To take a 5 month old on a girls' weekend to Paris

[Patapouf]

Has anyone done this and has tips to make it less stressful? I know the baby will get nothing out of it but I am not ready to leave him at home with DH for 2 nights just yet and I'm desperate to make the most of mat leave.

Travelling by Eurostar, probably stay in an Airbnb. Planning a bit of sightseeing but mainly mooching about, sitting in cafés and stocking up on skincare and food or maybe not having seen the value of the pound

Friends will be hands on and help as much as they can but I'm very anxious that it will be disastrous. Baby is BF (not going well), but mostly EBM so worrying about the logistics of expressing or BF out and about. I also can't imagine trying to manoeuvre a pram on the narrow pavements. I know babies live in Paris, I did too once, but I'm a worrier.

Can I make this work? How can I pack light?

I suppose my AIBU should really be how can I be less nervous about travelling with a baby?

*baby is welcome

You must be mad.

No way! Baby will be bored and grumpy, friends will be unset at not being able to do things because baby needs fed/nap/bedtime/etc.
I think everyone will end up unhappy

Do your friends have children and know how tricky they can be travelling. If they are also parents who know what to expect then possibly but if they aren't and have no idea then I'd leave it, I'm not sure if I went away for a girls trip I'd be happy

YABU I would hate that if I were one of your friends. Also it was ridiculously hot in Paris 2 weeks ago. Not sure when you're planning to go but if it was that hot again you simply couldn't be out and about with a baby and be relaxed.

I wouldn’t go. If your friends are mums they have left their children at home and if they aren’t mums then they won’t like a baby changing the dynamic of the holiday.

To be honest if I were going on a girls weekend to Paris for a bit of relaxing, sightseeing and general getting away from it all I would be pretty pissed off if one of the group turned up with a baby.
It changes the whole dynamic for everyone, even if they are too polite to say it.
I would either not go or bite the bullet and leave the baby with DH. He is is Dad surely he can feed him some expressed milk and look after him for 2 days.

I did it, a long time ago. Overriding memory is trying to change a nappy, balanced on a grim toilet, while one of those awful ‘push’ lights kept going out.
My DS ate a LOT of baguette.

I would seriously not want to go if someone was bringing a baby!

Oops, sorry for the drip feed it's my friends' idea to bring the baby!!!

It’s still a bad idea.

I can't believe you are actually considering this.
I can only think your friends are being polite too, it's a ridiculous idea and quite selfish tbh.
If be livid at someone bringing along a young baby for a weekend in Paris.

Not a good idea. If you were my friend, I would be really pissed off at you bringing your child with you on our friends holiday.

If you take the baby, the entire trip will revolve around her and her needs - not just for you, but for your friends as well. It will completely dictate what you can do, where you can go and when. Nobody will enjoy themselves, including the baby. Your friends are lovely to say you can bring her, but they are just being polite. Nobody wants a baby with them on a mates' shopping weekend in a busy city.

No bloody way! I’d be mightily pissed off if a baby came along on a girls weekend (and I love babies)

Leave baby with his dad - who as a PP pointed out, must feel a bit insulted that you don’t trust him to mind his own child!

Go and enjoy some adult time with your friends.

A baby changes the whole dynamic of the weekend away. If I were one of your friends I would back out now.

If you can't leave your baby with your partner for a couple of days then realistically you'll have to stay home.

No way. The whole break will be about you and DD.

Do any of your friends have children?

Your friends are just being polite if they’ve agreed to this btw.

Sorry but I wouldn’t want to go on a girls weekend which involved a small baby. Your friends probably don’t want to upset you so are saying it’s fine but the dynamics of the weekend won’t be the same.

If you won’t leave him with his dad, then I think you should stay at home.

Oh god what if your baby decides to schedule the 2 day cryathon for this particular weekend?

no way would i want this on a girl trip, is there any good reason why dad can't look after dc ?

I think it's fine to take the baby, I assume it's not a party/fun weekend, more a relaxing overnight trip? I guess it depends how well baby sleeps at night as to how much you enjoy it? X

Worst idea!

• Your friends are just being polite.
• Your DH could easily look after his own child for two days. Express and give him plenty of milk for feeds. They'll both love it.