.... to take a newborn to Australia?

[HeartofAss]

I'm having a baby in the UK, and want to take the baby home to my family in Australia as soon as I possibly can after the birth.

I'm trying to figure out how soon after the birth I can realistically travel. Currently thinking around 4-6 weeks old.

This is my 3rd baby so I am feeling confident about the birth side of things. Obviously the unexpected can happen but I am happy to change my plans if need be.

I know I will need to get passport sorted but looks like with fast track service that can be done easily in the first month.

Biggest stumbling block I can think of is the 8 week vaccs. I'm hoping I can just get these done in Australia... Has anyone had experience of doing this (as a visitor baby, albeit with a mum who is an Australian citizen)?

Would love to hear if anyone's done similar -- especially regarding the vaccinations but also overall timings

The only thing that could stand in your way as I can see it is the registering of the birth. I know quite a few people that have had babies in the last 6 months and all of them have had to wait over 6 weeks to register the birth. There is even a note on our cities register office pages advising that the normal deadline for registration has been lifted (bit uk city)

*big uk city

We’ve booked to go to Australia for Christmas, and for in-laws to meet DC for the first time (who will be 2!).

We’ve not sorted his passport yet but we’re fine to book without.

In all honesty, I’d rather travel with a newborn than leave it later. DH as an adult (and Australian citizen) has managed to have vaccinations previously while there, he did have to pay a hell of a lot to go privately as he wasn’t registered though.

For the sake of two weeks, I’d go after the jabs, or see if they can be brought forward a week.

@HeartofAss

Your child will be an Australian citizen surely? As such they need to get an Australian passport, as Australia requires its citizens to travel on the Australian passport (to and from Australia that is). And Australian citizens cannot get visas.

Another thing to consider will be your health. You may still be having post natal bleeding, stitches meaning discomfort sitting, c section scars etc... Or you may be bouncing around the place.

Passport office in a bit of mess in some places currently, so fast track appointments harder to get hold of.

As an aside, while you're there will you be getting your baby an Australian passport? It might be easier to do in country (?) and I would want to make sure my child had the same citizenship as me. Although maybe you're also British?

In Australia, we do the first vaccinations from 6 weeks - could you do this in the UK? Might be nice to have protection from pertussis on the plane.

Hi,
We travelled from South Island NZ to the UK with a 6 week old and 18 month old. We applied for a passport as soon as they were born and got her first vaccinations in the UK. It was easy. As people have said make sure you request the cot seats on the plane and for the passport photo lie flat on a blanket so they are not scrunched up!

@Aroundtheworldin80moves

Another thing to consider will be your health. You may still be having post natal bleeding, stitches meaning discomfort sitting, c section scars etc... Or you may be bouncing around the place.

Passport office in a bit of mess in some places currently, so fast track appointments harder to get hold of.

Agree that I probably wouldn't book flights until I knew what my recovery is like.

If the flights are booked for 6 weeks then my DN would have been only 4 weeks old by that point and only out of hospital for 2.5 of those.

I wouldn't want to make the flight within 4 weeks of any surgery preferably but you might still have stitches, wound care needs and not be signed off to drive if you have a csection

I think some people would have been able to comfortably sit on a flight by that point and others not.

You also might find it hard to get health insurance to cover you if you had post birth complications eg with stitches etc

I helped an Australian family get a vaccine for their baby while on a sabbatical in Spain (baby was slightly older, but even so). They just paid for it at a private hospital that they had access to via their insurance.
I just have to say, all the best to you OP with your travels. You sound like a really nice, practical mum, rather than someone who would expect all your family to make the trip and come to you 'because of the baby'. I hope you have a great time in Australia when you get there and enjoy that long-awaited family reunion after their barbaric covid rules.

Aus/uk family here ! Quick question if anyone knows, does the reciprocal health agreement between Australia and the uk mean that’s it’s possible to give birth in Australia in a public hospital whilst mum is on a tourist visa, (rest of the family are Aus citizens ). Only seem to find info saying limited Medicare available but not sure exactly what this means/includes
thanks in advance !

I don’t believe the agreement covers deliberately travelling to Australia to give birth.

Just putting here that whilst you may be able to get vaccines when you arrive, it will mean that tiny baby isn't protected in the airport, on the flight, etc in very busy places with lots of infectious diseases floating around - bearing in mind even a bad cold can be harmful to a tiny one.

You are also assuming you have a reasonably uncomplicated birth and postnatal period if you book now. I personally could not have got on a plane for a 24 hour journey at 4 weeks PP - I was still very sore and on antibiotics, baby had some feeding issues and we still hadn't been signed off by midwifery.

I would personally wait until after the 8 week vaccines - not just because of the vaccine itself, but because you are more likely to be in a rhythm and physically feeling well enough to survive the flight. I have friends that did NZ at about that time.