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Baby in the public transport-when?

26 replies

caraway33 · 12/04/2016 11:23

When did you take your baby to train/bus/plane for the first time? And- do you get off (not off the plane obviouslyGrin )if s/he starts crying?

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Booboostwo · 12/04/2016 12:55

DD 4 weeks old on plane and DS 2 weeks old on plane, neither cried, they breastfed and slept.

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AlbertaWildRose · 12/04/2016 12:57

We took DS2 home from the hospital on the bus when he was 1 day old, as we didn't have a car. He slept the whole time. Both DSs were about 5 or 6 months when they went on a long haul flight for the first time. I just BF'd them whenever they cried.

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SunnySomer · 12/04/2016 12:59

DS first bus trip was at one week old. First train journey at four months, first flight at 11 months. Have never got off when he cried, but to be fair he didn't cry all that much.

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vvviola · 12/04/2016 13:00

DD1 about 6 months on bus/train. 11 months on a plane.

DD2 8 days on a bus (needed to get out of the house so went to local shopping mall for a bit of a potter - no way could I have done it with DD1!). 9 weeks on a plane.

In all cases they were never any trouble. Trouble started when they were older and more mobile Wink

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WordGetsAround · 12/04/2016 13:04

On the way back from hospital the day after he was born, and after a section. Didn't have a car so had to get home somehow!

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BertieBotts · 12/04/2016 13:07

I couldn't drive when DS was born. I don't know exact age but a few weeks.

I wouldn't have got off if he cried. I might have tried to comfort him if I could. But he used to like the movement of the engine, it sent him to sleep.

The only time I'd get off is if the wheelchair space was needed for a wheelchair, but to be fair I'd normally try to fold the buggy first. I did sometimes get off rather than folding, if I had a day/week ticket (so wouldn't have to buy again), if I was travelling a regular route (so I knew I could get another bus quickly) or if I wasn't in a rush anyway.

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SomedayMyPrinceWillCome · 12/04/2016 13:31

We took DS to the Paralympics when he was 17 days old

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soundsystem · 12/04/2016 15:11

A few days old on the bus, 6 weeks old on a plane (1.5 hour flight). The tube/train was at a couple of weeks old, can't remember exactly.

Would I have got off... would depend on what was easiest and why she was crying. I'd try shoogling the pram or picking her up first. If she needed a feed and I was somewhere with stuff I would have got off and gone to a cafe or something to feed her (rather than attempting to feed on the bus). But then it would depend how far I had to go: if I was close to home I'd stick it out, if I was further away I'd get off and deal with the issue.

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Timetogrowup2016 · 12/04/2016 16:47

Dd 8 weeks old. Been on bus/train loads since left hospital at 10 days old . She loves it. Great way to get baby to sleep

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Timetogrowup2016 · 12/04/2016 16:53

Also I normally try to make sure dd is fed before getting on but today she woke and cried and I fed on the bus. I didn't feel safe holding her on the bus though and if far away from home would probably get off next time if their was somewhere near I could feed

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MewlingQuim · 12/04/2016 17:06

Agree with PP that they are more trouble when older and shouting mummy look at thar fat man Blush

I'm a regular bus user and never got off because of DD crying. I don't remember her being that noisy really as lots to look at, but even if she did cry I wouldnt get off. Its the bus, it's full of other people and people make noise. It's normal. Anyone who can't bear it should wear headphones, and I say that as someone who generally can't stand noise Grin

Didn't go on a plane until DD was 2, but she was fairly well behaved then as far as I am aware and slept a good amount of the time. No idea what the other passengers thought but I didn't see any evil glares.

Maybe I am just oblivious Grin

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doleritedinosaur · 12/04/2016 17:17

DS was ten days old for bus, I never got off if he was crying, paid for the fare so why should I? & he never did any way, mostly because I fed him on route.

Train was a month & I think, no issues & flight was 8 months, no issues just fed during take off for ear issues.

I don't drive yet so public transport is how we get around, he loves looking around now.

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kiki22 · 12/04/2016 18:28

Ds was a few weeks old on the bus I cant remember with the train we don't have a local train station so don't use them much. It wouldn't cross my mind to get off if he cried its public transport if people don't want to hear a crying baby they should get a car. I did get off once in the summer a few stops early because I was so hot he was overheating crying so much.

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caraway33 · 13/04/2016 15:34

Thank you for replies. Just wondering about actual experiences and if there's a view from when on it is safe to take a baby to the public area/space where exit time can't be immediate and also tends to be more crowded (during rush hour for example). I've been told off by a friend for taking my dd since 5 weeks to travel by tube as supposedly it is too early and dangerous, considering viruses etc.
Crying is a separate issue. It happened the other day and I panicked, not knowing what to do...also felt so bad not being able to soothe her.

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Ginmakesitallok · 13/04/2016 15:36

Dd1 was about 6 weeks when first on a plane, 9 weeks on a ferry.

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FuzzyOwl · 13/04/2016 15:43

DD is 10 months and has never been on a bus or ferry but she went on a train at eight weeks, plane at three months and underground at six months. She mainly slept on all of them and was no trouble at all.

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BiddyPop · 13/04/2016 16:02

DD was only a few weeks old - maybe 3? I hadn't got my own car yet (was driving years but DH and I had always done fine sharing a car) and I used to go down to the "town" walking the pram, have a walk then a coffee in a coffee shop (and give DD a feed), then we'd get the bus back up the hill home. Sometimes I'd even get the bus both ways if it was rainy, to get out into some fresh air and other people while DH was at work. Never got off just because she was crying (between reflux and other issues - we'd a lot of crying!)!

Train was later, just because of logistics (it didn't go where I was interested when DD was very small). And I got my own car when DD was 7 weeks old so we were more independent again.

She was 8 months old for her first flight, I kept up bf until shortly after holiday that so was able to feed her for takeoff etc.

We used to get the bus a LOT for commuting when she was young - I drove her home (DH having driven her in) mostly up to about 2.5 years. DH started cycling with her on the back when she was about 16 months old (could hold herself up well, and warmer summer weather - but she went in on his bike all through winter up to starting school (he got knocked off and broke his wrist on his 3rd last day of doing that commute - which suddenly became his last). But when I moved building, and DD moved building near my new one, when she was 2.5 years, we tended to commute home by bus or occasionally train.

Generally no issues at all. Except in very early days when she was a very small baby (so trickier to manage and fold proper pram alone) and I wasn't going far, I tended to wait for another bus (only a few minutes) if someone already occupied the wheelchair/buggy space as it wasn't worth folding the buggy for that.

I'm also well used to other babies on public transport, and while it's sometimes a little noisy, generally there are no issues with parents looking hassled and harassed off it. Often someone will try to interact with the baby or support the parent if there is a troublesome tot. It's life.

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kiki22 · 13/04/2016 17:26

Your friend sounds like a panic merchant how does he/she think people without cars or car sharing get anywhere.

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Pinkheart5915 · 13/04/2016 17:29

Ds1 on a plane at 8 weeks to San Francisco he was fine.

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soundsystem · 13/04/2016 17:33

In terms of when it's safe... I mean, from birth really. I know plenty of people who got the bus home from hospital (I would have, too, if I'd gone to hospital).

Most people probably don't want to take a tiny tiny baby (days old) out and about, but I'd have thought that's more to do with the mother recovering from the birth and generally getting to know each other rather than any danger to the baby.

I do know what you mean about panicking when they start to cry though!

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LindorBunny · 13/04/2016 17:40

Your friend is bonkers. Perfectly fine to take them on public transport.

I think I did it at about 10 days?

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TriJo · 16/04/2016 10:32

I took my son on the bus for a short local journey when he was 2 days old. He slept the whole time, it was fine. Underground at 11 days because I had to go to a passport interview in central London. He'll be on his first ferry in June aged just under 3 months when we go to Ireland for a week, Eurostar to Paris in July for a weekend and his first flight in August.

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albertcampionscat · 17/04/2016 01:26

No one (well, no one who isn't a twat and there aren't that many of those around) is going to make you feel bad if your baby cries on the bus. You're far more likely to get a sympathetic look from some grandparently type.

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ProseccoPoppy · 18/04/2016 08:37

You actually have a better chance of soothing baby on public transport though as if you're driving you can't always safely stop. Your friend is being ridiculous, what are you supposed to do, be housebound fgs? I personally wouldn't fancy the tube in rush hour with my 6mo if I could avoid it (actually that's true on my own, it's just unpleasant) but outside of that I can't see the problem. Out of interest are you using a sling or pushchair?

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caraway33 · 18/04/2016 14:27

Thank you for sharing experiences.
I'm sure my friend meant well, but somehow this unsolicited advice just made me more anxious and hurt- as if i'm not caring for my child enough.
Poppy- a sling.

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