AIBU to plan a weeks family holiday with an 8wo baby but without DP?

[42andcounting]

Baby is due end of october, and my sister is due to visit from overseas shortly afterwards. I have a huge family, and the plan is to get a big holiday cottage first week in january and as many of us as possible to go and stay so everyone can see her. Some will come for the full week, some just for the weekend or a few days. My plan is for me and baby to go for the week, and DP to join us for the weekend and maybe a couple of evenings (its commutable from his work at a push, as he will be working away at that time). My family are very excited about the little one so I know I will have no shortage of help, am more likely to need a booking system so everyone gets some time with him/her!

I'm planning to BF, and have my own car so no problem getting all the gear there (moses basket, pram, etc). Its about 4 hours drive from home, but if needed I can break the journey half way with friends or family overnight, and probably will do this as I realise baby will need a break from the car seat and a feed every hour/ hour and a half en route.

If the worst came to the worst, I could always abandon it and come home - it's not exactly the end of the world that we're travelling to!

However.... friends who already have babies (this is our first) think I am crazy to even consider it with an 8 week old. So, experienced mummies, what do you think?

I think by the sounds of it ypu have a pretty good set up. The only things I would worry about would be how the birth goes etc. Of course hopefully it will all go smoothly but be prepared to still be recovering. I had a natural birth, but tore quite badly so 8 weeks on I still had stiches and was bleeding. I was still able to be up and about easily, but liked to go back to my own space in the evening to just get away from it all.

Also consider you may still be wstablishing bf....took me 10 weeks and then had to give up due to lactose intollerant baby, so everything was constantly covered in sick etc. Nice. Haha.

Saying that, I would probably still go. It sounds like you have a lovely supportive family and if you van cope with the chaos and they can cope with being woken in the night then go for it. Hope you have a lovely time and everything goes well for you x

i think it will be fine, as long as your family arent overbearing and will give you space if you need it.

babies are at their most portable when little, esp.if you bfeed.

having a week with extra hands to cuddle baby could be great.

my worry would be how well you get on with other family members, not the baby.

I agree with 5

Babies very portable especially when bf ~ took my DD2 away on hols at 3 weeks old and DD4 just been on hols at 4 months ~ think babies are way easier to manage than when they get older

Just take care of yourself, take all the help you can get and enjoy your little one ~ good luck with everything x

Of course! We drove to the east of France when my dd was 6 weeks. Easy!

Of course! We drove to the east of France when my dd was 6 weeks. Easy!

Oops !

No reason why not, if your family will be supportive if you are struggling with feeding, or still feeling under the weather. Presumably you can always pull out nearer the time if you no longer feel like it?

Do it! You'll love all the family support. Why can't DP join you though?

Hi OP Ive been looking this morning at doing a 6 hour journey at Xmas, on my own with DD.

Travelodge are offering rooms for £21, so I'm wondering wether to stop halfway.

Im sure its do able, it just a bit daunting. But you can pull over whenever you want.

Are seats allowed in the front with airbag switched off? Or is it to dangerous?

I took my baby to Turkey when she was 8 weeks. You will be fine

YANBU

I would say you are mad if it was just going to be you, but you will have plenty of help with all your family there. By 8 weeks you will be starting to get the hang of things and with all those extra pairs of hands you mighteven be able to get some extra naps in yourself!

I did, with a bottlefed 6 week old that vomited after every bottle. People told me I was bonkers but I had an easy birth and other than the sickyness he was a dream baby

Thanks everyone! I feel much better about it all now, I was starting to second guess myself.

absentmindeddooooodles - I hadn't really thought about suffering after effects of delivery at 8 weeks on, but as seaweedy said, I can always pull out closer to the time if I need to, no-one will take the huff, my family are very supportive. NatashaBee - that's a good point about having someone else in the car, unfortunately not possible for the first part of the journey, but maybe do-able for the second leg if I pick a family member up when I break the journey half way. Thank you!

Why can't DP join you though? rattlemehearties - he will have had two weeks paternity leave at the start of November, then hopefully a week or so at Christmas, so it's unlikely that he will get a week off in early January too. He normally works away during the week anyway, and the holiday cottage is quite near to where he works, so if he makes it over during the week I will be seeing more of him than I normally do anyway - bonus! .