Am I mad to consider this with a newborn?

[Planningatrip]

We’re wondering if it’s going to be feasible to go up to Scotland to see family this Christmas, and make a little weekend out of it perhaps and potter round the Christmas markets. If we did this we would be staying in a hotel/AirBnb for 2 or 3 nights and so would need to drive up in order to fit our pram and travel cot in. It’s a 3 hour drive, so we’d obviously have to stop several times.

Our baby could be anywhere between 5 and 8 weeks old, depending on when she’s born.

Naively I’m thinking this could actually be the easiest age. Yes we’ll be tired, but we’ll be tired wherever we are. Planning on breastfeeding so hopefully shouldn’t have to worry about bottles and the likes.

AIBU to think about it? Do I need a reality check?

Newborns are easier to travel with than older babies/toddlers. I just travelled 3 hours away (which took 5hrs with stops) on my own with a 7 week old and a 2 year old.

It's a great idea. I'm I'm Edinburgh, you could hire the baby equipment from Tom Thumb Hire it's an online thing, pretty useful if you don't fancy dragging all your stuff with you.
Otherwise an Airbnb may have a cot etc. It'll be worth while I'm sure. But plan all your stops and expect the drive to take twice as long as it normally would. Driving with a baby is tough.

Absolutely not unreasonable. We travelled down to Cornwall (4 hours from me) with our first, I think he was around 6 weeks old. I’d had him via c-section but after 2-3 weeks I felt great (compared to how I originally felt!). My son was fine, we just made several stops to relieve him of his car seat and to do feeds and changes etc. Go for it, and have a great time!

Thing is until you’ve had the baby you won’t know how you feel. I had a c section with my DDs was still bleeding at 5 weeks, my boobs were sore and it was the last thing I wanted to do when we were just getting into routines- also with no immunisations and around people at prime illness time isn’t worth it for me.

Def play it by ear, you could be lucky. We with our first went out for a meal at least 5 times in the first week. Joined my husband on a business trip which required a flight at 3 weeks and had the most fab time. Lovely meals out husband and I back to being intimate, baby was so super easy when tiny so much so we did the same trip at 12 weeks, it can be absolutely fine don’t believe it has to be all doom and misery.

The airline allowed the baby to fly at 3 weeks?

I wouldn’t make any plans you can’t cancel.

you could have an easy baby.

You could have a baby who screams every second she is not touching you. You could have a baby that screams like she is being murdered every second she is in a carseat. You could have a baby whose circadian rhythms are completely misaligned with society’s expectations. (If you do get this baby, don’t worry, she turns into an awesome teenager, but ASD babies are hard)

Yes absolutely it was only to Jersey so just birth certificate needed no passport.

I’d have done this! Most newborns that age are at their most portable at that age, as long as they’ve got you they don’t really care. Its when they get older it can be a bit of a challenge; this time next year with a baby who might be toddling it will be far more difficult so I’d absolutely go for it

We went to a family wedding when our boy was 6 weeks old and lived in, no regrets! We were staying in an Airbnb with my family and they loved cuddling the little one so I could get a lie in. It will be different for you as you'll have your own accomodation but family will still be around to help out. If you have a c section they will advise against you going out before 6 weeks as it's major surgery. At 6 weeks, I also breastfed A LOT which it's extremely knackering. DRINK A LOT OF WATER. I was also breastfeeding during Xmas time (albeit less) but it was very hard, to be left in my own room putting the wee one down and breastfeeding for an hour while everyone else was partying .

I think sounds reasonable just see how your burth goes and how you feel. I flew abroad to live for the summer when my first was 8 weeks old after an emergency c section but everyone is different.

I clicked yanbu- then I remembered cluster feeding! I'd have managed it with my first formula fed child but between the stops and the endless feeding a three hour trip would have lasted forever. My experience of breastfeeding was that if you want to breastfeed it has to be your priority for those first few weeks and you need to set life up in a way that makes it as easy as possible

I went to Disney world in Florida with an 8 week old baby. So it’s definitely doable, however, it felt like whole time I was in the baby centre either breastfeeding or pumping! Worth noting it was also my 2nd child. With my first it took a while to get in the breastfeeding groove, though I’m pretty sure I was settled into it by 6 weeks.

Ok my first baby cluster fed for hours on end at 5-7 weeks. Could not have done it

So did my second

My current 8 month old I definitely could have. He didn't cluster feed at all!

Depends on how YOU and the baby is!

We went on holiday when DD was 6 days old (domestic holiday although still lots of driving and a ferry 🤦🏼‍♀️😂). We stayed in a cottage with family and honestly it was fine. In hindsight probably not to be recommended but we were young and a bit daft and it all worked out grand in the end. 5-7 weeks ish old I wouldn’t have thought twice about, go and enjoy yourself!

Only to Jersey isn't bad. We were advised not to because of the delicate inner ear and not being immunised, but that was longer and overseas.

I had csections and both times I wasn’t cleared to drive until I was 10 weeks and 12 weeks postpartum. You also bleed, a lot, afterwards and sitting for so long in one position is agonising. I would play it by ear and if you feel up to it then do it.

I couldn’t really walk far in the first 6 weeks and I didn’t want to go anywhere see anyone . My emotions were a mess and I was bleeding and sore . But before baby came I had planned to attend a meeting with him in his car seat one week after birth !!!! , because I had such a great pregnancy that I was clueless !!!! On the other hand my friend was shopping and happy etc after her baby .

It is doable . Depends on what your baby will be like though. If has colic or distressed when travelling this might be harder. So book something with free cancellation. And air bnb is a wonderful option in case you’re bottle feeding or need to be able to wash things easily etc as you’ll have your own kitchen hopefully

YANBU. With my first, went to Liverpool from London (train), stated in hotel fir 3 nights just ne and baby (my parents in another room, but DH didn't go)
I remember bring SO worried That I almost cancelled, now I'm not sure why! LOL
With ny second, I took a 12-hour flight back home (+2hr donestic flight once there), when he was 8weeks old and his brother 2.5yo!
It's always so much easier than we imagine it will be, or so I've found...
Stop on the way as needed, if bottle feeding take any detergent you'll be using + steriliser that you'll be able to plug in (or there are packs of travel steriliser tablets...) You should be fine!

I went on a trip to New York with mine when they were 6 weeks old so I'd say it's definitely doable and can't think of any reason why you wouldn't.

We took our 4 month old twins to France around Christmas time for 4 days. You should totally do it.

Have a read of people's experiences on this thread, if you can't think why!

I think 4 months old is easier. Were they still being breastfed? Probably in a routine and can stay in baby seats for longer. (I'm hoping you haf recovered as well!).

I should add, I was breastfeeding, but pumped with my first, so I even kept pumping while in Liverpool- hence the steriliser tip ;-)