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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

Going abroad with a 4 month old - good idea?

12 replies

nidge1975 · 03/01/2018 09:40

My DW would like us to go away on a holiday in a the sun sometime around March. Our DD will be 4 months old by then.

We have just returned from visiting family in Northern Ireland so travel-wise, it shouldn't be much different (just a longer flight - we would be taking the same amount of luggage with us).

We’re not thinking of an exciting, busy city, but a simple all-inclusive resort where there is a beach, a town to walk around and a swimming pool - somewhere like Tenerife/Lanzarote/The Algarve.

Has anyone done anything similar with such a young baby and would you have any suggestions as to where would be suitable?

(FWIW, I think it would be easier to stay in the UK and go somewhere like the Lake District or the Cotswolds for a week (we live in Yorkshire) but she is craving some sun and to lounge by a swimming pool after being housebound for so long.)

Thanks

OP posts:

furryelephant · 03/01/2018 09:45

I haven’t personally but I think it depends entirely on the personality of your baby! Mine is very high needs, wouldn’t sit happily in a bouncer or chair or rocker, wouldn’t nap anywhere other than me, wouldn’t be in a pram without screaming and wouldn’t feed if she was out and distracted so for that reason, I’ve not taken her away anywhere. If yours is the opposite and will just go along with it, or you’d cope otherwise, go for it!

TittyGolightly · 03/01/2018 09:51

Took DD to the Middle East at 4 months old. It was brilliant. She slept in the bassinet, played on my lap, got cuddled by lots of people on the plane and generally had a very lovely time.

The poor lady next to me with the toddler who just wanted to see what was going on behind that business class curtain, on the other hand.......

Candyfloss1122 · 03/01/2018 09:54

Totally depends on the baby you get. Right now baby is in "sleepy mode", usually very portable and flexible. When they "wake up", you might find that you have an entirely different baby and set of challenges on your hands. For me it would have been a no go, but that's my baby, yours may well be totally different.

It also depends on your parenting style, we are very strict regarding bedtime and nap time, so holidays just become stressful. If you are quite relaxed as many of my friends are, then you might not have these challenges.

MrsBadger · 03/01/2018 09:55

Yes it will be fine, and if you can find a bearable all-inclusive option is a much better idea than eg self-catering in the Lake District where you have to do all the same chores you do at home only in an unfamiliar setting...

SandLand · 03/01/2018 09:55

I'd bare in mind that holidays with little people are very much "same shit, different place". So if you are housebound due to needs of baby, sitting on a lounger all day isn t going to happen.

If you have a very chilled baby, who sleeps through, doesn't screem before every nap, and will happily sit in a bouncer watching the world before feeding and dropping off; go for it. If you have a child like mine, who woke every hour, fed 16 hours a day, and would have been happiest glued to my chest, it might be worth a rethink.

Figgygal · 03/01/2018 09:59

I always swore that I wouldn't take your baby on holiday DS one didn't have a holiday until he was 5 1/2 last year. Ds2 came on said holiday when he was six months old it was a breeze we are used to flying with him anyway within the UK so were prepared for the flight. We had an apartment as thought it would be easier to have our own kitchen facilities.

Bythebeach · 03/01/2018 09:59

4 months is ideal.....they are small, portable, need no special food and sleep a lot. All inclusive sunny sounds lovely .... how about Sani in Halkidiki? We didn’t happen to do a beach resort at that age but Sani was exceptionally child friendly. Also Amathus beach Cyprus. Lots of places in Majorca....with our 3 when one was 4 months we did Malaysia & Singapore, another we did Austria ski-ing at 4 months and friends in Switzerland at 5 months. Definitely travelling with a tiny baby easier than mobile baby/toddler when they crawl/toddle into danger and need appropriate food rather than just milk too....

Bythebeach · 03/01/2018 10:03

Reading above responses, think my response also coloured by breastfed babies....needed no equipment, just bunged them on a boob if unsettled and they were fine!

TittyGolightly · 03/01/2018 10:07

need appropriate food

Huh? DD just ate what we ate.

TittyGolightly · 03/01/2018 10:08

I exclusively expressed for DD. Even with needing to express twice during each 8 hour flight it wasn’t much hassle.

pluginbaby00 · 03/01/2018 10:14

It's either a great or a terrible idea depending on a few factors. Mostly as pp have said, how relaxed you are about routine or lack of it. If your wife is exclusively breastfeeding then that makes it a far easier as you don't need to worry about bringing/sourcing formula and sterilising. We did a hot sunny holiday with DC1 at 5.5months. We didn't need to fly though so were able to take all sorts of equipment. I have fond memories of being able to sunbathe while she was happy in the shade playing or napping. I would say go for it as the minute they are on the move it get a whole lot less relaxing!

mirmc · 03/01/2018 12:26

Go for it! It's by far the easiest age. If you can get kitchenette in your hotel/apartment with a microwave etc, it'll be handy for sterilizing bottles (if not breastfeeding). A 4 month old won't be eating anything other than maybe a bit of baby rice or fruit puree, if that. It's so much easier than when they are weaning. I'd bring extra formula as my LO drank a lot due to the heat. She would nap in her buggy in the shade while we got some sun. In the evening we would walk her around the marina in the buggy and she would sleep while we ate dinner. And if your LO is not an easy baby? Who cares? You'll have your meals handed up to you, no housework, sunshine! Do it!!

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