How long should we wait until taking the wee one on a trip?

[loopielou]

Hi, Im just wondering if anyone has been advised on a time that it is safe to go away for a long weekend trip with your baby? Im guessing that it will when we feel up to it.

xx

I am not sure when it is advised, but we went away for 5 days,when my dd was 8 days old.We went a 5hr journey each way by car and it all was very simple really.HTH

Absolutely when you feel up to it! I found it really hard with DS1, I definitely couldn't have coped with more than day trips until he was a couple of months old. With DS2 though we went to France for the week with my parents when he was 6 weeks. With No3, DD, we were off to Cyprus for a big family wedding when she was 5 months

There's no rule tbh, but I would say if this is your first, to wait until after you've had them before making any plans.

There are no guidelines so it is whenever you feel upto it - however, if it is your first, maybe wait until they are born and you know how you feel about it.

It took me nearly 2 weeks to pluck up the courage to go to the supermarket with DS

However, in hindsight, it is so much easier when they are so young.

Agree whenever you feel like it. It's actually easier when they're younger as they sleep so much.

With DS we intended to take him to San Francisco when he was 3 weeks - tickets booked, passport organised, hire company contacted for various baby things, hire car and hotel booked. Then I got rushed back into hospital and we had to cancel.

We went on a long w/e to a hotel when DS was 2.5 weeks, and Greece when he was 9 weeks. But didn't book either until after he was born. You don't know how you'll feel about it all, or if feeding will be easy, how tired you will be , how emotionally upside-down etc.

If you are thinking of abroad, you have to have a passport for a newborn - it can take 2 weeks to get an appointment to register the birth and get a birth certificate, and then the passport application process.

Thanks for all the reply. We haven't booked anything and wont do until we both feel ready to take the plunge!!! I was just wondering how long everyone else waited!

Thanks everyone x

We did take DS to Egypt when he was 9 weeks and it was wonderful. Very relaxing and allowed DP to do some real bonding as he had to go back to work quite soon after DS's birth.

We took DD to Spain for 2 weeks when she was 8 weeks old, we had a really easy time because she was so little.

Just go with how you feel.

Weve booked a holiday abroad 6 wks after due date (only spain) with my very experienced mum, we want to get straight out there and get used to being out and about with little one, plus it will be a nice break for us. my sil wont go on holiday til hers are both out of nappies and im sorry but sod that. babies should fit into your world and fresh air, sunshine, different surroundings etc are surely beneficial in not having a clicky clingy baby????!!!xxx

You're brave.....what about if the baby's late? You still have to get a passport y'know! The holiday we had when DS2 was 6 weeks should have been when he was 8 weeks, but he was hugely overdue, and it was a minor panic getting the PP through on time.

community midwife told me if you can wait, should be 4 weeks. at that point their immune systems are a bit more developed and can handle lots of public spaces/travel/etc.