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Original poster

Not enjoying holiday with 5mo

35 replies

Mumtonoah5 · 07/09/2017 15:41

Hi, I am currently on holidays with my son aged 5 months and my husband. We are 3 days into the holiday and I am really having a hard time. DS is fussier than normal and constantly moaning and crying. He is never this bad at home so I am thinking it's maybe the heat? It's not helping that all the other babies will just peacefully lie beside their parents on the sunlonger! DS had never been that sort of baby.
I have PND and recently been diagnosed with anxiety.
Really looking tips from anyone who can help me enjoy this more. I am on the verge of tears most of the day and I just can't wait to get home!
Holiday was booked before DS arrived.

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

welshweasel · 07/09/2017 15:47

Where are you? Can you leave the hotel at all? Mine wouldn't have been happy chilling by a pool at that age either! We went away at a similar age and took it in turns to look after DS for a couple of hours so that the other one could go for a swim/dive/whatever. We'd play in the room which was air conditioned during the hottest part of the day. In the evening we'd put DS to sleep in the pushchair and then go out for dinner whilst he slept.

notaflyingmonkey · 07/09/2017 15:48

I remember those days

TBH the only down time we got was when DH and I took turns to have the DC so that the other could swim/snooze, etc for an hour or so. I think you just have to accept that is what your DS is like, and work with him rather than against.

(I found out on the way home from holiday last year that my 15 year old DS was ordering vodka at the hotel bar to put in his Fanta if that gives you an idea of what future holidays can hold?).

MrsTerryPratchett · 07/09/2017 15:51

Yup take turns. So one of you gets to have 'time off' properly. Damp sarong over you and the baby to cool him off works well.

The idea of a baby that would nap beside me on a sun lounger? Bwahahahaha. DD wouldn't have entertained that for a second.

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Greylilypad · 07/09/2017 15:54

Not sure I have many tips but can I just say that most people don't enjoy holidays with 5 month olds. Try and make the most of it, but lower your expectations of what it should be like. Most babies will not lie happily on sun lounger for more than a few mins, they often don't like it too hot or the brightness of the sun.
It's definitely not a reflection on you or your baby! Maybe just give up on trying to relax in the sun and do other things. Where are you?
Holidays will improve once your baby can go in the pool and enjoy it. Plus next year he will most likely take a long afternoon nap and you will have a couple of hours to lay in the sun and read your book etc.
We went on a sun holidays when our second was 4 months and older child was 3 (and jealous of new sibling) - it was tough going!! DC3 is 3 months now and we agreed before he was born we would skip the sun holiday this year!
It'll get better, but for the moment just try and make the most of it - will he nap in the pram while you have a nice drink in the evening somewhere?

sourpatchkid · 07/09/2017 15:55

Oh love, you must just be surrounded by the very few babies in the world who nap by the pool. Mine absolutely wouldn't and he's a very relaxed baby. I second air conditioning.

This is why I keep telling my husband we don't need a holiday. Holiday with a baby is not a holiday!

Getabloominmoveon · 07/09/2017 15:59

There is no such thing as a holiday with a 5-month old baby. I remember the misery too. Only change you can make is to shift your expectations and - as everyone else says - make a rota. It gets better in about 3 years.,..

MrsTerryPratchett · 07/09/2017 16:06

It gets better in about 3 years.,.. It's fabulous now DD is 6. Great holidays.

Original poster

Mumtonoah5 · 07/09/2017 16:07

Thank you all so much for your replies, it really means a lot!
We are in Portugal and it is absolutely boiling! Just had a chat with DH and he agrees that we each need an hour to ourselves. I'm just finding it so hard being out of our normal routine and finding it so hard to keep DS entertained.
Haha honestly I am looking at the pool area now and 2 babies are just lying there relaxing! Good to now it's not just my DS who wouldn't entertain that idea.
Going to go out tonight for a meal, DS likes the pushchair put unfortunately rarely sleeps in there. Fingers crossed he sleeps!

OP posts:

Cakescakescakes · 07/09/2017 16:09

A holiday with a baby is just the same faff in a different location only worse because you don't have all your own things around you. Mine are 7 and 3 and we still havent ventured abroad.

welshweasel · 07/09/2017 16:10

I think an hour to yourself and you'll feel a lot better! We used to do the full bedtime routine, put DS in the pushchair then I'd sit in the bar with a G&T whilst DH walked laps until DS was asleep. He'd have a slurp of his drink every time he passed the table!

PJsAndProsecco · 07/09/2017 16:12

OP, holidays are hard with small ones!! I hope things get more enjoyable for you!
Last year we were a bit traumatised at how hard our holiday was with our then 15 month old. Only in the UK but its a hard age to entertain and an age where they have tantrums but can't properly talk, so calming her down/heading them off were hard.
Just come back from another holiday this year with family - it was brilliant! She's 2 and a half, adored the beach, loves swimming, plays and engages completely differently - it was a dream. Also had family there to give us a few extra pairs of hands which was fab, as our relatives were way more interesting to her than us!
Just an encouragement really, that when they're smaller it's hard but the difference a year will make is amazing. It's made me really look forward to next year's hols already. Hopefully find some friends to go with next time too!
I hope the rest of your holiday is lovely! x

welshweasel · 07/09/2017 16:13

I disagree cakes, holidays with a baby/toddler are certainly different but we've really enjoyed all of the ones that we've been on, from when he was 3 months old. For the first year the holidays were all about me and DH, DS had to fit in around whatever we were doing, now he's a bit older we just stay in more child oriented places but in general his routine stays much the same. I get to enjoy warmth, not having to cook, getting to go scuba diving and chatting with my DH in the evenings rather than doing chores!

Original poster

Mumtonoah5 · 07/09/2017 16:14

Welshweasel that made me laugh! I can imaging us doing this tonight. Such a good idea.

OP posts:

fannydaggerz · 07/09/2017 16:16

Holidays are difficult when they're so little.

Something nice and cool for baby when he's feeling too hot.

Mine never napped by the pool at that age, you're not alone in that.

sourpatchkid · 07/09/2017 16:20

Oh god, I did Portugal with a 5 month old. I counted the days til I returned!

This is how I survived:
Day trip if he likes he buggy, go somewhere you call all walk around and look at stuff. Go at the cooler part of the day

Go for a swim on your own. It was bloody amazing!

Find a restaurant that's family friendly and has air conditioning

Remember it's not long til you'll be home again 😃

I assume the babies by the pool aren't British and so it's a reasonably normal temperature for them.

You and you baby are perfectly normal

Cakescakescakes · 07/09/2017 16:23

welshweasel I think a lot of the depends on what sort of baby/child you have. I had two very challenging babies (one who later turned out to have SN and one who had severe reflux). Neither would sleep in their buggies home or away despite our best efforts and they were terribly grumpy in the heat even at home. I was always baffled by the toddlers crashed out snoozing in their buggies in restaurants etc as it was so alien to my experience.

UnaPalomaBlanca · 07/09/2017 16:41

I think your definition of a holiday changes when you have(young) children. You just look after them in a different location. Without easy access to the things which make life easier at home!
If your baby likes regularity and routine they may be 'put out' by the change of scene or routine, which could make them fussier.
Take what you can from the holiday- appreciate hotel meals and someone else washing up and laundering the sheets. Spend some of the time taking turns looking after the baby, so that you and DH both get some R n R in the sun/ pool.

MessyBun247 · 07/09/2017 16:48

We went to Spain last year on the day DD2 turned 5 months. I hated it! She's def not a chill by the pool type of baby either. It was roasting, she was moany, didn't sleep well, hates her buggy at the best of times so going out anywhere was a nightmare in the heat.
We did a UK holiday this year when she was 18 months and it was still pretty hard work, but there was lots of enjoyable moments too. I'm hopeful every year will continue to get better!
Just try to get through your holiday whatever way you can, it is really hard though and you have my sympathy

UserThenLotsOfNumbers · 07/09/2017 16:52

Agree it's not a restful holiday with a young baby - more like a tag team holiday!
Don't compare your baby to others, bet they screamed the place down later

Original poster

Mumtonoah5 · 07/09/2017 17:55

Thanks all for the words of encouragement. This was my first post on mumsnet and would like to thank you all for being so kind! Hopefully tomorrow will be a better day 😊

OP posts:

sourpatchkid · 07/09/2017 20:40

Ah welcome to MN

waterrat · 07/09/2017 20:47

Same shit different location.

Holidays are worth going on from age 3 onwards....

Original poster

Mumtonoah5 · 07/09/2017 21:23

Thanks sourpatchkid! We are just back from our meal and he slept through most of it. Woke up screamy at the end but at least we had our dinner in peace 😊

OP posts:

MrsTerryPratchett · 07/09/2017 21:33

Oh and mostly ignore people who tell you children 'fit' around the adults' activities. That very much depends on the activity and the child.

I'd love some of them trying to fit my DD around their quiet, sedate activities. Although she is incredibly adaptable and adventurous, which many children are not.

oldlaundbooth · 09/09/2017 01:42

Any chance ou can lie him under a nice tree or something, give him something to look at? Is he crawling /wriggling lots?

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