Holiday in Crete with 5 week old?

[GoodluckJonathan76]

We are planning a summer holiday next year with our blended family. The only time we can all go is the w/c 28th June. I am due to give birth on 22/6/18 so we will have a 5 week old baby. Is it crazy to travel to Crete with a 5 week old baby? DH and I have 2 DCs each so were pretty unfazed by the idea until a friend said we were crazy!

Yes it's a stupid idea , your baby may only be three weeks old. You would struggle getting the baby registered and then a passport in time.

Huh?

Baby due w/c 22nd June? Did I read that right?

Sorry, I meant 28th July! Baby is due 30th June but will be born by c-section a week early so 22nd June so will be 6 weeks.

Ridiculous idea.

It’s highly unlikely you’ll get the passport back in time because you’ll need a birth certificate and that all depends on when you can get an appointment to register baby. It’s, also, peak time for passports.

You won’t necessarily be well enough to travel after the c-section and it’s going to be so very hot in Crete then.

Will you be considered medically fit to fly only 5-6 weeks after a c section?

Going on holiday with a 5 week old is fine.
But, will you be certified fit to fly that soon after a CS?
Will you became to get a passport in time?

Yes, re medically fit. Why wouldn't I be? In both my previous sections I was walking within a few hours, perfectly mobile, breastfed both, no issues whatsever.

With both DSs we got their passports within 10 days. You can do the same day appointment.

I was more worried about the baby not having had its immunisations.

I took my dd to Greece when she was 7wks, post cs, for a family wedding.

It was fine passport back in two weeks.

Actually I found that holiday far easier than the ones since when DCs have been older.

I took dd to Switzerland for two months when she was 8 weeks old. We got the passport in plenty of time. Missed some immunisations while away but got them done when we got back. HVs we’re having a fit when we turned up as I hadn’t mentioned to them we were going away and they’d been trying to contact us and didn’t know where we’d gone.....which I thought was odd because we could have just moved town.

In short, yes.

I didn't know you could get express passports for babies. You are at higher risk of DVT flying so soon after surgery, although I'm not sure what the safe limit is.

It will be way too hot in Crete for such a small baby and it would be rather pointless going there if you have to spend most of it indoors. If you must go abroad why not choose somewhere warm, but not quite as hot? And do you have to go on holiday with extended family?

It's not really your opinion of if you are medically ft to fly that counts, it's your doctor's and your insurer's

My brother had what was essentially keyhole surgery on his leg to put a pin in it 9 weeks before he was supposed to go on holiday and his doctor wouldn't give him a fit note to fly for no other reason than not enough weeks had passed since the operation and there was still a DVT risk.

I don't know anything about passports but a holiday with a 5 week old sounds lovely as long as you accept that you will be on the baby's timetable.

Are you expecting a C section?

Yes, I've been told it will definitely be a c-section as I've had 2 previously. In both my previous sections I wasn't told not to fly. I remember posting here and there was a huge amount of scaremongering about c-sections, posters telling me I would feel terrible, wouldn't be able to breastfeed, hold my baby etc, none of which was true. No reason to think it will be different this time! Never heard of your insurance being invalidated either. People do fly within days of giving birth.

Yes, it will be hot, but I can't go in the sun anyway (for medical reasons, I had a melanoma removed a year ago) so would be limited to shade, going out before 10.30 and after 4. Hotel is all inclusive and super-easy. DH and I have 4 other DScs, we are trying to carry on as normal and make sure they still get a holiday this year. I took DSs away when they were tiny and found it so much easier when older as they sleep most of the time.

"No reason to think it will be different this time!"

I hope it all goes to plan, but just keep an open mind that's all - and make sure you are insured when you book the holiday in case you have to cancel or postpone.

I’ve had 2 cs. With the first I was walking miles with the baby in. Fling within a fortnight; with the second I couldn’t stand up straight without pain for 9 weeks. I am not sure you can rely on past experience on c-section recovery.

A passport in 10 days is all very well, but if you can't get an appointment with the registrar in time its a moot point. Waiting times for one here are 4-7 weeks so no chance would I be able to go so soon after.

Chances are it will be fine. I’d probably take some aspirin and wear anti embolic stockings on the plane as you’d still be at higher risk. Obviously make sure baby doesn’t overheat but they do have babies in Crete!

There’s a small chance that something will happen that means you can’t go but if you’re ok with that then I’d go for it.

Just to warn you DSs passport took 6 weeks thiugh...

We went to Crete with an 8 week old post ELCS in September- everything was completely fine

If you're staying AI just check what facilities they have for baby to sleep in, the cot we were given in our apartment was a death trap for a tiny baby!! We had a carry cot/pushchair/car seat from Jané which was a complete lifesaver, but quite bulky on the backseat. Transfer/hire car once you're there is probably going to be your biggest issue.

Just kick back, enjoy the warmth & go with your baby's routine, you'll have a lovely time

No it is a totally terrible idea. If you were staying with friends in their house then maybe. But otherwise no.

Love the 'too hot for a baby' comments...what do you think people who live in hot countries do?!

You can’t get a 1st passport on the day. It can take 6 weeks to even get an apt for the birth certificate so I wouldn’t risk it. Plus you’ve no idea how you will react to having a 3rd section just because the previous 2 were fine you could still have complications or just a harder recovery.

Assuming you get passport back in time, you will be absolutely fine.
Baby will be the easiest one to deal with no doubt!
Haha at it being too hot for the baby...

It's all very well to sneer at too hot for a baby. But people in Greece are used to the heat and it's consequences. We in this country are not. You very seldom see a very young baby out through the day in the sunshine in Greece. They are kept indoors or strictly in the shade. I don't think hotel and general facilities are up to standard in Greece for such a tiny baby on holiday. In a private house it's different.

Of course the baby will be indoor!??

With both DSs we managed easily to get passports within 2 weeks of them being born. I will check but no idea why it would need to take longer than that.

I think it would be far worse staying in a friend's house than in a child friendly hotel. Even with the best friends you would feel like you are imposing.

Clearly not going to get consensus on this thread. People do things differently and have different ideas of what's difficult. From my experience, a tiny baby is a hell of a lot easier than toddlers or even old kids.

Well of course, what kind of idiot in any country in the world would take a 5 week old baby out in the sun?!
Are you thinking the op is going to be hitting the beach and sunbathing with the baby next to her?

I had both my babies here in the Caribbean, of course they were kept in the shade from the minute they were born. I still took them to the beach at a month old and lay them on a lounger under an umbrella or in a baby tent and they were grand...