Travel With Your Breastfeeding Baby

I love to travel! I have traveled all over Europe with my breastfeeding baby. I have fed her on city tour buses in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Paris, and Berlin. I have fed her on airplanes, trains, in cars, in airports, on boats, in restaurants, while walking down crowded streets, and even in a golf cart on the grounds of Versailles.

Have boob, will travel is my motto. Here are a few tips and tricks that I have learned along the way.

Sling! I don't take a stroller with me anywhere. I have found that it is bulky and there are often places that I can't stroll. Many museums will not allow strollers, and will even require only soft baby carriers for security reasons. Also, in very large crowds, I worry about my baby's safety down low.

Travel light!

There are many different brands of wraps and slings out there. Try several out before traveling. My personal favorite is the Moby wrap (I'm wearing one in the picture on this page). I have no financial interest in this company; I am just a big fan of their wrap. They are colorful, soft, and they hold their shape well. There is a learning curve to using them, but once you get the hang of it, it is wonderful!

Rebuke the fast pace:

Some people feel they don't get their money's worth if they don't travel at a break-neck pace so they can see EVERYTHING. In my experience this will only leave everyone stressed out and exhausted. Exhausted babies are no fun. Feed your baby when she's hungry, and take extra time to sit down, relax, and snuggle your baby.

Group tours are also a bad idea with a baby. You need to be able to move at your own pace and follow your baby's regular schedule as much as possible. Click here for more on sleep, routines, and other tips for traveling from the great minds at Easybabylife.com.

Use the time-saver tricks in travel books and on travel websites:

By visiting the Versailles website, we learned that we should go early on a Saturday morning for the shortest lines. We also learned from the Louvre website that there is an additional entrance on the side of the building. Don't wait in lines if you don't have to!

Buy diapers where you go:

Take enough diapers to get you where you need to go, but don't take up valuable bag space with diapers. Virtually anywhere you go on vacation in the world has babies, and therefore diapers. The trick is finding where things are sold and what they are called in other languages. Save small plastic sacks to put the dirty diapers in-changing tables are not always available and you may have to make use of park benches, grassy areas, or even stairs.

Travel Toys:

A toy that attaches around your neck can keep your baby occupied while you tour. My personal favorite are the Boomerings Links and Super Yummy Teether by Discovery Toys. The links attach to each other and you can create a necklace.  They are colorful and my baby loves to put them in her mouth. Be aware of how long your link necklace is. If it is too long, your baby's toys could graze against other things and get dirty quickly.

Stay modest:

Although I have never received a dirty look for breastfeeding while traveling in Europe, I still make a habit of being modest. Don't get me wrong. I think we need to breastfeed in public so opinions will change, but when I'm traveling I don't want to take on the world. Typical nursing shirts don't work for me, so I use a wrap front shirt that pulls easily to the side.  I cover the top using the Moby wrap. Breastfeeding is easy! I also like Baby au Lait nursing covers (also known as Hooter Hiders).

Modesty Part II: As your baby gets older, she will become more and more fascinated with what is going on around her. If your baby is a "pop-on, pop-off" kind of kid, there are many strategies to keep your nips hidden. My husband or daughter will sit beside me as a natural barrier, and I will often request booths or tables near the edge of the restaurant so I am not completely surrounded by strangers. But truthfully, at the end of the day, if my baby needs to eat and we're all tired I get a serious attitude about it. If she pops off I just don't care. "Look everyone. Look at my boob. Big freaking deal!"

In the end, don't sweat it. You're doing the right thing:

I received a wonderful compliment in Scotland. A lovely woman approached me and said "It was so wonderful to see you feeding your baby like that! Very precious to see. You just don't see that anymore. Good for you!" There were several people around her who nodded and smiled in agreement. Be proud of what you are doing.

Click here for information on travel with a breastfeeding baby to under-developed countries.