Help me choose where to go on our first holiday with baby

[FrancesInFrance]

Hello! We finally have sorted DC1's passport! He is 4.5months old. Really happy for any recommendations! He absolutely hates his carrier though so that could be limiting maybe? I have zero expectations, I just want to experience going abroad with my bubs! I've purposely told myself to have zero expectations because I'm a bit of an anxious person - I feel like I'll pack our entire home just to make sure we aren't stuck for something with the baby!

PS. We are in London (my username is misleading!)

Hello :)
we just booked our first holiday with our baby. He’s just 5 months, will be 6.5 when we travel.

My husband and I found it helpful to each go away and come up with a criteria before we started looking.

Top of both our lists was a flight time under 3 hours, and an hotel transfer of 30 minutes or less. I am a very anxious person so couldn’t deal with his first flight being longer and him potentially hating it!

We ended up booking a week in Majorca for the end of September. Excited but nervous at all the extra things to take, and making sure we have everything!

Sorry just to add we are also south east/ just outside London. Other places on our list were mainland Spain. Ibiza, Menorca and Corfu

Watching with interest. Although last might was so hot I may rethink travelling abroad. Also interested in practicalities of what to take. Has anyone's baby screamed the whole flight?

Hello! I've been on a couple of holidays and trips with my baby girl. Things to bear in mind :

1. Picking an air bnb (or hotel suite!) over hotel room: fridge and extra space are much more important than a trendy hotel bar... and it's nice to have a sofa and/or terrace to have a glass of wine when baby is asleep! Basically I'd say spend more on the size of room than the swankiness/decor/trendy area.

1. Walking distance from restaurants: with a young baby you can probably get away with putting your baby to sleep in the buggy and going out for dinner with him/her asleep the whole time. Adding in a layer of car transfers at the beginning and end of the night might be harder.

1. If you go to a city you can buy most things there. That's quite reassuring when you're packing (we forgot to take nappies on a long weekend to a remote location once...)

1. You might want to hire a car and take your car seat with you.

1. If you go somewhere hot you'll have to feed him/her more as they get thirsty.

As for packing :

• We bought ear protectors for flights, but she just rips them off so I probably wouldn't bother. - UV tent if you're going somewhere sunny.
• You can also buy mosquito nets that go over the buggy or a cot.
• Fleecy pyjamas for plane if flying long haul, as planes can get cold.
• We also have a clip-on portable high chair which is great for holidays (breakfast time etc).

On flights: our baby cried on a very hot, loud flight once (to be fair it was an unpleasant flight so I don't blame her), but otherwise has been fine on every journey. She's also coped well with jet lag.

I understand you're feeling anxious but you can do it! Enjoy!

I can recommend the Eurostar to the Netherlands. There are lovely family friendly beaches that aren't too hot and it is much easier than taking a plane.

Know your child. We went twice in May but it was still too hot for DS. He was only happy in the air conditioned room and in his buggy in the evening. So we spent a lot of time in there. There is no joy with an unhappy baby!

We learned our lesson and didn't go again until DC were 5 & 8.

Tips for flying - take a couple of changes of clothes for baby and for you. Of course they will be sick and have a poonami on the plane. Almost as if they planned it.