The Thing About Traveling When Pregnant

Anna and I in Strasbourg, France

We've been doing a lot of traveling lately.  Last week, we went to Normandy, France.  This weekend, a friend and I went to Strasbourg, France.  It's a beautiful city just over an hour's drive from here.  Next weekend, we're bringing the girls to Legoland.

How am I surviving with all this traveling?  Well, actually, quite well.  All the walking keeps me in shape, that's for sure.  No ankle swelling (yet) or fluid rentention (except the fingers - which I get not pregnant). However, it's really really hard to stay hydrated.  We carry water bottles with us - refusing to pay highway robbery prices for bottled water at parks or tourist destinations.  The problem is that I can't drink much (Which gives me a headache).  When I do, I have to stop to use the bathroom - a lot.  In many places, it'll cost you.  I've paid as much as 70 euro cents (Just over one US dollar) and as low as 40 euro cents.  It should be illegal for pregnant women to be charged to use the bathroom. It really isn't fair.

Along the River in Strasbourg

It's not easy to always find a bathroom either.  In Strasbourg, I snuck into a Subway.  Two other times, I used the one at the restaurant in which my friend and I were dining.  In Paris last month, I found myself in tears trying to find a spot on more than one occasion.  I remember walking into one cafe only to be told that the bathroom was out of order. Yeah, right. The place was ultra fancy and packed full and I'm sure the staff wasn't holding it all day!  Deny a pregnant woman a bathroom equals serious fail. 

We're tent camping this weekend.  I dread waking up in the middle of the night to walk to the restroom.  So, I'll bring a toddler toilet and use that.  Sounds gross, I know. But, hey, in order to travel during the pregnancy, I've had to give up some money and some dignity.  Par for the course, I guess.  I have less than two weeks left in my second trimester.  I'm well aware that the need to use the bathroom will only get worse as the weeks progress. This may be my last month of travel before I throw in the towel and consider a walk down to the local pool as travel enough!

Toyota Prius and the Three-Across Car Seat Dilemma

Those of you who follow me on Facebook know that I had a bit of a panic attack last week over fitting three car seats in the back of my Prius.  Here's the story:

Upon finding out I was pregnant, Matt and I agreed to keep the Prius.  We'll get something bigger (AKA - Minivan) when we move back to the States in a couple of years. I have driven a bigger vehicle in Europe (Toyota 4-Runner) and hated it.  I know, I know.  Hate is a strong word.  But, really, I'm not fit to be driving a big vehicle in Europe.  Tight parking spots, narrow roads, crazy drivers - enough said.

So, I decided to get the Combi Coccoro.  It's designed for fuel efficient cars.  You can get three of these across the back seat of a Prius.  I've seen pictures of this car seat with two Sunshine Radian car seats in the back of a Prius (Lila's Britax Marathon is way too big).  However, Olivia will be closer to seven by the time the baby is born and already in a booster. I don't need two Radians.  Especially at $229 a pop. When I explained my dilemma to friends, they were very quick to point out that I can't take the Coccoro out of the car like I can an infant car seat designed with a handle and base.   How, everyone gasped, could I dare take a sleeping baby out of his car seat?  I replied that since I will be wearing him in a wrap, sling, Ergo, etc., that I will just plop him in there.  No, no.  That will not work.  My life will be hell.  The baby will freak out. I will not be able to calm him.  Huge mistake.  So, I freak. And, freak some more.  Matt nearly jumped off a cliff, frustrated that I was backing out of my original plan and now lost as to what to do.  Did we need to get that minivan now? 

Radian

So, I went to a friend's house to see if her infant car seat (removable) would fit in my car with two boosters. Not even close.  I then start to question if the Coccoro will fit in my car with two boosters. Or one booster and a car seat.  It really didn't seem that much smaller than an Graco Snug Ride, Chicco Keyfit or Maxi Cosi.

A friend in Wiesbaden, about an hour away, came to the rescue.  She has a Coccoro.  She offered to test it out in my car as none of them are sold around here.  It fits perfectly with two boosters.  I even have room to buckle Liv's booster seat easily.  The Radian, more narrow than a booster, will easily fit.  While the Radian is expensive and the baby's car seat and Radian combined will cost just over $400, I can hand down the Radian to "The Boy" when he's about two.  Lila will not mind being in a 5-point harness for another two years. She's extremely small for a 4.5-year-old anyway. She'll have plenty of room to grow in the Radian.

As far as taking a sleeping a sleeping baby out of the car - I'll deal with it.  It will be fine.  I know it will - especially if it's all he ever knows.  I think the safety and warmth of being up close to mama will put him right back to sleep.  Or it won't and, well, time will pass by and, like what happened with my two girls, he'll be a off to kindergarten in flash.  It's a good thing, in this situation, I'm not a first time mom.  I know how fast this all goes by.  It really is temporary.  Soon enough I'll be wallowing in self pity because I have no more babies left...