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Pregnancy

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Original poster

Holiday abroad with 4 month old baby... Am I mad?

22 replies

Letmeeatcakecakecake · 13/01/2015 20:12

Oh shit. What have I done?

I've booked a family holiday for us (me, dp, DS who will be 6 and DC who is due in april). And now I'm regretting it.

We're going to go to what looks like an amazing hotel, which has water slides for DS to play on, and apparently has great evening entertainment and the hotel is very child orientated.

DS isn't the problem though, it's the baby! We will be in turkey in August... Is this a bad idea? Has anyone gone abroad to a hot country with a young baby?

And I've only given myself 4 months to get into a shape I'll feel comfortable with! Fuck!

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

HazleNutt · 13/01/2015 20:18

yes, been to Turkey with a 3,5 month old, was lovely. DS would sleep anywhere, we could just sunbathe and have dinner and generally relax. The only thing is that it might be very hot in August, but that simply means you might want to stay out of the sun during lunchtime.

trilbydoll · 13/01/2015 20:21

The only thing that would bother me is the water - we went to Lanzarote when DD was 8m and were mixfeeding. I was so worried we ended up packing 4 litres of uk tap water!

Other than that, I reckon the smaller they are the more portable

Liara · 13/01/2015 20:21

I found young babies the easiest to travel with. My dc were very, very high maintenance but somehow on planes and on holidays they just chilled out, albeit often stuck to a boob.

Don't worry abut getting in shape, you will have a baby with you, no one will be looking at your body! Just relax and enjoy the holiday.

bagofsnakes · 13/01/2015 20:30

We did a lot of travelling with DS when he was a baby and I agree that travelling with babies under 6 months is the easiest, waaay easier than travelling with toddlers. It'll be a great holiday, just manage your expectations. You might not go outside of the hotel much, you might always be feeding your baby, you might have to spend a large part of the day in the air con but it will still be a lovely family break. We're taking DS (2.7) and the soon to arrive DC2 to the states when DC2 will be 3.5/4 months and I'm actually looking forward to it!

TangledUpInGin · 13/01/2015 20:33

I travelled to portugal when my ds was 14 weeks - it was fine! We ff and used bottled water boiled, and took the Milton steriliser bags which were awesome. Had a fab time and so will you

ch1134 · 13/01/2015 20:38

We went to gran canaria with a 4.5mo. It was great.

Bondy83 · 13/01/2015 21:04

Not all in fact it's a nice age to take them ie he/she will be in a good sleeping routine, you won't need to chase him/her around the pool and will be content in the pram etc. I took my ds1 tenerife at 4mth I kept to usual bedtime routine only I put him in the pram instead of the cot he fell asleep as we walked to a restaurant and ate and we came back and put him in the cot he never knew he'd been out. I'll be taking ds3 in June he'll be 12wk old.

Strokethefurrywall · 13/01/2015 21:19

I live in a hot country and had both babies here - you'll be fine. Babies are far easier to travel with than older toddlers.

If you're nursing just make sure you don't get dehydrated and let baby nurse as much as he/she needs. Keep them in the shade and other than that you're grand. If the water is warm or there is a baby pool you can take them in there, late summer the water should be pretty warm.

Original poster

Letmeeatcakecakecake · 13/01/2015 21:23

Thank you! My mind is out at rest!

Fingers crossed ill still be EBF at 4 months so will probs just have a baby stuck to my boob the whole time haha! And that's so true about no crawling or having to entertain! We're not planning on leaving the hotel to be honest!

Hazle, was breastfeeding ok out there? I know some parts of Turkey maybe quite prudish but I'm happy to obey any decency laws they may have, but just so I know in advance? I'm quite dark (mixed Arab/ Mediterranean) and the locals always assume I'm one of them when we go away, so don't want to be too offensive!

I'm imagining well go for a long lunch and to chill for a bit in the hotel room or by the indoor pool during the heat of the day! Mine and my DS's olive skin can handle it but my partners Irish skin can't!

OP posts:

CherryLips1980 · 13/01/2015 21:26

We went to Iceland and New York when DD was 5months old. Best holiday ever and far, far, far easier than London when she'd just turned a year old!

Have a great time

Annbag · 13/01/2015 21:28

This reply has been withdrawn

Withdrawn at the poster's request.

Iwillorderthefood · 13/01/2015 21:33

We went to Cyprus when DD3 was 10 weeks old. It was fabulous.very hot, we had a portable fan that we set up in her pram. We even managed to get her a routine sorted during the holiday, since we were eating at the same time each night and generally going to bed at a similar time.

So we returned nice and relaxed, with a baby that was more settled than we left!

Turquoisetamborine · 13/01/2015 21:49

We already had a holiday booked for turkey in May before I found out I was pregnant. As I'm now due in May we've changed the holiday to September in Mallorca in the hope it will be a bit cooler.
We have a seven yr old and the baby will be 4 months. We've booked a swim up room so the baby can rest in the room and we can still watch DS in the pool (and sunbathe on the balcony hopefully). I'll be breastfeeding so I'm not too worried about sorting formula but like you I'm nervous about doing it in another country in case people stare. I could FF in public but the thought of making up formula, sterilising etc in a foreign country which I've never had to do before, fills me with dread.
Good luck, I'm sure we are both worrying over nothing!

MrsTawdry · 13/01/2015 21:52

We took DD to Australia during their summer when she was 2 months old! of course you will be fine and he will too. Many babies live in hot climates.

Karoleann · 13/01/2015 21:54

I think it'll be too hot. Ds1 was born in 2006 (that really hot summer we had) and it just had him whingey. I'd post phone it til following year, ds will still love it.

Original poster

Letmeeatcakecakecake · 13/01/2015 22:01

Oh I didn't realise you could get portable fans to attach to a pram! What a great idea, the whirring sound will probably make the baby sleep too!

Turquoise a swim up room sounds amazing! How exciting! You'll be fine! We both will

Karoleann defiantly not cancelling! My mum was saying earlier that she took me to cyprus from July to September when I was a baby and as long a I was kept cool during the heat of the day I was fine!

OP posts:

Iwonderif · 13/01/2015 22:02

It will be scorchio but you'll just stay in the coolness of hotel/apartment. Locals in hot countries don't venture out when it's hot...it's the silly non locals that do things like that! I too believe the smaller they are it's easier. I once remember watching a mom with a young baby in Spain. She was on the lounger in the shade with baby in the buggy with one of those huge pram shades (that I ended up purchasing myself) baby fed and slept. She slept and read. I had a 16 month old who didn't sit still for toffee!!! Was mightily envious! needed a holiday on my return! HTH. Happy holiday xx

umiaisha · 13/01/2015 22:06

We have taken both of our DC to Dubai at 4 months old in August. They were absolutely fine and were no bother at all.

I am pregnant with DC3 (due Feb) and we are going again in July so hope the theme continues!

MtnBikeChick · 13/01/2015 22:11

Nope you are completely sane! We went to South Africa last year for winter sun... DS1 was 15 weeks and DS2 was 3.5. Most amazing holiday ever and best journey ever - they both slept all the way on both flights, and no jet lag. Bliss! Enjoy your hol!

HazleNutt · 14/01/2015 11:09

Hi OP, I didn't have any negative comments about breastfeeding. Of course, we mostly stayed in touristy areas as well, but I fed in several restaurants, or simply outside on a park bench, no problems.

HazleNutt · 14/01/2015 11:13

OH, just found a survey by Lansinoh - apparently 90% of Turkish mums are comfortable breastfeeding in public (compared to only 38% of UK ones), so I would guess it's not an issue for locals either.

Jackiebrambles · 14/01/2015 11:21

It sounds great OP. I'm expecting number 2 and had hoped to go away when he/she is 3 months, somewhere warm too!
We took DS to Barcelona when he was 3 months - was so easy. He was EBF so no worries about food or anything and he slept a lot.
I'm sure at a resort breastfeeding in public would be fine.

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