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Parenting

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Original poster

travel with a baby

101 replies

tweeni · 17/02/2006 19:00

we are going to spain for a wedding when my baby will only be about 3 weeks old. we are staying in an apartment and i was wondering do you think i need to take a baby monitor or not?

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Mumatuks · 17/02/2006 19:04

More to the point.. are you sure airlines will take a three week old baby. I'm sure they have to be older for reasons about their lungs being capable of coiping with cabin pressure.

please get this checked.

Mumatuks · 17/02/2006 19:06

bump.. need more MNetters advice please.. am i wrong?

Original poster

tweeni · 17/02/2006 19:06

no they only have to be 7 days and they have extra oxygen

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Original poster

tweeni · 17/02/2006 19:07

its older if you are going on long haul flights but not for such a short one.

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Mumatuks · 17/02/2006 19:10

ah thank goodness for that Tweeni!I would hate to think you'd paid for flights etc only not to be allowed. Phew!

I'd take my monitor if it was me!

Hayls · 17/02/2006 19:13

definitely take your monitor- take everything you can fit in your suitcase! Will baby also need a passport? That might take more than 3 weeks to come through... Think if babies are born prem (their definition is before 37 weeks) you can't fly for 6(?) months

Babyblue2 · 17/02/2006 19:15

Whenever we've take ours away (youngest 10m) we've had the monitors with us, however we went away when DD2 was 8 months and there was no need for monitors as any cries could be heard quite clearly.

hovely · 17/02/2006 21:19

maybe it is all booked now, but you might want to look into the question of flying with such a young baby. Don't want to alarm you when I haven't got proper info to back it up, but I remember looking it all up cos we went with DD when she was 3 months and I felt then it was borderline.
basically IIRC the quality of cabin air is quite poor, there is less oxygen, and there have been incidents of babies stopping breathing on flights.
Also do I take it that your babe has not been born yet? What if s/he is overdue?

hovely · 17/02/2006 21:31

OK I didn't want to leave you worried unnecessarily, I did a bit of googling and the consensus seems to be that if a baby is basically healthy they should be OK. Oxygen levels on aircraft are 15% compared to 21% at sea level.So the recommendation is to leave it at least a week to check they are OK. If s/he is premature the recommendation is to leave it for 6 months to make sure everything is OK.
For example there is this site here
But my own personal point of view, and admittedly I do tend to worry about 'what ifs' a bit, is that I would not be confident that my baby was free of problems eg respiratory issues or anything at only 3 weeks old. It could take longer than that for things to show up. Also s/he would not have had any inoculations.

LIZS · 17/02/2006 23:01

By the time your baby is 3 weeks old you'll know if you feel more comfortable taking it - it won't take up much room anyway. Just hope he/she arrives on time and you can get a passport that quickly though. tbh I wouldn't have felt up to travelling that far with a newborn, wedding or no wedding. don't underestimate how drained you may still feel and unpredicatble the baby wil still be. Thought easyjet stipulated 2 weeks old btw so am surprised you have found an airline to take you both at 7 days. Even then it is only if everything is going well so that the baby and yourself are fully fit.

Blu · 17/02/2006 23:07

We took DS to Greece at 9 weeks. We had to book an appointment to get his Birth certificate, and that took a week and a half after he was born, and you can't get a passport without it. It does seem to be cutting it quite fine, in case the baby is late etc, and you still have to get the passport....but, umm, yes, take a monitor if the baby will be in a different room to you. And an adaptor for Spanish plugs.

moondog · 17/02/2006 23:52

I took my ds to France (along with older sister) alone when he was about six weeks old.
It was fine.

Is this your first baby tweeni?
Don't know how much partying you'll be up for mind you...

izzybiz · 18/02/2006 00:26

i took Dd to spain at 8 weeks, i was told they have to be 4 weeks old to fly.
its easy taking a baby, as they know nothing about it!
please make sure you pack extra stuff in your hand luggage, our flight was delayed 15 hours and Dd ended up wearing her 2 year old cousins jumper, as everything else was already checked in. my Dp had to run round the airport looking for bottles, milk and nappies!

Highlander · 18/02/2006 09:48

I took DS long haul when he was 8 weeks. Deffo take a baby monitor.

It's a great age to travel - they don't really get jet lag.

Highlander · 18/02/2006 09:49

.........and they don't whinge as you spend hours in duty free

Original poster

tweeni · 18/02/2006 10:38

i probably should have made myself clear lol.it will be my first and if the baby is overdue then it will be a week old. if how ever it comes before as babies often do it will be older. i personally think it might come a few weeks early - just an inclining.(i think thats how you spell it?!!)hopefully no more than 3 weeks though as i wasn't told if it was born before 37 weeks they couldn't fly. the baby will be sleeping in the same room as me but i was thinking for times when baby might be asleep and we might be say on the balcony. i suppose black out blinds might be a good idea too if i can fit them in.

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Original poster

tweeni · 18/02/2006 10:41

oh also we have been told we can go and get the passport the same day if we go down to london to the main office. hopefully we won't have to wait to long for an appointment at the registry office. i was hoping if we explained the situation they might squeeze us in.

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Littlefish · 18/02/2006 10:48

Rather than black out blinds, someone one here once suggested taking black bin bags and sticky tape. You could try it at home first to see if it works.

Original poster

tweeni · 18/02/2006 11:54

just tried it - it works fine!!

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LIZS · 18/02/2006 12:06

Do very little babies need blackout ? They don't really distinguish between night and day that young and will probably sleep anywhere fairly quiet.

Original poster

tweeni · 18/02/2006 12:08

not sure but i'll try anything lol. anyone know if you can buy black bin bags in spain lol i've never actually looked before.

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Original poster

tweeni · 18/02/2006 12:35

rang my aunty and yes you can - phew!!im trying to minimise what we'll need to take as baby doesn't get their own baggage allowance.

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Blandmum · 18/02/2006 13:40

I have to say that at three weeks a trip to Tescos was about my limit. Not only was my body still somewhat 'battered' by the experience, but I had very little by way of routine with the baby. And if I'm being honest, I rather liked the fact that I had time to concentrate of the baby.

But each to his/her own.

HellyBelly · 18/02/2006 15:56

Same as martianbishop, no way could I go very far when ds was 3 weeks old (although I had always thought I'd be out and about visiting friends really early on!), I was a wreck full of baby blues and absolutely knackered all the time, not to mention the soreness of the stitches and woddling rather than walking! I did have problems feeding though (b/f) so that didn't help!

You are very brave imo to book something like this and not know how you are going to feel.

What's this about they are normally born early? Not heard that one? Most first babies I know are born late and a lot have to be induced, maybe that's just the people I know though!

Good luck

Original poster

tweeni · 18/02/2006 16:10

oh no i didnt mean normally lol its just my midwife thinks cos i am only small i wont be able to go full term.

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