Traveling pregnant w/toddler
 

Any suggestions on where to spend a week in September at 7 months pregnant, with husband, 19-month old daughter, and au pair? We live in Washington DC and would like to rent a 2-bedroom apartment somewhere quiet but not too boring, with safe, interesting, child-friendly places to take our daughter during the day. Our au pair can care for her at night while we go out. We've traveled to Europe before the children, but worry about (1) the effect of time zone changes, (2) the prospect of hauling a stroller up all those steps, (3) cigarette smoke, (4) not being able to find foods our toddler will eat. Has anyone enjoyed a trip to Europe while very pregnant or in the company of a toddler? Where did you stay and what did you do?

My wife was not pregnant but we did have our three year old daughter in tow on a trip to Europe. Overall, it was not a trip from hell, but we didn't repeat it again until my daughter was twelve. In hindsight, the twelve hour plane ride was a undue imposition on my daughter, she didn't adapt well to unfamiliar food, and the hot weather didn't make thing any easier. Small children really don't appreciate travel but they do suffer the burdens. <BR>A vacation we all enjoyed was a cruise when my daughter was about a year and half old. The staff made a fuss over her, there were other small children and we could order whatever food we thought she would eat. It worked out real well, at dinner, we ordered French Fries for her, and split her dinner -- a little cavier for her please.

Well, actually, you know best how to answer that question. Regarding being pregnant, how do you feel? Are you feeling pretty good? Are you getting around well? What does your doctor say? <BR> <BR>Regarding traveling with a toddler, I have done it with a 1 year old who is very adaptable and willing to try new foods (within reason). You know how easy your kid is. We have already taken her to France and she was had a great time. Of course, as you have likely found on other trips, it is not the same as going childless, but great in different ways. She enjoyed boating down the Dordogne River, listening to music anywhere, and going in her stroller anywhere as long as we kept moving forward. One great thing about Europe, at least in the Country, is that people keep animals at their homes, we she found very exciting. We are heading to London and Spain with her and my 10 year old neice for 2 1/2 weeks next week. <BR>My advice, take a small fold-up stroller, it is not hard to carry anywhere. <BR>In choosing a country, think about what their food is like. In France, there was always plenty of bread, fruit, yoghurt and cheese sandwiches. In Italy, there will be pasta, etc. Early in the trip visit a grocery and get things she will eat and keep them in your pack for when you need them. Snacks like dry cereal, goldfish, come in handy when you are somewhere crowded and she suddlenly becomes hungry. It will appease her at least until you can get somewhere else. <BR>Limit the travel to your ultimate destination. That is, find somewhere you can get there very quickly from an airport. We did an insane plane, train and automobile trip in France. She slept the whole time, so when we got there (bedtime) she was ready to rock. <BR> <BR>Pick a hotel that will is somewhat kid friendly and has something for her. For instance, we stayed at a farm inn in the country that had a beautiful pool and lots of animals, so part of the fun was just relaxing and hanging out at the inn. <BR>Look for playgrounds for her to run off some energy. We always took time out each day when we found a playground. It was a great way to hang out with locals. <BR> <BR>Places to go? Italy is a good choice, since they are very family/kid oriented. <BR> <BR>By the way, be prepared for posters who will say that kids should not go to Europe at all as they are nuisance to other travelers. Feel free to ignore them if you have a good kid.

Is this a troll? Someone 7 months pregnant has been to Europe before, is thinking of going again with a toddler but for only one week, but has no idea where? This post has a lot of hot button issues that have caused many skirmishes on this board: smoking, third-trimester travel, nannies, strollers, long flight with time changes, dining with a toddler. If the post is real, hey, well, OK, but I'm awfully surprised. If you're really thinking of just one week's stay, why not leave the toddler at home with the nanny and reconnect with the spouse before the new baby turns everything on its head? <BR> <BR>Well, if you go, get a crystal clear understanding from the nanny that she is to work while you are there, not take off on her own mini-vacation. <BR> <BR>Good luck with the new baby! Two really is twice as much fun as one.

Bad idea. An apartment near a beach in Florida or California will make everybody justice.

agree with "no name" - strange post to me. why would a 7 month pregnant woman with a toddler WANT to go to Europe for a week in the height of summer. if she's been there before, has a kid, blah blah blah, she knows the answers to these question - and why give info about where she lives now and that she has an au pair - please!!!!! uppity and in my opinion, a baiter for a bunch of posts again on the pros and cons of taking a kid on holiday.

michelle <BR>I have not traveled to Europe with a toddler, (only older kids), but it seems to me that Paris has a lot of options for kids. September is a lovely month there as you may already know; I wouldn't call it the height of summer. <BR>I have compiled a few suggestions that have appeared on this forum and in other places; feel free to email me <BR>if you are interested.

Sorry Michelle! <BR> <BR>I gave you what I thought was a nice idea (post your questions here) and wouldn't you know it, someone has to say something mean spirited. (it's that old green eyed monster again I can see) <BR> <BR>Thank you for everyone who had something contructive to say - and to those who didn't - I can see why you chose not to post your real name and address. <BR> <BR>Beth <BR> <BR>

Thank you so much for all of your very helpful suggestions. I really appreciate your taking the time to post. Special thanks to Elaine for the offline email full of wonderful ideas about where to take my daughter in Paris to play, learn, and eat fun food. And thank you Beth for the sanity check.

<BR>I have travelled with a 2 1/2 yr old kid in Italy and it was okay. <BR> <BR>Question to Vosaki. <BR>What cruise did you go to with your kid? <BR>I am interested to go to cruise with our toddler. <BR> <BR>thanks, <BR>ofelia

I hope it is a troll, because if she's serious, she is likely to be very disappointed if the plans get going. <BR>Few airlines will allow a 7-mo. pregnant woman on board, even if she had a note <BR>from her MD saying that it was safe. <BR>There are liability issues they don't <BR>want to deal with, in case of premature <BR>labor.

That was the first clue that this is a troll -- seven months pregnant and traveling. Yeah right. No airline will allow that, and if it's ship travel, it will take a long time and then "she" could have posted all kinds of "questions" about what to do being pregnant and carrying a toddler along on a ship. <BR> <BR>I think the teenage boys who posted this troll had no idea about the travel restrictions and exposed themselves with their goof here. That and the fact that every hot button issue that's ever generated a hundred responses per thread is mentioned in one post. <BR> <BR>Go to the U.S. forum and look up the thread about someone supposedly wanting to bring their new baby to a family reunion in Hawaii, traveling first class, of course. Dozens of answers, including long, detailed responses about how to handle a baby, only to have the poster admit that the whole thing was a troll. He and his buddies laughed their heads off. <BR> <BR>It's summer, school's out, and a lot of kids are playing pranks. We used to call the grocery and ask if they had Prince Albert in a can. Nowadays the kids troll the net. Same hijinks, different medium.

Actually, most domestic airlines will let pregnant women fly up until their 36th week. Don't know about foreign ones.

And yes, what could possibly be more comfortable than being squashed into a plane when you're seven months pregnant? Every seven months pregnant woman wants to take long flights with their toddlers. That's why you see so darn many of them on planes, right? <BR> <BR>Troll, troll, troll.

This is Michelle again, the original poster. When I was pregnant with my daughter, I flew until 6 weeks before her due date, and was just fine. I also worked until the day before she was born. Most of us don't let pregancy stop us from enjoying life (including vacations). <BR> <BR>This whole string feels very Kafkaesque to me. It's so surreal to be a real person accused of being non-existent. What can a person say on email to prove she exists? Perhaps nothing, when some readers are so paranoid.

Michelle, <BR> <BR>Sorry if we hurt your feelings a bit. We've been had before, so we tend to be a bit skeptical on this board. But if you're a Mom and know how horrid pregnancy can be, and if you have a kid and know how horrid a toddler can be, why would you want to bother? Personally, as a Mom, I just don't get it. And my pregnancy experience was similar to yours for the first kid. Subsequent kids came MUCH more quickly and with far greater force, so you might want to consider that.

If anyone is interested in what the airlines' rules for pregnant travelers are, take a look at the helpful table compiled by babycenter.com before relying on the advice of someone who'd declare that "no airline would allow" a seven months' pregnant woman to fly. The web address is http://www.babycenter.com/general/6976.html. When I come to this message board, I'm lookin' for facts and intelligent opinions. Good luck with your plans, Michelle, whatever you decide.

If it's facts you want stay the hell off THIS board. You will however, get lots of opinions, including mine right now. <BR> <BR>I don't believe this post for one minute. The original poster can protest until time ends and I still won't believe it. She should have called the thread "We're American, we breed, and we're wealthy, but we have no idea where to go to spend our money. Please help." <BR> <BR>If this was a real traveler we should all run screaming, as there was no mention of any interest in history, art, architecture, different cultures or any of the other reasons people travel to Europe. Just an American with money to burn and wants to be told how to burn it. <BR> <BR>I just bought the SF Bay Bridge and am trying to sell it...any takers?

RE: Flying at 28+ weeks. <BR>Well, I was the one who said "few airlines", and I will grant that my <BR>info on policies might be a little <BR>out of date (since 38 months ago); <BR>but even if this is a troll, I will still say this on the subject: flying overseas during the third trimester if you have no really compelling reason to do so would be remarkably foolish. There are all sorts of no-warning complications that might come up, and you risk having them happen while very far away from your physician and your support network. This isn't an issue of putting your life on hold, just common sense. I did everything I wanted to while pregnant, including travel, but I waited to introduce the baby to his overseas family until after he was born. I didn't want to chance the possibility of having to deliver in an unfamiliar medical system with a doctor who knew <BR>nothing of my history, not to mention <BR>the red tape that might have ensued. <BR>BTW: most toddlers adjust to time <BR>differences at a rate of ~1 hour per <BR>24 hours.

Michelle's posting does seem alittle unrealistic,and maybe it is a troll. <BR>But what astounds me here is the vehemence in the way which those who disagree with Michelle express themselves!! <BR>Some of you sound so angry! <BR>If you don't like her ,don't believe her,or believe she exists, <BR>Why don't you just ignore her? <BR>Nancy <BR>