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Holidays

Use our Travel forum for recommendations on everything from day trips to the best family-friendly holiday destinations.

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Original poster

At what age did you take your baby away for the first time?

30 replies

JimmyChoo17 · 05/02/2011 10:44

Ok I am a holiday lover and it's my one vice I will miss now being pregnant. Whilst talking to other parents I have said i would prob not be holidaying in the first year due to the effects on baby. Now I know babies can travel but having suffered with the pressure on my ears or sinuses during a flight before I can't see how it's fair to put a young baby thru it...they can't really pop their ears can they? Anyway all of those people told me I was daft and to fly whenever we want but on short haul just to save hassle if the baby doesn't take to flying. I'm not saying would never take baby flying but couldn't see myself doing it in the first year say?

Ok I know this maybe more of an opinion poll but I was wondering what you mums net mums thought on the subject and what your experiences are?

Also dread becoming that crying baby in flight...mind u might become immune to that as a mum!!

OP posts:

Carrotsandcelery · 05/02/2011 10:48

I took ds to Spain when he was 5 months old. I didn't exactly choose to - we had a family christening to attend. It was fantastic though.

I think it was easier because he was fully breast fed at the time though and we hadn't begun weaning so I always had appropriate food available for him. The early stages of weaning might be trickier.
We went on from the Christening to Barcelona and did all the usual things and it was fantastic.
FWIW I was with my parents and my dd who was 4 at the time. My dh wasn't able to come.

BlingLoving · 05/02/2011 10:48

Everyone tells me it is easier to travel with a small baby than an older one. Consensus seems to be get trips in during first year!!

CilantroLarry · 05/02/2011 10:49

We don't fly so that's not really a problem for us. But we were taking dd camping from a few weeks old, once I could sleep on the floor post-cs without a struggle.

I thought it was so much easier to take a baby on holiday than a toddler. Once they're walking and not content to be cuddled for 23 hours a day, holidays are a different kettle of fish.

MaeMobley · 05/02/2011 10:50

Hi, I actually think it is easier to holiday with a baby than a toddler.

We took DS to Floriday when he was 6 months and he was a dream on the plane and in restaurants.

Can't remember how old DD was when she first flew. By then DS was a toddler and everything was much harder.

I would say make the most of flying with a baby because toddlers are harder.

It was easier travelling with 6month/ 8 month baby than 13 month toddler.

Alibabaandthe40nappies · 05/02/2011 10:54

We did several holidays by car when DS was small - much easier than flying because you can take everything you need with you!
No reason why you need to be tied to the house.

Agree that it is much easier with a baby than a toddler!

Carrotsandcelery · 05/02/2011 10:55

For the ear thing use a dummy on the plane. I tried breast feeding on the first flight but it was a bit of a struggle when he wasn't looking for a feed. We bought a dummy in the airport and used it on the next flights and it did the trick. We chucked it away when we got home so we wouldn't have the dummy removal issue later on.

tallulah · 05/02/2011 10:56

We took our DD to Holland by Eurotunnel when she was 5 months old and she was fine. Then to NZ when she was 11 mo. She wouldn't sleep on the plane(s) and was a PITA but not nearly so much as she would be now, at 3yo.

Babies are much more portable than toddlers.

darleneconnor · 05/02/2011 10:59

read this

Original poster

JimmyChoo17 · 05/02/2011 10:59

Thanks ladies. I have a holiday to Egypt booked before I give birth and should it get cancelled I might look at going away with baby then. Did your babies cry in flight? Especially when ascending or descending?

OP posts:

Ciske · 05/02/2011 11:18

I took DD on a 1.5 hour flight when she was 3 months old and have continued to take her flying every 3-4 months since then (family lives abroad).

It was actually easier when she was younger because she used to just fall asleep as soon as the plane took off, whereas now I spend the entire 1.5 hour thinking of games and new toys for her to be distracted by!

In the plane she will sit on your lap and get her own seatbelt to go around yours. For very young children you can also request a cot, or at least with some companies you can. All companies will let you take the buggy/baby carrier all the way up to the entrance of the plane and then leave it there to be checked in separately.

The main issue you can run into is sitting next to a person that doesn't like children. I've had a few desperate looks from guys especially when they realised they were sitting next to me and DD, and who were obviously worried it would be a 1.5 hour crying match (which it never is, LO loves flying). But most of the time I end up next to very friendly people who make faces to DD and tell me about their kids/grandkids.

When I asked the HV about flying he said there were no age restrictions, you could take them as young as a few weeks old. It's really more an issue for yourself and whether you feel comfortable. I often travel alone and my biggest challenge is not having enough hands to hold DD, the baby bag, my bag, the buggy and then being asked to show my tickets. It's a lot easier if you travel together.

Mumbybumby · 05/02/2011 11:33

We took DD to Italy and Sicily when she was 3 months and continued to travel to different places throughout the first year - she was so portable!
Furthest we went was the Maldives when she was about 8-9 months.
Breastfeeding her on the flight (especially on the way up/down) helped keep her calm and happy although I'm sure bottle-feeding would have exactly the same effect.
Invested in a sling, which was a godsend wherever we went, including to get on and off the plane.
She's now 23 months and it is a little harder to keep her entertained but she is so used to aeroplanes she actually gets excited when we're going!
Most other passengers are absolutely fine with her and we've even had people come up to us at the end of the flight saying how good she's been.

Remember the sound of the engines can block out a fair bit of crying anyway and most people are plugged into their headphones so wouldn't even notice!

KenDoddsDadsDog · 05/02/2011 11:36

DD first flew to Ireland at 3 months and was back and forth a few times before she was one.
First took her on a holiday at 9 months and it was brilliant. Am dreading having to keep her quiet on a flight this year now she's a toddler!

exexpat · 05/02/2011 11:45

Both my DCs did 8-hour flights when they were roughly 4 months old, and 12-hour flights when they were 6/7 months old. Much, much easier at that age (specially if you are breastfeeding) than once they are crawling or toddling.

However, I have never much enjoyed staying in normal hotels with very small babies or young children. I would always go for apartment/suite hotels or self-catering accommodation rather than a hotel, as it makes life on holiday so much easier if there is a separate room you can put the baby down to sleep in, and you don't spend the rest of the time sitting in the dark and whispering. Also having a fridge and a washing machine can be very helpful....

Carrotsandcelery · 05/02/2011 15:54

I agree, even now my dcs are 9 and 6, that appartments or suites are far more enjoyable with dcs than hotel rooms.
In an hotel you end up keeping the dcs up much later than you would normally and going to bed far earlier than you would normally. Mine are also early risers and at least in an appartment they can get up and draw or watch quiet tv etc until we get up.
Fridges and washing machines also make life easier.
You are also less frantic about neighbours and babies crying etc - you imagine they have more space to get away from being wall to wall with your noise if they are desperate to.

falsemessageoflethargy · 05/02/2011 16:00

About 3 months old - it was very easy as she was ebf and the flight wasnt a problem - if she started to unsettle I just fed her, we used a pop up travel cot that weighed nothing at all and just slung her instead of the pushchair.

Once you are weaning its all much more of a faff tbh.

We always book apts or villas with ownersdirect so we have our own space as well -cant stand all being crammed into one hotel room of an evening.

Portofino · 05/02/2011 16:01

We rented a cottage in Normandy for a week when dd was 3.5 months old and drove. It was a doddle. DH carried her round in the sling when we went sight-seeing.

When she was 6.5 months we flew to Italy for a week. She slept both ways on the plane. I used to feed her tea, put her in her sleepsuit then we used to go out for a stroll and drink. She discovered the joy of sucking on a breadstick. She was usually fast asleep within a hour so we got to eat dinner in peace.

onimolap · 05/02/2011 16:04

The youngest I flew with a DC was about 3 months. BFing on the plane really helped with equalising ears, and it is possible to arrange them in the seat belt so you can do it safely for take off and landing.

Cheap lightweight pushchair is useful in case you get held up in an airport - foldable good for persuading the cabin crew it'tt fit in the body of the plane so it's less likely to be damaged than in the hold where they sometimes have to put big ones.

WimpleOfTheBallet · 05/02/2011 16:06

DD was 2 months old when we took her to Australia to see her grandparents. She was fine...she got lot's of attention and she was very easy to care for on the flights.

24 hours of travelling including one night at a hotel.

SofiaAmes · 05/02/2011 16:25

If you are bfing, it's easy to travel with a baby. Especially one that isn't crawling yet. We went to Jamaica when ds was 2 months old and I went to the usa several times before the kids were a year old.

mamatomany · 05/02/2011 16:30

It's the 12 months to 3 years period to avoid travelling with little ones, I am writing this down to remind myself not to do it as much as offer advice :)

Portofino · 05/02/2011 16:47

We have travelled every year since dd was born and never had a problem. I only have the one child though . When they are little babies it is easy to just do what you want and carry them about with you. Post 18 months we have always just gone to the beach or a campsite with shallow kids pools. We take it turns to play/swim/build sandcastles whilst the other reads their book. And we generally go self catering - hotels are much harder.

Portofino · 05/02/2011 16:54

And dd was FF, but all I took formula sachets, 2 bottles, microwave steriliser bags or a tupperware container and sterilising tablets. I made bottles up with Evian bottled water.

And the ELC stacking cups! Take up no room at all and can be used in the room, in the pool, in the bath, on the beach etc. I think last year was the first year they didn't get a holiday. In a mobile home with no bath, dd used to be scared of the shower. So we used to buy a cheapie inflatable boat or paddling pool and give her an al fresco bath on the decking. She was most impressed with this.

Nefret · 05/02/2011 21:39

I first took my baby to Turkey when she was 8 weeks old. She was fine on the flight and slept most of the way, I fed her through take off and landing as that helps with their ears, or you can use a dummy.

I too would recommend an apartment or villa rather than a hotel.

It is definitely easier to travel with a baby than a toddler.

Amateurish · 07/02/2011 12:11

We travelled loads with dd in the first year - I think we covered 10 countries before she was 1. Much easier before she learned to walk, after that she would never sit still on the plane.

We even took her to Prague on the train - Eurostar then sleeper train with her in a travel cot. Lots of fun!

groceries · 09/04/2011 09:18

I have my father coming over from NZ at the beginning of June, my baby will be over 4 months then and I wanted us to meet him at the Airport. However my Mother-in-Law and Partner have decided it will be too much for us to travel
such a distance in the car with the baby (from Birmingham to Heathrow) which
I think is one hour and a half hours each way. Do u think this is too much? They have also said travelling to Devon in June is a no no, and don't want us going on buses!

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