Oh the stroller!

I was telling MLDad  the other day I really need to (re)learn to walk without a stroller. When we’re out and he’s pushing the stroller I feel like I forgot something and I believe I even walk in a forward angle anyway.

Living in France is not easy when you have a baby and a stroller to carry around everywhere. Since we pretty much walk or take public transportation most of the week, there are so many difficulties to face each day. You’re bothering the people on the bus with your stroller, does it even fit through the bus doors? What about that store? Oh yes, there are EIGHT steps I need to fly to get up there…. and the list goes on and on. Thank goodness for our Manduca baby carrier, a comfortable baby carrier is a definite must in this city.

Also, where can I change LilO? Oh those nursing rooms in Canada are far away. Those were excellent by the way! Here – completely different story. I know of TWO places downtown where I can change LilO. One is in the mall and the other one is a restaurant with a changing table. I can’t go to the restaurant just for that, so when I’m downtown and feel like being out for more than 2-3 hours, a trip to the mall is absolutely necessary and that sometimes means walking 20-30 minutes to get there and another 20-30 minutes to get back. Diaper blowouts? Not fun. Never fun.

My point is that any help to parents out there as far as stroller and going out with a baby is greatly appreciated. When I went to Paris with LilO for the first time I wanted to get some addresses down and see how I could make our trip a little bit easier.

I came across two websites:
Ma Poussette A Paris (my stroller in Paris) – Great blog on different baby friendly and not so baby friendly stores and restaurants. I think I’m going to have to take a look at everything in there and decide where we’ll go according to the tips the author includes!

and

Luvaville – a guide on traveling with a baby/child in Paris, London, Copenhagen, Berlin and Barcelona. Shopping, getting around, accommodation, and even diaper changing places !

So did I plan on going to a couple of these places during the day so I knew I had a comfortable place to change and feed LilO? You bet.

And who knows, Barcelona, London, Berlin and Copenhagen don’t sound bad either.