Would you take a 6 week old on holiday?

[MamaFoxToBe]

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.

No I wouldn't. Not in a caravan in November. I remember we went a couple of years ago in October, not with a young baby, but it was freezing in the caravan. We couldn't get warm. Ended up leaving early.

Yes absolutely.....so easy to look after at this age.
We went to Devon when DS2 was 6 weeks old,eldest DS1 was 4 and made friends with the kids next door,we ended up in a brand new caravan,even had the stickers on the cooker,oven etc,we had a fabulous time.
DS2 and I slept in the lounge so we didn't wake the others with the night feeds.
Remember they are so much easier to look after when they can't walk!

Would I take a 6 week old on holiday? Absolutely!

Would I take a 6 week old to a caravan, with PILs, in November? Absolutely not.

Not in a caravan - no thanks!

@KatieB55

Not in a caravan - no thanks!

You do realise how spacious, warm and comfortable some caravans are now?

www.ukcaravans4hire.com/to-let-userid10420.html

Nothing against camping holidays or my ILs - but anyone who blithely says yes to this has never had a difficult birth or post-natal problems. OP, you can't possibly know until you have had the baby.

I think going away on holiday with a 6 week old baby and your husband would be wonderful. They are much easier at that age than a year or two later. The three of you could just relax and enjoy being together.

But in a caravan with your in-laws? No way! That sounds like a nightmare!

Dear god no. If you're anything like me, you'll want to spend the first few weeks at home, in your own bed, with all of your home comforts around you, particularly if you end up having a csection. Also, breastfeeding can often take time to establish and first time round for me was painful and traumatic and constant. Evenings are likely to be spent feeding and holding the baby (google cluster feeding). There's no way i would have left my baby with someone else that early on - and neither of my babies would have tolerated it either. Plus a caravan in November- sounds horrific at the best of times. Honestly, politely decline and spend the time resting and relaxing at home.

Not in a million years in a caravan or any shared accommodation. DS was awake for 30 minutes every 2 hours and I was still weepy.

I'm due to have dd2 on 23rd April and we go to Center Parcs on 27th May, so potentially would have a 5 week old.

The difference for me is that we are going with in laws, have 2 lodges (we are sharing with SIL1 & BIL1, next door will be BIL2, SIL2, their 3 kids and FIL) my room is en suite and has a tv so I would be more than comfy holed up in there for a few hours if I wanted to be and dd1 will have her cousins and dad to do activities with if I'm breastfeeding.

I'm not sure a caravan in the UK in November would be quite the same thing for me

No way - I wouldn't go on a caravan holiday in November even without a new baby and without in laws (or any family for that matter). Sounds like hell.

I cluster fed at that age for six hours every evening non stop. Nah.

I think it's one of those things that sounds like a good idea, but would actually be hellish.

I wouldn't go.

With my first? Definitely not. I was all over the place with my first obsessed with routines and sleep. With subsequent children absolutely yes. It’s very different with subsequent babies. I had no 2 and no 3 just a year apart but still it was much easier. Also I was still recovering from the birth with my first for a good few months. The others were born by ELCS and recovery was quicker.

I could have done, although I'm a bit anal about having the baby's bedroom at the right temperature at night so I wouldn't like it if I couldn't control the temperature in the caravan.

I flew to Mexico with my baby at 12 weeks. 6 weeks probably would've been even easier. I was fully healed from the birth at that stage (forceps and full episiotomy) although my bladder still wasn't back to normal and I had to wear pads for a few weeks longer.

A caravan with my in-laws (and I love mine), in north Wales, in November? No way. And that’s without a tiny baby.

I met a couple who took their small baby sailing round the Caribbean for weeks during Maternity leave. They were experienced sailors but still, I thought that was a very bold move!

I went away when the baby was 10 weeks. I also went to stay with family when my other baby was 3 weeks and both were fine.

I wouldn't fancy a caravan though. I needed some space from the baby and both me and my husband were sleeping in shifts and napping where we could and I'm not sure that's possible in that environment. Could you book a separate caravan?