Australia - with a 4 month old!

[Louisesnaps7]

Hi all, hoping someone has some tips on travelling long haul with a 4 month old.
We're due to fly next April with our then 4 month old (due in Nov!), for a trip to Australia. We're trying to pack a lot in whilst bearing in mind that we could have an unsettled baby and be relatively clueless ourselves!

Current plan:
Fly London - Singapore, stay in Singapore for 2 nights
Fly Singapore - Sydney, stay in Sydney for 6 nights, in 2 different places
Fly Sydney - Perth, stay in Perth for 8 nights, in 2 different places.
Fly Perth - Singapore, then straight on to London.

Is this an insane schedule?! 5 hotels/accommodations in just under 3 weeks?

We're trying to fit in lots of visiting family/friends, plus time spent as just the three of us chilling out. We won't have many big plans for whilst we're actually there, it's more a question of being in the right places to see people or do things without having to travel too much.

Would appreciate any advice :)

Travelling with a young baby is so much easier than travelling with a toddler! I took DD1 to Australia when she was 3 months old. I was dreading it because at home she cried all the time (reflux). She had the best sleep ever on the flights. The aircraft noise and a bit of turbulence seemed to help her sleep.

I took DD2 when she was 5 months old. Apart from waking every time I wanted to eat, she was also easy.

If you think you might be bottle feeding by then, make sure you have access to enough milk to cover potential delays. Take a change of clothes for you on every flight (DD1 threw up on landing all over me!).

Thank you, that's really helpful. Yes, the reason we're choosing to go in Australian autumn rather than later in the year is so that we're travelling while he or she still has to stay where we put them :)

Note the tips on milk and change of clothes! I am mainly dreading how many times we'll have to pack and repack...

My 2c worth is that dd had her evening routine worked out at 9 weeks. If I was cleverer, I could have had it down pat at 5 weeks. DH was home early so he was able to do bath time while I hit the kitchen and everything else. She was breast fed. Our routine after her afternoon sleep was feed, play, bath, feed story, bed. Woe betide us if we tried to change it.

If you can have something like this organised, then Future Child will know what is happening and feel more secure/relaxed.

Also, car seats are useful but very isolating as properly brought up children are constantly held, cuddled, played with, patted etc.

Would packing cubes help with the packing and unpacking? So you can keep things you’ll need in Singapore separately.

I know 2 people who did month long holidays to Aus/NZ (both visiting family) with a baby that age. Make sure you book seats where you can get a cot.

It's easier to fly with a small baby than a crawling 1 year old! At that age they just want cuddles, sleep and milk.

Breast/bottle feed on take off and landing (help with pressure in the ears). Don't bring too many noisy/squeaky toys on the flight! Sort out your handluggage with maximum efficiency -nappies (more than you'd normally use -airplane pressure can lead to explosive poos - so take more than double ) changes of sleepsuits (more than you think you need again), plenty of clean clothes for you! Know exactly which items are in each bag (you don't want to deal with a in-flight poonami and have to search for wet wipes).

Also pack calpol, neurofen sachets in your handluggage plus take a good digital thermometer with you on all holidays from now on.

Obviously have good travel insurance.