Biscotti -

When we were in Rome in 2003 with my niece at 6 months I do not remember any trouble with an umbrella stroller in museums. Just make sure you bring one that folds up nice and small and is not too valuable. I have a couple strollers with bent axles from airlines.

I thought a little more about your baby food dilema. I think you should bring 5 or 10 jars and buy a familiar flavors in Italy. Looking back at my experience my daughter would not eat the baby food I brought because it was not famiilar to her. I always made homemade or mashed up what ever veggies my husband and I were having for dinner. She loved all of the fresh fruit in Grand Cayman. So I guess the moral of the story is familiarity works for babies. They do have cheerios over there so that should not be a problem.

Congrats on baby two.

Congrats on

I have a 3 year old and a 9 month old, and we went to Italy in April.

I would definitely buy baby food there. Yes, they do have lamb, rabbit and veal flavored food, but they also have standard apple, pear, blueberry, apricot, etc. Plus, you can always buy bananas and just feed those to your baby. Same with oatmeal, etc.

I'd ditch the baby tub. Just give him a bath either in the kitchen sink or with you.

Also, I'm not sure where you are staying, but everywhere we have stayed in Europe (apartments and villas included) has provided a baby cot if asked. I bring our own blanket so that baby has a familar item, but no way no how would I lug our own PnP around.

I have an Ergo, which is great. We bring it everywhere we go. We also have a MacLaren that goes everywhere. I don't know about the Kelty, but I'm pretty minimalist with baby gear. The stroller does get to be a pain, especially in Venice where you are constantly going up stairs and footbridges. I'd leave the stroller at the hotel that day and just wear the baby. The Ergo is the only carrier I've found that doesn't kill my back (and I've tried dozens).

Have a great trip! Italians LOVE babies, so you will enjoy lots of attention while you are there!

biscotti and her gang have already left for Italy :-)

The above thought is smart and doesn’t require any further addition. It’s perfect thought from my side.
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mayes
http://www.babygear365.com

I used this stream to help me pack for our recent trip to England and Paris with our 9-month old. EXTREMELY helpful. Wanted to add a couple things I figured out for those who will also use this list.
1. Baby food ended up being difficult to find, actually. I had some freeze-dried food from Babies R Us that tided him over, but then I had to switch to adult apple sauce. That's all I found, and we looked in various towns in numerous grocery stores. The apple sauce was just fine, but I'd have taken more freeze-dried food, to which you add water, had I realized.
2. You don't need a baby bed. All the places we stayed had baby cots, but there were a few places in were too small for one. Nothing would have fit, so be prepared to sleep with babe.
3. Need a few blankets for floor time!!
4. We did laundry twice during our two weeks, but I would rather have splurged and had the hotels do it for us. Waiting at the laundromat is too long to sit with babe and wait for clothes to dry.
4. Diapers and wipes are EASILY purchased and sizing is similar, so only take enough for a few days and then buy the rest. Take formula, however.
5. Definitely need bottle brushes and bottle soap!
6. A baby bath nor high chair are necessary, though there are baby bath slings that parent can wear. Really helpful to shower securely with that slippery babe. All places had high chairs.
7. For rainy locales, buy a rain cover for the stroller. We didn't know they existed, but I wish we'd had one. All Parisian and English moms I saw had one.
8. DEFINITELY take an umbrella stroller and a baby carrier, like the Ergo. Will need both, depending on what you're doing.
9. Expect to eat a number of meals in the room. This will not be a vacation of fine dining. Europeans eat very late, and our babe was ready for bed by 7 each night. We did a lot of picnics in the hotel from the grocery store--cheese, crackers, apples, etc.
10. Look for airport play areas and parks that have great grassy areas for some play time. The Heathrow airport has a lovely play area with staffing! It was a Godsend with our 9 hr flight.
11. Pack lightly for yourself, so you have enough space for baby things.