Sabbatical with a Six Month Old??

[YourProudGoldLurker]

I want to take a six month sabbatical to do some travelling across North & South America and Central Asia.

My work don’t allow sabbaticals but they do offer one year full pay maternity leave. Partner and I are considering having our first child and using the second half of the maternity leave like a paid sabbatical, we are both late 20’s and know we want kids in the next few years anyway.

Would this be crazy? I’d love to hear if mums out there would do it if you had the option!!

Not with a child that won't have been fully innoculated. I think its a crazy idea.

Sounds amazing! Travelling with a 6-12 months old would be really good. The only thing you’d need to consider is weaning, which is a right faff and probably would be harder abroad. And if you aren’t breastfeeding, how you would ensure safe formula feeding. And if any additional precautions are needed beyond the vaccines in the newborn period (after this there are none until 12 months). But with a bit of planning I’m sure all of those things would be manageable. We had planned to go to Australia with eldest for 4 months but then Covid hit sadly, I’m still devastated to this day!

It’s a great time to travel with kids - they’re not mobile, and still happy to be taken round touristy things that appeal to adults more than little kids.

Unlike PP I also think it would be a good time to do it food-wise: just give them food you’re eating, as long as it’s appropriate (most is).

I traveled a fair bit when DD2 was that age (with DD1 who was 3). The baby was a far easier traveling companion than the toddler!

But check what your mat and pat leave policy is before you assume it will be paid!

This. You really need to consult a doctor about vaccination before travelling with a young child.

Most people have no idea how they're going to feel as parents until the baby is actually out. Then the love and protectiveness kicks in and all of a sudden you just see the entire world differently.
Aside from that the sleep deprivation means you probably wouldn't enjoy these adventures as much. Plus what happens if baby gets ill while your in the back end of nowhere?
Thats before you even consider the vaccinations needed.
I would probably try and find a way to do the travelling before trying for a baby.

I’d have been absolutely fine with one of mine and couldn’t have done it with the other. One was still pretty much a happy potato at six months, the other was crawling and couldn’t sit still.

Food in Asia might be challenging depending on where you go. Vaccines and inoculations would be tough, but also the friends you make - you’d miss all of the second half of maternity leave for most people. The people who did that in both of my antenatal groups never really managed to re-embed themselves and those communities have been worth their weight in gold for me. It’s brilliant to have local people with babies the same age, going through the same thing.

We do still travel with mine a lot, but a six month tour is quite hardcore…

Does your partners job offer sabbaticals? To be honest I’d be more tempted to consider it a big last adventure pre-baby, and find a new job when you get home. You’ve got time.