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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think about going to Mexico with a 5 month old?

44 replies

Onlymydogunderstandsme · 07/08/2012 16:43

DH and I got married earlier in the year and would like to go away on a honeymoon. DS will be 5 months the time we are thinking of going? The lady in the travel agents said "I was ridiculous" to consider it which has made me question it? I'm thinking he is only little so won't want to get down and move about on the flight but have t been abroad with a baby before?

OP posts:
JumpingThroughHoops · 07/08/2012 16:46

Did she expand on why it was ridiculous?

I love Latin America - very child-centric.

stressheaderic · 07/08/2012 16:46

It is stressful travelling with a baby, I found.
I have been to Mexico (before had DD), the flight is about 11 hours which is a long time to juggle and placate a young baby, and I was jetlagged for a couple of days when I arrived which was a consideration too.
We take DD short-haul quite a lot and even that is quite stressful.

OldGreyWiffleTest · 07/08/2012 16:48

That's a long way to go with a baby, I think. I'm also assuming it will be very hot? I wouldn't have even considered it.

Noqontrol · 07/08/2012 16:51

I would, especially if you can get the front seats with the bassinet. I want to go to NZ soon, mine are 2 and 4. Im going to wait until 2 year old is a little bit older because he would be intolerable now. I wish I'd done it when he was a baby, it would have been loads easier then. A missed window of opportunity.

Fwiw my friend has been flying back and forth to Brazil since her ds was a tiny baby. She does it by herself and has been fine.

swlmum · 07/08/2012 16:53

I'd say far easier to travel with a five month year old than a mad toddler. Went on a few long haul flights when mine were that age. Now that they are 3 and 5 we have given up for a couple more years.
If you have a look at the long haul travel threads there will be loads of advice and tips. We went to Jamaica and Malaysia when they were little and had no problems with the heat etc. Was great!

ripsishere · 07/08/2012 16:53

I don't think YABU. My DD flew from the ME at three)ish) weeks old. As long as your DC has the necessary vax, I honestly can't see a problem. They are much easier when they aren't mobile.

swlmum · 07/08/2012 16:54

Yes- make sure you go with an airline with bassinets...

Queenie72 · 07/08/2012 16:56

I reckon easiest time to go, they can't move and are v adaptable. We flew to NZ when ds1 was 16 months and though not great, was nowhere near as bad as we thought. Make sure you get a bassinet and feed on take off and landing as this stops their ears popping. X

RichTeas · 07/08/2012 16:59

Depends where you're going in Mexico. If it's a resort, probably OK, but then why not go somewhere in Europe (resorts are resorts). If it's backpacking / travelling, then you are being ridiculous. Off the beaten track hygiene standards are lower, and there are plenty of safety issues.

Original poster
Onlymydogunderstandsme · 07/08/2012 17:06

Thank you for your replies. The woman in the travel agents I think was meaning because of the flight time but she was generally quite unhelpful, I left at the point she started to give opinions on bringing up my baby so couldn't get much information!! Wherever we go it will be warm so I will be taking a sun tent for DS anyway and keeping him out of the heat.

OP posts:
Original poster
Onlymydogunderstandsme · 07/08/2012 17:09

Richteas-it would be to a resort, wouldn't consider back packing with a baby. We are planning on going Nov/Dec do Europe would t be warm enough.

OP posts:
Callisto · 07/08/2012 17:12

I would do it. Took DD to west coast of Canada when she was three and she was brilliant on the flights. Tiny babies are so portable, and all your one will need is sleep, boob/bottle and being held. Do it! You will have a fab time, and jet lag only hits you on the return journey ime.

Oh, and change your travel agent.

RichTeas · 07/08/2012 17:12

Resort should be ok. Long flights and infants are usually not a problem, as they love to sleep. Just make sure you can get the bassinet capable seats (usually at the front of each cabin).

eurochick · 07/08/2012 17:13

I don't see why it is ridiculous. Plenty of people take their babies on long haul trips. It's probably easier at that age before the baby starts moving indepedently.

Personally, I wouldn't go to Mexico at the moment as there is a lot of drug-related violence (which has been only scantily covered by the press here). I went years ago with an old boyfriend and my husband and I looked at going earlier this year. We decided against it and went elsewhere in Central America.

redexpat · 07/08/2012 17:14

Took DS aged 4 months on an overnight train to Switzerland. He was fine! Although I realise that overnight train is not the same as a plane.

sleepingbunny · 07/08/2012 17:19

We took DD to Mexico at ten weeks old. We went for eight months. She had a ball. Do it.

WE did it again when she was two with her and her six month old little sister. Three months that time. They both had a ball. Mexicans love children. You'll be fine!

Toptack · 07/08/2012 17:20

What RichTeas said - I love love love Mexico but wouldn't bother going all that way to spend a fortnight in Cancun, which is over-developed and over-priced... May as well go to Europe or USA (it just seemed like an American resort to me). Traveling around with a baby certainly wouldn't be for the faint-hearted! You would need to double check vax and medical advice; some bits of Mexico are Malarial so would best be avoided altogether.

leelteloo · 07/08/2012 17:23

I wouldn't think the plane would be a problem, especially if your breast feeding. As others have said, much easier than with a toddler. Took dd to Canada last year, just turned 2 and she didn't have a seat and it was very very stressful.
I would be slightly concerned about illnesses and would want to know about the mossies, malaria or dengue fever would not be good.
Where ever you go, I hope you have a wonderful honeymoon Smile

charlearose · 09/08/2012 00:44

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

theoldtrout01876 · 09/08/2012 00:52

I live in the states. I would not set foot in mexico right now nor would I allow any of my family to set foot in Mexico at the moment. It is BAD there at the moment. Huge drug wars ,tourists being killed as well as all sorts of innocent mexicans. Its not pretty and it isnt happening in the arse end of nowhere Mexico, its happening in the resort towns too. Find somewhere safer

larks35 · 09/08/2012 00:53

5mo is so much better than say a 15mo at being settled into things. The flight may be a nightmare, can get very hot on long-haul flights. However, once you are there I think you'll find you'll attract a lot of attention with your baby, and I'm sure the 3 of you will have a ball! Grin

RubyFakeNails · 09/08/2012 00:58

I would definitely go, I took all the dcs to Jamaica at similar ages. Was wonderful.

DavidHume · 09/08/2012 01:04

I have lived in Mexico since 1999. I have flown to and from the UK with my children. I went to my grandma's funeral when dd was 8 weeks old. My only advice would be to ensure you fly with an airline that provides bassinets, because not all do. The time I took 8 week old Dd to the UK I had to carry her the whole time. I was on my own which made going to to the toliet very difficult. So I wouldn't think there was any trouble with the flight. It will be harder once your baby is 9 months plus as she will be bored and will get fed up. My worse journey was when DS was 18 months, too young for many diversionary games, too old to stay sat on my lap for hours on end. Plus he weighed a ton.
As for what theoldtrout says, I expect you are going to Cancun or some such beach spot. These touristy areas are not dangerous. While drug violence is very real, I think it is unhelpful and scaremongering to imply that going to a holiday resort is a dangerous thing to do. I have lived in the more dangerous parts of Mexico with my children. I know the difference.
Good luck whatever you want to do.

DavidHume · 09/08/2012 01:09

Forgot to say. I took the dc for a holiday to Acapulco three weeks ago. We had a lovely time. A friend recently took her daughter to the Rivera Maya to see Uk relatives (who came across especially). They also had a lovely safe time.

NapaCab · 09/08/2012 01:10

Going so far away is probably not going to be much of a honeymoon with your baby along! It's going to be stressful and hard work, not relaxing.

We travelled the same distance, 11 hours, with DS when he was 4 months but we were moving country so had no choice. It was do-able and DS was very well-behaved on the flight but I wouldn't really choose to fly so far away just for a holiday. We also went for a weekend away recently, just an hour's drive away, staying at a hotel. DS is 10 months now and hungry for solids and milk and teething (again) and not sleeping through the night as a result and it really wasn't much of a holiday for us! It was just the same old grind but with the added stress of finding what we needed in a new place, being in a hotel with DS, no sleep etc.

I just don't think you can have a relaxing holiday with a baby, from my experience, so spending a lot of money on going to Mexico for an elaborate honeymoon would be a bit of a waste - but that's my view. Why not go somewhere local and rent a house?

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