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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

...to think it's possible to go on holiday with a 6/7 month old?

191 replies

naranciata · 05/03/2017 23:39

Expecting DC1 in April. Friend getting married in India in November and has invited me, DH and baby to be. I am very keen to go and have wanted to go to India for years and years. DH is trepidacious (understandably) but he's naturally much more risk averse than I am. I think it will be hard and scary but mainly an adventure. DH is Googling stats on road traffic accidents in India and saying I should go on my own.

Can I have your experiences of holidaying with small babies?

OP posts:
SleepFreeZone · 06/03/2017 12:28

Is your partner suggesting you go away on your own with the baby or go away alone leaving the baby with him?

BeMorePanda · 06/03/2017 12:33

Small babies are very easy to travel with IME. And if you are EBF under 6 months is a piece of cake.

I traveled a lot with DD1 from 6 weeks to 2, not to India but we did go to Thailand.

When I was in Kerala 10 years ago there were LOADS of Europeans there with young children.

halcyondays · 06/03/2017 12:35

I wouldn't go to India with a baby personally but I'm a worrier. You might find you'd be more prone to picking up bugs when you're breastfeeding and/or tired and run down due to looking after a baby than you would have been when you went to India before.

Magicpaintbrush · 06/03/2017 12:38

I personally wouldn't take the baby, more from a health and safety perspective than anything else really. Having been to India myself, and having come home with Campylobacter Enteritis food poisoning I would hate to think of a baby getting that, it is utterly utterly awful and the stomach pains are something else. I know others who have also been to India and ended up with the same - I know this obviously won't apply to everybody - but I wouldn't risk it. I also wouldn't travel there on my own. I wouldn't feel safe being alone as a female traveller there.

Llanali · 06/03/2017 12:42

I have to say, that whilst I definitely would take baby, I wouldn't drag a nervous husband. If god forbid anything happened it could cause major friction.

And selfishly, a holiday alone drinking gin and dancing sounds wonderful, so I'd leave DC with DH at home!

WandaBack · 06/03/2017 12:45

Maybe I've missed something but a lot of replies are talking about travelling with an under 6 month old baby and yet yours will be nearer 7 months?
There is a big difference between a 4/5 month baby and 6/7 months in terms of mobility, feeding and sleeping in my experience but of course they are all very different.
At 7 months old mine were both crawling and were much harder than a small baby. You can't just put a crawler down. Also highly unlikely to be fully BF at that age? You can't be sure you will be BFing anyway, things don't always go to plan.
I wouldn't commit until much nearer the time.
I wouldn't do it myself though.

Familyof3or4 · 06/03/2017 12:45

I think it's far easier travelling with a baby at this age than a toddler

brasty · 06/03/2017 12:49

You won't get a consensus OP. There are mothers on here who would not travel to a wedding 4 hours car drive in this country with a young baby. And mothers who would go backpacking with a young baby. It is possible. The rest is really down to you and the kind of person you are.

brasty · 06/03/2017 12:54

There are mums who backpack round the world. Like this couple who backpacked for a year starting when their baby was 10 weeks old.
travelmadmum.com/backpacking-with-a-baby/

mimiholls · 06/03/2017 12:58

I've been to India many times and there's no reason why you shouldn't take a baby as long as you are staying somewhere decent. I have never got sick, it's not inevitable. You will need to get baby immunised for travelling there so look into that asap.

I don't think it will be easy. The flight and airports will not be fun but doable. You will also be weaning at this age which will make it much harder. If you are formula feeding you will need to buy bottled water to boil and make up bottles.

You will need to think about where you are staying. A kettle and microwave will be essential so a self catering place could be a good idea, and also you'd need to think about what to do with baby in the evening when it's bed time if you are wanting to go out for dinner.

India is amazing but crazy at the best of times and even more so with a baby!

CosyCoupe88 · 06/03/2017 13:00

My advice would be to wait til baby is here before you make a decision. Even if that means price increases for flights etx. Still less heartaChe than booking tickets and then feeling forced to go even when you are not longer thinking it's a good idea if that ends up being the case.

I am the most chilled out person ever usually but when newborn was born I was a bit of an anxious mess and even taking him.on holiday at a year old I was freaking out about the stupidest of things like the idea of him getting bitten by mosquitos haha. It was fine by the way but it was just turkey.

Toyslayer · 06/03/2017 13:15

Took my DD to Mexico when she was 7 months. She couldn't crawl yet, but she could sit and she was eating solids. Easiest time to go before they start walking!

BeALert · 06/03/2017 13:30

If you're just going to stay in a 5* hotel and not venture far then I'm sure you'll be fine.

It doesn't sound like you'll see much of India, but at least you'll get to go to the wedding.

BeALert · 06/03/2017 13:30

I did the opposite - travelled a lot round India, stayed in cheap hotels, ate fairly cheap food. Sick as a dog for five weeks.

MotherofA · 06/03/2017 13:34

As PP said I know lots who have been violently ill in India . Sis and her DP stayed all over there for 3 months and said they were really ill pretty much the whole time . Wouldn't be worried about going away with a baby in general though .

VictoriaMcdade · 06/03/2017 13:36

I wouldn't do it.

And it's simply because my DS was hospitalised with D and V. I think it is very natural to want to go, it's a wonderful thing to celebrate a wedding, but I think taking a baby with no immunity to local pathogens is something I would not do.

Why would you risk it? I do understand that the OP is keen and sounds very capable, but I think that the potential for hints to go wrong are just too great.

I'm sorry, but I think of my 6 month old DS hooked up to a drip, or us syringing Dioralyte into his little mouth as he lay listlessly on the bed, and I would never decide to take such a young baby somewhere where there is a known risk of stomach bugs.

pinetree22 · 06/03/2017 13:46

Cant believe the amount of negative responses here. I took my daughter back to my home country when she was 4 months old, not India but similar "dubious" destination if the stereotypes on this thread are anything to go by. 16 hour long journey including a stop over. She is now 3 and has been back 4/5 times since and to be honest it was easier when she was a baby. The flight was ok, just fed her shock horror boiled/bottled water to ease preasure on her ears and she slept most of the time. If you are worried, make sure you take plenty of medical supplies just in case ie things for bad tummy, paracetamol, etc. I also took some jar of baby purees just in case but everything we needed was available there.

BertrandRussell · 06/03/2017 14:01

pinetree-does your home country have malaria?

pinetree22 · 06/03/2017 14:07

yes

Original poster
naranciata · 06/03/2017 14:10

I've spent about a third of this pregnancy on malaria tablets! There are two types of anti-malarial suitable for babies. Malaria is not one of the biggest worries for me.

Thanks all for your insight. I now realise a bit more that I will have to properly address this with DH because we're just so different - he's a worrier and I'm much more seat of the pants. The last time we went somewhere very 'alien' (i.e. not Europe/North America) he spent the whole holiday on edge. Since then, I've been to N. Africa, S. Asia and the Middle East on my own/with work - all while pregnant. He has stayed at home and worried.

OP posts:
CottonSock · 06/03/2017 14:17

I wouldn't book it until baby arrives either. Things change a lot. You don't know how you will feel. I've travelled loads and abroad with baby, and on my own but I wouldn't go.

BirdInTheRoom · 06/03/2017 14:18

For those saying it's not, some bottled water is considered safe for babies but it must be low sodium. I believe Evian is ok. You still need to boil it.

www.nhs.uk/chq/pages/1945.aspx?categoryid=62

It is always possible you may not still be breastfeeding at 6-7 months or it may not work out for you, and you will need to consider how easy it will be for you to ensure bottles are properly sterilised and that formula is prepared correctly. You will probably be starting your baby on solids at around 6 months so you will need to ensure safe, clean preparation of food - I would consider taking all pouches with you from the uk.

I probably still wouldn't take the baby to India in your shoes though!

Lugeeta · 06/03/2017 14:26

I think that's the best age to travel with -they are more portable when they are little and if you are breastfeeding it will be easy ( you shouldn't need to give water BTW but dc might want to bf more than normal).

LovelyBath77 · 06/03/2017 14:30

Sorry- wrong post!