Uk based, month holiday in Malaysia with 4 and half month old

[ww47]

We are planning to take our baby to Malaysia for a month in April when he’ll be 4 and a half months old. Given he has only really experienced cold-moderate temps over here, is it a big risk taking him to a country thats so much warmer and humid?

We have everything booked with free cancellation except the flights but thats only a small fee to cancel. I do have family out there so we plan to spend some time with them, and we are going to set up camp in a few places for a week at a time so wont be up and moving locations every few days. Activity options will obviously be very limited but we’ve accepted that, and know he will need to be out of a good chunk of daytime sun

I know i wont be able to get this length of leave signed off again at work so reluctant to cancel, but having read some guides online about certain temps and humidities to not take your child out in, its basically all day everyday in malaysia based on those.

anyone have experience of travelling with sub 6 month old to hot/humid countries that can offer any advice? He’s breastfed so food is not a problem, and (touch wood) he’s sleeping pretty well at night currently and on whole is pretty good at naps during the day too. Flight to kuala lumpur is 21:10 depart but lands 17:20 local time so the first few nights will likely be a challenge with his body clock

I travelled with a 4 month old to Greece one summer, where the temps were over 30…
I seem to remember she slept in a Koodi travel cot , in just a nappy and very thin cotton sleepsack.
this is a review:
travelmadmum.com/koo-di-pop-up-travel-cot/

Daytimes we took a pop-up little playtent with a UV shade over it…
https://www.johnlewis.com/babymoov-babyni-mariniere-anti-uv-tent-play-space/p6196557?s_ppc=2dx_mixed_fashion_BAU&tmad=c&tmcampid=2&gclsrc=aw.ds&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAAD2el1xO6VQL7lBTWR9gfaPRcU_Ja&gclid=CjwKCAiAt4C-BhBcEiwA8Kp0CYKzqGvdtQJCl-0d1FxnrpiRSx-Ny52WNjfpPJOZ-ozSTZ13UY_0jBoCtGgQAvD_BwE

Then usual things are sun cream, sunhat, baby sunglasses etc - Jojomamanbebe kitted us out!

My top tip for flying is to breastfeed during take off and landing, as their sucking reflex stops their ears hurting.

Its a great age to travel as you don’t really need to worry about food yet and they can’t crawl or run off!

I would worry about malaria, dengue and travel vaccinations.

We’re getting our vaccinations shortly so that side of things is covered.

I took my 3 - month - old to Singapore, which has a similar hot and humid climate. It was a great experience, but there were definitely some things to consider. First, make sure you have a good supply of diapers and wipes. The heat can make the baby urinate and sweat more, so you'll need them more frequently.

Another important thing is to keep an eye on the baby's body temperature. You can buy a small, portable thermometer to check it regularly. If the baby seems too hot, you can use a damp cloth to gently cool down their forehead and armpits. Also, don't forget about insect protection. Bring a baby - friendly insect repellent and use mosquito nets, especially when the baby is sleeping.

Regarding the activities, although they are limited, you can still enjoy some simple things. For example, take a walk in the park in the early morning when it's cooler. You can also visit some indoor places like malls or museums. Just make sure they are baby - friendly. And don't worry too much about the flight and the time difference. Babies are more adaptable than we think. Just follow your baby's cues and adjust the schedule as needed. Have a great trip!

Thanks for the tent idea, looks great! A couple of friends have recommended the feeding during take off so will definitely be doing that

If anyone has any asia specific experiences that would be good to hear about as the humidity is a big factor- we have a doona we’re planning to take but is he going to be too hot being pushed around in that? Or too hot against us when he’s in a carrier

It’s long time ago (20 years) but I took 7mo to Singapore. It was fab. He adapted well and had no issues with the temperature. Lots of photos of him looking happy. Most places will have air con too.

Mine were babies in Australia, it is hot but not quite the same humidity as Asia, they acclimatize but air con is your friend in the early days. The youngest was 1 the first time we went to Asia on that trip I used an ergo, when he was asleep in the carrier in the daytime he would get very sweaty but when he was awake he was fine in it. I am not sure if a pram would be better, we didn't take a pram to Indonesia but we did have one in a Singapore a year later and there are pics of him looking quite sweaty in that too.

@SunnyPaw
Sorry, missed your reply. Thanks for the info and advice, very helpful.

We've looked into insect protection, no sprays seem to be baby friendly so we were thinking we're spray the good when we take him out in it and use the stickers/patches, is that similar to what you did? Similar with sun cream, they all say 6month+ but we've been advised that it's safe to try a bit and if there are no skin reactions then we can use a bit when we're out there.

We'll be in Kuala Lumpur at the start for a couple of days and then a week at the end so had planned to frequent the shopping malls often!

Thanks, funnily enough we did discuss whether it was worth going on to Australia this morning as my wife has family there!

We've got an ergobaby carrier but also have a Tula Lite which is obviously a lot more light weight but it's likely we'll take both