Baby travel HUGE argument

[blinkywinkytime]

Posted in wrong topic

Just looking to get other new parents opinions on an ongoing issue!

A 7 month old daughter being taken on a journey to join grandmother in a restaurant for her 60th birthday. Baby would be in the car for 6.5 hours in one day. No option to stay due to having my foster child over the next day so need to be back for that.

My gut feeling is it's too much travelling for her and she screams in car set when awake. Would sleep probably half of each leg of journey. Husband agrees with me.

Other option to meet half way grandmother refusing as it's her special birthday

AIBU ?

@SartresSoul

We drove to the Lakes when DS was slightly older than this, think he was 8/9 months. It was a 3 hour journey and we did lots of driving that week in general all over the Lakes. He slept for the most part and was happy enough, he’s 3.5 now and seems undamaged by his time in the car.

Mine was also ok driving around Scotland - he slept most of the time and was happy enough when he was awake.

BUT the OP has said her dd will scream and that's the difference.

Kids are different!

@Malibuismysecrethome you have been lucky then. You sound like smug parents whose first child slept through from about 6 weeks and think it was down to their parenting skills. They then had their second child and have never had a good night's sleep since!

Haha! First child hardly ever slept and would even drop off with his eyes half open. All children are different but the motion of a car and engine rhythm is well known to put babies to sleep if they are comfortable.

@Malibuismysecrethome

Haha! First child hardly ever slept and would even drop off with his eyes half open. All children are different but the motion of a car and engine rhythm is well known to put babies to sleep if they are comfortable.

Yes I agree to an extent. BUT I know my DD has a limit on the length she will sleep (tried a trip to Isle of white in FEB that was a nightmare!) I would love a child who slept the whole time car was in motion but that's not mine.

In hindsight I wise we nipped this in the bud sooner and said a firm no when it was first mentionedi instead of will think about it.I'm realising with foster daughter we never really had to make these decisions because people naturally didn't invite us to things due to her needs but I guess with younger daughter we are facing people's ideas of how much she can do

So it's a 3 hour journey each way? Totally fine! Just make sure you have a midway break. She will probably sleep most of the way

All children are different but the motion of a car and engine rhythm is well known to put babies to sleep if they are comfortable

No, the motion of a car and engine rhythm is well known to put some babies to sleep if they are comfortable, whilst having FA effect on others and distressing others to the point they'll scream for most of the journey. The OP has already said that her DC doesn't fall into the former camp.

@blinkywinkytime

Thanks all, that's what we were thinking. She's our child and we know how she reacts in certain situations.

Sorry should have said can't stay night before due to husbands work commitments until 9pm!

It's 3 hours no breaks each way. Busy routes around London so probably a lot more.

My argument is it doesn't matter what the situation if we make a decision that should be respected.

If she was older and more able to be entertained in the car I would have no issue.

Life is short. She will only ever have 1 60th Birthday. Your baby will be fine for one day even if it's hard work and a long travel. What's the worst that could happen? I wish my Grandmother was still alive to see my children and her other Great Grandchildren, she died of cancer at the age of 64. My Grandfather died of miners disease at the age of 45. Make the most of life, even when the right decisions are sometimes hard work!