Am I mad to consider this with a newborn?

Sorry about all the same replies 🙄 But I'm newish to this and the first two replies said "Fix the errors before you post " So I thought they weren't going to be posted 😂

I don't blame you for thinking about it. I personally wouldn't plan a trip like that just yet. I know my child was born 5 weeks early and was kept in hospital for a week. He's perfectly fine but you just don't know how and when the birth will happen. I lost a bit of blood after it too so it took a few weeks to feel right again and adjust to being a new mum!. Christmas is a cold time for a newborn to be travelling too.. You could make a loose plan for the months after maybe? You're probably getting excited now and are looking forward to seeing family with the new arrival!! :) A huge congrats by the way!! :)

Haven’t read the full thread, but just wanted to say in case nobody else has that you can buy flat car bassinets that fit into the isofix and are great - we did London to Cornwall with a six week old in one of these and it was great, meant we didn’t need to stop nearly as often.

Frame of Mind!*

I have 3 children of my own, if I could answer with my frame of mine now I'd say do it, I took my two eldest at 2 and 6 months to Edinburgh one February for a few nights which was hectic and not much fun because my eldest wanted to run around a lot my youngest was teething just nightmare. I think a newborn would be easier really if you just didn't make really solid crazy plans. But if you asked me just after I'd had my first I'd have laughed you out of my house just because of the sheer levels of exhaustion and how you can't really comprehend that until you have had your first baby, your body is still getting used to everything. Really hard to know. I'd book somewhere that has free cancellation and not commit fully to things and just play it by ear , it might be that you really feel like you are up for it! And Edinburgh is just beautiful if I could live there in another life I will ♥️

You can only really decide after the baby is born. The baby may be able to settle, and tolerate change, but will you?

Do you think that by 8 weeks your baby, who hopefully will have adapted to your usual family routine, would accept a sudden change?

Wouldn't it be best to speak to your midwife and health visitor? If by Christmas the baby is not 6 weeks old, would you go without having your post natal check?

I didn't realise there was a limit to how long a baby was in a car seat. Back in the day we secured their carry cot on the back seat and they slept (or not) lying down.
Given you have the space to do so, is this no longer an option?

💯 doable. I live away from where I’m from. Have always travelled with babies/ young children. Start young they get used to it. I had 3 under 5 & my youngest first holiday at 6 months was the Caribbean. You can make it work, plan ahead & don’t be worried. Worst case scenario you have to make a few stops on the journey. Hopefully baby might even sleep through the entire thing! Good luck 😊

I will say... I had my first baby 3 years ago and it is definitely harder than you think. Everyone tried to tell you but you don't realise until they are here. I planned on breastfeeding and know many mums who planned on it but couldn't stick to it for whatever reason so ended up bottle feeding. You need to think about these things: 1. You may not end up breastfeeding meaning you have to make up bottles for the journey 2. You may have a c section meaning you will be healing for months 3. You may have a long hospital stay ( I know someone who needed to stay in for 6 weeks) 4. Baby has to be taken out for 15 mins at a time every 30 mins. 5. My baby hated a car seat and screamed whenever she was put in, turned red and threw up whenever i drove her around so i stopped doing it 6. Possible post natal depression will make you not want to do anything 7.You will be exhausted and no doubt won't want to travel all that way doing all those things when you're surviving on 3 hours sleep a night.

Sorry if I've been blunt but just want you to have a heads up

Have only read first few pages so probably been mentioned but if going in a car get good breakdown cover - breaking down in remote areas in pitch black freezing December. That won’t be good.
The train would be easier in some ways as don’t need to stop to feed and both of you will be less tired but then there’s cancellations left right and centre.
In all honesty yes I could have travelled that far if needed 5-8 weeks after no problem but I wouldn’t do it for pleasure just out of necessity ie a sick relative. For your first Christmas time I’d honestly stay local, don’t stress yourself out, book a trip less than an hour away for markets etc. and build up to a holiday. As you’ve probably heard every single birth is completely different

Totally doable and I would! You can be tired anywhere is my opinion.
Check your pram can be used for over night sleep, that’ll save on a travel cot also being packed ☺️

I say go for it, we drove Southampton - Liverpool when baby was 8 weeks. It was meant to take 4 hours but with stops and traffic it took 8 and she slept the whole way.

She’s now 2 and I wouldn’t dare do that trip 😂 so much easier when they are little. Lots of frequent stops to stretch and for milk x

I could have done it with both mine as both my births were fine with healing and recovery and also
my son was a text book baby, slept like an angel and ate every 3 hours (bottle fed,) oh and also took a dummy so would have been a doddle.. but I’m a very chilled laid back mum/person this wouldn't faze me at all. sleep in the car (take pillows and duvet) and take stops every hour, 3 hour is nothing.. Also where in Scotland? (I’m central)

Go at Easter instead. Hinestly Christmas with a new born will be magical at home. Let everyone come to you.

Good luck x

I think it's impossible to know until you've met your baby and you know what the birth was like. I've had 3 babies and each one has been so different with my most recent baby being premature with a NICU stay and ongoing health concerns so if you book anything make sure it's flexible

Depends I think on how your baby is as they are all different. I had a c section with 3rd child, and breast feeding was easy, I took him
Anywhere as milk on tap! We went to canaries when he was 3 months old ,I'd no bottles or steralising stuff to take. Fed him on beach and he slept in pushchair.
At 8 weeks ,if you are feeling yourself ..and baby feeding ok...i can't see a problem. 🤞🥂

Emergency c section on my first and stayed in a hotel for 4 nights when she was 6 weeks old. Had a lovely time.

I would do it.
When DS2 was approx 5 weeks we did a long weekend caravan break at a lovely site and to be honest I still hadn't recovered fully and therefore felt a bit rubbish but the fact I could wander about at my own leisure, stop off and drink coffee, have lunch etc did take my mind off it. Plus it also meant I had 4 days with no visitors to my home so had some peace

No, I went to my parents in Ireland from Scotland at New Year with a newborn. As long as you plan your journey well beforehand. You can do it. You'll be made more than welcome and we love babies 👶 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 ❤️

you will be fine, I did a 5 hour trip when my son was 4 weeks old and he woke several times during the night so I was shattered 😂😂 obviously you need to keep stopping to get baby out of the car chair but yes go for it. And as you say apart from lack of sleep (dependent on baby) I’d agree this is an easier age before the demanding toddler stage. Good luck and congratulations 🙌

I think you’ll be fine. We took DD1 to a wedding overnight at 5 weeks - we weren't actually that tired as it hadn't (yet! 🤣) been months of sleep deprivation, and all the stimulation gave her the longest unbroken stretch of sleep she’d ever had! I wore her in a sling for a lot of it which kept her comfy and content. Would never have booked it with DD2 but I think naivety actually did us a favour in encouraging us to go for it, and it was fine! Only thing I would say is be wary of assuming BF will be straightforward/established/exclusive - literally anything can happen even if you’re planning in EBF so I’d plan for bottles just in case (if you’re organised it’s not that bad!) xx

No get yourselves up here, you'll be made more than welcome. And we love babies Xxx

I think it could be fine but I’d only book it if you have a cancellation clause, just in case. We took a 22 month old and a 11 week old on a self catering holiday to Devon (6 hour drive) and it was absolutely fine! Breast feeding would definitely make it easier and more convenient for you and by 5 weeks you’ll have the hang of it by then! Good luck and hope you make it 😊

No, get yourselves up here 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 You'll get a warm welcome and we love babies ❤️

No get yourselves up here, you'll be more than welcome 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 and wee love babies 💙 Itll be a Canter with the wee one 🥰