favorite snacks too. Formula heating on the go can be an issue if you aren't prepared (unless you are still breastfeeding then no worries) If you don't have one, buy a plastic travel powder formula container, mine is made by Munchkin and I bought at Target. It has 3 separate spaces for the powder for 3 bottles. You can fill the bottles with warm water and mix it up when she's hungry and refil when needed. Make sure to also have an extra change of clothes for her everywhere you go like footie pjs so she's comfy. I agree with alot of other people's suggestions so read them all and take what you can from them. Have fun and enjoy your adventure!
J.

We traveled to Europe every year with our now 3 year old since she was 6 months. I recommend a medium stroller (we have one from One Step Ahead that we love). It's not too heavy or bulky but gives you more than an umbrella stroller. Definitey take a stroller! Also, if she won't be on your lap (ie in her own seat) and you want to bring the car seat on the plane with you, I really recommend the go go babyz product that converts a car seat into a stroller for traveling. That way you can use it as a stroller at the airport. Otherwise you have to check it in. Other tips... Give her a few nights to get over the jetlag, so don't plan too much for the first few days. Make sure to have little books and toys to occupy her during flights and car ride. Otherwise, just stay calm!

R.

Request bulk head seating so that you can have the bassinet installed. Pack less- kids do not need all the toys for entertainment. Agree about the stroller- you can bring it right up to the gate for check in. Don't worry about heating up formula. They survive with cold or room temperature water (you are just making it more difficult for yourself.). You are most likely on an overnight flight (?) so should not need to worry about a DVD player (we didn't stick ours in front of a tv or dvd player at that age- it's not recommended by the doctors). Make sure you feed (breast or bottle) during take off or landing (helps with ears!). If you are not bringing a car seat (purchasing an extra ticket), I recommend the sling (and bassinet request). It's nice to have your hands free and know the baby is attached to you (if they are not sleeping in the bassinet). The diaper changing stations are in the lavatories on the airplane. It's tight- but works. As far as adjusting to the local time zone- if you are there less than 2 weeks- don't bother. Enjoy the experience- a lot of times the kid sleeps in the stroller as you explore. You may have to take one day on, one day off (he'll/she'll let you know their needs). Europe has been having babies for a long time. They have formula (nestle), diapers, wipes, etc. Don't worry about having to travel with everything- just make sure you have enough for a couple of days. And, as my husband says, make sure you have a spare $50 bucks to buy rounds for passengers sitting around you ( in case they need it). We've never actually had to do that. DON'T stress out about the kid crying! It happens. Our 2 year old has been to 3 countries and 15 states (including Hawaii) via airplane, train, bus, car. As he got older, it tended to get a little more difficult to do such long stretches at a time. That's when we started traveling with the DVD player and a couple of books.

We took our son to Germany and Austria when he was 2 months old. This is much younger, but our trip went without a hitch, and I think there are some good things we did. Here they are:
1. Ditch the stroller and take a sling carrier (ergo or whatever you're comfortable with). Also, make sure you use it plenty BEFORE you go so that your girl is used to it by the time you go.
2. Plan on only using public transportation (buses, trains etc) so you never need to mess with car seats.
3. Don't plan too much in any given day.
4. We found that diapers etc were not much more expensive in Germany than they are here, and I would assume the same for Paris, but don't count on finding what you want in Prague. Make sure you take or buy enough for that part of the trip. Also, we didn't like the wipes they had - just bring a big pack with you.
5. Easiest if you can "base camp". Rent a small apartment instead of dealing with hotel rooms. You can usually rent these places by the week and they're usually cheaper than hotels anyway. It gives you more flexibility and space, plus you can cook some of your own meals if you want. This worked GREAT for us when we were in Munich.
6. Plan on doing laundry while you're there. Bring some woolite and a clothes line (you can buy travel ones at travel stores) and hand-wash your underwear, socks, etc each night. We traveled for 2 weeks and I basically had 3 short-sleaved shirts, 1 light jacket, 3 pairs of socks, 3 pairs of underwear, 1 skirt, 1 pair of shorts, and 1 pair of pants. That's it. See the light travel tips at www.onebag.com.
7. If you pack light you can probably get away with only 1 bag for the three of you. Bring a couple extra (empty) backpacks so that if you buy stuff while you're there you can easily transport it back home.

Have fun!!!