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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

‘Influencers’ taking newborns on holiday

294 replies

Coffeeandbourbons · 30/04/2023 09:47

I’ve noticed a lot of influencers taking their newborn or very tiny babies (under a few months old) on long haul holidays. AIBU to think this is a bit irresponsible? Long aeroplane journeys with all the germs, taking them to a very hot country when they’re so small with such fragile skin, mosquitos…

I can completely understand that sometimes people need to travel with small babies, or having a holiday when the baby is a bit older and more resilient. But it seems a bit irresponsible flying a 1 month old to Abu Dhabi seems selfish to me.

Prepared to be told IABU!

OP posts:
CheersForThatEh · 30/04/2023 12:26

Surely that one of the best times to take babies as if they are breastfed they dont need to worry about water and food.

Marmaladetoastie · 30/04/2023 12:26

takealettermsjones · 30/04/2023 12:13

(pressed post too early)

It's exactly the same as if you had said "look at Molly May bottle feeding her baby, how awful." People would comment, not out of a desire to protect/defend influencers, but because you're criticising a very common parenting decision that many people here have done/are doing. You're just using the influencers as your poster children.

@takealettermsjones This post is so sensible and exactly what I was going to say.

OP you’re criticizing a perfectly common and harmless decision that lots of parents make.
Yes travelling with a baby is hard work and there is some small risks involved (although you mention Abu Dhabi which is pretty safe for kids, especially if you’re staying at a nice resort and just going to tourist attractions), but it also has lots of advantages for the rest of the family.

I’m not defending influencers specifically (I have no idea who you’re posting about), but this isn’t something I’d criticize anyone for.
You get to choose how you parent but unless someone is doing something that’s dangerous/neglectful/negligent to their child (and I don’t think a fancy holiday really falls into that category) then there doesn’t seem any reason to judge other people’s choices even if they are an influencer.

CheersForThatEh · 30/04/2023 12:27

And planes may be "full of germs" but they are usually common germs rather than hospital germs

crumpet · 30/04/2023 12:30

Took dd to Australia when about 10 weeks old. Aside from managing the car seats, buggies, luggage etc by myself on landing, it was fine. She slept most of the way there.

crumpet · 30/04/2023 12:30

Am not an influencer

Willmafrockfit · 30/04/2023 12:31

i imagine both the new born and the mum should be resting. staying away from germs.

shivawn · 30/04/2023 12:32

Thankfully I have no idea what influencers do with their babies or anything else because I don't follow them. Literally have zero interest. I don't get people who follow them just to make bitter comments about everything they do.

On the subject of babies on holidays, we had our first family holiday to Mexico when my son was 3 months old. It was absolutely fab and just one of many long haul trips in his first year. He's travelled all over the world now with no sunburn, mosquito bites or illnesses as a result.

DustyLee123 · 30/04/2023 12:34

I personally didn’t take mine away until they’d had their first MMR jab, in the news there seemed to be many kids getting meningitis and having amputations abroad at the time. But each to their own.

Willmafrockfit · 30/04/2023 12:36

@DustyLee123
i agree
with my ds i was worried about taking him to Scotland on an aeroplane in the middle of his first vaccinations

Willmafrockfit · 30/04/2023 12:37

but @shivawn 3 month isnt what op means,
she means newborn

Againstmachine · 30/04/2023 12:39

It's more worrying we have influencers making out Dubai to an aspirational place, when In reality it's a vile disgusting country.

Original poster
Coffeeandbourbons · 30/04/2023 12:39

Againstmachine · 30/04/2023 12:39

It's more worrying we have influencers making out Dubai to an aspirational place, when In reality it's a vile disgusting country.

I think that too but maybe a separate thread entirely!

OP posts:
mswales · 30/04/2023 12:39

Coffeeandbourbons · 30/04/2023 11:10

There are no studies on influencers taking newborns to Abu Dhabi

Do you mean the one about newborn immune system? It’s science so either it’s right or it isn’t

Show quote history

The link you've posted is not a study

Autumntimeagain · 30/04/2023 12:40

But didn't you say in your initial post that you were quite prepared to be told YABU ?

So it seems that the majority DO think that YABU, yet you keep 'biting' and 'snipping' at posters who think YABU ?

It seems that you are clearly NOT prepared to accept the views of the majority of voters 🤔

Ponoka7 · 30/04/2023 12:41

Willmafrockfit · 30/04/2023 12:31

i imagine both the new born and the mum should be resting. staying away from germs.

When you're on your fifth baby, an all inclusive holiday will be more restful than being at home.

I think that there isn't harm being done to babies by their parents doing this, so leave them to it. It's much less risk than driving for hours and being around lots of in-laws of different ages, as people do at Christmas etc Decent hotels minimise the likelihood of mosquitos and spray overnight. Natural methods are better than spraying, I know that. I researched it for my Nigerian friend when she was expected to return home with her newborn. A built up place such as Dubai is very different than visiting other places in the UAE. A crawling/toddling baby would be at more risk than a newborn. So don't feel so superior because you are waiting a few more months.

Willmafrockfit · 30/04/2023 12:44

in reality a new born and mum should be convalescing for 2 weeks.
and no supermarkets either.

ItsCalledAConversation · 30/04/2023 12:46

We did 2 long haul trips with DS when he was a tiny baby, he was portable, breastfeeding and both trips were wonderful. What else is mat leave for??!

FatGirlSwim · 30/04/2023 12:46

I took a 3 week old on a plane. Not long haul but 🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️

Rockingcloggs · 30/04/2023 12:46

There isn't many people who despise influencers more than I do so I'm with you on that, but I did take my son on his first holiday abroad when he was 7 weeks old and we had a grand old time so I'm not with you on that!

SchoolQuestionnaire · 30/04/2023 12:53

HangingOver · 30/04/2023 11:13

Lol just say you don't like Mollie Mae.

🤣🤣🤣

It’s unbelievable just how triggering youth, beauty and wealth is to some people.

Moveoverdarlin · 30/04/2023 12:56

Also you never know what other help they have whilst on these flights. I went to Disneyland Paris last year and recognised a YouTuber / Insta influencer on the flight. They were on our flight to and from Paris and I saw them a few times in the parks while I was there. She had four young children with her and her husband and mother.

I looked her up after the trip and all the pictures look suitably lovely and domesticated and the kids and adults are all preened to perfection. But in none of the pictures or captions did she mention her Mum was there. Her Mum single handedly looked after two of the kids on the plane and was just being a huge help, carrying bags, mopping up drinks, usual stuff - she was relatively young herself. The influencer doesn’t have to tell us she’s got her Mum helping at all, but she made it look like travelling with four kids under 7 ish looked a piece of cake and it isn’t. She didn’t allude to have another adult lugging bags and sorting kids out. You never what goes on behind the glossy pics on Instagram.

shivawn · 30/04/2023 12:56

Willmafrockfit · 30/04/2023 12:37

but @shivawn 3 month isnt what op means,
she means newborn

I live in Ireland where I was extremely lucky to get a passport for a new baby in 12 weeks, I would have happily gone earlier.

kingtamponthefurred · 30/04/2023 13:03

The average home contains untold numbers of germs, especially if there are pets or other children, yet most babies survive in one.

Newnamenewname109870 · 30/04/2023 13:04

It’s a bit irresponsible and they are taking a risk with such a young baby, but it’s not the worst.

MakeMineADouble81 · 30/04/2023 13:04

alyceflowers · 30/04/2023 10:01

I really have no opinion on people taking babies on holiday.

Also, if this is about Stacey Solomon - the newborn is her 5th child.
You can be precious about the 1st baby, maybe the second, but once you get to the 3rd one life resumes as normal pretty quickly and you do all sorts of things with a newborn in one arm that would have been impossible with your first.

Completely agree with this.

I took my fourth baby to Poland when he was 10 weeks old whereas I don't think I even left the house for 10 weeks after my first was born as I was so shell shocked 😂