How It Really Is: Traveling to Europe With a Baby
An essay on vacationing to Prague with our six-month-old.
I was pregnant with our first baby, Eden, when my in-laws started planning a family trip to Europe. My husband and I had lived in Prague, Czech Republic for a few years in our twenties, and now a two-week return stay was proposed with our new daughter in tow. Dan was excited and giddy to go back, especially with Eden. I, however, knew better.
She’ll be six months old. Oh gosh, the plane ride. Nine hours! She’ll still need to eat every few hours and she’ll be at that age where she needs toys. Where will she sleep when we get there? She’ll be sleeping a lot still, right? How will we get around the city with a baby and all of our baby things? Is that even possible?
But because the family trip did sound so amazing, and because I was a few months postpartum and very much needed an escape to look forward to, and because I do also occasionally love a good challenge: we said yes. We were a little insane, I think, and headed off to Prague with our six-month-old this past June.
Looking back, it was an amazing family memory. I wouldn’t say that it was a vacation (I’m learning that traveling with kids is more of a field trip than an actual holiday experience) but it was full of incredible moments all the same. And what follows is a list of practical advice I’d give to anyone planning an international trip with a baby.
Pack Strategically and Generously
For the plane, I packed Eden’s extra formula, diapers, new-to-her toys, and baby clothes with us in a carry-on bag along with her diaper bag, and then put my wallet, kindle, and water bottle inside the diaper bag as well. It was also super helpful to prep bottles ahead of time, have a bottle cleaning kit handy, and an extra set of clothes for ourselves on the plane for accidents.
With the staffing shortage at an all-time high at most airports, I was worried that our flights would be delayed or cancelled, or that the airline would lose our luggage. So I made sure to bring enough supplies in our carry-on to last a few days. Remember to check your airline’s guidelines on how much formula and luggage you can bring on the plane; we were able to bring two carry-on bags (which included the diaper bag) for the baby and enough formula for a week.
When we were out sightseeing in Prague, I also made sure to pack extra food, diapers, and clothes in her daily diaper bag, and this was a huge help. There were so many times when that extra bottle or set of clothes saved the day after the baby had a blowout or was inconsolable.
We also invested in both a high quality baby carrier for walking and a low cost stroller/carseat combo for traveling. Each were worth their weight in gold. You’ll need a sturdy carrier that offers great back support and is breathable, and we chose the Ergobaby Omni Deluxe. For the stroller, we wanted something that we were fine with getting busted up from the plane and the cobblestone streets, and went with the Graco Modes Pramette Travel System. I’d also highly recommend packing a stroller fan for the hotter months, it made such a difference.
Learn Your Baby and Set a Realistic Schedule
After traveling with Eden, I firmly believe that how you plan your days sightseeing directly relates to the type of temperament and personality that your baby has. And let me tell you, our Eden Premal is not a chill baby.
She refused to take her naps in her stroller and didn’t love sitting still for very long in any cafe or restaurant. We learned quickly in our first few days what she was capable of and where her hard limits were.
So in that way, we had to plan our days around her travel schedule. A few hours out to see the Vltava and Letna beer garden, and then back to the flat for a nap. A few more hours to walk around the cobblestone streets for pasties and coffee and wine, and then back to the flat again for feedings and bedtime. Once we set a realistic schedule, our days became much easier to plan and were also easier on our baby.
Manage Your Expectations
As with any trip oversees, there are so many things that can go wrong on any given day. And this is only amplified when adding a six-month-old. Your baby’s jet lag, overstimulation to a new environment, a change in appetite, accidents and blowouts, and in our case, sickness, can all contribute to your day going sideways.
The cure to all of these things is to keep a flexible and adaptable mindset. We missed a few days out with our family to adjust to Eden feeling under the weather and needing a slower day to recover. There were also times when we were touring a castle or sitting in a restaurant when Eden would have a full meltdown, red-faced with tears streaming down her face. I would have to leave everyone to console her, and sometimes even head back to the flat. All of this was fine, and for the most part, it’s mostly because we once lived in this city and had already seen everything before. While I did miss out on some memories, I knew that these situations would happen, and prepped myself for any FOMO that might follow.
If you can manage your expectations ahead of time and understand that not everything will go to plan everyday, this will greatly ease your mind when the unexpected does happen.
Embrace the Highs and Lows
Taking our daughter to Prague was exhilarating -- we got to hold her and walk the same streets where we lived years ago and watch as her eyes widened as she saw tall cathedrals and crowds of people and busy food stands. She grew up a lot on our trip and we were blessed to witness each precious moment.
But taking our daughter to Prague was also very tough -- we had to strategically plan out each day and all of our baby supplies, she never sat still for me during one solid restaurant meal, and her meltdowns were frequent during the day. She required a lot of calculation and hard work, and the effort to bring her to Europe involved serious heavy lifting.
And it was important to hold both of these truths equally: the highs and the lows. What worked for us was to embrace every single moment. We were present and delighted in the easy and fun times as well as focused and attentive during the tough situations. What doesn’t kill you does indeed make you stronger, and a better traveler.
While Eden won’t remember anything about this stay in Prague, we’ll remember it forever. Traveling with her was a big learning experience and definitely strengthened our family bond in so many ways.
If you’re reading this and have any questions or concerns about an upcoming international trip with your baby, please reach out in the comments. I’d be happy to help in any way that I can.
