Taking a newborn abroad

[mlhs4198]

Hi all,

Just looking some advice. Pregnant after a MC last year, currently 15 weeks - all is going well. Due 19th July. First baby.

We've booked a holiday for the start of September, Gran Canaria. Baby will be anywhere between 4-8 obviously depending on when baby is born.

My question is, will I be able to take baby swimming? Don't think immunisations will have been done by then but I've read elsewhere it's okay? The pool is outdoor and unheated however the weather will be about 30C. Will baby be okay just 5 mins at a time in a wetsuit?

Further to this, would just like to know if anyone has any experience of taking a baby this young abroad? Any top tips of things to take or general advice is very welcome. Starting to worry that we should have waited till baby a little older.

Thanks.

Holiday is fine, actually they're very easy to manage at that age. I'v always don't the fast track for my children so you don't have the stress of waiting a long time to get the passport. I probably wouldn't have baby in the pool though, as pp said they can get cold very easily and there's some debate as to whether they should have immunisations before swimming.

Once you've had the baby, the penny will drop.

The penny being that life with a baby is often not as hard as people like to make out, especially with family on hand to change nappies and cuddle baby whilst mum rests. Obviously things need to go well with you, baby and the birth- but assuming that occurs (and as you’ve said, you’re prepared to cancel if not) why not go and enjoy yourself? DC1 slept 13hs straight the night before we flew to Argentina, and then was SO quiet on the flight, the air steward was concerned...!

I have said multiple times, I am looking to hear from people with real life experience, not speculation. 90% of the positive comments are from people who HAVE done this. Funnily enough, the negative comments are from people who haven’t. If you haven’t done this, I don’t want your advice thank you :)

Obviously the babysitting comment, was a light hearted jokey comment, if you could not gather that from the emoji afterwards.

I’m not putting a holiday before my baby, as I’ve stated plenty of times if there are any health issues what so ever then we will not be going. £900 is nothing compared to good health. I thought it would be a nice bonding experience for all of us as a family, of course baby won’t necessarily ‘enjoy’ it or remember it. But I’m also sure they baby doesn’t give a toss what country it is sleeping in.

A lot of the negative nancies, saying that I sound set on doing it whatever people say. Nope, not true, I’m listening to the people who have had the experience, and if you read through, most of those people had a great time.

Thanks all, and again, any nasty or rude comments - don’t bother

The penny being that life with a baby is often not as hard as people like to make out

Yep!

4 weeks is very different from 6, for BOTH of you.

Btw, if you bottle feed, then just take Milton tablets and buy a Tupperware box when you get there. Much more efficient on space. Oh, and an apartment would probably be better. Also make sure that you have a balcony or something to sit on and have a drink in the evening, though with a baby that young, it should sleep through wherever you go, so won't be stuck in your room unless you want to be.

Check what you can take with you on terms of baby equipment, and remember that babies can sleep in the carrycot bit of a pram, so if you have one of those it saves on a travel carry cot.

Take an umbrella so you can create shade wherever you go.

I am looking to hear from people with real life experience, not speculation. 90% of the positive comments are from people who HAVE done this. Funnily enough, the negative comments are from people who haven’t. If you haven’t done this, I don’t want your advice thank you :)

This is your problem OP, you just want people to agree with you. If you really were interested you would want comments from people who have not done it as well. The reason they have not done it could be very relevant.

Also your elective section, focus on that, because for your first child without a medical reason for needing one you are more likely to sprout wings and fly in holiday yourself.

remember that babies can sleep in the carrycot bit of a pram

Bizarrely lots of carrycots are labelled 'not suitable for overnight use'

@Hugtheduggee sounds great, I’m glad you had a good time. Yes, I’ve heard it all already ‘you’re brave’ ‘you’re stupid’ and ‘you’re naive’. Funnily enough, all the people making these comments are the ones who haven’t had the experience. I’m not frightened and will not listen to the scaremongers. A lot are going off as if I plan to throw my baby into the sea, leave it in a kids club, let it burn in the sun all day and go out drinking in reality all I want is a nice relaxed family holiday, going on walks and sleeping and maybe a bit of swimming (for me, not baby as I’ve learnt) providing I’m in good health too.

Thanks again I’m pleased to hear your positive experience.

@cuckooken nope, I am happy to hear from people who have the experience but equally had a bad time and wouldn’t do it again. Or people who have done it and have had a learning curve and have tips for people wanting to do this.

Not people who have zero experience and are are just speculating.

Worth noting most of the people who’ve done it already had dc so were more experienced.

This is your first rodeo, breast feeding doesn’t happen by magic, you might be crying with bleeding nipples, feeling like a massive failure and being on holiday won’t magically make your baby feed.

People are trying to give you advice from both sides, not piss on your bonfire.

Check out my user name lol babies aren’t easy! You don’t get the baby you expect or want! You might have an incredibly high needs colicky baby. You could move the holiday and enjoy it now. I wish I’d gone away through my pregnancy.

Do wish you congratulations though and having a baby is so exciting.

*I am happy to hear from people who have the experience but equally had a bad time and wouldn’t do it again. Or people who have done it and have had a learning curve and have tips for people wanting to do this.
**
*Not people who have zero experience and are are just speculating.

But you are hearing from people who have experience of newborns. I don't need to take a baby abroad to know that I wouldn't have managed to get a passport within 5 weeks. Do you see? Experience of having a newborn is what you really need to know, because it's that experience that impacts your ability to do things like go on holiday. People really have been trying to help you.

@breastfeedingworries

Do you not think I know everything may not fall into place as I want? I do understand this you know and if anything makes me not want to go then I won’t. Money is not an issue.

I’m not counting on BF, if it doesn’t happen it doesn’t. I’ve already purchased everything I need for this eventuality and it can all be taken with me.

I understand people’s concerns but frankly a lot of these concerns are over the top and worst case scenarios. I understand they happen, I’ve said plenty of times if it does we won’t be going!!

The “negative” comments may not be from women who have had the experience of taking a newborn on holiday. But they are coming from women who have had experience of giving birth. After 4-6 weeks I probably could have gone on holiday but I had a straightforward birth with no intervention. But I wouldn’t have because the baby wouldn’t have enjoyed it and it would have been a fundamentally selfish act to subject my tiny, helpless little boy’s eardrums to changing cabin pressure, risk the bugs floating around in the virus chamber that is a plane cabin (even if he had had his vaccinations at this point), and the heat which would have been a shock to his system after just adjusting to the climate at home.

So I am sure you will dismiss this as another negative, nasty, rude comment. But once you are a parent you will realise that every single micro-decision you make is about what the baby’s best interests are.

@cuckooken I’m not bothered about just people with experience of newborns, that’s not what I’m looking for. I’m after people with experience of taking newborns on holiday or travels. They will have the best tips and things to be aware of.

If you’ve not done it yourself then you are not really in a position to advise on how it’s going to go. If it’s not something you would do personally for your own personal worries and concerns that’s fine, but I don’t need to hear from you.

Thanks again

I had an emergency c-section and took my first to Africa when they were 8 weeks old. I was completely fine after 6 weeks and don't recall having any issues lifting or with mobility but I'm sure I had the baby and husband dealt with luggage. With regards to swimming, we had a few feet splashes and all was well. I wouldn't let swimming pool water anywhere near there face though.

I was also told I was crazy, insane, in for a shock etc but that feedback did not from anyone who had travelled with a young baby.

Took 9wo DS abroad for 2 months (to stay with family for Xmas)

The only good thing about it was that there were lots of family members who insisted on looking after him so I could sleep. The thought of being exhausted in the heat on a sun lounger in the shade trying to cool a hot baby - no thanks!

Having a newborn baby is knackering. I can't believe I put myself through the hassle of passport and packing etc when I had only just mastered breastfeeding.

I absolutely wouldn't do it again.

You need the stars to align for it to work.

We couldn't get an appointment to even register our daughter until she was over six weeks old (6 weeks is supposed to be the limit but they had no appointments). So we wouldn't have been able to get a passport in time. Plus I bled for around 7 weeks so wouldn't have enjoyed a pool based holiday - you can't use tampons for lochia. I felt generally fat, hot and leaky at the point you are talking about. I wouldn't have enjoyed the holiday.

@GivenchyDahhling

Nope, yours didn’t come across as rude or as negative as the others but again, millions of people have newborns all with different experiences. I don’t need advice on that, I’ve already said if anything whatsoever is wrong with me or baby we won’t be going. I will lose the money I am not bothered. People are missing the point - I am looking for practical advice from people who have been there done that. Advice such as what to take/pack, things baby can and can’t do, travelling top tips etc. What people did before and what they would do differently.

I don’t need advice on how I’m going to feel, as I won’t know that until it happens. If I don’t feel like going, I won’t

If everything does fall into place I hope you have a great time. My advice is based on my experience of birth and life with a newborn.
I literally can relate! I thought I could go on a hen weekend, (taking Dd with me for when she was 5 months) booked paid for it ect while I was pregnant.

The reality of life with a baby is so different. 6 weeks old they will be tiny, I just don’t think you’ll want to then. Plus better to save the money even if it isn’t an issue for you.

@MrJollyLivesNextDoor thank you for shedding some light on your experience! Yes will have lots of family members on hand too! If it was just me and DP, I don’t think we’d be going. I’ll be glad to have my mum and Nan there who have obviously been through it before :)

Yes, I bet you were knackered! I’m already knackered now

We went overseas when our ds was 8wks for a wedding. It meant sorting getting him registered ASAP and then a passport which was a pain but doable. Flight was ok (he slept or fed) but staying in a hotel with a newborn was a hard work. Fixed meal times and worries about disturbing other guests when the baby woke meant it wasn’t especially relaxing. Also no kettle in the room to make up bottles or much needed coffee. We survived but it wasn’t what I would call a holiday....