Holiday with a 9 month old? Advice needed please

Charlotteap · 2023-05-19T18:30:31+00:00

Our baby is 19 weeks and my DH would love us to go abroad as we haven’t been for years. But I have so many thoughts/questions. Firstly where should we go somewhere close like Menorca? What month would be best October so it’s a lot cooler or September? I have come across during my research that TUI blue hotels have facilities for changing baby near pool and places to feed , oh and facilities to rent. Anything else similar , or any hotel recommendations? Do you have positive experience of taking a baby so young? Do we buy a cheap buggy to take so we don’t have to take our pram? Do we check this in with luggage ? Also I’m very confused about a car seat , I would obviously like a location where everything is in walking distance and all inclusive. And usually get a coach transfer do I take a car seat just for 2 bus rides or can they be provided? any placed / hotels would be appreciated. sorry for the 100 questions but I am quite nervous at the thought of taking son and not being equipped! Thank you in advance

Fivemoreminutes1 · 20/05/2023 06:36

A buggy or stroller is really useful and I would definitely take one. I’ve found that we now use the light travel buggy all the time at home so it was a really good investment for us. you can take it all the way up to the plane door and you then collect it at either the plane door upon arrival or at baggage reclaim – check with the airline staff which it will be. If you don’t mind not using the pushchair at the airport then you can check it in at the desk before heading through security.
If I were you, I’d go asap. If your baby is exclusively breastfed, it’s super easy to travel at this age. No need to worry about food contamination or washing and sterilising bottles. I definitely think the best time to travel with an infant is before they become too mobile! I think 6-9 months is the worst time to travel. Especially if your baby is crawling, this is a sure disaster. Babies love eating sand, and I’ve tried those Pinterest hacks with the mattress cover on the beach and let me tell you there is NO HACK that will keep sand away from an 8-month-old baby who is determined to eat sand. Also, when babies start to eat real food, they start to demand real food on schedule. Which means you have to be prepared with real food on demand!

MinnieMountain · 20/05/2023 06:42

Where would you like to go? Start from there and adapt.
Make sure you have either a hotel room with a balcony or self-cater. Some babies apparently will happily sleep in their buggies whilst their parents are having dinner at 9pm but mine never did.
A sling is useful for the airport and the plane.
If you want to avoid using a car seat, Malaga has a train to the airport which also goes along the coast.

ShadowPuppets · 20/05/2023 07:04

We’ve just back from Menorca with a 2.5yo and 11mo, I’d really recommend it for tiny ones. We’d been pre kids and found it a bit dull but it’s perfect for our needs now! September is a lovely time to go if you’re not wanting mega heat.

We preferred to self cater so we weren’t trapped in a room after dark (we’re not slaves to the routine but ours tend to wake at 6.30 regardless of when they’ve gone to bed so we didn’t want to do 7 nights of not enough sleep!) We tended to eat out at lunch and then do wine/olives/nibbles in the evening but if yours will sleep in a buggy then the world is your oyster!

Cheap umbrella stroller is a great investment, if you have a carrier take it as well so you have an easy way of getting baby from plane to the baggage reclaim. You just leave it the second before you get on the plane and they whack it in the hold.

In terms of car seats we booked a private transfer and they provided car seats as part of that. Pricey (about £225 for both legs if I remember - we were 45m from the airport though) but actually no more so than hiring a car and worth it for not having to travel with a car seat or worry about public transport.

We stayed in Cala Blanca, and hired our villa through Villa Plus. CB is a nice little resort with a few restaurants and there’s a bus that gets you into Cuitadella (which is gorgeous!) within about 20 minutes, and we had no issues getting the stroller on the bus. They’re very used to young families and everyone was so friendly and lovely with the kids - would really recommend. But I think that would apply to most of Menorca :)

WooWooWinnie · 20/05/2023 07:08

Do it! We took our dd to the US when she was 5 months old and now she’s 11 months and we’ve just come back from Spain now she’s 11 months.

At 9 months you should be fine with a light travel pushchair, so Id take one of those. I think they can go on your lap for transfers by coach but it depends how you feel about that..

WineIsMyCarb · 20/05/2023 07:16

3DC here, 1 is currently 15 months.

Yes to Tui blue - book the highest star rating you can afford and pre-book some creche sessions (we did one every other day at that age). Book am apart-room if possible.

Get a cheap collapsible stroller second hand (best we did once was £15 for a toddler pushchair!). You take that all the way up to the gate then they put it in the hold at the side of the plane. You get it back at the baggage carousel.

Take a packed meal for baby (sandwiches, picky snacks, 17 bags of chocolate buttons... forget any bollocks about them only having 1 Ella's pouch a day, just for the flight).

Avoid the very hottest months but June or September should be fine.

Take a book with very short chapters, then you've half (but only half) a chance of reading it.

Rinse and repeat until child (including any further children) are old enough for Mark Warner / Neilson for all the sports.

Enjoy!

strawberryFforever · 20/05/2023 07:22

There are hotels that are totally geared up
For
Babies and kids

Sani is just one example

Original poster

Charlotteap · 20/05/2023 23:24

Fivemoreminutes1 · 20/05/2023 06:36

A buggy or stroller is really useful and I would definitely take one. I’ve found that we now use the light travel buggy all the time at home so it was a really good investment for us. you can take it all the way up to the plane door and you then collect it at either the plane door upon arrival or at baggage reclaim – check with the airline staff which it will be. If you don’t mind not using the pushchair at the airport then you can check it in at the desk before heading through security.
If I were you, I’d go asap. If your baby is exclusively breastfed, it’s super easy to travel at this age. No need to worry about food contamination or washing and sterilising bottles. I definitely think the best time to travel with an infant is before they become too mobile! I think 6-9 months is the worst time to travel. Especially if your baby is crawling, this is a sure disaster. Babies love eating sand, and I’ve tried those Pinterest hacks with the mattress cover on the beach and let me tell you there is NO HACK that will keep sand away from an 8-month-old baby who is determined to eat sand. Also, when babies start to eat real food, they start to demand real food on schedule. Which means you have to be prepared with real food on demand!

Thank you for your reply would you buy a stroller cheap just for the purpose of the holiday ? Or take our quite expensive one? Oh gosh he’s going to be around 9 month of age, we are going with family too so hopefully enough of us to keep an eye on him? 🙈

OP posts:

Original poster

Charlotteap · 20/05/2023 23:28

ShadowPuppets · 20/05/2023 07:04

We’ve just back from Menorca with a 2.5yo and 11mo, I’d really recommend it for tiny ones. We’d been pre kids and found it a bit dull but it’s perfect for our needs now! September is a lovely time to go if you’re not wanting mega heat.

We preferred to self cater so we weren’t trapped in a room after dark (we’re not slaves to the routine but ours tend to wake at 6.30 regardless of when they’ve gone to bed so we didn’t want to do 7 nights of not enough sleep!) We tended to eat out at lunch and then do wine/olives/nibbles in the evening but if yours will sleep in a buggy then the world is your oyster!

Cheap umbrella stroller is a great investment, if you have a carrier take it as well so you have an easy way of getting baby from plane to the baggage reclaim. You just leave it the second before you get on the plane and they whack it in the hold.

In terms of car seats we booked a private transfer and they provided car seats as part of that. Pricey (about £225 for both legs if I remember - we were 45m from the airport though) but actually no more so than hiring a car and worth it for not having to travel with a car seat or worry about public transport.

We stayed in Cala Blanca, and hired our villa through Villa Plus. CB is a nice little resort with a few restaurants and there’s a bus that gets you into Cuitadella (which is gorgeous!) within about 20 minutes, and we had no issues getting the stroller on the bus. They’re very used to young families and everyone was so friendly and lovely with the kids - would really recommend. But I think that would apply to most of Menorca :)

Thank you so much for your reply that was all very helpful! I was wondering about the stroller If I’d be buying a cheap one so that helps thank you. Can you put the carrier in a bag or so before they throw it in the hold so it doesn’t get damaged ? We do have quite a nice ergo baby we’ve never used! Thank you going to look into the transfers now! First time mum so was very confused about some things! My baby will be 9 months when we go so will he be having meals by then aswell as his milk? Sorry for sounding stupid!

OP posts:

Original poster

Charlotteap · 20/05/2023 23:30

WineIsMyCarb · 20/05/2023 07:16

3DC here, 1 is currently 15 months.

Yes to Tui blue - book the highest star rating you can afford and pre-book some creche sessions (we did one every other day at that age). Book am apart-room if possible.

Get a cheap collapsible stroller second hand (best we did once was £15 for a toddler pushchair!). You take that all the way up to the gate then they put it in the hold at the side of the plane. You get it back at the baggage carousel.

Take a packed meal for baby (sandwiches, picky snacks, 17 bags of chocolate buttons... forget any bollocks about them only having 1 Ella's pouch a day, just for the flight).

Avoid the very hottest months but June or September should be fine.

Take a book with very short chapters, then you've half (but only half) a chance of reading it.

Rinse and repeat until child (including any further children) are old enough for Mark Warner / Neilson for all the sports.

Enjoy!

Thank you so much that is very helpful. I was going to ask about food as he would be 9 months and didn’t really know how much or so he’d be eating by then or even if I would still be ebf!

OP posts:

WineIsMyCarb · 21/05/2023 04:29

For food I would pack your own. If you want a bottle making up (in case your not breastfeeding or are combo feeding by then) you can either take those mini ready made up milks, they get through security without the normal liquids restrictions, or you can stick the powder in the bottle and ask cabin crew to add a dash of boiling water from their tea service then add cold from your own drinks bottle.

The room at the tui Hotel will have a kettle and microwave and you'll be able to buy Formula at the local chemist if you run out.

Spanish chemists are brilliant in general, especially if you have children. I've had all sorts of miracle eczema creams from them.

Neurodiversitydoctor · 21/05/2023 05:43

Fivemoreminutes1 · 20/05/2023 06:36

A buggy or stroller is really useful and I would definitely take one. I’ve found that we now use the light travel buggy all the time at home so it was a really good investment for us. you can take it all the way up to the plane door and you then collect it at either the plane door upon arrival or at baggage reclaim – check with the airline staff which it will be. If you don’t mind not using the pushchair at the airport then you can check it in at the desk before heading through security.
If I were you, I’d go asap. If your baby is exclusively breastfed, it’s super easy to travel at this age. No need to worry about food contamination or washing and sterilising bottles. I definitely think the best time to travel with an infant is before they become too mobile! I think 6-9 months is the worst time to travel. Especially if your baby is crawling, this is a sure disaster. Babies love eating sand, and I’ve tried those Pinterest hacks with the mattress cover on the beach and let me tell you there is NO HACK that will keep sand away from an 8-month-old baby who is determined to eat sand. Also, when babies start to eat real food, they start to demand real food on schedule. Which means you have to be prepared with real food on demand!

This basically. Go now, there is bound to be some bargains around after half-term and before the schools let out.

haloangel · 21/05/2023 06:28

We took a cheap buggy on holiday with our 8 month old, however regretted it as it wasn't a lie flat one. This meant while we were out and about she couldn't nap without her head flopping forward. We quickly wished we took our mamas and papas one which went flat all the way so she could nap peacefully while we were out. Something to bear in mind esp if you are going to buy a cheap buggy buy one that lies flat!

haloangel · 21/05/2023 06:31

Also... We didn't want to damage our then new expensive mamas and papas pushchair but 4 years on its well worn so we might aswell have had taken it on holiday!