Would you take a four month old to Bali?

[MauriceTheMussel]

Interested in opinions on this because I can’t figure out if I’m being unnecessarily cautious.

We haven’t been on holiday in forever and due to work can’t do long haul. For various reasons we can do long haul this year but would like to go before weaning the baby, so this is for all intents and purposes the “holiday of a lifetime”, well, for the next 8-10 years. We would fly Business and I’m not worried about the flight and the baby.

We are thinking about Bali with a stopover in Singapore. The vaccination schedule for babies is the same in SG as it is here and, as far as I can tell, Indonesia too. Baby has had the BCG.

We would stay right on the beach in a uber premium 5 star resort (and frankly not leave the hotel), so I’m not worried about the water or rabies or anything like that… just the mosquitos. Even if the baby didn’t contract dengue or something horrific, do babies scream their heads off over the itching over a bite?!

Part of me thinks: if all the other babies in SE Asia are born, how risky can a UK baby there be? Also, I’m no longer breastfeeding so no antibodies from me.

Would you take your 4 month old?

I don’t think Bali will be particularly risky but I wouldn’t go all that way and spend all that money with a baby who won’t remember and if baby is anything like our DCs the holiday won’t be remotely relaxing

they may be ok on the flight but babies don’t do well with jet lag

I would happily go without giving it anywhere as much thought as you already have if it was somewhere I really wanted to go.

If its somewhere you desperately want to see I'd do it, esp if you want to go round historic sights and museums etc
Once kids are bigger they get bored in museums - can we go now - they just want to get back to the pool.

Holidays beyond this year are likely to be very child focused for the next 20 years (I'm thinking you might have a second child)

So yes somewhere adult focused isn't a bad shout. And it doesn't matter if they remember it, while they are free to take on holiday

We travelled when our were very young, albeit 6 months on.

Much nicer places to go to than Bali, but the distance would absolutely not be an issue for me.

Thanks, all. Baby is super chill but, as someone who didn’t use hand sanitiser during covid, my risk-o-meter with the baby when it comes to health is the opposite! Slightly concerned I’ll see a mosquito and freak out the baby’s about to get some awful disease…but then how does every other parent/baby in tropical regions cope!

I agree there are better far flung locations, but most of them involve prop planes or speedboats, and I can’t be THAT relaxed.

The hotel we have in mind is ultra luxe, like 2k a night so it’s worth the schlep for that experience.

At that age it just rests on whether you think you can work providing for the baby around travelling.

Personally, I don't think I could have, my son at that age needed lots of carrying, didn't sleep great, irregular patterns, crying a lot etc. he is wonderful now, but he was a pain as a baby.. I think it would have been a waste of money for me to be anywhere at that age.

But if your baby is easy and you think you can handle his care and still enjoy going away, then why not?

Weve done trips to similar destinations at 2.5 and 4 years old, and really enjoyed them.

If you haven't done the flight before, please don't underestimate it though, business class is lovely but it doesn't automatically make flying pleasurable with a small baby... Our regular flights to see family (10-12 hours 4 times a year) were very hit and miss until our son was about 3.5, before that we had some beautiful sleep-filled journeys, and some absolutely hellish crying experiences.

I would question though, if this is your special holiday for the next 8-10 years, as you said... Would you not want to save it for when your child is 4-5 years old and can really enjoy it?

No problem if you can do this again in a few years, but the way you phrased the op made it seem was the big one for a while...

You can get baby-friendly mosquito repellent, use a net over the crib, stay inside at dawn and dusk, don’t sit next to damp vegetation or sitting water.
In all likelihood the baby will still get some bites. Ice cubes are good for easing initial irritation, also vaseline is good - forms a seal over the bite so stops the air getting to it.
I’m a bit baffled that you chose Bali and called it the trip of a lifetime, but then say you wouldn’t leave the hotel! If not leaving the hotel, you could be literally anywhere. Why Bali? There are plenty of other luxury non-mosquito resorts you could have a lovely relaxing time in.

Same thoughts here - at that budget you could get a lovely hotel in France or Italy or Spain why go all that way? So much hassle

I’d have no qualms doing this - at this age any holiday is going to be more for you as parents so go and enjoy it!

Long haul with baby - yes. The thing that makes me pause for Bali is the formula feeding. Just because it might be a ball ache to find suitable water to make up the formula with. Many bottled waters are too high in sodium. You could take pre made (which you can order for collection air side)

What time of year are you thinking of going?

I’m a bit baffled that you chose Bali and called it the trip of a lifetime, but then say you wouldn’t leave the hotel! If not leaving the hotel, you could be literally anywhere. Why Bali? There are plenty of other luxury non-mosquito resorts you could have a lovely relaxing time in.

You are going to spend the best part of 2 days travelling just to stay in the hotel.

Because she wants to go to Bali

I took my 4 month old and 3 year old around Asia for months on maternity leave - didn’t stay in 4 star resorts either it was amazing - baby was breastfed so super easy !

baby was fine - the older kid got an awful flu though and we ended up in hospital twice ! But other than that zero dramas

id to go for it op

I wouldn't bother if you only want to sit in the resort. It's not worth it and the flight is really long. I have been to Bali, albeit a long time ago, and really enjoyed it, but we were travelling around seeing all the sights and visiting another island. There are places just as good in Europe if you only want the resort, in my opinion, and it will be easier.

I have holidayed with children aged 4 months,11 months, 12 months, 20 months, 24 months, 26 months, nearly 3, just 3, 3.5 and nearly 4. And all ages above 4.

For an under 4 a 4 month old was the easiest. (A 12 month old was the hardest and then got easier each time as they aged until the eldest hit 15 and wanted to spend her evenings with a 19 year old Belgian lad. 😂)

However, mine were fully breastfed. One of the things that made it so easy with a 4 month old was that we didn’t have to think about food at all for him. There was an all he could eat 24 hour milk bar just for him! One of the reasons we didn’t go abroad with him again until he was nearly one was because we were worried about water and the sodium content once he started on solids and so needed water.

I’m also not sure that the holiday you have planned will be worth the money you will spend on it. At £2k per night for the hotel plus business class flights you are looking at over £30k. And you will still spend a lot of time changing nappies, preparing feeds and trying to get the baby to sleep.

You could have a really nice holiday a year for 4 years for that sort of money if you went to somewhere like the Balearics.

How old is your baby now? Mine was chill up until 4 months; then suddenly very difficult with naps and mood. Plus 4 month sleep regression. Just bear in mind what might change. I barely left my town in those month. The idea of a long haul flight would have been torture

I wouldn’t because I have become very risk averse with travel since having kids. I used to be a very adventurous traveller but I’m unwilling to take any unnecessary risks with my young children. There are lots of lovely places in Europe to visit that are safe.

I have been to Bali with a 4 month old. It was fine. We hired a car and drove to an isolated resort up in the North. As the only white people for miles, and with a red headed baby we were quite the celebrities for a week. It was great fun and the people we met were so lovely and friendly.

Echo others in saying why on earth would you go all the way to Bali and hide in a crappy posh identikit hotel? How boring!

Take one of Those blue light anti mosquito plug ins to zap them , it's chemical free too
Id say go, but make sure you are both as comfortable as possible

Also to add why is everyone telling her to go to Europe or somewhere closer? She wants the holiday of a lifetime , whilst baby is free, if she wanted to go to Spain she would do FFS
Plenty of people who are ethnically not from the UK go back to visit family in lots of far flung destinations with their children and stay in hotels with their babies with no issue at all so not sure why it's such an issue for some

Why would you go all the way to Bali and not leave the hotel? You might as well go to Spain.

My home country is a 3hr flight from Bali so it’s like our Spain. My kids started travelling from 6 months and have been to lots of island countries, Thailand, Vietnam, Penang, Fiji .. but I have never taken them to Bali and they are adults now. We went to Bali for our honeymoon and I love the place (especially ubad) but I don’t think it’s for babies or kids even.
You are better off taking a nice hotel in Singapore.

BF baby I wouldn't bat an eyelid just wxpect them to feed more in the heat and make sure mum is careful food and water wise to avoid food poisoning.

FF baby would involve a lot more including checks on what bottled water you can get there and probably taking a suitcase of formula and lots of Milton tablets with you.

I would also make sure you had a car seat which can be clipped in with a seat belt.

We took DS1 around NZ at 8 months old it worked well just had to factor in not moving about too frequently and sun tan lotion. You can get some mineral based ones for under 6 months. We took a mosquito net for his pram and carrier too.

Jet lag was a bit of a pain but actually him being up early meant we got to explore before it got too hot and would have places to ourselves.

Having had Bali Belly there is no chance I would risk it! I have never been so ill, had to go to Balinese hospital, awful.