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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

Holiday with a baby?

27 replies

twinklekiss · 27/09/2006 20:18

Hi all, I am due my first baby in April 07, we would like to go on holiday probably in August. The baby will be around 4 months old. Where is a good place to go on Holiday, do you think it would be a problem to go abroad? We are going to take my sister with us, to help with the baby. Would just like to know if anyone been away with a little one. We need a hoilday!

OP posts:

kama · 27/09/2006 20:26

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

lucy5 · 27/09/2006 20:29

I used to go on self catering hoidays to France when dd was little. She didn't know the difference and we didn't feel under any pressure as we were in our own little gite.

Twohoots · 27/09/2006 20:30

tk - we went away when our DD was 4.5 mths old to Cyprus and we had the best holiday - she just slept as normal and didn't even mind the flight -again just slept! (we went with my parents). We also went away this yr when she was 1 and it was bloody hard work and not v relaxing (couldn't wait to get home!). So I'd say go for it while your baby is young!! Get booking

chocolateshoes · 27/09/2006 20:32

we went by plane to France when DS was 8 weeks & to Tenerife when he was 6mths. Both times were fine. Would recommend getting somewhere like an appartment that means you lo can sleep in the bedrrom & you can relax in the lounge. In Tenerife we stayed in Aparthotel Riu - you get self-catering accom but you can have B&B or half-board if you want. In France we stayed in a friends holiday home.

mustrunmore · 27/09/2006 20:32

From a control point of view, its far easier to take a baby than a child!
At 4 months, it'll still be on milk only, so if you're breastfeeding that will be incredibly easy. If not, check what milk is available when considering places to go. i should think with that ratio of adults to baby, it'll be a doddle!
remember there might be some unforseens though , such as if the baby is a bad sleeper.If you've spent ages trying to establish a routine, a hol might put it all askew.
I would say, book a fairly lst minute thing, so you know you feel like going and there's no problems, but weigh this against having to take whatever's available.

Mumpbump · 27/09/2006 20:34

If you're going to hire a car, you might need to take a car seat with you and make sure you go somewhere where they supply a cot or get a very light travel cot. Nappies aren't a problem abroad, obviously, but if you're feeding formula, you might not be able to get the same formula in another country. Also, try to think in advance about weaning if you end up weaning early. That brings the whole food issue into play. Of course, if you're b/f when you go on holiday, it makes it so much easier...

Twohoots · 27/09/2006 20:42

Meant to say we had a villa (both times) so no prob with noise/sleep issues etc. I personally would have been worried going in a hotel room in case DD made too much noise for the people next door etc. I also bf'd so it was fine - no probs. Hired a travel cot thru the holiday company but did have to take our own car seat like someone else said - they didn't hire seats out to under 6 mth old for some reason.

fruitful · 27/09/2006 20:53

Possibly consider not going somewhere very hot. Small babies can get very grouchy and not sleep well if it gets suddenly hotter than they are used to, and it is difficult to cool them down.

And go self-catering. At 4 months, your baby might still be nicely portable (as in, will go to sleep in his pram at the side of the restaurant). But he/she might not be (as in, will scream hysterically until you put him to bed somewhere quite and dim). And if you're in a hotel you might end up sat whispering in a dark room with your baby.

fifiandtheflowertots · 28/09/2006 09:11

ive just come back from greece with my ds who is 5 months and he was fine. Had night flights so he slept both ways.
Just make sure you have a parasol for the buggy to keep him shaded and if you are bottle feeding make sure you take plenty with you as its not always easy to get it when you are there.

Waswondering · 28/09/2006 09:15

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

belgo · 28/09/2006 09:19

Experience tells me that it's more of a challenge then a holiday

morningpaper · 28/09/2006 09:20

Jeez, it depends on the baby - some people here are making it sound easy.

Mine were both terrible sleepers, didn't sleep during the day, and travelled appallingly, screaming whenever they were strapped in.

We have not ventured more than 2 hours away (and only in dire emergency) with my 12 month old, because she is a terrible traveller.

I would also need to do a load of laundry a day just to keep up with the constant stream of sick and poo.

And personally I find that holidays with babies is simply a matter of doing all the same shit chores with a different view.

So: Experiences May Vary.

belgo · 28/09/2006 09:27

I usually come back from holiday needing a holiday.

morningpaper · 28/09/2006 09:31

I usually come back from holiday needing a divorce.

belgo · 28/09/2006 09:33

lol mp

acnebride · 28/09/2006 09:40

we went on honeymoon with a 5 month old, it was hard in some ways, but still a good time to go. We got a static caravan in the south of France, lovely place to go though a bit hot for me. Personally I have now given up on flying completely and woudl thoroughly recommend a UK self-catering holiday. but -

Things to consider:
if flying, take own carseat - car hire companies don't always have them and the ones they have don't always look very good.

our ds learned to roll over while we were away. therefore you will need a travel cot or at least a portable cot side (these are a lot lighter) for a single bed.

Stick at breastfeeding if you possibly can - bottlefeeding is a pain while travelling, though doable. We took sterilising tablets and I spent a lot of holiday time fiddling with bottles.

If your dp is not tremendously hands-on during the first 4 months (I'm assuming that they will be, of course) the holiday could be a shock, but quite a salutary one. It was the first time that my dp had quite cottoned on what hard work it was, as I was doing most of the nights and early mornings for the first few months (more fool me! but he was working full time plus on very sedating medication). Anyway, it was a good thing and he did more afterwards.

Heat is a bit of an issue with babies and it's a drag constantly fussing about suncream, hats etc unless you are staying in a nice shady house.

Consider just paying for more help at home for 2 weeks! temp nanny?

aDAdOnMumsnet · 28/09/2006 09:55

In August, holidays abroad are more expensive, and most destinations would be too hot I reckon.

Would you conisder later in september? Southern Europe is lovely then, it's cheaper, and gives you that much more time after the birth to gear up for it. Maybe with the money you saved, it might stretch to a short break in the UK earlier in the summer?

Otherwise travelling with baby was always a positive experience for us.

morningpaper · 28/09/2006 09:57

"travelling with baby was always a positive experience for us"

do I have the devil's children?

We have resigned ourselves to caravan holidays no more than 1.5 hours drive away for the next five years. This is ok, and means that if someone has a D&V bug 12 hours before we are due to leave, it's not a total disaster. And we can always come home if it's awful.

aDAdOnMumsnet · 28/09/2006 10:01

sorry mp I tried to play it down, but it's true - travelling was always pretty stress-free. We've only had the one child though so maybe this next one (due in 2 weeks) will be different!

soapbox · 28/09/2006 10:04

We've travelled loads with our DCs and baby travel is pretty easy provided you go somewhere that provides all the equipment (cots highchairs)etc

Have a look at the babygoes2 website for ideas.

babybensmum · 28/09/2006 14:04

We are travelling to Egypt in 2 weeks with an 8-month old. I am beginning to wonder if we are crazy. We are staying in a hotel that we have stayed at before that has private villas rather than rooms, but it is one BIG room, no divisions, which means sharing with DS (something we never did from Day 1). Have finally, after some terrible times, got him sleeping through and am terrified it will all fall apart! Sorry, no advice to Twinklekiss except that I wish we had gone when he was younger (4 months sounds good) as he is crawling backwards now, and is eating solids, two additional things to worry about - hurrah!

Twohoots · 28/09/2006 15:48

Further to my original post. Sorry but my DD is the worst now for sleeping etc (17 mths) hasn't slept in a pushchair since she was 8 mths and it's awful when are out as she howls when tired but will NOT sleep!!!!

But the holiday we had when she was 4.5 mths (looking back now) was a breeze (partly because there were 4 adults). At the time loads of people said "ooh it's much easier at this age to go, don't worry" and having been away twice with DD this year (once abroad and once in UK) I know what they mean!!! I wish she was still 4.5 months and I'd be travelling all over with her. It does depend on yr baby BUT one thing to remember is at that age they are not fully aware of their surroundings etc so I think more likely to settle (at least my DD was). She never settled at all this year (was 1 year old) (in Menorca) and it made it v hard work for us all - she wouldn't go to sleep in her pushchair at night when we had a meal and got really overtired - it was bloody awful! Ended up staying in most nights - thank god we had a villa!

Sorry don't wish to moan.... but we were going to go away around now and I decided not to bother as it was sooo much hassle and not a holiday at all at this age imo! However, we are thinking of taking her to Eurodisney for her 2nd bday in April so obviously MAD!

Someone gave the advice of wait and see what your baby is like and then book - prob a good idea....

NotSoUselessMum · 28/09/2006 16:23

go. especially when they're this small. you can still relax while they sleep.

we went loads of places and it was much easier in the first months than it is now with a 14m

my only concern would be the heat. if you planning to go somewhere like southern europe I agree with adadonmumsnet and would go in june or sept.
we went in sardinia in june with dd 10m and it was just about right.

if it's too hot you need to be indoor, the baby doesn't settle etc.

kama · 29/09/2006 00:01

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Blu · 29/09/2006 00:15

We took DS to greece when he was 9 weeks - it wa a doddle - but after that, until last year, it was hard work as described by MP.
So I would say, yes go when they are tiny. And if you are breastfeeding, you don't need to faff with anything at all.
We had an apartment, and went to restaurants every evening - it was a quiet island, and we sat out on the seafront, with the pram next to us. DS was a terrible sleeper and an 'every-10-mins-demand-feeder' at night - no problem: I slept on the baech while DP sat under a tree by a nearby bar with a beer, a book, and DS.

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