Taking a 6 month old on holiday?

[MeltchettsLovelyMoustache]

Hello, just looking for some advice really!

It's my 30th in September and I'm back to work in October and wondering if its feasible to go on holiday with my DH and baby son. Just a weekend somewhere not massively hot. He'd be 6 months then. He's travelled before at 6 weeks (funeral in NI) and was pretty good on the flight. He's formula fed and used Miltons in the sink for his bottles and premixed when out.

He sleeps in his pram when we're out with a suncover and sleeps in a sleepyhead the rest of the time which we could pack.

Is this doable and does anyone have any experience of going on hols with a young baby?

Thank you!

Mine went on holidays at 4 weeks, 5 months,9 months. They are now 2.5 and 15 months. Holidays now are waaaaay harder than when they were babies. Babies are portable, sleep a lot because of the heat and can't run away (towards the pool!). I would 100% go for it.

This should be fine.

He will still be mostly on milk, but if you do baby led weaning, you can just give bits off your plate, like cooked vegetables or fruit to him.

I have travelled with my DC at all ages, and it is easiest before they are mobile, then after they are about 7.

Do it!

Small babies are quite easy on holiday as long as you accept that it will be different from pre-baby holidays.

Our preference was always self catering. We would go out and about during the day, have a nice lunch somewhere and aim to be back near the pool for nap time. DS would sleep for a couple of hours and we would get some time to read, sunbathe etc.

In the evenings we would get DC to bed back at the appartment and then have something to eat and a couple of glasses of wine.

Babies are easy. We went to Australia when DD2 was 6mo. Couldn't say she had a great time though. I don't think she minds if she's at home or abroad! And babies handle hot weather just fine. I have taken both DD1 and DD2 as babies to 30C and above places. They love it. For a change, the sea is actually warm! I remembered DD1 sitting on the beach all wet with her normal clothes because she decided to crawl to the waves.

This is the best age you can take them away I've just got back from Spain ds is 18 wks he was an angel. He never bothered on the plane as he was used to having the odd nap on my knee. He was happy enough to be in the buggy as he's not crawling yet. At night we kept to the same bedtime routine but instead of putting him in cot we put him in the buggy were he slept whilst we had a meal & put him in the cot when we got back. It's fine to take baby milk through security although they scanned my bottles and milk separately I didn't need to taste them also its easy enough to buy nappies wipes and jars abroad save loading your suitcase up.
I definitely recommend you go at this age as a holiday in 12mth time when he's walking will be a whole different holiday

We did Australia at 6 months and then Spain at 9 months, as long as you are organised it is fine. For bottles you can get microwave sterilising bags.
For your own peace of mind just take plenty of formula (you can get it in most places but the stress of wondering if you will be able to buy it will drive you mad). Also take stuff like calpol - again you probably won't need it but knowing you've got it will make you feel better!

I went to Madrid when DS1 was 6 months and recently to Italy when he was 9 months. When I booked Madrid he was breastfed but then by the time it came around we had switched to bottle. He also slept in a sleepyhead but we got him out of that when he was 5 months so didn't bring it. Holiday was great. He wasn't sleeping great at the time but no worse when we were there and slept in his buggy during the day when we were out and about.

Top tips:

• Try and get an apartment, one with a kettle and a microwave - both very useful for bottle feeding! Also one where they can supply a travel cot as it saves you bringing one. Bring your own cot sheet though.
• order formula to pick up from Boots at the airport if you can. We took powder in our luggage and picked up ready made stuff at the airport
• Get a 'skybaby' from Amazon. Roll up mattress thing you put on your lap during the flight for baby to sleep on. Our baby hasn't slept on my lap since he was about 6 wks old but slept on this!
• Microwave sterilising bags. One should last the whole weekend.
• Our wee one had just started weaning at 6 months so we brought Ella pouches and bought fruit and veg there. He was only playing with food at that point so quite easy.
• The best thing I bought for our recent trip to Italy was a Chicco fold up highchair that you attach to a chair. Our baby won't sit in his buggy well when stationary; he needs to be involved! So we brought this highchair with us everywhere (a lot of restaurants didn't have highchairs) and it was a Godsend!! Your wee one might not be sitting confidently in a highchair at 6 months but worth considering for the future!!

Sorry for not coming back til now, thank you for all the advice! Would it mean staying in in the evening for baby to sleep though? Our baby goes to bed at 8.

No, baby can sleep in the pram in the evening out wherever, or on your laps or in sling. Enjoy and go wherever you prefer, he won't care at that age.

You co sleep so even easier

Have a look at Baby Friendly Boltholes and Tots to Travel - loads of hotels/self catering places that come with all the baby gear you could need. 6 months is great for going out in the evening: normal bedtime routine, baby into buggy or car seat (much easier with infant seats as you just carry into restaurant rather than transferring to buggy), he sleeps through dinner, then either wait for him to wake up for feed or if he sleeps through just gently transfer to usual sleeping place. If he uses a sleeping bag Grobag do travel ones that you can fasten a harness around. Definitely take your own formula if you're going abroad, I couldn't find any of the U.K. brands in France or Italy at the local supermarket.

Depends on the child. We are just back from heatwave in Italy and baby 11 months nightmare re sleeping and dmonly sleeps very short periods in pushchair so meant we had to be home in evenings to get settled....our 1st holiday with baby so big shock to system lol!