.... to take a newborn to Australia?

Just putting here that whilst you may be able to get vaccines when you arrive, it will mean that tiny baby isn't protected in the airport, on the flight, etc in very busy places with lots of infectious diseases floating around - bearing in mind even a bad cold can be harmful to a tiny one.

You are also assuming you have a reasonably uncomplicated birth and postnatal period if you book now. I personally could not have got on a plane for a 24 hour journey at 4 weeks PP - I was still very sore and on antibiotics, baby had some feeding issues and we still hadn't been signed off by midwifery.

I would personally wait until after the 8 week vaccines - not just because of the vaccine itself, but because you are more likely to be in a rhythm and physically feeling well enough to survive the flight. I have friends that did NZ at about that time.

I don’t believe the agreement covers deliberately travelling to Australia to give birth.

Aus/uk family here ! Quick question if anyone knows, does the reciprocal health agreement between Australia and the uk mean that’s it’s possible to give birth in Australia in a public hospital whilst mum is on a tourist visa, (rest of the family are Aus citizens ). Only seem to find info saying limited Medicare available but not sure exactly what this means/includes
thanks in advance !

I helped an Australian family get a vaccine for their baby while on a sabbatical in Spain (baby was slightly older, but even so). They just paid for it at a private hospital that they had access to via their insurance.
I just have to say, all the best to you OP with your travels. You sound like a really nice, practical mum, rather than someone who would expect all your family to make the trip and come to you 'because of the baby'. I hope you have a great time in Australia when you get there and enjoy that long-awaited family reunion after their barbaric covid rules.

If the flights are booked for 6 weeks then my DN would have been only 4 weeks old by that point and only out of hospital for 2.5 of those.

I wouldn't want to make the flight within 4 weeks of any surgery preferably but you might still have stitches, wound care needs and not be signed off to drive if you have a csection

I think some people would have been able to comfortably sit on a flight by that point and others not.

You also might find it hard to get health insurance to cover you if you had post birth complications eg with stitches etc

Hi,
We travelled from South Island NZ to the UK with a 6 week old and 18 month old. We applied for a passport as soon as they were born and got her first vaccinations in the UK. It was easy. As people have said make sure you request the cot seats on the plane and for the passport photo lie flat on a blanket so they are not scrunched up!

In Australia, we do the first vaccinations from 6 weeks - could you do this in the UK? Might be nice to have protection from pertussis on the plane.

As an aside, while you're there will you be getting your baby an Australian passport? It might be easier to do in country (?) and I would want to make sure my child had the same citizenship as me. Although maybe you're also British?

Another thing to consider will be your health. You may still be having post natal bleeding, stitches meaning discomfort sitting, c section scars etc... Or you may be bouncing around the place.

Passport office in a bit of mess in some places currently, so fast track appointments harder to get hold of.

@HeartofAss

Your child will be an Australian citizen surely? As such they need to get an Australian passport, as Australia requires its citizens to travel on the Australian passport (to and from Australia that is). And Australian citizens cannot get visas.

We’ve booked to go to Australia for Christmas, and for in-laws to meet DC for the first time (who will be 2!).

We’ve not sorted his passport yet but we’re fine to book without.

In all honesty, I’d rather travel with a newborn than leave it later. DH as an adult (and Australian citizen) has managed to have vaccinations previously while there, he did have to pay a hell of a lot to go privately as he wasn’t registered though.

For the sake of two weeks, I’d go after the jabs, or see if they can be brought forward a week.

*big uk city

The only thing that could stand in your way as I can see it is the registering of the birth. I know quite a few people that have had babies in the last 6 months and all of them have had to wait over 6 weeks to register the birth. There is even a note on our cities register office pages advising that the normal deadline for registration has been lifted (bit uk city)

Registering the birth may take a bit longer than expected. It's a bit hit and miss currently, with some families waiting a matter of weeks, others it may be a couple of months.

We didn't need a number when booking our flights for DD. She was booking under Baby Whistleinthewind and when she was born we just updated her name. I don't think we have the passport details for her till much nearer the flight.

I took DD when she was 3 weeks old for much the same reason; stayed there for 10 weeks. We just dropped straight into Aus postnatal care with checkups for her & me and also vaccinations. The vaccination schedule was slightly different so I just timed it around our home schedule - no problem with this at all.

We're living in NZ so visas weren't an issue. I was able to register her birth & apply for a passport the same day .

Tip for passport pic - stuck her in a bouncinette with a plain pillowcase over it, then made a noise so she opened her eyes. Worked a treat!

You don't need a passport number to book flights @HeartofAss.
Have a fab trip home !

We waited until we got back for vaccinations, just didn't take him swimming. Registered the birth and got a fast track passport. We also stopped off in Oz on the way back and the visa only took a couple of days. I think you should go for it. We had the best time, the best bit of kit we took was his baby carrier as it made everything so much easier and meant we didn't rely on a buggy.

My english husband applied for the ETA visa electronically and it came immediately. I excitedly applied for my children's oz passports when they were born - to be honest they are a right pain to up keep. You have to renew them every five years in the australian office in london and they are not cheap. You might be better staying on OUk passport and waiting to get your son an oz passport closer to 18.
Top tip you might want to enquire about getting him an australian citizenship certificate when in Oz as you will need one to apply for Oz passport.

Australia and the Uk have a recipical medical arrangement. When you get there you can just call a vaccination clinic and book an appt. Just take the red book so they can stamp it so you can show your UK doctor. You are also allowed a medicare card when you get there - just go to a local medicare office and they will give you a temp card for the holiday.
I personally would prefer to wait until they are older and had more vaccines - but my brother and sister'n'law who live in Australia flew to Canada with their new born daughter when she was two weeks old.

I don't think ypu will be able to book flights without a passport number for baby

A number of years ago i took my 12 week old to Oz, waited until born and passport to book flights