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?

I don’t think anyone’s being a martyr, just sharing their experiences. I would never have managed a three hour drive with my son as a newborn- he screamed nonstop every time he got in the car and could feed for 40 minutes at a time, have a 20 minute break, then go again. Some babies don’t slot into life that easily!

We took our DD and our other 2 DD (2.5 and 5.5) to Barbados when she was 7/8 weeks. It was a great holiday and proper chillled.

so without a doubt, I know I woujd have done this Edinburgh trip, it will be magical and so special.

I didn’t have a CS though.

I drove from Dundee down to zBrighton when she was 2 weeks old, all fine apart from the last 2 hours.

it dues depend on you/baby’s health, but also hugely on your attitude. I’m very not precious and not a worrier and we tend to just go with the flow.

I don't necessarily think it's infeasible to go and visit your family for a few days...

But Christmas markets are usually absolutely heaving, and probably wouldn't be very pleasant to try and push a pram around (Edinburgh?)

Can you not take the train? We went to London for a week a 2-3 month old but we took the train and packed light. The bassinet on our pram is suitable for overnight sleeping so no need for a travel cot. Most airbnbs would provide a travel cot. I think public transport is actually easier with babies. You can relax on the train and feed etc. It's essential you book a seat for the baby though as even though it's not required, you'll want the space. We travelled by train with a 4 month old to Scotland when my first was a baby.

But there's no guarantee that the OP will have this issue. I personally found it easier than having to mess around with bottles and formula etc. And TBH I think about 50% of mothers have discountued breastfeeding by 6 weeks.

I think it depends on the baby. One of mine was fine in the car at this age and would sleep. the other screamed on any car journey for the full duration until they were 6 months.

This 100 %
I have travelled with my 12 week old to Asia, stayed there a month. No issues
5-8 week old is peak of witching hour. I would stay at home , especially at Christmas

No it’s easier as you won’t have other dc to consider ! It sounds ideal as little babies are so easy at that age. Get a carrier too for the markets and he/she will likely sleep and be cosy and warm with your body heat

I agree with this train will be easier as you can hold baby just in case they don’t like the car seat (but all of mine under 8 weeks just slept in car seat every journey)

No and there’s no guarantee that she won’t have this “issue”. Incidentally, by issue, you mean feeding every two hours? I think that’s incredibly common.

I stated “if you’re planning on breastfeeding, I wouldn’t advise it”. I thought that it would be heavily implied that if she’s breastfed and then switched to formula by that point that my comment would be irrelevant. But I guess not. So let me clarify…

If you are planning on breastfeeding and to STILL be breastfeeding when you travel, I wouldn’t recommend it.

It’s just extra stress that you don’t need.

It is possible but why would you put this pressure into the schedule? You may find you just want to stay home, you might have had zero sleep for eight weeks, you might have had an early birth or need to recover.

I think it'd be wiser not to plan something like this, really.

We took 12 week old premie twins (so 6 weeks adjusted) to Devon from Northumberland for Christmas woth fsmily (flew and then drove) it was by far and away the easiest journey we did with them until they were about 8 hahaha! I'd do it but I'd book things that are able to be cancelled just in case

I dont think you are being unreasonable..when my daughter was just over 2 months old we travelled by train from kent to cornwall.. it was very hellish. a 3 hour drive would have been bliss in comparison. also an air bnb is a home from home so less stressful than a caravan

But you have to stop and take a break with car seat anyway after 2 hours max. So fed before and during break. It's only 3 hours driving time so hardly a long journey . And there seems to be 2 of them so driving can be shared

I have a 4month old and I would have been able to do this at 8 weeks comfortably. I would have been able to do it slowly and steadily at 5 weeks. Baby would have been fine at both times :)

It depends what kind of baby you get, one that likes the car or one that hates it. My first one hated the car so much, she would litterally scream the entire time and it was so stressful. She would scream until red in the face etc. She would scream to the point we would have to stop the car and then continue screaming. We did not take any long car journeys more then an hour because of this (and one time for a wedding!).

We did a couple of days away to visit a great-grandma at the end of her life when ours was 8 weeks old with no issue. It would have been about an 3.5 hour drive without breaks. Our baby travelled well though and I'd had an easy recovery from my EMCS. I think you may not be able to make the decision until baby is here but I do think it's doable.

It would be doable. I would’ve done it at 6-8 weeks post-partum. Allow an extra couple of hours for the drive up though with the extra stops to get baby out of the car seat.

You don't need equipment to breastfeed. Your body comes with it already installed.

As others say, just make sure your hotel is cancellable and see how you feel. With my first, I wouldn’t have found this easy (her temperament!) but, with my second, this would’ve been a breeze. They were just very different babies and the second was far more easy going!

Every two hours, all day and all night. I’m not talking exclusively about the drive. I’m talking about if you never get more than two hours sleep at a time, would you really want to be away from home, socialising etc. or would you rather be at home and comfortable?

Id rather be somewhere else if I had been stuck indoors for 5 or 6 weeks tbh

How busy are the markets? The ones in my city are massive and rammed, and I'd have found it too much to be there 5 weeks postpartum. If it's something quieter and more civilised where you could be assured of a chair if you need one, that would be easier to cope with.

With my first 2 we went away for the weekend at 3/4 days old. With my 4th we went to France for 10 days at 10 weeks old, and a weekend away at about 3/4 weeks old. They are so portable at that age 😍

When ds2 was 5 weeks old, and ds1 was 2, we went from Essex to Aberdeen for a wedding, and whilst it was hard work, it went just fine. We travelled up by train, which made it easier, I think.