Considerations for holiday locations with approx 6 month old baby

[MuddyWellyNelly]

Expecting first baby. Am determined we will have a travelling one. Haha! As I will be off work anyway, we were thinking about a long-haul holiday around about the 6 month mark. I'm ok with the flying aspect, but never having had a child, not sure what else I need to consider.

My thoughts are - baby won't be mobile, so worries about falling into the pool or off the balcony are unnecessary. Unless, I guess they could be crawling by that point? It's early, but is it unheard of? .

We are looking ideally for a resort based self catering condo, with a separate bedroom so baby can go down at night, DH and I can cook a meal, enjoy a sundowner, and sit on the balcony/patio and enjoy some time together. Haha again! But you've got to be positive.

Heat - by 6 months baby can regulate own temps and wear sunscreen? So with a sun tent and careful precautions should be able to spend some time outdoors each day, but obviously not long. Child friendly insect repellant is available I know, is there a minimum age?

Vaccinations - would probably choose somewhere that nothing unusual is needed.

Food - would be easier if not weaned but can bring stuff with us I guess.

Daylight - hot winter locations tend to get dark early so sleep shouldn't be too bad.

Jet lag - would it be better to go for one week or two? Say with a 5 hour time difference?

Basically, I started searching things about child friendly locations but it was all about activities and kids clubs and a toddler pool. All these things will matter to us in time, but when baby is tiny what is imperative, and what doesn't matter?

Should have said - not due until July but will get more choice and better flight options if book early.

Also not sure this is the right place to post, but not brave enough to go into the parenting forums yet!

I came on to say - go before you wean! So so much easier to breastfeed while travelling and staying in a foreign country rather than have to worry about food.

Personally, I would also think about medical facilities/standards when travelling with a little child. The can get really sick very quickly, so the remote places we used to go to are now off my list until all kiddicare bigger.

Child friendly is still good, even if you don't use many of the facilities. You will want to feel welcomed and not out of place for bringing a small person. Second the weaning advice. I found it far easier travelling when mine was 3 months than 6. They sleep easily on you or in a pram, only need milk, don't really need toys or entertaining. But they really don't like hot weather at that age.

So you're looking at dec jan?
We went to khao lak in Thailand this christmas and I was completely blown away! I've lived and travelled a fair bit in Asia and it was definitely 'lite' but in a good way. No sexist hassle, food exciting not challenging, weather beautiful and hot, not oppressively humid etc.
You can fly direct to Phuket- I think in the past you've had to fly to Bangkok and change and I'd definitely try and fly direct with a baby.

'Just about anywhere'. At six months old (presuming you will be still breastfeeding) they are pretty much luggage. Enjoy.

Paris, Singapore and Australia where all I managed on maternity leave but you can probably do much more.

The only places I would not consider would be anywhere malarial.

Having been a fellow passenger on a long haul with 10 hours of someone else's screaming baby I would say for the love of god go short haul!

Although give me a free ticket to the Caribbean this winter and see how strong my principles are

So your travelling around November time?

Maybe the Maldives? Quiet islands, sandy beaches, fully catered. Just get a samsonite pop up travel cot (small), and can stand in shade on beach and baby sleep/ play inside. Can use in hotel for sleep

Personally I wouldn't go self catering. It's a pain lugging baby around to shops for food at particular times, especially if they close for siesta time. Far easier to eat in restaurants. Baby can eat too or have milk, and often asleep.

I've travelled with all four of mine and will be going away in May with my youngest who will be 8 months by then. I would say if you can go before weaning it's a million times easier also I would say when you get on the flight expect the worst and then a thing is a bonus.
I've only had one really bad flight and that was with two of them coming back from Mallorca and they both screamed all the way through the descent but to be fair everyone sat around us said don't worry we've all been there so didn't feel quite so bad!
Lots of long haul airlines have sky cots they are limited but it might be worth looking into. My six months they're quite heavy and it would be nice to have somewhere to put him/her down. Saying that I'm not sure upto what age they can go in the cots s/he might be too big.

Thanks all. I think January time. Definitely not going short haul in January . Though if it has to be pre-weaning then might need to make that a bit earlier. Due end of July, so 6 months takes me to end of Jan. Need to avoid Christmas for cost though.

I like the idea of the baby being just about luggage too! You did pretty well to get to Australia Purple - did you do it in one go or stop in Singapore on way/back?

Interesting about not S/C. I think it was more about the apartment set up. For instance I used to work overseas for a resort that had condos right on the beach, pool too, separate bedroom, but had a restaurant and beach bar if needed. It's more for ease and facilities than cooking itself.

Seriouslyffs - we went to Thailand about 5 years ago and they were so child friendly, staff in resorts we stayed in doted on the babies there. One couple even left their c.1yo with the resort whilst they went on a snorkel trip all day. Not sure I'd have been so brave.

Worry, yes that'll be me with the annoying child . But to be honest, it's usually the parents going "shhhhh, ssshhhhh" that bothers me way more than the noise a baby makes. And I remember on one flight a mother wearing a very short skirt and flashing her knickers every time she bent down to attend to the child rattling toys and tapping the bulkhead in front of her, for hours at a time. This was definitely worse than the limited noise her child was making! Anyway, I'll annoy someone no doubt, but I can live with it.

Medical facilities a good shout, and good insurance too I guess!

I'd look at 3-4 months rather than 6 if you can. Travel is much easier before weaning (esp if you are breastfeeding). At this age, you're over the newborn stage, baby is fine in the water if you want to try swimming, but is not yet mobile. My 6 month old was very mobile as in she could quickly roll / drag herself across the room and she started properly crawling just before 7 months. Babies close to crawling often get frustrated and don't like being held, so the flight might be a nightmare. Also, the lighter they are, the easier they are to carry in a sling / BabyBjorn type carrier.

But they aren't very adaptable to heat at that age, are they? I completely see what you mean about the frustrated pre-crawler though!

We did Australia when DS was 6 months and it was really easy - much easier than the more recent trips!

He loved it, we loved it.

Muddy - mine were both fine in diff heats tbh. At 6 weeks ds2 came with us to Vietnam for 2 months, was very hot. Ds1 was with us in the Alps in ski season at 10weeks in minus temperatures.
You just take the temperature into consideration. Warm woolen clothes, warm sheepskin lined footmuffs in winter, and in summer extra milk feeds when small, keep out of direct heat, try and head inside/ in shade during midday heat ( most things what adults should do anyway!)

Pack 3/4 less than what you think. Put everything on bed first, then take away loads. You really don't need that much. Pack less as adults also. With children you have baby to carry/ toddler hands to hold so less luggage the better.

Thanks Artandco. Caribbean in January is pleasantly warm rather than oppressively hot and humid so hopefully would be ok. Oooh now ski season, hmmm maybe a November hot holiday and a January cold one .

DD was born in July 2013 and we took her to Dubai in February 2014, so 7.5 months. She had started weaning but was still bf in between too. We took pouch food for lunch/dinner and she ate breakfast from the hotel buffet. She bf more there than she did at home before/after, definitely her way of adapting to the heat, and bf made it easy to comfort her on the flight. Only 4 hours time difference which was manageable, she seemed to adjust by an hour a day so by the end she was asleep in her buggy while we ate out at night. She charmed everyone in the hotel and had a great time in the pool.

A much easier trip than Portugal 3 months later when she was desperate to crawl round the plane!

The first trip I stopped in Singapore on the way to Aus as I had no idea how I'd be with the flight. The second trip I just hammered through.

Grab a round the world ticket and go (especially if you have an other half to make it easier). I was on my own.

Friends did a round the world year off with their first one, staying a month or two in self catering along the way.

I'll be trying a lighter version of that with a six month old and a toddler in Dec/Jan lol

p.s. The two month old passport photo is about the cutest thing I've ever seen :-)

How about St lucia or Antigua? You get the good weather (and it's not too hot) , warm sea, direct flights from Heathrow or gatwick, and a lot of the resorts are family friendly and they differ quite a bit so you can find one that's a bit more in tune with having a smaller baby.

If you wanted to go a bit more adventurous I'd suggest Costa Rica (as its my favorite place!) great weather then, fantastic food, you can do a resort but stay in a condo on it, the medical care is great as they cater to a lot of Americans. The only bummer is I don't think you can get direct flights from the UK, I think you have to go via Spain or Portugal.

On a sort of related note, what are peoples' recommendations for travel costs etc? We'll probably be staying with my parents for a few day early next year with a 5 mo and they have no baby stuff there. We'll be flying in so am trying to figure out what we could / should take with us and what I might buy to have / store there in terms of a crib / cot etc as a first time mum I have no idea where to start!

I've been to both Antigua and Costa Rica before, so would rather somewhere different- St Lucia is one of the options I've looked at, also St Kitts. Not too bothered about indirect flights though, so long as it's on a One World alliance airline.

We did Australia with DS when he was about 9 months and it was fine. I was still BF so every time he so much as whimpered on the plane I just discreetly stuffed a boob in his mouth. We were staying with family but even out and about food wasn't a problem - bread, bananas, bits of whatever we were eating. More hassle last time we went with him as a 4 year old tbh.

We took our 4mo to Gran Canaria in June and it was great.

By 6 months he was crawling! But hardly eating. But the crawling wouldn't have bothered me.

We had been planning to go to New York, but after 4 months of broken sleep, we couldn't bear the thought of jetlag setting us back in terms of sleep. No time difference with the Canaries!

My sister took her 5mo to Oz and had a nightmare with the sleeping, so worth considering.