To go on holiday with 5 months old baby

[Malteaserd]

I am looking to book a holiday for Feb 2025 to get some winter sun. My baby would be 5 months old then, she's exclusively breastfed.
Places I am looking at is either Algarve/Canaries or Malta. Will be booking all inclusive. We also have a 3 year old DS.
DH thinks IABU considering baby would be so young to travel with, while I think it would be easier as I will be breastfeeding and it's before weaning and I won't have to keep looking at options to feed her and she will have had lots of her immunisation by then. I am quite tired now as the baby is a month old now and I really want to go on a holiday to have some time to rest and relax in sun next year as I haven't been on any holiday this year due to pregnancy, work etc and want to have something to look forward to.
I am posting to get any opinions on which might be a good option to go to with young DC and also if IABU to go on this holiday.
Thanks for reading.

I think canaries is a much better bet. The weather will be pleasant and you’re more likely to be able to swim in the sea or heated pool. I wouldn’t do a hotel though, when the children go to bed you’ll be stuck in a hotel room. I’d go for a villa with a pool, walking distance to a town so you can eat out if you want to.

I have twice had holidays with small babies. Once when our second daughter was 3 months old (her older sister was 3), and once when our third daughter was 9 weeks (sisters were 3 and 6).

I found it pretty easy. They were breastfed which made things easy and we would go the beach early, around 8am, before it got hot.

Best tip from me is to take a sling in your cabin bag. It’s much easier to have the baby strapped to you when exiting the plane and walking to baggage reclaim. It also meant I had hands free to hold onto the other children!

I've been on plenty of holidays with 2 under 2. I think it's probably easier when baby no2 is 5 months. It's awful when they walking but not old enough to sit for long.

You’ll be absolutely fine. As others have said, you might find the toddler harder work than the baby. A baby has the same needs anywhere.

Yeah. Honestly don't do it.

Thanks for the suggestion. Will look at canaries only. Any idea about Malta in Feb?

Also too cold. You’re only options are canaries or long haul IMO

This again. Yes it's fine, the younger the easier. It's the three year old I wouldn't want to take 😂

Took baby loads on holidays and even work trips and agree it is a great age to take them places. Much harder with toddler

I did a huge road trip, 3000 miles, when dd2 was 5 months, really easy as she was ebf and coslept. We even camped some nights. Honestly children travel well as long as you build their needs into the schedule eg lunchtime we went to a park or a restaurant (ok McDonald's, this is in the USA) with a play area.

Definitely was easier at 5 months than 14 month, the next trip I took and that was alone with my 3 year old as well intercontinental flights, think I was crazy but it was ok, I took a car seat on board for starters to keep eldest contained

I took ds to Spain when he was 5mths. I'd argue that it might be easier when they're breastfeeding because you have an immediate and easy source of food for them. Ds nursed on the plane when we were taking off and landing, slept in his wrap at the airport and on the bus (we booked a night flight) and was a wee dream for the journey. Didn't need to worry about food etc for him but I did offer to nurse much more often just due to the heat to make sure he didn't get dehydrated.

Got a snoozeshade for the pram and used it during the day when we were out and about and at night so we could go down to the bar and he would sleep in the pram with the cover.

It was much, much easier than I anticipated. I'd be more reluctant to go now that he's a toddler to be honest.

The only unreasonable thing here is expecting to get reliable sun in February in either the Algarve or Malta. Either place might very well be not particularly warm, and the sea and pools will be very child. If you want to be sure of beach weather, go the extra couple of hours to the Canaries.

I took my son to Spain at three months. I subsequently took my three month old daughter and two year old son there two. Not all inclusive we stayed at a villa. The babies/kids were fine - breastfeeding was great did it on taking off and landing to ease the ear pain. When there just be vigilant with sun protection. Hardest but might be your evening routine unless your baby is content to sleep in a pushchair at the restaurant.

It'll be fine. Try and get a hotel room with a nice balcony or terrace that's in the sun, then you should be able to chill out and read when your DC (hopefully!) nap together after lunch

We went to Jamaica from UK with a 3 month old. She behaved beautifully on the plane and coped with the heat better than me. As long as everyone is healthy, I don't see the issue?

We took our 7 month old to Majorca and it was a doddle! He was too young to want to get down and wriggle around so happily sat on our laps during the flights and was happy just going along with whatever we were doing and people watching while we were there, we had a wonderful easy trip with him. He's now nearly one and there is no way in hell I would do it as he's all over the bloody place now and won't keep still for more than five seconds lol

We went to turkey in October when dd2 was 6 months and she was a dream. She napped in the pram, in the shade by my lounger.

We found taking a pram that folds up to go in the overhead locker really helpful. She could be in it all the way to the plane door and there was no waiting for the pram once we landed. (We had the mamas and papas airo)

I would also check what baby equipment your hotel can lend once you find somewhere. We've been really lucky and found places that offer sterilisers, monitors, night lights, baby baths, etc.

There will be tons of other babies there. Your DH is very U.

Take your own car seat as every time we haven’t, the ones provided have been a total shitshow. Even in the States! Scary!

We went on holiday to Cuba when dd was 3 months old and it was great. As you're EB, that will really help.

Best time to travel when they’re easy and not on the move! Go for it!!

The easiest holiday we've had with two children had been where the baby was 6w old. It was hard work but that was because it's the toddler. The baby was like a needy piece of extra luggage in comparison to the whirlwind of chaos that is a 2yo.

The earlier the better I think.

Side note - Algarve in Feb will not be a beach holiday. It’s going to be cold, the beaches can have a cold wind on a bad September day & it’s largely otherwise very warm in the day.

The three year old will be more of a handful but breastfeeding is a great reason why you need to be stuck to a chair/lounger with them while DH runs about after the elder one!

Flying with an EBF baby is a doddle in my experience.

Agree re destination. Canaries or long haul in Feb. Or if you genuinely just want to lie around pool/beach with nothing else to do, Cape Verde?

Have a great time.

Thanks for all the suggestions, I am trying to convince my DH to book holidays for march 2025.