flying to Brazil with 13 month old

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Honestly, I would just stay home. We moved overseas with a one year old and did more transatlantic flights and attempts at sightseeing than I ever would have attempted with a toddler if not for our circumstances. Yes, we have great memories but it was usually more trouble than it was worth and we *always* got to the point on our "vacations" where we'd look at each other and laugh and say it would've been easier to stay home! :0)

Not to be a downer but you couldn't pay me to fly to Rio with a one year old - save your $$ and sanity and do some fun travel when your DC is 5 or 6.

I completely agree. The baby won't remember a thing, the trip can be extremely frustrating, and a 10 month old is probably still taking a couple of naps a day so you will need to be cognizant of this when sight seeing. Not to mention an early bedtime will prohibit you and your husband from going out later in the evening. The trips we have taken were just a huge hassle, even though our daughter was a pretty good traveller. Wait till they are older and you all will have a much better time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sorry I don't mean to hijack the post but I am taking my 8 month old to Rio late November. We are staying in a suite at the border of Ipanema and Leblon.

Since some of you have been there, are there things I should be very careful about beyond using bottled water?

Are there great place I should take my baby to?

Yes, take your baby to "Baixo Bebe" in Leblon. Is a kioske (?) on the beach focused on young children... If you go to walk along beach with your baby, the best time is before 10 am and after 4pm because of the sun.

Don't give any money to street kids: they are evil.

[Anonymous]

Be really careful about the sun this time of year with a small child. We spent last New Year's in Rio, and my husband (who is Brazilian, dark-complexioned, and usually thinks he doesn't need sunscreen) got seriously sunburned. It was about 46 degrees Celsius during the day. But early mornings and evenings on the beach were lovely. The Northeast is generally pretty hot this time of year too, but Sao Paulo is milder. We go every year.

[Anonymous]

My LO is 9 months old now and we are planning a trip to Brazil with her next fall.

I wouldn't listen to pp who say don't go b/c baby wont remember the trip. That isn't the point. Baby will get used to travel and you will delight in seeing the world through his/her eyes. I'm going to do it. I think a long flight will be flight if 1) you leave at night and 2) you bring things to occupy baby.

[Anonymous]

our 10mo traveled like a big girl from CHINA!!!

it's all LUCK!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Where in Brazil are you going? Although it's a really long flight, there is no time difference for Rio (if I'm remembering correctly - if not, the time difference is only an hour), so the only thing that will throw him off is the long flight. That said, I personally wouldn't do it, but I'm not one to take baby everywhere even when we're home, so I definitely wouldn't take him to Brazil. When I was in Rio, it didn't seem particularly kid-friendly.

The difference right now is 3 hours and depending on the age of the child it can cause trouble with schedules.

Brazil is not just RIO and you didn't do research enough.
There are special areas at the beaches where they develop activities to entertain the children all day long.

I'd tell you to take baby home after 10am till 4pm. the heat is too much for them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When we went it was very nice for adults but dirty and gross. I would not bring a child that was not fully immunized. There is theft, germs, sewage depending on where you go.

anywhere in the world you'll find dirty gross places... theft, germs, sewage depending...

if you have a child, be more careful with your choice.

Brazil is not just the bad place you saw.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:By all means go! The flights tend to leave in the evening, which means your child would almost definitely fall asleep at some point, as the flights are all night and arrive the next morning.

Rio's supposed to be beautiful and if your husband's going for work, you'll likely be staying somewhere nice.

The PP's post made me laugh - Rio's a modern city and if you follow basic precautions about water and perhaps get a Hep A vaccine, your child will be fine. At any age, travel to another country is great for child.

As for safety/cleanliness, use common sense. We went to Central America (not Costa Rica) for a family vacation this past summer and traveled all over the place and were totally fine.

The OP said nothing about Rio. Many places in Brazil are as bad as the border towns in Mexico. We visited many places in Recife and Rio that were very poor, dirty and not so modern. Much worse than the worse places in big american cities.

I"ve visited such places here in the US...

isn't that funny?

[Anonymous]

I went to Rio last year with my 6 month old and my 2 year old. We had a blast. We took the night flight, kids slept through the night, and had a wonderful time there. We have also been to Europe and travel to South America at least twice a year, so I can tell you it's totall doable! Enjoy!