Travelling to Italy for the first time with a one year old
Apr 9th, 2012, 07:49 AM
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Travelling to Italy for the first time with a one year old
Hi, I am travelling for the first time internationally to Italy. My flight will be taking me to Toronto into Munich then finally Florence. i am travelling with my one year old. I have no clue what I should bring for her. Please forgive me if my qustions seem immature or ridiculous but I want to make sure I have everything my daughter will need. Do I need to bring water, food, etc... Not sure what the water is like or if she will eat the food there. I am bringing my car seat and an umbrella stroller. Should i bring stroller on plane and how does that work. I read a couple posts where the strollers ended up being lost. I am trrying to get a hold of a backpack carrier. From what i have read so far seems to be easier then using a stroller while walking around, however i also dont want my daughter on my back all day so suggestions on if i should check in my stroller or bring on plane would be helpful. Also how is cell phone service from USA to Italy? Do i need a Converter to use my charger. Any advice for the flight, what to bring what i cant bring for her on plane to keep her busy. I was told to bring Benedryll so she will sleep. Please help don't want o forget anything. Thanks in advance!
Apr 9th, 2012, 09:46 AM
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Your daughter will be fine with the water and every place sells all sorts of familiar jarred and pacakged food, plus familiar fruits, bread and cheeses, and diapers, everything a baby needs. German food is often very simple, not in the last bit spicy. Does she eat spaghetti and grated cheese, or spaghetti and butter? You can always ask for that in an Italian restaurant. A salad will come without any dressing on it. Vegetables will be simply steamed or grilled.
If she has a food that she absolutely loves -- like Cheerios or biscutis of some sort, it can be a good idea to bring some in case she doesn't want restaurant food, or if her order takes a long time to arrive. No one will mind in a restaurant if you bring food to give to your daughter.
In Florence, the stroller will be just fine. Are you going any place else in Italy.
I wouldn't give your daughter any drugs on the plane. Especially if you have no idea how she will react to them.. International travelers are quite used to having babies flying. Even crying babies. We all survive. (We bring earplugs).
Anything can get lost in transit. Make sure you pack a carry-on that has not only clothes your daughter would need for 3 days, but also for you and any medicines you might take.
If you are traveling any time between the end of April and the end of October in Florence you should book a hotel with air conditioning so you can shut the windows at night to keep out mosquitoes. Be careful in the twilight if you are sitting outside with your daughter that she is protected from mosquitoes.
If she has a food that she absolutely loves -- like Cheerios or biscutis of some sort, it can be a good idea to bring some in case she doesn't want restaurant food, or if her order takes a long time to arrive. No one will mind in a restaurant if you bring food to give to your daughter.
In Florence, the stroller will be just fine. Are you going any place else in Italy.
I wouldn't give your daughter any drugs on the plane. Especially if you have no idea how she will react to them.. International travelers are quite used to having babies flying. Even crying babies. We all survive. (We bring earplugs).
Anything can get lost in transit. Make sure you pack a carry-on that has not only clothes your daughter would need for 3 days, but also for you and any medicines you might take.
If you are traveling any time between the end of April and the end of October in Florence you should book a hotel with air conditioning so you can shut the windows at night to keep out mosquitoes. Be careful in the twilight if you are sitting outside with your daughter that she is protected from mosquitoes.
Apr 9th, 2012, 10:08 AM
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good advice from zeppole. my worry would be about that back-pack. Are you used to using it? i found that i couldn't manage my kids in them after they were about 9 months old - they were just too heavy for my back. so unless you are used to using it, I would leave it at home and use the stroller.
Apr 9th, 2012, 11:33 AM
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Something else I wanted to add:
Some cheeses in the farmer's markets in Italy, including Florence, are not pasteurized, especially soft cheeses, so it is safest if your baby doesn't eat them. Hard cheeses served grated, or packaged cheeses from a supermarket or a small store, are fine. If you are unsure about a cheese, just ask:
"Pastorizzato?"
Some cheeses in the farmer's markets in Italy, including Florence, are not pasteurized, especially soft cheeses, so it is safest if your baby doesn't eat them. Hard cheeses served grated, or packaged cheeses from a supermarket or a small store, are fine. If you are unsure about a cheese, just ask:
"Pastorizzato?"
Apr 11th, 2012, 05:27 AM
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Zeppole-Thanks that's a lot of useful advice I'm actually going to a wedding at Agriturismo Jenuta dei Conti Faina from May 23 to May 28 in Fratta Jodina, Umbria however a few of us are going on the 19 th to do some site seeing in Florence Rome and where ever we end up before having to meet up with everyone else .
annhig- thanks I have never used one but my one year old is very petite only ways about 17 lbs I figure it beats holding her in my arms if she doesn't want stroller
annhig- thanks I have never used one but my one year old is very petite only ways about 17 lbs I figure it beats holding her in my arms if she doesn't want stroller
Apr 11th, 2012, 07:12 AM
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hi 1st-time,
may I suggest that you spend a little time with your little one in the backpack?
17lbs [plus whatever she is wearing and whatever weight she puts on between now and the trip] can be quite a burden after a while if you're not used to it [and perhaps quite petite yourself!]
may I suggest that you spend a little time with your little one in the backpack?
17lbs [plus whatever she is wearing and whatever weight she puts on between now and the trip] can be quite a burden after a while if you're not used to it [and perhaps quite petite yourself!]
Apr 12th, 2012, 03:36 AM
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Hi, 1st-time-- We just completed a 2 week visits from our 11 month old nephew, which included Paris and Rome. It was a true pleasure to see these cities from a child's perspective.
We had a Freddie Bauer stroller that allowed the seat back and foot rest to make into a bed, rather than the umbrella variety. The baby went everywhere except the Vatican Museums (Rome) in it and it was fantastic because he could nap anytime he got tired without it greatly affecting activities/meals. It also protected him from the sun/inclement weather, which the umbrella variety usually doesn't do. Yes, it was bigger and bulkier than the umbrella style but it held up well to the cobblestones; there are pros and cons for each model. Cant' imagine doing a trip without a stroller of some kind!!!
Mom had a soft quilt-type, kangaroo sort of pouch carrier that worked excellent for airport security and museum times BUT they were used to using it before the trip. It could be used front or back, which was very handy.
Food--No problem with food. Our little guy still does formula and table food. All restaurants had something (from our plates) that worked like bread, potatoes, spaetzle, cheese, vegetables & fruits. In Germany, grocery stores even sold toddler sized bio yogourts that he loved. Used both tapwater and bottled water for bottles. Mom had packets of his usual toddler finger treats packed in her day bag that she pulled out when needed.
The one great aid they did have was a formula dispenser...it was like a small partitioned tupperware bowl with a swivel lid that had a pop top opening. Each day mom or dad would pre-measure a bottle's worth of formula into each of the partition, then add pre-measured water to the day's bottles and seal. Whenever they needed a fresh bottle, we would just open a bottle, pop the formula lid, empty premeasured contents into bottle, shake and Voilà! Happy Camper! Next bottle, just moved the lid to a new pre-filled compartment.
Don't expect to see/do as much with a young one in tow, but you'd be surprised at how enjoyable a time you will have! Sometimes when little ones force us to slow down, we experience more of what we are looking at, but from a different perspective!
We had a Freddie Bauer stroller that allowed the seat back and foot rest to make into a bed, rather than the umbrella variety. The baby went everywhere except the Vatican Museums (Rome) in it and it was fantastic because he could nap anytime he got tired without it greatly affecting activities/meals. It also protected him from the sun/inclement weather, which the umbrella variety usually doesn't do. Yes, it was bigger and bulkier than the umbrella style but it held up well to the cobblestones; there are pros and cons for each model. Cant' imagine doing a trip without a stroller of some kind!!!
Mom had a soft quilt-type, kangaroo sort of pouch carrier that worked excellent for airport security and museum times BUT they were used to using it before the trip. It could be used front or back, which was very handy.
Food--No problem with food. Our little guy still does formula and table food. All restaurants had something (from our plates) that worked like bread, potatoes, spaetzle, cheese, vegetables & fruits. In Germany, grocery stores even sold toddler sized bio yogourts that he loved. Used both tapwater and bottled water for bottles. Mom had packets of his usual toddler finger treats packed in her day bag that she pulled out when needed.
The one great aid they did have was a formula dispenser...it was like a small partitioned tupperware bowl with a swivel lid that had a pop top opening. Each day mom or dad would pre-measure a bottle's worth of formula into each of the partition, then add pre-measured water to the day's bottles and seal. Whenever they needed a fresh bottle, we would just open a bottle, pop the formula lid, empty premeasured contents into bottle, shake and Voilà! Happy Camper! Next bottle, just moved the lid to a new pre-filled compartment.
Don't expect to see/do as much with a young one in tow, but you'd be surprised at how enjoyable a time you will have! Sometimes when little ones force us to slow down, we experience more of what we are looking at, but from a different perspective!
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