Planning a holiday with a BABY....

[Cosmo89]

This is jumping ahead massively. I'm only 18 weeks but I can't stop daydreaming about holidays in the sun.

As I'm due in June (and there's no way I'm going anywhere for the first few months) I wonder whether I've missed the window for this year. We won't have the money to go long haul to a hot place in the winter.

Thing is...I'm desperate for sun, for heat. We had an amazing holiday in Turkey in July 2010, touring about the place, visiting sites/national parks etc, and were planning to go back there this year for more of the same. I'd love to start planning for 2013, sometime in May or June would be great, so he would be coming up to 1 and we'd want to be quite mobile during the days.....

Is is madness to even consider it?

Sorry - completely ignorant. It's my first.

Go in September. Lots of places will be lovely and warm, the school holiday crowds will have gone and your baby will be a few months old so you will feel quite settled.

Definitely go for it!

At one? Go for it- took dd to south Africa on tour then. Also took her away for various trips before then but being honest the trip at 1 was where it started to feel like a family holiday more than a hassle
As taking care of baby away from home (actually maybe unfair there as had nice trip at 9ms).
Just make sure that where you go is reasonably baby friendly but most resorts ESP in Europe/turkey Are.

We first went abroad when DS was 4 months (2 hour flight). Although I was nervous about owning the screaming baby on the plane, he was fab and the early trips were the easiest as he'd just feed and fall asleep on the flight. During the days away we pretty much got on with our own thing with DS in tow. Also, he used to fall asleep at his usual bedtime even if in the pushchair, so we could often go out in the evenings as well.

As he's getting older, I'm finding flights more wriggly and that the holiday itself needs to be much more child centred - for us, this really kicked in on the holiday we took when he was about 20 months (when we WERE the owners of the screaming baby on the plane, didn't enjoy that At All).

I agree that September could be a real possibility if you're feeling adventurous!

I'm due in June too. We're planning a holiday to family in South of France in August and then another, again to family to New Zealand in Jan/Feb 2013. The NZ trip is a "now or never" one and we reckoned travelling with a baby was simpler than a toddler or young child. Yes the flight will probably be hideous, but at least there's a chance it'll sleep for some of it and they are more portable so you can just take them with you with whatever you're doing, instead of finding kids activities to do.
(she says in with that blissful naivety of a first time mum )

We are having dc2 in early July and plan to go away in october as the weather will be cooling down but sunny and warm still. Also if you go during school term you may get some good deals.

We're going away soon with our two yo and a three mo, I confess I'm dreading it! We did a 4 hour flight when DS was 16 mo and he was surprisingly good. I suspect. It's going to be more challenging this time! Still, I'm hoping it'll be worth it ...

I'm due in June and we are going on holiday in the October half term. I'm nuts but we can't wait. So I'm sure at a year old you'll be fine.

we took DD to turkey last year and the year before. She was 3 months old the first time and was a dream. She was more of a handful as a toddler actually. Really the younger they are the more portable they are. Turkey is fab because the time zone is only out by a bit and the flight is reasonably short haul. Also the turkish absolutely go gaga for babies. Anything you need for baby they will be happy to accommodate. Formula is available widely if you are bottle feeding and breastfeeding is completely accepted.

I say go for it. You might just be surprised how easy it is to travel with a little'un.

I'm due beginning of March and have already booked to go away in May, and then again in September - I'm working on the theory that its only France, I'll still be on Mat Leave, and how hard can it be?? My friends however feel I may be insane......

I'd say two things

1. Babies and young children generally don't like extreme heat, especially when they're not used to it (as in don't go to Dubai in May). I'd say you ideally want it warm and sunny but "walking around" weather as opposed to "collapse by pool in sweaty heap" weather- you don't want to spend the whole time worrying about sunburn.

1. He/she will be around 1 when you go and most probably mobile/walking. If anything like my DS, they may then be a lot less compliant about being in the pushchair/sling for long periods of time, so it is a very different prospect to taking a sub 6mo on holiday- not necessarily easier or harder, but as someone mentioned upthread, you'll probably need to be more child centred as opposed to when they're tiny when they're just along for the ride.

Anyway, have fun, but prepare for changes from childless holidays.

Pony it will be fine- France not end of world and lots of baby stuff there plus usually easy to go out with baby. Plus I am of view that although it's hard the earlier you start travelling with kids , the more used you and kids get to travelling .

I am due next month and we are planning to go on a cruise in November. We can chose our trips whilst we are on there. Go for it!!!

Thanks everyone for your inspiration.
we've decided to go to Andalucia or Turkey (one of them anyway) in the last week of September/beginning of October. Hopefully should be warm and sunny by then, rather than sweltering. Hurray.