New York with a 4 month old?

[finallypregnant]

Yes, it would be fun?

or

Don't be so ridiculous!

Nothing booked yet and probably won't be booked but I want to see the lights at Christmas!

I think they say you can travel with baby at 4 months, but because it is a developmental stage it could interfere with things like sleeping patterns.

oooh, I didn't realise you couldn't when they were young! You learn something new everyday!

Who says you can't?? You can. It will interfere with sleeping patterns due to jet lag of course.

You just have to weight up pros and cons.

Pro's - enough said! NY at Christmas!

Con's - very early mornings
Which leads to very early evenings.

I would if I had the chance. It's easier if you are breastfeeding anf have found a ccomfortable sling to carry the baby in along busy NY streets.

It would be far easier with a four month old compared to a toddler who wants to run everywhere.

new york is fab and very child friendly. at 4 months you may want to keep him/her on 'uk' time patterns though and that should work. take a baby seat for the taxis though. we've just used the belleclaire hotel 250 west 77th street and they were really child friendly and in a good location.

But you may be a bit tired to enjoy it!!

I say go for it. Im sure the baby would love the lights, and jet thingame doesnt last that long does it? Have fun and enjoy urself! If i could afford it i would go in an instant!!!!

ska is right - New York is very child friendly.

I would second the sling advice - getting around on the subway will not be easy with a pram/buggy as there are few lifts or escalators.

It's a great place to be at Christmas and there is tons to do and it shouldn't be too cold then.

I guess it depends on what kind of parent you turn out to be and what kind of baby you have. I imagine for some parents/babies this would be too much but for others it would be great.

I don't think Christmas is an especially expensive time to visit, so perhaps you could wait until the baby is born before you book tickets. There again, it's probably a hard time to get accommodation, so that may be poor advice.

we got a great deal via expedia

You'll be fine. Your baby may wake a bit early mornings at the start of the holiday but will soon settle. We went to LA, Vegas and Palm Springs with our 5 month old and had a ball - actually they are far more portable to travel with that young than at 1-2 yrs. Like belgo says. And if you are breastfeeding it is so much easier, no steriliser bags, powder feeds, all that which is a pain on holiday.

Thank you ladies! All excited now. Yes, I will be breastfeeding which I hope goes really well and will definitely take a sling too.

PS the jetlag is harder coming back but who cares, you'll have had your holiday!

i was dreading the jet lag this time but tried to sleep on the plane (may be hard with baby) and then snoozed in the day when back. and felt ok.
btw you should breastfeed (or bottle feed if you don't bf) the baby on the way up and on landing. stops their ears hurting. or use a dummy. their ears can get eally painful and then they cry!!

Glad you're going for it - we took DS to NY for a wedding when he was 4 months and it was a dream. He actually slept better there than he has before or since . The sling was a godsend - subways are very much not designed for buggies.

A couple of things: if you fly BA, and book a sky cot thingy, don't be fobbed off with a strange bouncing chair type thingy. We got given one on the way out - no way was he going to sleep in that, so he slept on me instead. On the way back, they brought it and I said no thanks and they asked if I'd prefer a bassinet instead - not sure why they didn't offer that first as it was a much better bet.

Also, breastfeeding made life much easier, but I did get a couple of funny comments, which I've never had here, along the lines of "would you be more comfortable doing that in the restroom?". Errr...no. It didn't bother me, but if you're in any way selfconscious you might want to think about a shawl or something.

Also, make sure when you book a room you specify you'll need a travel cot and ask them to make sure the room is big enough - we were fine but our friends got to their room to find a travel cot in its bag and absolutely no floor space to put it up. NY hotel rooms are tiny.

Have fun. I'm really jealous!

We'll probably go with Continental as there is a direct flight from our local airport. Anything else would mean coming down through London which adds several hours onto the flight. Going to phone Continental tomorrow first to see what their policies are.

Thinking about getting a hotel/apartment type thing where we have a full kitchen which will help with laundry for the little one. It will also mean when little boy is sleeping, we can be in the living area without disturbing him - all that does however, depend on cost!

Thanks for all your great tips.

If I go with a sling, would you still take a car seat (silly question I suppouse for a cab from airport) and a pram (assuming he will still be in a pram at 4.5 months rather than the pushchair side of the travel system). Sorry for silly question - he's our first!

i would take a car seat as cabs dont have them and the usa type are strange (to me anyway) and didnt feel very safe (I know thats daft but ynwim). you should book a car from the airport or prebook a cab - much cheaper. in the usa people are a bit old fashioned and you may get asked to go to the restroom. i'd suggest brazening it out of you can! hotel rooms - try woogo or any chain but also i looked in the telegraph travel pages online for recommendations. hotels are really good (tho small) as they will do all sorts of things for you and you may get a better rest. there are plenty of laundrettes around/hotel services. use delis for food - a great choice and no hotel (maybe teh plaza) minds you bringing in takeout - very usual. delis are good value (take plastic cutlery/plates in hold luggage) and fun! diners are also good and the food much better than you'd think. and try some of the cuban (or dominican replublic) chinese hybrids - they love kids!!!

The "strange bouncing chair thingy" on BA is actually absolutely fantastic for an older child - my daughter slept soundly back from Antigua at 11mo and still (barely) fitted in it at 21 months on the way back from the US last week! But the skycot is definitely a better option for a 4 month old. I have never flown with Continental but you've got to request a bulkhead with bassinet attached so the baby can nap comfortably. But not usually a problem.

I took mine to new york at 8 months and it was fine.

Breastfeeding stops the babas ears popping so try and do this during take off and landing. I did book child thier own seat tho'

I flew with an american airline and the air hostess's (are they still called this?) were brilliant. They took baby off my hands and carried her around aircraft.

I stayed in a flat rental in Greenwich Village, cheaper than a hotel and much better as you can put child to bed and then go into another room to relax, not have to be dead quite all in the same room, plus New York take aways are BRILLIANT.

My only gripe was that changing babies nappy was difficult for the dad as all baby change areas are in ladies loos?!?!?

Oooooooo and the baby clothes are adorable and that massive toy shop was GREAT.

Amazingly got upgraded to Business class (only time this has ever happened!!) on way back and my 8 month old had her own seat!!! Ha! how funny. We were looking particulary like white trash that day so god know what the rest of the customers thought (probably thought we were lottery winners!!!)

All said NYC is great to take babies.....