Advice on travel with newborn!!

[wrongwaysurf]

Hello - just joined and looking for any advice on travelling with a very young newborn...I am planning on going back to Ireland to have my baby in Belfast (various reasons - family there, know hospital very well etc.). My husband and I and our new daughter will then need to travel back to Cornwall when she is about 1 week - 10 days old. Help?! Many reports and quotes say - younger the better as they so portable, snoozy, easily fed etc. The flight would only be 1 hour....all this seem OK?? OR - would it be better to do a drive-ferry-drive scenario - would take about a day....I am feeling flying best as so quick....thanks for any advice!

Will your dd need a photo id to travel? Make sure you have all the documents and exactly what you need before the birth so you can get that done as fast as possible.

IME travelling is a lot easier when you are exclusively breastfeeding your baby. If you are planning on bfing, it will help to know exactly who can help you get breastfeeding established, as it's not always so easy.

One week is very very early, and if you have a complicated birth, it may very well be too soon to travel.

Good luck!

Thinking about it, it does depend very much on the birth. Some women are up and about very quickly after giving birth, but I wasn't one of then, despite having relatively straightforward births!

Thanks Belgo! I am planning on breastfeeding and am surrounded by obstetricians (father, step-mother, family friends)etc! Obviously it will of course depend on birth and whether it is straightforward or not and my recovery with regard to that, but I can be a bit flexible on that one and re-jig flights if necessary - just wanted to know about baby as that a whole new area for me! Thanks again!

I hope it all goes well for you

If you go by air, feed on take off and landing as it helps their ears.

Will baby need a passport to fly from Belfast to Cornwall? Its worth checking with the airline as to whether there is a minimum age also?

be sure and ask airline what they will need for your DD to travel. Have visions of you all getting to airport and they insist on passport for baby.

flying would probably be easier than driving
driving you need to allow time to stop and feed and change them

Check the conditions of the airline - I think many have restrictions on the age of the baby - something like no less than 3 weeks I seem to remember

For easyjet it's 2 weeks

Thanks everyone for all your responses and advice! I checked with the airline and they allow no less than 1 week old - so should be fine! We will probably go when she is about 10-14 days, so all should be OK...no passport required for one so ickle and not from NI as is domestic. Thanks for feeding tip too!