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

[JimmyChoo17]

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!!

Travelling with baby, what is acceptable?

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!

We went on holiday from Cambridge to Wales when DD was 2.5 months. It was fine - you just have to allow much more time to stop for nappy changes/feeds. But my DD has always been brilliant in the car - just sleeps or looks out the window (even now at nearly 2). We are very lucky.

Taking her on a plane for the first time soon.

We've travelled quite a lot with DS (now 3.6) and thankfully he was great after the first 6-8 months, found it all v. exciting. We didn't try flying earlier. He hated cars till then. Has been fine with cars, planes, trains since then. My top tips (based on only 1 child!):
-Don't go on long car journeys if/while your baby hates cars. Mine screamed 4 hours sold returning from grandmother's when 3.5months? He was fine when had more interest in surroundings about 8months (+ after change to forward-facing seat).
-Try to time longish car journeys with baby/toddler's usual nap times
-Post-weaning, take some spare food/formula (onflight fluid restrictions permitting) in case of delays and have a small bottle with water/milk in it on flights in case of ear trouble
-Take favourite teddy/blanket/sleeping bag onboard for night flights
-Time start of longhaul flights to coincide with child's normal bedtime. Worked a treat for us from Canada at 9mo, 21mo, and around world at 16mo.
-We found an airport-themed sticker book, plus crayons/paper, gave best ratio of entertainment to volume/weight carried for 2-3yo.
-Consider buying seat for older baby/toddler if long-haul, so they can lie down to sleep - the '20%' fare if they're on your lap is closer to 80% when you add in taxes etc. Don't expect a bassinet to be available - many airlines don't have them, or they only fit young babies. Check first. DS (a small child) was too big at 9mo.
-Ask checkin/gate staff if they can possibly seat your family together but 'alone' in the middle row of 5 when longhaul. If flight's not full, you'll get an extra free seat or 2 and access for both parents to the aisle for loo trips.
-Talk to baby/child about what will happen, how exciting it will be, etc, and point out what's going on at the time.
-Expect to spend a lot of time bouncing a 6mo-1yr old on your lap if awake. Thankfully we were blessed with new grandparents in the row behind!

-Oh, and at 9mo a sling was great for wandering around plane jigging him about during a 7hour daytime flight
-Many airlines let you take a small pram/pushchair to gate; great for baby/toddleer to snooze in, in case of delays

groceries, we took dd1 at 4 months from Lancashire to London which is easily a four hour drive. Lots of babies will just sleep through a car journey at that age. At five months we went to Edinburgh which was also a long drive. You may just need to stop occasionally.

dd1 also went around the world at nine months with no problems and coped with the jet lag better than I did.