To Go or Not to Go?

If you are wondering whether you should hit the road with your little one, you aren’t alone. We had the same doubts before we started. In Milo’s first year, we spent over two months on the move, visiting nine different countries. From road-tripping through the South of France and Switzerland to a family weekend in the German Black Forest, we really put ourselves to the test.

We drove from France to Serbia, stopping in Austria, Croatia, and Slovenia, and returned via Hungary and Germany. We even spent a snowy January in Serbia for Orthodox Christmas and finished the year with a three-week road trip across Portugal.

We aren’t going to sugarcoat it: travelling with a baby is a lot of fun, but we’d be lying if we said we didn’t struggle along the way. Whether you are taking planes or planning a long drive, your experience will change as your baby grows. It isn’t just about their age; it’s about their development and how you adjust to their rhythm.

In this guide, we want to share the tips for travelling with a baby that we actually learned on the ground, so you can feel more prepared for your own adventure.

Adjusting to the Rhythm: Development vs. Age

When you start planning a baby travel adventure, you’ll probably spend a lot of time looking at their age. But from our experience, each stage is a different challenge, and it isn’t always about how many months old they are. It’s more about their development.

A 10-month-old who is content sitting in a carrier is a completely different travel companion than a 10-month-old who is ready to crawl or walk. When travelling with a baby, you have to consider their daily schedule and nap routines just as much as the destination itself.

Milo started walking around 10 months old, right when we were heading to Portugal. At first, we thought it would be a huge challenge compared to the days when he would just chill in the stroller. However, we quickly learned that the best way to travel with a baby is to lean into their new skills.

In Portugal, having a walking baby was actually amazing. It meant we could spend time at local playgrounds, which became a highlight of our trip. While travelling with a baby, we realized that our travel plans couldn’t just be about what we wanted to see anymore. Finding a playground became just as important as visiting some of the most beautiful monasteries in the country. It’s all about learning to adjust your expectations to match theirs.

Choosing the Right Transportation

We found that having a car or a rental car was still one of the most important tips for travelling with a baby. Relying only on public transportation can be tough, especially when you have to deal with unpredictable weather or a sudden nap-time meltdown. This is why road tripping is the best way to travel with a baby.

This is “why” “where” and “when” you travel matters so much. For example:

• Serbia in January: We had lots of snow, which looked beautiful, but it meant we couldn’t use the stroller at all. We really needed a baby sled, but we only had a regular one for older kids, which didn’t work.
• The Layering Struggle: Cold weather means putting on and taking off tons of layers every time you go in and out of a shop or cafe. We also found that using a baby carrier over all those bulky winter clothes wasn’t comfortable for Milo or for us.

If you are planning to travel with a baby for a winter trip, keep in mind that the gear you usually rely on might not work as well in the snow!

The Stroller vs. Carrier Debate

One of the most frequent questions we get about travelling with a baby is “What about gear?” For our three-week trip to Portugal, we actually brought both a stroller and a baby carrier, and we strongly advise you to do the same. Most airlines allow you to bring both for free, so it’s worth taking advantage of that.

We took a long time to decide on which stroller to bring. In the end, we chose our full-sized one rather than a compact “travel” version. For us, this was a personal choice; it was the stroller that belonged to our stillborn son, Poppy, and we really wanted to use it. While it was great most of the time, it did have its drawbacks.

In Portugal, we had to change our rental car because the stroller wouldn’t fit in the boot of the first car they gave us! If you don’t have a specific sentimental reason like we did, investing in a dedicated travel stroller that folds down small is probably the best way to travel with a baby by car or plane.

We found that switching between the two was the key to a successful day of travelling with a baby:

• The Stroller: Perfect for long walks on flat ground or when Milo needed a nap while we explored.
• The Carrier: Essential for specific activities, steep hills, or cobblestone streets where wheels just won’t go.

Trust us, relying only on a carrier for a full day is exhausting. Your back will thank you for having the stroller as an option!

Milestones that Change the Game

As your baby develops, your travel “lifestyle” will shift. For us, a big change happened when Milo started sitting up. Suddenly, we could actually stop for breaks in cafes or restaurants because he could sit at the table in a highchair. It made the baby travel experience feel much more like “normal” travel again.

Another shift happened around 11 months when his “wake windows” (the time he stays awake between naps) got longer. He started going to bed much later, around 8:30 PM. You might think this would be the perfect time to start eating out at night, but we actually found a different rhythm worked better for us.

We realized that exploring during the day and aiming to be back at our accommodation by 5:00 PM was the sweet spot for everyone. This allowed Milo to wind down in a familiar space. We would usually eat a big lunch out and then cook a simple dinner at our place. This is why we always recommend booking an apartment or a place with a shared kitchen. It’s convenient, less stressful than a quiet restaurant with a tired baby, and it saved us a lot of money in places like Portugal.

Finding the Right Home Base

When it comes to picking your accommodation while travelling with a baby, your needs change once you have a little human with you. We found that while almost every place we stayed provided a baby crib, that wasn’t the only thing that mattered.

The real game-changer? The highchair. If an accommodation has a highchair, it means you can actually eat a meal or have a coffee without having to hold a wriggling baby on your lap. It sounds like a small detail, but when you are tired from a day of exploring, it’s a huge win.

Also, we highly recommend looking for apartments or hotels with shared kitchens. In Portugal, this was a lifesaver. It gave us the flexibility to prepare Milo’s meals and eat our own dinner comfortably at 6:00 PM or 7:00 PM without worrying about finding a baby-friendly restaurant open at that hour. Plus, it’s a great way to keep your baby travel budget under control.

The Pace of Your Trip: 11 Accommodations in 3 Weeks?

When you are planning your baby travel itinerary, you really have to weigh the “sightseeing” against the “rest.” In Portugal, we stayed in 11 different accommodations over 21 days. On the one hand, it was great because we were always right where we wanted to be for the next day’s visit, and we didn’t waste time on long back-and-forth drives.

However, if we had to do it again, we would probably do things differently. Packing and unpacking a baby’s gear, toys, and sleeping setup 11 times in three weeks is exhausting.

If you want a more relaxed experience, we recommend choosing three or four “base” locations and doing day trips from there instead. It might mean a bit more time in the car, but it means a lot less stress moving your “home” every two days. It’s all about finding the balance that works for your family’s energy levels.

What’s in Our Suitcase? The Essential Packing List

When you’re travelling with a baby, you’ll quickly realize that they somehow need more luggage than you do. After 9 countries, we’ve narrowed down the absolute “must-haves” for any baby travel adventure. Here is what we packed and what we think you shouldn’t leave home without:

• The Big Gear: Both a stroller and a carrier (as we mentioned, having both is a lifesaver for your back).
• The “Everything” Bag: A dedicated baby backpack for all his stuff. Keeping his things separate from yours makes it much easier to find a diaper or a toy in a hurry.
• The Toy Strategy: Pack a few key toys, but be smart about it. We brought small cars, some with sound for the hotel or car, and some silent ones for the plane or restaurants, so we didn’t disturb other people.
• Mealtime Basics: A baby spoon and a bib. You can’t always count on a restaurant having these!
• The “Emergency” Kit: Always, always carry a full change of clothes with you and a few diapers. You never know when a blowout or a big spill will happen.
• The Pacifier Rule: Bring more than you think you need. We started our trip with nine pacifiers and managed to lose two or three in Portugal alone. It’s much better to have a spare in your bag than to be searching for a pharmacy in a foreign city at 10 PM!

Breastfeeding on the Road: Don’t Be Shy

If you are breastfeeding while travelling with a baby, the idea of doing it in a new city or a crowded restaurant might feel a bit intimidating at first. But our best advice is simple: don’t be shy.

In most countries, and especially across Europe, breastfeeding in public is perfectly legal and generally well-accepted. Whether you are sitting on a bench in a Portuguese plaza or at a cafe in the French Alps, you should feel empowered to give your little one what they need, whenever they need it.

We found that most people don’t even blink an eye. If you feel more comfortable with a bit of privacy, carrying a light muslin cloth or a nursing cover in your baby backpack is a great way to create a little “bubble” for you and your baby while you’re out exploring.

But remember, your comfort and your baby’s hunger are the priority; don’t let the fear of a “stare” stop you from enjoying your day. That’s one of the best tips for traveling with a baby we can give.

Feeding on the Go: Let Go of the Guilt

Food is another area where you have to learn to be flexible. Around 10 months old, Milo started eating more like us, which made things easier. However, while we traveled, we usually combined our meals with dedicated baby food.

One thing to keep in mind is that baby food availability changes depending on where you are:

• In Serbia: It wasn’t always easy to find baby cereals or the small “pot” jars of food we were used to.
• In Portugal: It was much easier. We did a lot of grocery store stops to stock up on baby food and snacks.

One of the best tips for traveling with a baby we can give is when it comes to food. Don’t put too much pressure on yourself. While we all want our kids to have fresh, homemade food, trying to cook every single meal from scratch while living out of a suitcase is a recipe for burnout.

While travelling with a baby, it’s okay to use store-bought jars or let them share some of your restaurant meal.

Keep a steady supply of snacks he likes, and remember that a happy, fed baby is better than a perfectly “organic” but stressed-out parent!

The Art of the Diaper Change on the Go

One thing you’ll quickly notice while travelling with a baby is that the world isn’t always designed for infant hygiene. Not every restaurant, museum, or rest stop will have a dedicated changing table. We’ve had to get quite creative!

Here is another one of our best tips for traveling with a baby. Always bring a dedicated baby blanket or a portable changing mat with you. If the weather is nice, a park bench or even a quiet patch of grass can become a changing station in seconds. If you are road-tripping, your car is your best friend. If your rental has a big boot (trunk), it’s the perfect height to serve as a makeshift changing table. If not, the back seat always does the trick.

Being prepared to change a diaper anywhere means you aren’t desperately running around looking for a “Baby Room” when you should be enjoying your trip.

Final Thoughts & Tips

Travelling with Milo taught us that while the logistics are harder, the rewards are so much bigger. You see the world through a different lens—one that includes local playgrounds and slow afternoons in sun-drenched squares.

Our top recommendations for your first baby travel:

• Be Flexible: Your itinerary should belong to the baby as much as it belongs to you.
• Check the Boot Space: If you’re renting a car, make sure the trunk is big enough for your specific stroller. We learned this the hard way in Portugal!
• Invest in a Travel Stroller: If you don’t have a sentimental attachment to a large one like we did, a compact travel stroller will make your life much easier in airports and small rental cars.
• Don’t wait for the “perfect” age. Whether they are crawling, walking, or just chilling, the best time to start is now.