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

[Hihohoho1]

God yes we took dc 4 abroad when she was 7 weeks. Ebf and they are so portable and easy at that age.

You will be fine.

[LovelyFriend]

Oh totally do it!

I took DD1 at 8 weeks across the world, where we stayed, mostly alone, on a small island with a population of 12 - no electricity or running water. We stayed there for 3 months.

Best time of my life :)

[LovelyFriend]

oops meant to the other side of the world.

[Florin]

Our ds did his first flight at 3 weeks, it was so easy as there needs are so basic. We had to go then as husband was going for work but it was actually a really enjoyable holiday. All 8 week olds are different but their needs are simple and as long as they are fed, clean and cuddled they are generally happy. You don't have to worry about weaning which might be trickier. At 8 weeks our son was only waking once in the night and by 10 weeks he was sleeping through so we were feeling great and really comfortable with parenting at that point. Obviously all babies are different though. I also had a straight forward and quick birth so I was feeling ok too. The scariest thing for me would be trying to fit in my bikini!

[deepdarkwood]

I think it's almost impossible to know with your first - and it also depends on your friends and that relationship. Will you feel insecure if the baby isn't sleeping/feeding and your friends try to help, or will that feel like wonderful support? Will you be happy to be on a different schedule/managing your dc around theirs? I'm guessing if you've been on hols lots with them having children and you not, you may well be fine, but a first baby can do weird things to you ime! I assume you normally choose baby-friendly places anyway, and tbh as others have said babies are easier than toddlers!

I took ds on holiday at about 6 weeks - but only to the UK - and dd to Greece at 12 weeks. I don't remember esp enjoying either holiday if I'm honest, but there were mitigating circumstances in both (on one we were both horribly ill, on the other we were with extended family in a villa that was one bedroom too small ;-). The flight certainly isn't the hard bit (esp if you're bf - stick boob in mouth on ascent/descent and no chance of any ear-problems).

Sorry, I'm no help!! Any chance you could delay it justa couple of weeks? Then if your dc is late, you'll still not be at the 6 week stage (which does feel early, imo)

[TreadSoftlyOnMyDreams]

We are all currently planning a trip to Spain for a week in a villa in few months' time.

Why not plan to go in September instead or does the 3 yr old start at a school nursery then?

[ILostItInTheEarlyNineties]

I went to Cyprus with an 8wk old and found it easier than taking toddlers. If your friends have a baby too it will be great and she will prob be happy to help you out/advise you. Don't take an expensive pram. Ours got broken when thrown out of the hold! It's vain I know but Get some flattering beachwear because you are bound to feel body conscious after the birth..

[anotherdayanothersquabble]

I would reiterate the passport!! It should take 3 weeks, allowing for baby being 2 weeks overdue.. that leaves 3 weeks lea way. Make sure you have the forms, use check and send, have an approver in mind and know where you are going to get your photos done. Should be OK!!

[RoganJosh]

I was still having a really tough time with bf ing all the time at six weeks, (for all my babies) it was dramatically better by eight weeks. Having said that, the baby could be two weeks late.

For me it would be a few weeks too early.

[LikeASoulWithoutAMind]

I totally agree that it very much depends on the baby and the birth that you have. Am I right in thinking that if you go overdue then your baby might only be 6 weeks?

We took ds3 to Spain when he was about 10 weeks old and had a lovely time - but he was the easiest baby on the planet and I was pretty relaxed by number 3 and had a really straightforward birth.

Also not abroad but we went to Center Parcs when dc2 was about 8 weeks. That worked really well - dc2 and I snoozed most afternoons while dh and dc1 went on bike rides etc.

Dc1's chief leisure activity at that stage was crying. He slept all night but cried all afternoon every afternoon. I could have coped with it on hols (at least I could pass him to someone else for a bit!) but it might have felt a bit of a waste of annual leave and money. We actually took him away for the first time at 5mo and had a lovely time.

You won't actually need an awful lot of kit for a tiny baby - definitely look at a popup bassinet, they are brilliant. I'd take your own car seat (I have had mixed experiences with car seats in Spain), pushchair and a sling is invaluable for the airport or anywhere with lots of steps if you fancy a spot of sightseeing. You can also get mini inflatable paddling pools which might be handy if it's very hot?

And you'll need to be on the ball re the passport application and get that in straightaway.

Seems wise to wait and see to me. Hope it all works out for you. But if it doesn't remember you have loads of time to do lots of holidays in the future.

[trixymalixy]

I took my DD to Rome when she was less than 8 weeks old, she was my 2nd though and i booked the flights after she was born.

As others have said when they are that age they are easier than older babies and toddlers.

[HopingforHols]

Thanks so much for all the advice and especially sharing all your experiences.

I will make DH read this entire thread tonight and we'll go from there. It was his idea to post here when we were discussing this morning and going round in circles!

The friends we are going with are our closest and would help us loads if possible after their two! Would be comfortable saying I needed to veg on sofa and have help with feeding from her etc. We would be travelling together on the same flight. After travelling together lots some of our personal boundaries are probably a bit odd to others - think family rather than friends, although I'm becoming more aware that I could feel totally different with a newborn.

Had totally not considered post birth body situation - at least be a villa with private pool I think!

Also passport application and pram/car seat/sling advice is great. Increasingly thinking just hold off until post birth just so I know how I am, and will think about maybe September although DH and I really want a holiday in the diary!

[PurpleCrazyHorse]

We went on a UK holiday when DS was 5wks old and it was pretty easy. He slept a fair bit and I used a sling during the day as we were out and about.

Downsides were lots of newborn nappy changes and if abroad I'd want to ensure our car seat went with us for airport transfers (if flying).

Upside is that everyone loves a newborn and they're not too heavy to carry around. I BF discretely wherever we were.

[PurpleCrazyHorse]

Oh and we went with good friends (no children) and they were fab. Everyone had cuddles so I got a break and the DH of our friends did all the cooking. A week of no cleaning and a relaxed pace was perfect post birth (and no calls/visitors etc). You might find it's just the tonic post birth.

[Whistle73]

Took my dd1 to Portugal when she was 9 weeks old. It was a villa holiday with family so I had lots of help and it was a doddle.
Two hour flight and a 20 minute transfer helped massively.
Evening restaurant visits were tricky a couple of times as she wouldn't settle to sleep but mostly we barbecued back at the villa so she could go to sleep in a travel cot. In fact towards the end of the two weeks she slept through the night for the first time.
If you're in a villa I would definitely go for it. Hotels are a lot more problematic at that age.

[FannyTheChampionOfTheWorld]

Most of them are infinitely more portable at that age than they are later on. The worry is more what state you're going to be in. You might be very well recovered from the birth, you might not. I've had one where I could've managed a beach holiday fine 8 weeks postpartum and one where it would've nearly ended me. You don't know what you're going to get, especially when you've no idea yet how your body tends to recover from birth. So while odds are that a trip with an 8 week old baby would be viable, particularly for seasoned travellers, I wouldn't risk booking anything yet because there's a realistic chance it won't be. You might be 6 weeks post EMCS/complex VB, which will be a different kettle of fish entirely.

[TreadSoftlyOnMyDreams]

How much you enjoy it is entirely down to how easy the birth/your recovery time and your baby. It could be a colicky nightmare or a blissed out cherub. No way of knowing and it changes from week to week

There's a magic window between 3-5.5/6 months when you feel vaguely normal, there's a semblance of routine and sleep for all, and you haven't started weaning so it's still all milk whether formula or BF. I'd go as late as possible within that window :)

If formula - bottled water in Spain usually has a label with a baby pic if it is low sodium and suitable for feeding. Handy if it's terribly hot and you want to give water in a cup too.

You are more in control in France to some extent but it's not recommended to have a very small baby in a car seat for long [restricts the airways] so your driving times could be much longer than normal.

No reason not to book September but have a shorter holiday / long weekend in Northern France/on the coast this side of the summer?

No sun lotion until they are over 6 months so you will need a pram with you that can give maximum cover too.

[Havingafieldday]

We took our 3rd abroad at 7 weeks. Was genuinely a doddle but it was a 3rd, not sure I would have taken my first

[hellsbellsmelons]

My friend went round the world with her 3 month old.
Loved every minute of it.
If you are breastfeeding it should be relatively easy with very little to carry around.

[FFTransform]

Travelled at about 3 months - and will say it will be so much easier if you can breast feed so much more portable

[KeepSmiling83]

I went away with DC2 when she was 15 weeks and I wouldn't do it again. We did have to take a lot of stuff with us and she wasn't a huge fan of the heat which made it tricky. I was also aware of her being awake during the night and disturbing others. I didn't like having a swimsuit on either so felt very self conscious.

I went away with DC1 when she was 8 months and found that much better.

[FannyTheChampionOfTheWorld]

Flying whilst formula feeding is an absolute cinch, soooo easy. I've no experience of formula feeding in Spain though.

[Florin]

We formula fed on our trip with a 3 week old and it was super easy.

[novemberchild]

My main worry would be that Spain gets insanely hot then, and it could be v.uncomfortable.

[maybebabybee]

My main worry would be that Spain gets insanely hot then, and it could be v.uncomfortable.

I always say that when people suggest taking small babies on holiday, but then someone invariably points out that babies are born in these countries and cope perfectly well with the heat....so don't really have a comeback to that