Help! We are in Rome with 8 month old

[MJM79]

Feeling confident and foolhardy we booked a week in Rome with eight month old DD. Our plan was; Blitz the culture before she's old enough to complain/can still be wheeled around/pacified with milk. We booked a flat in Trastevere and didn't give logistics too much thought.

Day Two - WTF were we thinking?! We had no idea that changing facilities pretty much do not exist in Rome, and peaceful/friendly places to BF would be so hard to find. We're starting to wonder if the stresses of trying to plan a day around the possibility of clean toilets are worth staying the full week before. It's hard to appreciate the beauty of the city when DD is screeching for food and you can't find anywhere to sit down.

Has anyone else been to Rome with a baby? I'd love to hear any recommendations for baby friendly sites/museums/ restaurants plus any nice quiet green spots where DD can crawl and I can lie on the ground trying to restore shattered nerves ??

Thank you!
X

You won't get the same as here

When I have been there with babies I just change them on grass or in pram easy enough

And feeding just do that anywhere. What do you mean there's no where to sit? Just stop at any cafe or restaurant and feed. Or feed on a bench/ steps/ etc same as back home.
At 8 months they aren't feeding every hour anyway so give them a banana or something if you really don't want to feed somewhere.

Also feed baby in sling then you can sightsee and feed at same time.

There's some baby shops near the Vatican which will have feeding/ changing areas if you want

Get a sling if you don't have one. Like pp said go to any restaurant and feed the baby there, especially in trastevere it should be fine! Romans like babies so ask any English speaking staff for tips if necessary.

If you have a flat just buy supplies in a corner shop (pasta fruit cheese etc) and prep food there. I do actually remember Rome with our ten month old was a slight pain in the bum. We usually ate dinner in the flat. If you see parents with babies out and about do ask them if you need something in particular!

There are some gardens at villa Borghese.

When We went DS was still in nappies. We went to villa Borghese - a large lovely park with playgrounds, duck lake, a zoo. We had picnics, changed DS on the grass.
We also went to Explora, the children's museum which was obviously very child friendly but at 8 mo may be a bit young to get much out of it...
In Trastavere you are close to villa Doria Pamphili - another nice, huge park.
There's lots of restaurants in Trastavere - could you eat close to your flat and nip home if the baby needs changing. Or just ask the restaurant to help you, we found most places to be very accommodating and helpful with our DS.
I think the Vatican has changing stations but I'm not sure if you can take a buggy in.
You CAN have a lovely holiday in Rome with a baby!

Thanks everyone - great advice. We will definitely check out the parks you mention and any sites with gardens are a definite plus. We changed DD today on a little lawn which went well though didn't impress the tourist couple making out on the grass next to us!

It's still very hot here so our sling is difficult unfortunately as DD gets far too sweaty in it. I've also always wanted to be one of those mums who cheerfully breastfeed as they travel in their slings, but DD won't feed unless I am still with no distractions... It's annoying, and means I'm always looking for quiet spots. We did get funny looks today feeding on benches etc... I dont think Romans are entirely supportive of public breastfeeding though others may disagree! Haven't tried cafes yet though so yes, we will.
Thanks again!

What about open top bus tour? You can feed on the bus and you still get to see everything! To be honest, when I went to Rome I couldn't believe the lack of toilets etc.

I think Romans are very supportive of breastfeeding but they do prefer you to cover up or tell them in advance. Ie in a cafe or restaurant when you arrive you can say
You want to feed baby and could you sit wherever you think looks comfiest/ private.

Out and about people feed everywhere but do tend to use a scarf or muslin more

Bus tour is a brilliant idea - thank you! Sounds much more relaxing

The McDonald's near the Spanish steps has decent toilets, and most McDonald's will hopefully have a baby change so use those. The Italians whilst they have a reputation for loving children, don't actually have anywhere the kind of provision we have in the UK for them. Many a time I've been in a restaurant and a battered broken high chair is produced, if you're lucky!!

There are some lovely parks in Rome though, all over the place, particularly near the collesuem, and I second using the restaurants in trastavere, most places should be ok, just persevere. And just feed if you need to, don't worry about any funny looks, the only place that it would be an issue may be in churches etc...though I've seen someone feeding in St.Peters before!! .I'd use your flat as a base and return to it if you need to, which I know isn't easy as Rome is very spread out. Don't try to do too much in one day, that's a mistake that will make you hot and bothered. X

And yes, having a muslin would be appropriate out and about as previous poster says x

How did today go OP? Hope you enjoyed it!

No help re Rome but I'd use a muslin over baby when feeding. My dd is much younger but she's so easily distracted. I fed her in a church yard today and she kept unlatching to eyeball the church!

Yes our DD is quite a pro when it comes to distractions. A Muslim cannot contain her!

Yesterday we went to the Vatican and yes - changing facilities! I even fed her outside the loos on a little bench (couldn't find anywhere else to sit as so busy). Was slightly nightmarish on the tour we did of the Vatican as so incredibly crowded and hot. DD slept in a very sweaty sling all the way until we passed through the door of the Sistine Chapel (a "quiet zone") and she let loose with some of her best screams. Which Michaelangeolo would have appreciated I think.

We did decide to just go for it and have dinner out, but the high chair the restaurant produced was literally a High Chair so we just took turns holding the wriggling octopus so we could eat. I had the most blissful 5 mins of the day when DH took DD away from the table for a nappy change and I could finally concentrate on enjoying some v nice pasta .

Off to Villa Borghese today which I'm really looking forward to. Thanks again for the tips!

Sorry for typo - Muslin, obviously