Some questions about taking a baby on holiday

[Eminybob]

I may be mad but am thinking of going on holiday when my DS will be 4 months old.

Hopefully I'll still be ebf at that point so won't need to worry about food/milk for him. (But any advice in this department would be helpful in case he's on formula for some reason or if he's started weaning early)

Some specific questions I have:

Does the luggage allowance usually include a bag for baby?
Does the pram get checked in?
And if so does that mean I have to carry DS after check in or does it go on after security?
Does the pram count towards luggage allowance?
On the coach transfer does DS sit on my knee or do I need to take car seat?
When including DS on booking will hotel automatically put a cot in the room or do I have to request one?

I know that the holiday company should be able to answer these but I'm not booking just yet, just wanted to ask about other peoples experiences.

Any other advice also appreciated. I'm sure I'll have more questions...

Thanks.

We are travelling from Manchester btw. And going to either somewhere in the canaries, or Cape Verde (depending on what budget I can get DP to agree to!)

Not sure about airline yet

Is an umbrella fold suitable for a 4 month old? I hadn't thought about it but I suppose I could get a cheap one to take away rather than take the pram.

I bought a maclaren quest especially for travelling. It lies flat enough supposedly to be used from birth. It's an umbrella fold.

I would suggest getting an umbrella fold, yes. Not absolutely necessary but you're more likely to be able to get it to the plane door, or at least the gate, than a bigger one.

In your case are you going for a chartered flight or budget airline? How about looking at the luggage allowances for infants for say Ryanair, easy jet, Thomson etc and see if they vary a lot?

Mine was mainly long haul so it was the likes of BA, cathay pacific. But you can guess what airlines you will end up with destinations.

And definitely a bulky one would have to be checked in with buggage with the long haul ones I've looked at.

It does depend massively on airlines and hotels. BA will give you a full baggage allowance for a baby. Budget airlines won't.

If you're flying from Heathrow, you can order formula and baby food in advance and collect it airside to save yourself the trouble of getting it through security.

We usually get the pushchair back at the gate these days. You can (sometimes) get luggage tags that say return to gate. And we've taken both big pushchairs and little ones - not made any difference in our experience. But do take a sling just in case. Customs and Immigration can be very long if you have to hold a baby.

Have you considered just taking a sling and not bothering with the buggy?

if you do take the buggy do what we did and sneak a pack of nappies in the basket (we couldn't fit any in our bags and they are £££ in the canaries)

This is all so helpful, thank you everyone.

Re. baby feed - again my only experience is longhaul but they had loosened up the regulations on baby drinks (formula, water) when I flew with DS2, so last Easter and the year before) - apparently they're allowed to have their drinks go through without too much bother.
In fact, when I flew with DS2 at 6mo, he was ebf and one of the customs men at Singapore kept asking me where my baby's milk was? I didn't like to point...
but I did tell him that he wasn't bottle fed.

We travel a lot:

• always take own car seat and travel cots. Every travel cot at hotels Iv seen are disgusting and they often overbook so no guarantee of getting one even if they say. Same with car seats, they over book so you may not get one or they give one not suitable for age.

• sling at airport

• baby zen yoyo 0+ pram if take one

The phil and teds baby nest is good travel cot 0-9 months. It's Moses basket type that folds and can be used by pool/ on beach also. It's bag also has loads storage so can use instead of suitcase. That and one rucksack ( hand luggage) would fit every thing needed for one baby and one adult for a week

Oh and I take one nappy per hr of flight plus 5 spare. So 2 hr flight I would have 7 nappies in hand luggage.

artandco can I ask if you travel by air or by car? Which travel cot do you have? I agree with the comment about disgusting cots and am thinking of getting my own travel cot with baby number 2. (Worst was one that's a wobbled when I shoke it). Leaning towards to either the little life tent or the koodi pop up cot. Do you bring another mattress with it? Or use the travel cots one?

Art that baby nest looks fantastic! That's definitely on the shopping list. Babyzen yoyo not so much - it costs more than my whole travel system did! And this is likely the only holiday we'll have for a while so not very cost effective.

In terms of the holiday itself, would you recommend an all inclusive resort so we don't need to be out and about much, or otherwise?
Pre DS DP and I would go self catering so we could go out at night and experience different restaurants and go for a few drinks. Would you say staying at the resort in the evenings would be easier with a little one?

Oh you mentioned Phil and teds nest sorry missed that. I will have a look too.

We always fly. Various accomadation but regardless we don't usually go all inclusive as find drinks and food quality not that great

Yes baby zen pricy, but many buy as only pram therefore cheaper

We usually just pop baby into pjs around 8pm and feed then head out to a restaurant/ bar. Baby sleeps when tired. Usually head to beach restaurants so baby can sleep outside with plenty of space next to table

Oh we also used the phil and teds baby travel nest instead of Moses basket in living room so saved there also

emilybob I really enjoyed the AI and I have never done it before DD. However it was when DD was 2yo. I found baby actually quite easy to travel with. We did a trip at 3mo but within UK where DD slept anywhere and was happy in pushchair or her sling even in a pub. We went to do all the normal sightseeing etc. She was bf so made it very easy to be out all day.

Things changed when she was around 18mo. She was grumpy if she's out of her routine. She won't sleep when out in holiday and won't sleep unless we turned off all the lights in the hotel. After a nightmare trip, we decided we would no longer do city sightseeing. We went to an AI in Mallorca when she was 2yo and it was lovely. She played in the pool and on the beach. We stayed around the hotel all day but took a couple of short trips in the bus. Ate hotel food whenever DD was hungry (toddlers snacks a lot).

Having been to Cape Verde many times ....I wouldn't personally with a 4 month old baby. That's just me though.... its quite a journey.... little in way of medical facilities quite remote and there is basically nothing there. All hotels are AI as there aren't many places to eat out of the hotels.

I know many people love it and each to their own but there are places far more beautiful and far less flying time.

Eeek it's all getting so exciting! Knowing that's it doable from your experiences, easy even, makes me feel much less nervous. Now just need to chose where!

artandco did you get the fitted sheets with the nest? I see they are selling then on amazon but it is £22!

One - nope, we use a regular pillow case (£5 for 2).

Art is the phil and teds cot bigger than a Moses basket? DS is already outgrowing his and he's only 8 weeks! Is he likely to fit in it at 4 months? Thanks.

eminybob I think there are sizes online so you can measure and compare with your Moses basket. This is the one I'm looking at
www.madeformums.com/reviews/cots-night-time-and-nursery/travel-cots-and-beds/koo-di-travel-pop-up-bubble-cot/784.html

It says from 6mo but online reviews says no reason you can't use it from birth.