AIBU to take an 8 week old on holiday to Spain? Poss pfb...?

[HopingforHols]

DH and I regularly go on holiday with another couple and have done for years, works great. We are all currently planning a trip to Spain for a week in a villa in few months' time.

At the time of the holiday our friends will have 2 DC, 3yrs and 6 months.

Our first DC is due in the next few weeks and will likely be around 8 weeks at the time of the holiday.

AIBU to plan to take an 8 week old on a totally not necessary holiday? This is my first and haven't a clue what to expect. Will me and DH enjoy it or will everything just be too new and we end up stressed? Will we have to take loads of baby stuff on the plane with us and would we be better just setting off in the car to somewhere in the UK or France maybe, where we're a bit more in control?

Please help. I don't want to be pfb, but I do want me and DH to have a good first holiday as a little family. What age is the earliest you would take a pfb on a plane to Europe in late Spring?

Thanks

[JustHappy3]

When you register the birth get extra copies of the certificate - they are only a few pounds and means youcan keep one safe and post the others off eg for passports without worrying about losing them. Also fill in the form as much as you can before the birth and post it note the pages with info missing listing what's needed. Your sleep deprived shellshocked self post birth will thank you for it!

[Onlyicanclean10]

We took Dc 4 to Cyprus aged 7 weeks. She just breastfed and slept. Easy Peasy. The older ones were far more trouble

[Haffdonga]

I would and did. But that's me.

It depends not on the sort of baby you get but the sort of parents you become. Will you be the sort of parents who survive by rigidly sticking to a routine, so might get stressed out by an evening stroll at baby's nap time? Or will you be the sort of parents who pop the baby in the buggy and let him or her go with the flow and hang out till late with the adults in the European way? Will you be stressed by different water or food or sangria affecting your breast milk? Or will you see new tastes, sights and sounds as an enriching experience benefitting your baby? Will you mind the three year old friend making noise and waking your baby when you've just got him/her to sleep? Or will you take it in your stride and believe that babies sleep through noise when they need to?

There's no right or wrong way to be. You know what sort of people you are now so you can have a guess about what sort of parents you might be. Holidays with a baby can be hell on earth for some parents. The same holiday with a baby can be a joy for others.

[vdbfamily]

We did it with a 9 week old but also had a nearly 2 and a 3.5 year old. ( week old was in hospital for the week before but doctors said it was fine to go providing we took her antibiotics) It would have been fine but day one baby and 1 year old woke up covered in chicken pox spots and the rest of the holiday was a blur of screaming babies! Luckily we were allowed to fly home on day planned but that was a close call too!
Little babies are pretty portable. I think it will be fine.

[angstybaby]

do it! like everyone says it's easier before you start weaning and they get really heavy. or start crawling. crawling baby on a beach = lots of sand consumption. at 8 weeks they'll be happy to be held, sat in a bouncer (take one or buy one there) or asleep. make sure you have some shade, either a big parasol or one of those sun tents (I prefer parasols as the tents tend to get quite hot, are expensive and won't be of use for long). get a couple of all-in-1 UV suits and some swim nappies and have fun!

i had trouble breastfeeding (insufficient supply) and combined for the first 7.5 months, inc when on holiday and it was fine. there was no decrease in the amount the baby BF and the reality is that you will be tired and sleep deprived at home but if you're tired and sleep deprived on holiday, someone will take over from you (because they will be on holiday and well-rested and happy) and probably buy you an ice cream. so don't assume being abroad with a baby = more work than being at home.

if you do use bottles, get microwave steriliser bags and make sure the accommodation has a microwave and a kettle (you might have to take one - in my experience, you don't get them in spain very often). final word of advice - get a sling. my fave is the ones that are basically a long stretchy bit of fabric. they're cheap (£13 off amazon), can be used in a variety of ways, can be used for kids up to 3, and are much comfier than a regular sling. oh and easiest to transport and can double up as a scarf, towel, spare clothing, kids' den, etc...

i took DC1 to france at 3 months, DC1 and DC2 at 15mths and 3mths, and DC1, 2 and 3 when the youngest was 7 mths (to hawaii - 34 hrs flying there and back and the baby is lactose intolerant so no pre-made pouches available). every time i've thought i was insane, every time i've been glad i did.

i say, go!

[FatimaLovesBread]

Passport application also depends on availability of appointments to register the birth. I didn't feel up to going in to town and doing this until about 3 weeks old, luckily they had good appointment availability. Some areas you can be looking at a few weeks wait just for the appointment so you would need to book it asap after the birth.

Is the 8 weeks estimate from due date or from 2 weeks overdue?

[BikeRunSki]

With DC1 I would have backpacked to the moon without a second thought.

With DC2 I couldn't stand up straight without pain for 9 weeks.

I think it's impossible to say at this stage.

[hibbleddible]

I went on holiday with DD aged just a bit older and it was perfectly fine, but she was exclusively breastfed and a very easy baby in general.

If you are formula feeding/mixed feeding it would complicate matters significantly.

[MrsMook]

DS1 was a EMCS with complications, but by 8 weeks I was feeling quite human again and doing regular things like driving. We went away for a weekend in the UK at 6 weeks, and was getting tired of sitting in one position after 2 hours. I was glad thr journey wasn't much further.

DS2 left me with a nasty tear, but again by 8 weeks I could sit on regular seats again. My biggest problem was still SPD that had been made worse by the birth injury, so I wasn't very mobile for walking.

We took DS1 to Ireland at 4 months. That was easy on the plane. We had some nappies to get us started, and that was about it. No need for things like highchairs.

I'd say from the experience of slow recovery births that it's probably the earliest you'd want to go, but the chances of feeling fit enough at that stage are in your favour.

[Abodago81]

Whilst on maternity leave with my two bigger boys I flew to parents Spanish hol home on my own ( plus baby / baby plus toddler) both times. At 5 wks and at 8 weeks.
Slight rush to get passport sorted. But was fine. Passport pic taken for first at five days old!
I was EBF and co sleeping so honestly it was the easiest ever trip. I loved the sunshine. Much nicer walking with baby in buggy for hours on end when the weather and views are great! I'd 100% say go, but obvs good travel insurance, EHIC etc.

[fairgroundsnack]

I took DD to Italy when she was 8 weeks old. We flew, it was fine - but we went with my parents who drove there and took a whole heap of stuff for us! We also had a 3 year old though and a lot of the stuff was for him. Passport was a bit hairy though, there was a couple of weeks' wait for an appointment at the registrars to get a birth certificate, and then I sent the form off as soon as I had the birth certificate - luckily the passport arrived the afternoon before we were due to go, but I was ready to send DH and DS off and then get a new flight for me (and DD) once the passport turned up!

I had a very easy delivery (home birth) though, and it was DC2 which made everything much easier. Took DS on holiday when he was about 12 weeks though and that was fine too...

[SanityAssassin]

plus I'd had a CS but was still snowboarding :)

[SanityAssassin]

took mine on snowboarding holiday at 9 weeks - no trouble at all. Used a sling - no buggy.

[scotsgirl64]

what if you are overdue and then need a cs...how would you feel about travelling then?

[Sleeprocks]

Practical point but current waiting time for a first passport is 6 weeks (according to passport office last week) so you will need to get yout birth cert. and application form done quickly!

[Witchend]

I couldn't have with dd1, but with dd2 and ds could have happily gone at 8 days.

[Blu]

We took DS to Greece when he was 9 weeks, and it was brilliant.
He was breastfed do it was easy peasy, we just took a lightweight 'lie back' buggy which are common on planes, but mostly used the sling .

It was out of the hottest period, September, but still warm, I swam in the sea, DP would sit under a tree with DS asleep on his chest , we went on walks , DS slept in his buggy while we ate in small tavernas , and if he woke there was a queue of taverna-family members keen to hold him.

If you have a comfy villa. and friends who are baby-familiar , what could be better?

[novemberchild]

We were in Valencia and it was around 38 to 40 degrees. I wouldn't do it again even by myself, because the heat was like nothing I had ever experienced. Also got badly burned in Cyprus which was about the same temp. It was just TOO hot to have fun.

Of course babies are born in hot countries, but it's possible there is a bit of resistance to the heat there. I know I (fair hair and skin) feel heat and altitude much more than DH, who is from Latin America.

[ThinkAboutItTomorrow]

I did with DD 1 and wouldn't again. It was too hot for her to go out in the day (shouldn't be an issue for you in spring though, we were high summer). And she was in a cluster feed phase so I basically sat inside feeding without even decent TV or wifi to entertain me. She wanted carrying all the time and only slept on people. It kind of depressed me by really reinforcing how much life had changed and all the stuff I couldn't do anymore.
With a first I would leave it until you are a bit more in the swing of things.
If you do it though remember first passports take a while, I think dragging a 6 week old to Peterborough on the train for her passport appointment was the worst part of the holiday.

[mommy2ash]

I wouldn't have wanted to travel with my dd when she was that age but everyone is different. Weigh up the pros and cons. What temp is it likely to be and how much time will you spend inside. What is the general itinerary. Seeing as the other couple have a baby also I'm guessing you won't be camped at the beach for the day

[Artandco]

I'm talking about all over Spain. I have lived in Barcelona, Madrid and Seville. All 30-31 degrees is pretty much max temperatures even if it feels warmer to you. And that's midday. It will obviously be less before and after.
So for a small baby just avoid long time outside in midday peak sun (11-3pm really). Op is talking about a villa with other children so they can easily head out early for a stroll, head to the shade when hottest at villa or cafes or somewhere, and then a trip to the beach or town at 5pm onwards. Everything will be closed in towns anyway in the heat of the afternoon for siestas

[maybebabybee]

Spain isn't that hot, it's usually 27-30 max at midday in August

Where in Spain are you talking? We used to go out every year and it was rarely below 37C, if not more.

[Artandco]

Spain isn't that hot, it's usually 27-30 max at midday in August. So not ridiculous like Dubai of 50+ degrees. Baby won't be out in the full sun either but under shade where it's cooler again

Yes some people take loads of stuff travelling with kids, but it isn't really needed. At that age babies need food, nappies and somewhere to sleep basically.

Oh and they shouldn't have sun cream at that age so just keep Shaded