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 ?!?

To get a passport you need a birth certificate surely? And to get a birth certificate you need a registrar's appointment? Seems like an awful lot to fit in alongside C section recovery etc in 12 days.

I have had 2 c sec. Recovery from the second was much harder that the first. I could barely stand up straight for 9 weeks. I was certainly good for nothing but pottering round in my PJs and feeding the baby for 2 or 3 weeks.

Ryanair would put me off lol

At that young age babies sometime spend the entire night crying. I'd want to be in a cottage or villa, not in an apartment or hotel room where other guests would be disturbed.

Other than that, I guess check with your insurers to make sure you'd be fully covered for any complications.

If I'm honest I think I'd either wait or book a UK cottage.

I wouldn't book anything until after the birth. Even with a planned c section, emergencies are priority and your date may change.

YABU! What’s the rush?? Wait till the baby is at lease 2/3 months and then go.

Putting the seat belt on, over your csection incision, would be awful ! And the idea that you could "chill on the beach all day" with a newborn is just out of my imagination. In your position I'd send DH and DD on the holiday and I'd stay home and "chill all day" with the baby there.

Remember the C section this time will be through scar tissue, so it won't heal as easily as last time. I think you'd bitterly regret going for this. Start looking at deals in July.

It took us 12 days to get an appointment to register our baby so no idea how u could guarantee a passport in time.
Ive just come back from a short trip where we went on Ryanair-that small a seat (you will have to be jammed up on the window seat with a baby) recovering from surgery with a baby- no!

It is possible but you have to be a bit lucky.

With DD we flew home when she was 4 weeks old. We could have gone earlier but her passport was delayed.

With DS we flew home when he was 2 weeks old.

Both were ELCS and my doctor was fine with me traveling. Pediatrician was also fine with DC traveling from 1 week old. I had a very straight forward recovery and was carrying the baby both times in a sling from the end of week 1, sorting out the passport (multiple visits to various offices - not UK).

However, if your recovery is not straight forward you'd risk loosing quite a bit of money on this holiday. Also keep in mind that newborns have to be kept out of the sun and can overheat easily so your dreams of relaxing on the beach may not be possible.

I've had 2 c-sections and thought of packing for a holiday, the busy airport, the packed aeroplane full of germs, feeding, the nappies and being in a very hot country while still bleeding and with a sweaty c-section wound has made me almost want to vomit!!

You're totally mad imo! Sorry!

I'd even question if the airline would let you fly that soon after surgery?!

I felt great at 12 days post-section and probably would have loved a holiday tbh! My main issues would be: sitting on an uncomfortable plane for 3.5 hours, getting a passport in time, keeping baby out of the sun, not being able to swim to cool down and constantly having to wear a big fat sanitary towel.

Actually on reflection a holiday where I couldn’t swim would be miserable for me.

12 days after my baby was born we were back in hospital due to weight loss and feeding difficulties. I was still in a lot of pain with my wound, even though it was healing well. The last thing I would have wanted is a flight.

What everyone is too polite to say - What strength glue are you on OP?
As someone who has had 3 CS, there would be no way I'd contemplate this. You may be knackered, needing a holiday etc, but you will be recovering from major surgery, with a tiny baby, in a hot country, air plane, passport, trying to establish feeds, potentially sleepless nights etc. Fuck to the no X 100.

I couldn’t get an appointment for the registrar within 2 weeks of any of my three births. So getting a passport could be more tricky than you imagine. Particularly as you’ll be hitting their busy period.

The baby won’t have had any of their vaccinations.

What would your travel insurer say to the flight in terms of your cover and would a travel insurer cover a baby less than 2 weeks old.

I think it sounds like madness to me.

12 days after a planned section.... You will not be fit to fly let alone your baby. If you so much as pull a stitch on the flight if the plane hits turbulence you could be in real trouble. Let alone if your wound gets infected from sand. Your not aloud to drive for 6 weeks I doubt your allowed to fly for the same reasons. Would you really risk your life and leaving a new baby without a mother because you can't wait for a holiday.

And the locchia. And no swimming (as pp has mentioned). And boiling hot.

I doubt you would get a fit to fly certificate or insurance 12 days post section. You are at increased risk of dvt/ pe for 6 weeks.

There is no guarantee of fun in the sun after surgery with a newborn.

@Jencottage yes I could get passport in time.

You can't know that for definite.

Logistically it just isn’t possible. Which day do you get a passport photo of baby taken? Which day do you get the BC required for the passport? Children’s passports can’t be done as fast track single day ones so a week is minimum for that-
Day 1-born
Day 3 likely earliest discharge, take photo
Day 4 birth certificate and fill in passport forms
Still leaves it too short as you need to post forms for passport- arriving day 5 plus 7 days is your day 12

And that hasn’t allowed for any unforeseen medical issues cropping up for you or baby.

The warmer weather is coming now anyway and your child will be at school so you can rest and take your time with your new baby. If you’re that desperate for a holiday you could even book a sneaky break to centre parks and take your kid off school.

If this is real then don't do it. Look after your health.

Pros
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Cons

1. Birth certificate
2. Passport
3. Insurance
4. Your health risks
5. Health risks to the baby
6. Ryanair
7. Will you even be allowed to fly so soon after major abdominal surgery?

It's a no from me.

I had a baby with a 10 year gap. I can promise you, you have forgotten what newborns are like. 2 month old, absolutely. 2 week old, no.

The airport alone would be hellish. You're not meant to be carrying heavy bags so soon after surgery either.

You will be chilling on the beach all day ? really ?

I'm currently in day 5 after section (second one), and could manage it relatively pain free now, give it another week and I'd be fine I'm sure. I'm not going on a run anytime soon, but fine pottering, going out etc, and the idea is doing that in a sunnier climate sounds bliss. I did a good couple of hours in the car yesterday without any pain, I don't see the difference with a plane.

If I could get a passport for a couple of weeks time, I'd be tempted.

But

Things like increased clotting risk, a possible germy plane for such a young baby, the possibility of some complications to either of you and the possibility of still bleeding so you couldn't swim would make me tempted to hold off for a few weeks.

But equally if you wanted to make a go of it, and you are confident of your recovery, then go for it.