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AIBU?

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Original poster

Would you take a 6 week old on holiday?

218 replies

MamaFoxToBe · 13/03/2022 18:41

I'm currently pregnant with my first baby and due in mid September. Went for a meal with the in-laws today and MIL said they've booked a caravan in North Wales for the first week of Nov and they'd love for us to join them. She said she would even watch the baby in the evening if we wanted to go off and watch the entertainment etc.

I can't imagine wanting to go away six weeks after giving birth, let alone leaving the baby that early! And surely they don't want a screaming baby spoiling their sleep while they're on holiday too 🤣 I'm just thinking it's a lot of hassle with such a new baby but she seemed really keen for us to go too even though she did say she'd understand if we said no.

OP posts:
PeacefulPrune · 13/03/2022 19:48

Not a chance

WorkEvent · 13/03/2022 19:49

Small babies are quite portable and sleep a lot in the day BUT they also tend to cluster feed all evening, may well scream for an hour or so prior to this, and will probably wake several times overnight.

If you’d said it was a villa somewhere warm I’d say go, but a cold caravan in Wales probably isn’t ideal.

FTEngineerM · 13/03/2022 19:50

Sounds like in November we will get an interfering MIL post from a caravan in north wales Wink

Belladonna12 · 13/03/2022 19:50

If it is a static it will have heating and probably at least two bedrooms. Your in laws could cook, look after the baby for an hour or so while you and your DH visit a cafe etc. I'm not sure why everyone thinks it is a bad idea.

RampantIvy · 13/03/2022 19:53

A caravan in November in the UK - no way
Sharing the caravan with in laws - hell no!

The baby will keep everyone awake at night and tempers will become frayed.

LadyEloise1 · 13/03/2022 19:55

A caravan in Wales in November with a 6 week old.
No thanks.

Is she always so generous? Grin

SecondhandTable · 13/03/2022 19:55

No - I wasnt fully recovered from my deliveries at 6 weeks, was still bleeding, and both my babies still cluster fed all evening at 6 weeks. The latter fine at home but wouldn't have wanted to do that around in laws (or anyone other than DH really).

GrandTheftWalrus · 13/03/2022 19:57

I know someone who took a 6 week old to florida for a fortnight.

IWasFunBeforeMum · 13/03/2022 20:01

A caravan in march with a 6 week old would be a no-no from me.

Throughabushbackwards · 13/03/2022 20:02

A caravan with MIL 6 weeks post partum? Hell. No.

SpaceChocolatel · 13/03/2022 20:02

I would take my baby on holiday, but not to share a caravan with in laws. It would be torture for all of you.

springtimeishereagain · 13/03/2022 20:06

A caravan? No!! A holiday cottage, maybe, but probably not. Six weeks post-partum is so early. I was a zombie.

AtLeastThreeDrinks · 13/03/2022 20:06

@SpaceChocolatel

I would take my baby on holiday, but not to share a caravan with in laws. It would be torture for all of you.
Came to say this too! We did a few weekends away from 4 weeks (family birthdays etc) but always had our own space to retreat to. At one weekend with the in-laws someone very earnestly asked how I was and I wanted to cry – luckily I could head up to our own room, sob for a bit and then go to sleep! No way would I have wanted to be in a shared space.

Change of scenery, absolutely. Sharing a caravan, no fucking way.

aquamarine1 · 13/03/2022 20:09

We took our 8 week old to Portugal and had a brilliant time but a caravan would have been a real challenge!

CremeEggThief · 13/03/2022 20:09

Based on the fact I was well enough to take DS for his 1st walk at 1 day old and was out and about loads, I think so for certain holidays- but not for a caravan with the inlaws!Grin

user1471481356 · 13/03/2022 20:11

We went camping with a 3 week old. Both my boys had flown 4 times by the time they were 6 weeks old. Newborns are the easiest to take away!

Can you just wait until closer and decide at the last moment?

Welshmaenad · 13/03/2022 20:11

I took an 8 week old on a caravan holiday in Cornwall. We had a great time!

Meatshake · 13/03/2022 20:11

No chance, caravan is going to be uncomfortable seats for breastfeeding, you're still going to be leaking from various parts of your body, there will be no privacy, it's November so if it's cold wet and windy you won't be doing that much anyway... Sounds like a slog! I did a week holiday in a cottage with the in laws at 12 weeks and even that felt a bit "much"!

AxolotlEars · 13/03/2022 20:12

We went to France with a six week old after a section. If it matters she was my fifth. Having got into a rhythm with breast feeding and napping I would have left her for a couple of hours to go out locally if we had a sitter.

RampantIvy · 13/03/2022 20:12

@Welshmaenad

I took an 8 week old on a caravan holiday in Cornwall. We had a great time!
Were you sharing with your in laws though?
mongoosebaby · 13/03/2022 20:14

I really wouldn't. Holiday is fine, caravan not. There isn't normally room for a cot in your room in a caravan and babies need to sleep in with you. Plus there is no sound insulation so everyone will hear every cry, so they won't be able to watch the baby while you nap as you will hear him. Caravan beds are sooooo uncomfortable, not what you need if you are sitting up in bed feeding! Plus, it's Wales in November.

StopStartStop · 13/03/2022 20:14

You are all brave and competent.

I think I was still bleeding at six weeks. I know I was working on establishing breastfeeding. There's no way I'd want to manage all that in a caravan with in-laws.

Carbiesdreamhouse · 13/03/2022 20:15

Don't forget you can't have a newborn in a car for long either so if it's more than an hour away you'll need to stop frequently to get there and get back.

Poppyhopscotch · 13/03/2022 20:17

I didn't feel great after my first so she was 8 weeks before we went away and we went to Brussels. I had a much better time at the birth with my second so felt very happy to go to Cornwall when he was 5 weeks old. I didn't leave him as he was breastfed but we did leave the toddler with MIL and FIL so we could go out for a meal a couple of evenings. We had a great time. Both times we waited to book until after the baby arrived so we knew how we were both feeling about everything. Didn't want the pressure of having something booked and then not feeling up to it

thingymaboob · 13/03/2022 20:19

I have a 6 week old now and sleep is an awful nightmare. You never know what type of sleeper you're going to get!

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