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Infant feeding

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Original poster

Flying when baby is 4 weeks old - take the baby or not?

64 replies

cornflakegirl · 05/02/2007 15:21

My friend is 34 weeks pregnant, and needs to fly from Britain to Eastern Europe for 24 hours when the baby is 4 weeks old (assuming it arrives on time!). She's not sure whether to take the baby with her or not. The trip is for her goddaughter's first communion.

She plans to breastfeed - so if she does leave the baby with her husband for a day and night, what would be the best way to manage it?

She's not sure about taking the baby - whether it would be good for them to fly when so young, and also whether the logistics of a passport would be feasible - in addition to the hassle of carting a newborn out the country!

OP posts:
Clary · 05/02/2007 15:44

I wouldn?t fly with a child under 1 myself because of risk of SIDS, but realise that for many people that?s a risk outweighed by other factors.

Equally I wouldn?t have left any of mine at 4 wks old. Easiest option may well be to take the baby (SIDS advice apart) as bf on the plane helps them settle at take-off and at this age many babies are just sleeping the whole time so fairly portable. But does she have to go at all? TBH I wouldn?t.

tiktok · 05/02/2007 15:46

My personal opinion - the baby's needs should take precedence over the god daughter's.

And the mother's needs, too, come to that!

KezzaG · 05/02/2007 15:47

I agree with Clary. Im sure she wont to leave him/her either. There are so many unknown factors to take into account; what if baby is breastfed and has trouble taking bottle; what if she ends up with c section and cant fly; what if baby is late and is only 2 weeks old etc etc

I would assume I wasnt going and get a late flight if I really wanted to go and everything had worked out ok.

quokka · 05/02/2007 15:48

I flew to Oz with my my 5 week baby and it was a breeze. Just fed little and often, lots of aussie mums do that flight with young babies and I haven't heard any bad stories yet?

quokka · 05/02/2007 15:50

sorry will just add that the passport was the biggest problem, as we couldn't decide quickly on a middle name - so he never got one.

Lazycow · 05/02/2007 15:57

Passport biggest problem

I flew to
Isle of Man when ds was 5 weeks old and
Atlanta when Ds was 10 weeks old

Ds was fine - I on the other hand was exhausted and would never do that again !!

If she really wants to go - deffo take the baby with her

Original poster
cornflakegirl · 05/02/2007 16:00

thanks everyone. i know she may decide not to go when the baby arrives, but at the moment it's a definite, so all advice on how to do it gratefully received!

quokka - to start with, i read that as you couldn't decide on a middle name for your son, so didn't get him a passport! good to know the flight wasn't a problem.

OP posts:
quokka · 05/02/2007 16:04

no did meant middle name, but since then he has got one. I think you have a year to change your mind about the name. I don't think he will ever appreciate us calling him buster though!

Original poster
cornflakegirl · 05/02/2007 17:37

bump for the evening

OP posts:
Original poster
cornflakegirl · 05/02/2007 17:39

lazycow - just realised i didn't respond to your comment - wasn't really ignoring it - thank you!

OP posts:
LIZS · 05/02/2007 17:46

Think if she really thinks she'll feel up to it (think stitches/C section, leaky boobs, sleep deprivation, baby possibly only 2 weeks old ... for starters) she should plan to take baby too. Would be a rush to register birth and get passport though - not really what new parents would ideally want to be doing. Their first by any chance ?! Personally I'd pass and get someone to video it !

Original poster
cornflakegirl · 05/02/2007 21:50

Yes, their first

Anyone think it would be easier / better to leave the baby at home? Or is there a unanimous vote on this one?

OP posts:
tommysmama · 05/02/2007 22:00

Flying with babies is surprisingly easy, just be careful not to take too much hand luggage - just a couple of nappies, small pack of wipes, dummy if used, small toy.. all in a little bag. Carrying normal changing bag with all the crap we carry around(!) makes it harder to get on/off plane.

SofiaAmes · 06/02/2007 04:05

We went to jamaica when ds was 8 weeks old. It was easy peasy especially because i was bfing. However, it had been suggested that we shouldn't go before 8 weeks as he wouldn't have had his first set of jabs before then. I think it would be easier to take the baby with than leave it behind (leaking breasts at 6 weeks are not a lot of fun). I had to leave my dd for 3 days when she was 5 months and that was hard enough because of full leaking breasts and by that point things were a lot more settled than at 6 weeks.
Passport is possible to do quickly if she has a ticket in hand as you can pay for an expedited passport. You just need to make sure that you get a long form birth certificate right away. And a hint for taking a picture. Don't try to hold the baby up...way too hard. Lay the baby down on a white blanket and take a picture standing over it. Take a few from different heights and then get them developed and cut out the picture to the right size.

nappyaddict · 06/02/2007 04:15

took ds to spain when he was 5 weeks. they can fly short haul flights after 7 days. long haul flights is longer. ds was fine and slept the whole way there and back.

nappyaddict · 06/02/2007 04:21

and flights don't cause cot death. \link{ www.sids.org.uk/fsid/readersqueries.htm\this} refutes the study that suggested it did.

nappyaddict · 06/02/2007 04:21

this

nearlyfourbob · 06/02/2007 04:43

Another vote for taking baby.

Original poster
cornflakegirl · 06/02/2007 09:18

Thanks everyone - this is really helpful stuff!

If she did decide to leave the baby, how often would she need to express to maintain her supply? Is it once for every missed feed?

OP posts:
mears · 06/02/2007 09:26

At 4 weeks babies feed very erratically - it can be every hour! Is this her first baby? If so I think a reality check is needed - she will feel totally knackered at 4 weeks. Feeing may not be properly established and she may have loads of weight to lose and not be able to fit into anything.

I would not put the pressure on myself to attend - she can make proxy arrangements for her goddaughter's first communion. It is unlikely baby will arrive on time so it is possible baby will be 2-3 weeks.

If she must go it will be far easier for her to take the baby and her DH with her.

If she leaves the baby at home she will have a horrendous time trying to express with full uncomfortable breasts at erratic times. Way too much pressure to me.

colditz · 06/02/2007 09:33

PMSL

She ain't going to be taking that baby anywhere. She will get chronic PFB syndrome and by 4 weeks after the birth will be hysterical with exhaustion and diligence.

Lazycow · 06/02/2007 09:54

Cornflakegirl

Sorry my reply was short - I was a bit rushed yesterday.

If she does go she should definitely take both the baby and another adult (dh?) with her.

It is possible to fly with a baby so young? absolutely, I and many others have done it BUT I would strongly recommend that she make some sort of arrangement or talks to her goddaughters family so that she is not obliged to go. She may feel up to it, she may not.

It is really important that she gives herself a let-out if she really can't make it when the time comes. I didn't do that and did far too much far too early. I got through it and survived fine but if I had the choice again again would not do anywhere near as much - it was truly exhausting and I believe it contributed to my PND.

nappyaddict · 06/02/2007 13:36

pfb syndrome?

MrsBadger · 06/02/2007 13:43

Precious First Born Syndrome

you know, when you find yourself up at midgnight ironing vests and weeping into the laundry basket because you so desperately want to be A Good Mother and Do It Properly and Get It Right.

dejags · 06/02/2007 13:45

slight hijack - did you get my email MrsB?

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