To want to go travelling instead of TTC?

[sunfloweryy]

DH and I were TTC before the virus hit.

Ever since lockdown I’ve found myself fantasising about us taking a career break and just going travelling for a few months once this is all over. Then I mentioned it to DH the other day and weirdly he seemed keen!

Has anyone ever done this? Are we mental? We’ve got plenty of savings but these were meant to be towards a house upgrade and potential maternity so it would mean putting those plans on hold for god knows how long.

Thoughts please!? Obviously nothing will be decided until covid has an outcome.

How long do you think it will be until Covid has an outcome?

We went travelling before kids - best thing we ever did. Amazing experience and nothing you'll be able to replicate with kids.

100% go for it if you can.

Would you have a job to come back to? Remember, we could well be heading for an economic crash. Also, how old are you? If you're over 35 I'd say no, not if you want to rebuild your funds before you have kids.

You are not being unreasonable at all. Travel as much as you can before having kids. You'll never regret going travelling.

Definitely do it!

I'm so glad I did everything I wanted to before I had dd. Life's too short to not do what will make you happy. And you'll have cool stories to tell your dc!

Depends on your age....if 25 I'd say go for it, if 30+ I'd say crack on with TTC.

Sorry should have said, I’m 27 and DH is 30.

@Lemonblast no idea really.

@MouthBreathingRage I guess that would be something we would have to check out. We are both public sector so career breaks are an option but I’ve no idea how safe our jobs will be after this.

Public sector may be safer than most economically, though it depends on the role obviously. Age wise, it's on the right side of ok, depends if you had a time frame in mind for moving and having a baby. Also keep in mind, if you're already a home owner, the housing market may not go your way in terms of selling after all this.

you can travel for very little, I'm on a FB travel group and some families, 2 kids, can feed/ house themselves for £100 a week in ASIA. Travel outside the kids holidays and flights/hotels will be cheaper.I'd pick a continent and get planning.

How old are you and how long have you been TTC?

Sorry just seen your update. At 27 I would probably go travelling, unless you've been TTC for a while and had no luck, in which case you might want to investigate your fertility in case there's a problem. If you can take a career break without losing your job and you have good maternity benefits (hopefully you do in the public sector) then you're in a good position to do it.

You would not be unreasonable to live your life however you choose

I think going travelling is a good plan.

We did this in our mid 20s and I highly recommend it if employment isn't a concern. I took a career break from my NHS post and my husband got a transfer abroad. We travelled for 5 months to get to Australia, then lived and worked there for a year and travelled a further 5 months back to UK.

It was the best experience ever and we are now at home with 2 children who thrive on routine (so would not be able to travel with them the way we met some families do). I am so glad we did it when we did and would recommend to everyone

Do it!!!

I regret not travelling before DC, got carried away with DHs, 'we don't have to let kids stop us' yeah, well that was bollocks!
Now DC are grown up and too skint to do it!

That sounds fabulous @riddles26 !

My daydreams at the moment are south/Central America or maybe Africa. Sigh.

In echo other posters - I did so much travelling and living abroad in my 20's. I loved it, will never regret it and now 30 and 12 weeks pregnant, I'm read for this new part of my life.
You will not regret it, when this current situation is over, go for it

*ready

Defiantly traveling first - I did a lot of traveling in the past 4 years (I'm 21 been to 30+ countries) and now we're due a baby in July and I'm very happy I traveled around the world before TTC

Thailand is a good place to start

We did a year out (9 months) last year, both 31, and have walked back into jobs - his old, me new) and I'm now 14 weeks pregnant. So glad we did it this way and travelling was the most incredible time.

At your age I'd say you've still got time to do the travelling

I would however pay for a fertility MOT for both of you before you go - they are a couple hundred pounds - a drop in the ocean to the several thousand you'll spend travelling. If the results don't come back great then you know you should prioritise the TTC

But don't go travelling for 10 years then expect the NHS to bail you out with fertility treatment if it then turns out TTC is harder than you thought - some science for you -,in your mid 30s about 30% of your eggs are expected to be chromosomally normal by the time you are 37 it drops to 13%

Having children is amazing but I am so so glad I went travelling in my 20s. At your age I think I would travel.

At 27 I'd travel, you've still got lots of time to have kids (unless you know you have any conditions that may affect your fertility or anything, or you think you want 5 kids)

Also, as well as long haul, do city breaks! I have a 2 and a 4 year old and whilst we regularly go abroad with them I've never braved a city break with them. I'm was trying to arrange a trip with some friends before covid but it's hard now everyone has kids

Definitely travel first if you have the urge. It's so much harder once a baby arrives. I did all the places I wanted outside of Europe before getting pregnant with DS - it's nice to still have plenty of driveable adventures on the horizon. But I personally wouldn't be taking young children to Tanzania/Uganda/Rwanda (some of my absolute favourite places, thoroughly recommended!) because they can't take anti-malarials.