Paris with a Baby: Must-Have Items

As an American mom of two living in Paris these are some of my must-have items for baby including the best strollers, baby carriers, accessories, skincare products and more. These products are our essentials for every day in Paris as well as travel for both quick and long trips.

Paris with a Baby: Must-Have Items

With the exception of the métro, Paris is a very baby-friendly place. If you’re thinking about traveling with a little one I say go for it. The more we’ve traveled with our babies the easier it’s gotten. Below I’m sharing some of my must-have items for doing Paris with a baby.

Stokke Yoyo – The Best Stroller for Paris

The absolute best stroller for Paris is the Stokke Yoyo. Originally developed by the French company Babyzen, the Yoyo really is an amazing travel stroller – and for us our every day stroller. It’s small but easy to maneuver and folds down so small that it can fit in an overhead bin on an airplane. It’s definitely the stroller you see the most in Paris and for good reason – bigger simply isn’t better here.

The different options were confusing to me at first, but we own three configurations. Depending on how you’re going to use the stroller they’re all practical. First, you’ll need the frame. With this frame you can attach the bassinet, newborn pack, and 6+ pack. If your baby is over six months you can also buy the frame and 6+ pack already together.

Whichever stroller you get you’ll want to have these hooks that attach to the frame. You can use these to clip on a diaper bag, purse, shopping bags – really anything. We also love the cupholder which we mostly use for bottles on the go.

Since we have a toddler and a baby we needed a double stroller option. The Yoyo Connect Frame connects two strollers to create a double stroller. The only disadvantage is you can only use the strollers together – the Yoyo Connect can’t be used by itself as a stroller. We ended up getting two separate Yoyo strollers. As soon as our toddler is a little bit older we will likely add a Yoyo Stroller Board to stand or sit on for every day. We installed these connectors to easily connect and disconnect the strollers which has been a game-changer.

Whatever you do, I wouldn’t recommend bringing a double stroller where the kids are side by side – they’re simply too wide for the streets in Paris.

Yoyo Bassinet

Yoyo offers two options for newborn babies up until six months, the bassinet and newborn pack which I will explain below. We decided to buy the bassinet initially.

I liked that the harder shell made the baby seem more protected and less prone to bumps. You don’t have to buckle the baby in to use it. You can also easily pop the bassinet on and off of the stroller frame and use it for naps etc. When we took our first weekend trip our baby just slept in the bassinet instead of a pack and play.

In Paris a rain cover is essential – we just kept ours in the basket all of the time. I also use the stroller mittens in the cooler months.

One thing to note is while the frame will still fold down to a very compact size, the bassinet does not, so this isn’t ideal for traveling unless you’re in a car and have plenty of extra space.

Yoyo Newborn Pack – The Best for Travel

We bought the Yoyo newborn pack for travel. We have the Stokke x Bonpoint collaboration and I’m obsessed with the color.

With the newborn pack the stroller will completely fold up, so it’s great for train or plane travel or even for folding up in the trunk of a taxi or car. You do have to buckle in the baby which is one extra step, but it’s not difficult to do. The newborn pack is also super easy to use for diaper changes on the go. I preferred using it to whatever public option was available – it always felt cleaner.

Again a rain cover is a must in Paris. For cooler weather this pack already comes with a footmuff, but I like to add the stroller mittens which keep your hands warm but allow you to have easy access to the baby.

Yoyo 6+ Pack

Once your baby is about six months old they’ll be ready for the 6+ pack. You have the ability to recline the seat back which is great for smaller babies or naps on the go. We also use it as a high chair a lot in restaurants where they don’t have high chairs. I definitely recommend having the rain cover with you at all times in Paris. The footmuff and stroller mittens are absolute must-have for the winter. There is also a Bonpoint color option available in the 6+ pack.

Artipoppe – Baby Carrier

The Artipoppe baby carrier is by far my most-used baby item in Paris. The Artipoppe is expensive, but it’s easy to use and comfortable, so for me it was well worth it. It’s so nice having a hands-free option whether I’m walking our dog or when I’m alone with both babies.

We’ve traveled pretty extensively with our baby both on trains and planes both short and long haul and always bring the Artipoppe, especially if you’re using the lap infant option instead of buying the baby a seat. I have a 50€ referral link that I can share with family and friends who are interested in buying an Artipoppe. If you would like the link please feel free to email me here.

Another baby carrier option that I haven’t tested personally but have heard great things about is the Mabē carrier. It’s supposed to be comfortable, easy to use, and is less expensive than the Artipoppe.

Doona – Carseat and Stroller Option for Travel

We didn’t start with a Doona stroller because in Paris we’re in cars very infrequently and it’s actually not required to have infants in car seats in Paris (crazy, I know).

We bought the Doona before our first big trip to the US where we’d be in and out of cars often. I’m so glad we have it now because it’s a breeze for traveling and is also nice to have a car seat and stroller option in Paris too. We bought the Midnight Edition that comes with the Doona essentials bag which we use as our diaper bag for travel – it fits so much.

If you have a Doona already I would consider bringing it to Paris (without the base) if you’ll have space to store it, are going to be using cars more frequently, or are traveling elsewhere in France. I would not recommend using the Doona as your main stroller in Paris.

Diaper Pouch

Other than for long haul flights or long weekend trips I’ve never thought a diaper bag was really necessary. Instead I just have a couple of “diaper pouches” ready to go and either throw them in my tote or under the stroller. I like this pouch in the medium size.

Inside the pouches I keep two or three diapers, a clean onesie, burp cloth, small bib, diaper wipes (I usually use the end of a package so they take up less space), alcohol-free hand wipes, a changing pad (disposable for airplanes and places I think are super germy, and washable otherwise), a couple of sterile gauze pads, sérum physiologique (buy in the French pharmacy for cleaning nose, eyes, etc.), Infant Motrin, and a few ziplocks or doggy poop bags for dirty diapers or clothes.

Paris with a baby is absolutely doable, and I hope this list of must-have items is helpful!

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