To hate holiday with baby

Pleased to read your update. You’re an awesome mum.

Sometimes all it takes is to count our blessings & be grateful to be given the gift of a child. My 'opinion' is not berating,it's merely a different view. The joys far outweigh the struggles. Nobody ever said parents like everyone else on the planet never have days when they are exhausted & could run a mile. Ask them if they would go back in time & not have babies. The vast majority wouldn't dream of saying yes. Interesting that this vast majority inevitably go on to have more than one. Mine is an opinion which although different from the naysayers it's still valid.

Honestly, that sounds grim. Hopefully things improve in a few days!

DH and I took our DS to see family abroad when he was 6 months and it was such hard work. He was really unsettled and clingy, had to be in our arms all the time (wouldn't countenance being held by anyone else until the last 2 days), and started waking up about 5 times a night. It was horrendous and I remember sobbing that I just wanted to go home because I was so so tired.

Went again when he was 18 months and the holiday itself was better but the flight out is burned into my brain as a total parenting nadir.

This year he was 2.5yo and while it was still hard work there were lots of really lovely bits too. Hang on in there, it gets better.

Why are you feeding a 6 month old every 2 hours is my first question!

What newborn?

Depends took mine at 3 months on long haul to luxury hotels was easy. I don't think it would suit those who are regimented eg over sleep nap times. Ours slepy on sun beds in shade next to us etc I used sling etc when out. Very easy. I had friends though who used to take theirs back home for naps etc every day whereas mine just slept out wherever I was. If you are a chilled non rules parents think it works really well travelling with young babies.

Me too, I've never understood parents who take babies and wee toddlers to a hot country.so selfish, and also expecting them to behave on a flight. As long as their wants are met though, eh

I would definitely be handing baby over for as many 2 hour stretches as I could and getting some rest / time to recover from the journey

An unnecessary 10 hour flight with a newborn is a crazy idea.

We did a 4 hour flight when DD1 was 3 and DD2 was 6 months for a friend's wedding, I'm not sure I could've done anything longer.

I suggest feeding the baby, then handing him to DH who can change him, pop him in the pram and take him for a walk around the resort, or to the pool or wherever for 2 hours so you can catch up on sleep, or just lie still and quiet in a dark room.

There's a reason sleep deprivation is used as a torture method and it really impacts on everything!

It wasn’t the best choice, but it wasn’t necessarily a bad judgment on DH's part. From his perspective, he just wanted to have a holiday with you and the baby, so his intention wasn’t bad. It’s just that reality turned out to be difficult. I completely understand how you feel, and I would have found it miserable too. However, since you’re already on holiday, try not to focus too much on the negative aspects. Dwelling on them may cloud your memories when you look back. In the end, what stays with us isn’t always the reality, but the emotions we associate with it. I hope you can still create good memories with your baby and husband.

Oh OP I’m so sorry you’ve had such a tough start to your holiday. Hopefully baby will settle, and you will start to be able to enjoy things a little more. Getting out in the fresh air always makes me feel better after a bad night with my baby girl, and it always seems to help her too. Hopefully where you are, the weather is much nicer and warmer, which should help lift your mood a bit.

This is why I’ve told DH we’re sticking to UK holidays until bubba is at least 4 or 5. I couldn’t imagine the stress of being on a plane with her, as she suffers terribly with wind, and would probably be a screaming nightmare. She’s bad enough in the car at times. We’re taking her away in the UK when she will be about 8 months old, so I’m hoping she will be a bit more settled by then. I’m still dreading it though, if I’m honest! 😂

There are women absolutely desperate to have a baby & every month they produce a negative test. I'm sure they would give anything to be in the position of being on holiday & having to settle a tired & hungry baby.

I'm sure you asked all of them for permission before co-opting their struggle to berate a struggling stranger on the internet.

Each to their own opinion of parenting children on holiday. I treasure every memory of the fun DH & I had on every holiday here & abroad. As they got older we would sit at dinner & laugh until it hurt. I would do it all.again in a heartbeat. We have the pleasure of young Grandchildren now & it's just as delightful. There are stressfull times especially when they are sick but for me being without children in my life would feel totally empty.

Maybe it's me but we have been doing long haul with babies since they were 6 weeks old. Found it a breeze! Harder when they got to around two years old and fidgets!. But honestly tell hubby to watch baby seen as it was his idea to go get some sleep yourself and adjust to time difference keep baby awake as laye as possible. Tomorrow is a new day baby will have long naps in pushchair in the sunshine and you will be more relaxed.

Have only read OP’s posts but I flew with DD (alone) at 4.5 months to visit family. 8 hour flight during which I had to express 3 times (not recommended, my nipple literally exploded but I was exclusively expressing for DD).

At 6 months surely your baby can take some expressed milk in a bottle or from a cup which leaves you more time to relax and catch up because your husband/other family can take care of them?

Oh dear, sounds horrendous c

hopefully everyone will settle and you’ll get a bit of rest soon

There are women absolutely desperate to have a baby & every month they produce a negative test. I'm sure they would give anything to be in the position of being on holiday & having to settle a tired & hungry baby. Breast feeding is wonderful but for me 6 months was enough. I admit my baby was far more settled & for much longer when I changed to formula. Some babies just need more which makes it exhausting for both the mother & the child. Dh & I had our first holiday abroad at the same time as changing & it was wonderful. The teething phase is another story but it passes & produces beautiful smiles 😁

I remember the shock of having our first holiday abroad just the 3 of us. It was very stressful because it was no longer a 'holiday' in the traditional sense. It will get better eventually!

I found holidays really hard work but you are there now. Try to enjoy it
Your DH meant well.

Listen to your body.

Take the time to get some half decent sleep and get a good meal. If DH is feeling grand, I would tell him to take baby out for a few hours to let you rest.

Also, ensure you keep a routine, plan out your days. If you need a nap in the afternoon, then so be it.

Once you get back some sleep and plan out your itinerary, things will look much better.

I have reframed family "holidays" and see them as "adventures". They are rarely relaxing, however if you see it as an adventure and a challenge I promise you, you will have lovely family memories to treasure. You may also laugh about what a nightmare the holiday was in years to come, but it's a memory none the less! 😆

I cried several times on holiday to Mallorca with my breastfed baby - it was part of a big family group (over 20!) and everyone else was sunbathing, going to the beach, socialising in the beach bar and I was just in the hotel trying to stay in air conditioning , getting my refluxy baby to nap , trying to avoid sunburn etc etc. Being breastfed meant no one could really help (not that anyone offered or tried!) and I hated it.

Did a trip to north coast of N.Ireland with then 2 year old last year and that was a big success. NOT relaxing but our son had a lovely time

It’s not an issue….a 6 month baby can easily adjust to being taken anywhere…
We went on a 16 hour trip to Bali when ours was 10 months…you go adjust as you go