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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To drive from London to Scotland with a 17 month old?

19 replies

Bellagio · 07/04/2010 08:57

It will take me around 6.5 hours if I do it at night. Would he be ok for that long in the car seat or would I need to stop for a break ( which would obv mean waking him up)
Don't know if I'm being a bit pfb about it, just cos sometimes when he falls asleep in the car his head flops forward and he looks a bit uncomfy?!
I would also be driving alone hence why i don't really want to do it during the day,
Anyone done this regularly that can tell me I'm being too precious about it?

OP posts:
MumNWLondon · 07/04/2010 09:05

I have done it - although have britax reclining car seat and never really had problem with tipping head. I guess it depends on your car seat - I bought reclining ones because of frequent London-Glasgow car trips. I would be much less worried about it at that age - I bought a flat infant seat as I wouldn't want a tiny baby scrunched in one of those rear
facing things for 6 hours.

I think you need to take a break for you - its too long to drive in one go!

If you stop for petrol can leave him in car on forecourt if asleep whilst you nip in to pay and go to toilet - car would be locked and its all videoed and it would only be for a few minutes.

If you stop properly obviously need to wake him up and huge risk of him not going back to sleep (speak from experience). I agree best done at night. We have done it a lot but generally with 2 adults which gives more flexibility.

bellissima · 07/04/2010 09:14

Have driven overnight from Brussels to Oxford with a 4 yr old and an 8 month old. Couldn't face it during the day. Had coffee in the Eurotunnel queue and then coffee and loo break (took them in - a bit of a hassle but no more than during day) at services. Make sure you have suitable CDs for if he wakes/blanket/water/full tank/charged phone.

Floopy21 · 07/04/2010 10:28

MumNWLondon - leave him whilst you go somewhere else?! Madness IMO. Take him with you, a pain, but SAFE.

MissAnneElk · 07/04/2010 10:42

I've done it. Realistically you will need to stop for a break for yourself,even if it's just to go to the loo and stretch your legs. What we used to do was leave about 4 in the morning having had some sleep. Put Dd in the car in pyjamas and she would go back to sleep for a few hours. We'd stop and give her some breakfast and get her changed then the movement of the car meant she would usually go back to sleep again.

zazen · 07/04/2010 10:44

Why don't you go up by train - a sleeper train would be lovely - you arrive all refreshed and your baby ccan sleep in a travel cot next to you!

Makes sense really, rather than having his little neck constricting his airwaves, and possibly you feeling so groggy you're worse than useless.

zazen · 07/04/2010 10:45

having his little neck bent over, constricting his airways, .

wahwahwah · 07/04/2010 10:47

Where in Scotland? 6.5 hours seems a bit short to me (maybe get you to Carlisle). I think you will probably need to stop every 2 hours or so (is that still true at that age).

We have done it every year since year dot. It is fine. It takes us about 6.5 hours on the road, London to Edinburgh keeping in the speed limit (they are buggers on the motorway for speed traps) and about 1-2 hours for stops. There are loads of roadworks going on now though (and we saw quite a few accidents over Easter).

lemonadesparkle · 07/04/2010 10:54

Have done numerous 7+ hour journeys with ds2 from the age of 3months upwards (he is currently 4yrs). My trips usually happened when dh was deployed and so I always drove them alone.

I always kept his bedtime routine the same and then instead of putting him into bed popped him into the carseat and set off.

I reccommend taking plenty of water to drink (much better imo than tea or coffee as it keeps you hydrated).

If you are driving at night make sure you have sufficient balnkets etc to keep you and l/o safe if you should breakdown, fully charged phone, drinks and food for you both etc and sounds obvious but the number for your breakdown service stored in your phone I had to call a friend to find mine for me.

Oh and agree with pp in that we never had a problem with him being uncomfortable as had a lie flat car seat while he was small and a reclining one to replace it once he was too big.

IMoveTheStars · 07/04/2010 11:08

17mo will be fine, but you can't drive that long without a break - can you leave early evening, and arrange to stop somewhere for an hour to have a rest?

also - what lemonadesparkle said re breaking down (make sure your cover is current and you have the number with you etc)

damnedchilblains · 07/04/2010 11:11

I can't see it would be a problem, make a few pitstops to stretch your legs but if he sleeps through it would be a great. Check the carseat instructions to see if there is a way for you to slightly tilt the car seat backwards.

however -"I would also be driving alone hence why i don't really want to do it during the day" - that is surely a reason to drive during the day. Don't like the thought of you driving with a little baby in the dark, what if you break down and get stranded?

maduggar · 07/04/2010 11:36

My parenst did this with us many many times as kids! Took us 10 hours, not 6, as well. There were 6 of us, so there was always a baby/toddler lol.

2rebecca · 07/04/2010 12:06

I've done it alot. I've always stopped, no way could I drive for that long without a break and kids usually awake for some of it.
usually takes nearer 8 hours with stops.
Trying to do it all at night sounds daft.

ben5 · 07/04/2010 12:13

used to drive from glasgow to newton abbot, devon. used to take about 8-9 hours. i used to leave at 3am. i would go to bed soon after kids have been put to bed and the car was packed. the boys would travel in there pj's till about 7.30-8 am ish. i would stop have breakfast, toilet visit and refil with petrol. sometimes they would fall asleep again but if not have things they can play with in car and music you all like. used to love listening to terry on bbc radio2.

fallon8 · 07/04/2010 14:58

we did it for years with 3 of them, either start off early morning or late night.
Zazen, have you actually been inside a sleeper? There isnt ROOM for you and the baby never mind the travel cot, plus,you may have to share with atotal stranger,who isnt goig to chuffed if they are going to kept awake all night, cant move and then have to work next monring,I have yet to meet the person who got off the sleeper "refreshed",Plus, they can be late,often the Aberdeen one passes our house at miday, yes, midday, and you have been on that train with the baby since the night before!

Original poster
Bellagio · 07/04/2010 21:08

Thanks to everyone for your input. Lots of food for thought, I probably was being a bit ambitious saying 6.5 hours! I have done it in that time in the past but you're right to point out that it's a different story with baby on board.
Maybe I'll fly up afterall, just a major PIA not having car with all the crap essentials you have to take!
Thank you all once again

OP posts:
CUKAmbassador · 07/04/2010 23:38

6.5 seems a little long. But done it a number of times. Doing it at night is a great time to do it.

KAEKAE · 07/04/2010 23:44

I would stop too, it's too long to allow him to sit on the car seat esp if his is in a nappy. 6.5 is nothing though, try doing a 12 hour flight with a 12 month old as I did, now that is hellish!

zazen · 07/04/2010 23:48

Yes fallon8, my SIL swears by the sleeper train from Aberdeen / London route. She regularly takes her DD, and thinks it's great!

Pofacedagain · 07/04/2010 23:53

I've never had to share with anyone in a sleeper - I love it but it would be squeeze with a baby.

I would NEVER leave a baby in a car on a garage forecourt to pop to the loo.

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