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.

Hi OP!

Hope you're well. We went on holiday to somewhere we know very well with my parents to stay with lots of family so we had loads of support. LO was 10 weeks old.

We just managed but if we'd gone any earlier it would have been a real struggle for us. I can appreciate a lot of people can do this and not have a problem but I had extended baby blues until around 8 weeks and an incredibly tough time breastfeeding.

At least at 10 weeks LO could have first set of jabs and enough time passed I wasn't worried about side effects. We did take him for his first swim in the sea and a pool whilst we were there - just a dip and just held in close to me. He wasn't capable of splashing even then!

I found it really hard mentally and physically and also really struggled with my holiday wardrobe - I didn't fit into anything I owned and had to go shopping 9 weeks after giving birth and it was really depressing because I truly didn't feel like myself yet.

I wouldn't go so soon again even though I'd be better prepared and know what to expect next time I think.

However upon coming back I did find everything significantly easier. Dunno if that's because he was 13 weeks then or if being on holiday with a newborn allowed me to feel like I could take anything on!

He slept a lot on the plane though which my boobs did not appreciate.

Hope whatever you decide it goes well but that's my experience!

I think you are brave! We went away when DS was 3 months old so a bit older! We went to Santorini and it was lovely and warm but the UK was actually hotter that week.

We got a snooze shade for the pram which was brilliant ( blocks the sun without increasing the heat in the pram)

Also, DS slept through for the first time while away - think it reset his system!

And his passport only took about 10 days to come back

This won’t be much of a holiday you do realise this? Until kid’s are about 8 years old it’s not a holiday for parents it’s just extra stress
Totally disagree with this, been travelling long and short haul with our daughter since she was 10m old and she's been a dream, easy on the flights, easy to adjust to new routines, we've all had wonderful times on our holidays, no extra stress anywhere even when we did self catering (prefer AI normally) and long drives (such as the 3 weeks we did driving the US west coast when she was 10m old)
She's 3.5 now and crazy about travelling, always asking when our next holiday is.

I took both my kids long haul as babies (10w and 11w) - but would not have taken them totally unimmunized. Would wait at least for the first set of jabs at 8 weeks.

Also if you are having a c section they don’t recommend flying for 6 weeks for dvt reasons, leaving aside the no lifting recs. compression socks and aspirin when you fly too.

Your baby will not give a toss about “swimming” at 6w old so wouldn’t bother. If you do then make sure you protect skin (use coconut oil) afterwards as the chlorine will play havoc with sensitive newborn skin).

Google fourth trimester.

And chlorine and a wee baby?!! And stuffing it in to a wetsuit?! Put your poor baby first ffs.

Yes, the fourth trimester, where the baby just needs love, proximity, cuddles, milk. It doesn't care whether that's by mum sitting in the sofa watching a box set, it strolling down a beach with baby in a sling. Its needs are equally met.

When I took mine away at that sort of age, they slept the entire journey in the sling. A bit of sunshine, change of surroundings and not having to cook and clean for a week, is absolutely fine. It's fine not to as well of course. But as long as the baby is having its needs met (and love and cuddles and milk can be provided anywhere) then it matters not to the child.

And vaccinations don't cover the things that are likely to be passed on during a flight. And discomfort certainly isn't a given seeing that babies often do sleep through the entire journey...

Parenthood involves sacrifice, but there is no point in needless martyrdom. Not everything has to be for the specific benefit of the baby. If the babies needs are met, the mum and dad's wants are important as well.

Omg can you imagine trying to get a four week old into a wetsuit!?!

Omg can you imagine trying to get a four week old into a wetsuit!?!

It's actually really fucking cruel.

I was exactly like you before giving birth in October, not with going on holiday but i had so many plans about all these classes i was going to attend and how i couldn’t wait to get back to exercising. Lets just say i’ve barely left the sofa or my pjs! I wouldn’t even take my 13 week old baby on holiday now and this is coming from someone who had 4 holidays last year (i love going away!)

Do you have to go on those dates? A few weeks later would probably be so much easier for you more than anyone. Baby will be fine they don't care where they are as long as milk is on tap. You may be shattered though

It's actually really fucking cruel. Yep, I don't think it's a thing tbh

My baby is four weeks and I reckon we could have a very relaxed time in Gran Canaria for a week.

As long as you're feeling up to it and and you can get a passport for baby in time - then make the most of it! It'd be a shame to cancel but hey ho, if you must then do.

Good luck!

Settle down with the swimming and the wetsuit everyone, she already said she's taken that advice and won't take the baby swimming.

I did a lot of traveling with babies, as we lived abroad and brought them to meet grandparents etc. They were always very easy travelers. I never traveled with them younger than 3 months though, so 4-8 weeks seems extremely young to me.

You haven't mentioned how supportive and reasonable your family is, but if they're nice, decent people then it could be quite lovely having this special time all together with baby.

Make sure your family and your DH knows you'll be fully focused on the baby and can't be too helpful on other tasks like making meals for everyone or babysitting nieces & nephews etc.

Just thought I'd update on this thread! Obviously now due to the Covid we aren't going anywhere haha! I actually moved the holiday to May next year just before the Covid situation got real serious XD

Really pleased we have moved it now as there would have been no chance in getting a passport in time as you can't even register births at the mo. I'm also currently a week over due and no signs of arrival anytime soon -,-

Thanks everyone for your input haha!

Hoping you have a smooth birth soon OP! You know what, it might have been fine, it might have been awful but I think just being able to cozy up in your PJs with your newborn is always going to be a good option. My DS was a screaming ball of rage for the first few months so I was very happy to hide at home. I’m sure you’ll have a fab time when you do go and baby will be more aware of what’s going on and might well enjoy the pool.

I think you will be fine op ,nice comfy chair for u and a place for baby beside you to keep cool with a parasol over you both. Fingers crossed you have a straight forward birth ,put your feet up and take advantage of all the helpers with you , eat lots of nice food and rest in the sun enjoy!