Transporting a new(ish) born to a wedding

[Teapig]

This probably isn't the right place to post, but wasn't quite sure where to post. I'm a first timer due in April and am wondering if it's at all possible to get to a wedding in June.

The wedding is in Manchester and we're just outside of London but don't drive. We'd love to go and see that side of the family but thinking it might not be possible DH is learning to drive but it seems unlikely he'd pass by then.

So, my question is has anyone done a journey like this before with a 2ish month baby? I'm thinking it's just not possible on public transport - nowhere to change baby apart from yuky toilets, too much stuff to stransport - we'd need to take car seat so we can be driven to and from wedding, moses basket for our hotel room, nappies, steriliser I guess. The list seems endless and impossible.

Thought I'd ask in case anyone has a solution I'm overlooking. Thanks!

And some lovely friends took DS for an hour between the day and evening and I had a wonderful snooze. Bliss

If you're anywhere near heathrow or gatwick I would consider getting a flight.
No ffaff getting across London and less than 1h journey, assuming you can get picked up the other end. A friend of mine did this with a 2 mo recently and was fine. You'll find prices comparable, sometimes cheaper.

great thread I am due with first in 2 1/2 weeks 11th February, or earlier I Hope so (hopefully I wont be overdue!!! Please god NO!!!) and we are going to our very good friends wedding on 22nd March so bub will be either 6 weeks if on due date or if late younger OMG just looked at the dates again and realised how little she'll be.

Anway we'll be driving from Hebden Bridge to Near Norwich and its good to hear such positive advice and comments, we desparately want to go and the bride and groom are going out of their way to accomadate us plus it'll be a great time/place for everyone to meet the baby for the first time.

i have every faith that we'll be ok and as i have been told tiny babies are easier to take as they just eat/sleep/cry.

Wish us luck will let you know how we get on xx

Good luck MJP1! This thread has made me feel like we can do it, sure can too.

Congrats and hope your LO arrives soon so you don't go overdue.

We drove to a wedding when DS was 12 weeks old. It was our first time away from home overnight, no one could stay at the venue, and DS was combi fed.

I breast-fed behind screens while pictures were being done (the waiters learnt not to stare!) and then I sat with another breast-feeding mum later in the day. Found a lovely dress on the Babes with Babies site, which is nice enough to use while bfing, pregnancy and outside of pregnancy, which is handy as it wasn't cheap (I tried some that were like tents!).

For the couple of bottle top ups that DS had, I used the cartons of milk, and disposable sterilised bottles, so didn't have to take any sterilising stuff (no access to a microwave). The bottles were not perfect, and you sort of have to accept that you might end up throwing part of the pack away (they are only sterile for so long after opening).

DS dozed for some of the ceremony, and then was wide awake for most of the day - he eventually gave into exhaustion during the speeches, and slept in his car seat all evening, which was handy. He'd probably have done the same in a pram, but the car seat handily sat between our chairs.

We had taken the Moses basket for nighttime as we had the car, but a couple of months later we bought a travel bassinet, which folds down into a tiny bag, and is fab for travel (travel cots seem to look too big for little ones!)

Worst thing about the whole day was DH's elderly cousin in her 80s, telling me repeatedly that her daughter (now in her 40s!) slept through the night by 2 months - "surely all babies sleep through the night by the time they are 3 months?" Urge to hit her was very strong!

I took ds to a wedding when he was 4 weeks and it was easy. Our pram had a carrycot which was useful but you could always pop him
In bed with you if you didnt want to take Moses basket. He slept through most of the service, all of the meal and all of the dancing! I'd had a c section so was a bit tired still post op and took him up to bed with me at 10 where he slept for 6 hours straight which is one of the only times he has slept that many hours! It was lovely and he was much admired and cuddled by all and I got to have a glass of champagne and a dance. I was breastfeeding so don't know about sterilising bottles etc but you could use those ready made cartons perhaps?

i have every faith that we'll be ok and as i have been told tiny babies are easier to take as they just eat/sleep/cry

LOL. You'll find out

Actually, to be fair, she probably will be fine...just no one can predict how you will be! At 6 weeks post partum, I still was numb from the epidural, had problems with bowel control, in pain still from the episiotomy...going to a wedding would have been my idea of HELL!!!! But hopefully you'll make it look like the adverts GOOD LUCK!

I would have done it but I was lucky and a paid up member of the BF/cosleep/sling club. If the situation arose I'd do it again with the caveat that we might pull out.

For feeding, SMA now make bottles of ready made formula that you can screw a teat straight on to. So some of them a couple of teats and cold water sterilising tablets could work.

I would buy a sling like a close carrier. Super comfy and brilliant for the train journey. Though I have never been able to feed in a sling lots of people do.

We went to SIL's wedding when DS was 10 weeks old. He would have been 4 weeks if he was born when he should have been.

We have a similar situation, I am due in August and at the start of October have to travel from London to Tennessee (!) for brother-in-laws wedding. Lots of people have said when baby is younger it's easier to travel as they sleep more. We will have to ask for a cot at the hotel. All taxi's and car hire companies will provide car seats (according to husband who works in concierge). Changing in gross toilets not ideal but they will do. (We will have to do it a plane toilet) Our thoughts were that a wedding only happens once (hopefully) for that couple, and it's a great opportunity for further afield friends and family to meet your new baby. A couple of hours on the train isn't so bad and I think it would be worth it. Congratulations on your pregnancy and good luck!

I did this recently the biggest help for me was cold sterilising bags (if formula fed) and I got a travel Moses basket (folds away) the biggest issue for me was the pram when folded but I just parked it all under my table.

Thanks for the advice!

soursweets, congrats on your pregnancy. If you can get to Tennessee then I have no excuse not to get to Manchester!

These practical tips are great and make me feel more prepared and aware of the challenges and solutions.

Ooh, forgot to ask: Can you use a second hand mattress and sheets for moses basket and cot if they've been washed? My sister has given us hers but I've read that it's best to buy new. Should I get new even though the hand-me-downs are in great condition? It seems a shame not to use them as they're free and in good condition but safety is our priority of course.

Sorry, that was a bit off topic. I meant to post the above on a different thread!

Thanks twitchytail. I think I'll use the sheets (washed of course) but get a new mattress. I don't want to take any risks. Will definitely check out Boots.

Thanks twitchy!

I definitely prefer the train to a car with a baby (and/or toddler). My DS screamed like he was being murdered when put in a car seat! Once travelled for 3.5 hours with him screaming the whole way (at 6 weeks old).

Whereas train you can feed them, change them, put them in a sling, walk around, swap between you and DH etc. Intercity trains have perfectly fine changing, or just use your knee (in the toilet cubicle!). Newborns are very portable.

We did a 7 hour train trip to and from a week's holiday with DS1. Not even especially stressful, he slept or fed the whole journey.

DC2 is due early July and we have a holiday planned again 7 hr train journey away at the end of Aug, then wedding to go to a 5 hour train trip away when s/he will be 7-8 weeks. I'm expecting the newborn to be no trouble at all, the 2 yr old is a different matter!

I'm sure you will be fine.

Public transport is actually easier with a baby I would say, especially if they are breastfed, as you can just sit there comfortably and feed them, whereas if you were in a car you would have to stop.

We flew to a wedding when DD2 was just a few weeks old. I was a bit nervous actually, because I had to be a bridesmaid too, but in fact it was fine!

The journey was fine, only problem really is changing trains etc if you have lots of luggage, but people are generally willing to help you. I find train journeys great for putting babies to sleep, and then you can relax, no worrying about reading maps or getting stuck in traffic! My DD has a tradition of always producing an explosive nappy whenever we go on a plane or train - make sure you have enough changes of clothes (a change for yourself as well might be welcome - DD's nappy leaked all over me when I had her in the sling, just before we boarded the plane!) and that they are easy to take on and off.

We got to the church early so I could feed DD before everything started, then she just slept in her pram with DH at the back of the church while I was carrying flowers and looking decorative , then when we got to the reception I took her up to the hotel room and fed her again, then she was asleep for most of the meal, and I took her off into a side room and fed her again during the speeches. As she was my second, I was more aware of how often newborns need to feed, and I managed to pre-empt her a bit, so she never screamed.

She had a cuddle with the bride, then threw up over DH about 20 seconds after she had been handed back. That was a close one!