Mexico With A 11 Month Baby

[WestCountryLass]

Has anyone been to Mexico or similar all-inc with a baby?

We are going to Cozumel and my baby will be 11 months, I am wondering what the arrangments are for baby bottles and food.

Will the hotel wash my bottles for me?
Should I sterilise the bottles?
Will the food be baby friendly, or will they accomodate my needs?
Etc,etc, etc!

I have travelled with my DS but we have been to villas etc and so we have sorted ourselves out, this all-inc business is new to me!

TIA :-)

Can't help with bottles because i was breastfeeding at the time, but i took my dd to an all inclusive in mauritius when she was 9mths old and most meals served were buffet style, so we just got her a selection of food from the buffet to eat. She actually ate really well whilst we were there, especially at breakfast. I did buy some baby jars for evenings when she was too tired (which would mean she would want to try and throw all her food on the floor) so we could just spoon feed her from the jars.

i don't think the hotel we were in would have been happy to wash bottles, it was quite a big hotel, i would imagine smaller hotels may do it. But can you not take fairy liquid and sterelising tablets and wash and sterelise them in your room?

enjoy your holiday!!

You MUST sterilize the bottles and you should not take anyone's word for it that water is safe to drink. Only give your baby fizzy water that comes from a bottle or water that you have boiled or sterilized yourself. You can probably buy at a market (or bring with you if you can find dual voltage) a small one cup kettle. I'm sure they will be very baby friendly and be happy to accomodate your needs, but bear in mind that culturally they may have a different interpretation of a baby's needs than yours. There is lots of bad stuff in the water there so you must be really careful.

Second SofiaAmes it is worth buying a travel kettle. While in Egypt in Sept we boiled bottled water (always buy water with less than 20mg sodium). We were probably a bit over careful with some of the things we did but the last thing you want is any sickness - better to be safe than sorry.

I would be pretty careful! I've been (and am going back to) Guatemala which is next one down, and you do have to be careful with water - nothing is safe to drink even for you. You must buy water and be careful eating salads and unpeeled fruit. I know it is all-inclusive but I would still be careful!

Don't know where Cozumel is, but do you need malaria tablets? If you do there is a syrup you can get for children but you would have to get the pharmacy to order it in for you. It would only be once weekly there, but you do have to take it a week before you go and 4 weeks after you get home.
AFAIK, you can't get HepA vaccine for under 1s (my dd2 will be 15 months when we go to Guatemala and will have to have the HepA jag just before we go as she has to be over 1. Typhoid jags are not available for under 2's, so you have to be scrupulously clean.

Ask your doc about taking rehydration packs with you just in case. When I have been in Central America (and when we are going beck) we tend to rough it a bit, and so you won't be in the same situation as us, but it is worth carrying something in case your baby gets a dose of diahorrea.

Sounds awful doesn't it, but you will love it. Have a great time!

No need for malaria tablets on the Pacific and Gulf coasts so we are OK on that front.

I'm thinking I might just use disposable bottles and ready made formula now. I am BFing now and hope I can continue til DD is at least 12 months but as DS weaned from the breast at 7 months i'm trying to prepare for all eventualities ;-)

WCL, you can find SMA formula in Mexico, they won't sterilise bottles for you so I suggest you get a steriliser bag and some tablets, you can also sterilise water with tablets that are often sold in camping equipment stores. Malaria doesn't exist in Mexico but paludismo does so get your self a good mosquito repelent. Bottled water is safe, unless you are really roughing it and end up in rhough area in Mexico city you can expect the bottled water to be safe, just check that the seal has not been broken. You should not give fizzy water to a baby, or at least that's what I have been told here in England (about fizzy english water), as fizzy water has a high mineral content. I have never had a problem getting Evian in Mexico. And actually, have never been in a hotel who didn't provide bottled water every day.

It is an excellent idea to get a travel kettle but bear in mind that voltage, as in the US is 110, so an English kettle simply won't work.

In Mexico children are expected to be able to eat a varied diet by the age of your child, so if he's a bit fuzzy about food and textures (as mine is) it may be worth it to get some ready made baby meals.

Every country has its own water bacteria, so expect some tummy adjustment, Peptobismol is great and you can get it in any pharmacy; about rehidration packs for babies... you can get them everywhere in Mexico, they are called Vida Suero Oral but you can also do your own by mixing a teaspoon of salt in a litre of steilised water; rest assured about medical care, as a tropical country Mexico's GPs have far more experience dealing with tummy upset than any GP in the UK can claim.

I took DS to Mexico at 11m and there was no problem, if you are friendly you will have a great time. People are normally more patient with children and they won't flinch at your Ds having dinner with you or throwing a tantrum in the restaurant. Expect an experience simmilar to going to southern Spain, lots of smiles and one or so "manyanas".

Chandra (from Mexico)

WestCountryLass, would highly recommend ready sterilized bottles. Bought a couple of bags before recent trip to France (£5.35 for 12 in Tesco)and they were a godsend!!