Taking a 12 day old baby on holiday ?

[Jencottage]

Desperate to get away as feel like I've been exhausted all third trimester, have a 8 year old daughter who would love a holiday, hubby coming along too. I've found an amazing deal in Sardinia, 7 nights at half term, full board and kids club for the 9 year old and golf for hubby. Me and baby could be on the beach all day chilling ! It's a 3.5 hour flight, shall I book it or is baby too young ? What would you do ?!?

cross post then
have a nice and relaxing recovery after birth :)

Absolutely not, you will still be recovering and this will be too much for everyone. You will not benefit from the upheaval just after giving birth, and have other children to care for too. Give yourself a break and go at a later date.

My baby was due on 17 December 2018 and I needed to be home in Ireland for a family event on 5 January 2019 (to celebrate my dad, who died on 21 November 2018). As it turned out, my daughter was a week late (born on 24 December) and we travelled to Ireland on 31 December. We went by boat, which meant we only needed a birth certificate (passport not necessary), which helped a lot. But it was a super easy journey and we didn’t have any problems. That said,it relied on an easy vaginal delivery and going by boat rather than air. And I had the security of being with family in a familiar country. When our first daughter was born in 2013, we moved to Portugal for my husband’s work for 6 weeks when she was 3 weeks old. That also went without a hitch. Tiny babies are easy to travel with.

I'll admit to not having read all through the thread, but where I've got to no one has mentioned DD1. You say she'll happily go to kids club, but that's because she has no concept of another sibling competing with her for your attention. I have 4 kids and no c sections, but when a newbie came along they were all over me and wouldn't be parted from me despite how desperate I might or might not have been for 'space for myself to sleep' and 'time with baby'. If this were number 3 and you had a better idea of how siblings behave when new ones come along then yes, but there is no way in hell my kids would have gone into a kids club with a new sibling around!

Nope I wouldn't. You have no idea how well you or your baby are going to be. Flying lowers the available oxygen which is not great for babies

Hi there! I just wanted to say I have lived in Sardinia and the hospitals are not as good as in the UK - I absolutely would not go there so near to your C-Section in case you need after or God forbid emergency care! Hormones give everyone severe cabin fever towards the end of pregnancy - you may feel differently once the baby is born. Best of luck!

I really hear you about getting some sunshine and fresh air, but I don’t think you can assume both you and baby will be fit to travel by then. I would wait till summer holidays.

I went away with my first son when he was three-weeks-old, but we just rented a bungalow near the beach and there was no plane involved. I first flew with my son when he was four months, and colic hell aside, that was much more straightforward in that we’d got into a bit of a routine by then.

I would. My c-section was fine after about 5 days, so hopefully yours will be too. Tiny babies sleep and eat in a set routine so are very easy - but you will be a bit of a zombie with lack of sleep. But why not be a zombie on the beach in the sun, rather than stuck at home. Go for it - and have fun!!

@Whysoannoying for the gazillion very valid reasons people have said

@withallintenseandpurposes I accept there are lots of things that could make it difficult - siblings, possible health issues etc, but if we all worried about what might go wrong we'd never do anything. As another gazillion posters have said, small babies are often pretty easy and it's probably simpler now than in a year's time. The airline will take a 12 week old baby, the passport can be obtained, the family are up for it - why not hope for the best?

I suppose there may be an issue getting insurance that will pay out if 'predictable' issues prevent them going at the last minute. OP will have to decide if that is a risk they want to take. If she has an infected scar, or suffers from PND, or the baby has health problems, then clearly they wouldn't go. It is up to them whether they are happy to gamble on that score.

OP - if you do book - I hope all goes well and you have a lovely time! If you don't, I hope you manage a lovely family holiday very soon. Good luck with the new arrival .

.The airline will take a 12 week old baby,

The baby will be around 12 days going by planned section date.

Lol at a 12 day old baby being 'easy'

I travelled a lot with my babies but had to stop as honestly, they got sick every time. I assume it must be because of the plane. My babies were older than yours too - 4 months old at the youngest. Picked up a virus on the plane, second did at 6 months, then again at 1, and again at just over 1! Planes can be full of germs/bugs but thankfully most adults already have the immunity to protect them. Babies don't. I definitely wouldn't risk flying with a 12 day old. Also I actually think I read somewhere recently that flying with a baby this young is dangerous for the baby for another reason why I have totally forgotten (a health issue caused by flying when they're so small). Let me see if I can find the article

WithAllIntenseAndPurposes, um yes, a lot of very young babies are easy. Granted not all are.

My newborn sleeps well (wakes at night of course but goes straight back) and is currently dozing whilst I've had a shower, tidied downstairs and now am relaxing on the sofa doing my hair and eating chocolate...

When she wakes, it'll be milk, change, some cuddling, and then back to sleep for a couple of hours.

It's like a mini break compared to my crazy lovely 2 year old whirlwind.

I wouldn’t go, but more because of watching David Attenborough on telly last week. I was so scared by climate change! Had no idea it was this bad. Our kids need us to stop getting on 3.5 hour flights for a break, no matter how much we need it - it’s a pain in the ass and I bloody love that sun so much, but even I’ve got to stop doing it. Need to break it to the kids now... wish me luck!

12 days post any abdominal surgery is mental. You wont be able to lift any suitcases or sit for long periods of time.

You run the risk of losing all your money and disappointing your other kids if anything goes wrong with the delivery.

It will be difficult to get a birth cert, a passport in 12 days.

Your baby is unvaccinated and on a plane with people for 3h.

I think the idea you have in your head vs the reality of what would happen are very far apart.

Agree with Hugthedugee - many newborns are easy. Yes, there will always be sleep deprivation. But I watch Netflix box sets with my now 4 month old and play school / hospital / vet / trampolining / climbing and run around after my 6 year old. I know which one is easier, and it’s not the 6 year old 😂.

Hell no

You are mad!!! Not only will you have had major surgery & be recovering, your baby is too young to be spending the day on the beach - babies under a year old shouldn’t be in any direct sunlight plus a young baby is unable to regulate their temperature. On top of that there is infection control & potential complications - 12 day post section you are not going to be feeling like a holiday either, believe me I’ve had one & im a midwife. Crazy idea,

It’s recommended baby’s don’t fly until minimum 3 months old as their ear drums can easily burst with the pressure changes.

Sounds like madness to me. New babies are so vulnerable. My DD got a cold at 9 days old from her toddler cousin visiting which was unpleasant and upsetting to see her suffer with when so new.
I’ve just got back from Portugal and whilst I seem to not catch most of my kids’ tummy bugs, I’ve just had a sick bug which I suspect was caught from the plane (as everyone else was fine and timings fitted).

Book a cottage in the uk instead?

Baby is too small. I wouldn't.

Sun 21-Apr-19 23:04:35
We aren't going anymore ! Well we hopefully will be, but in October now...

Five days ago!

Just sayin...