Booked holiday abroad for 6 weeks after birth - am I mad?

[TigerJoy]

I'm having a c section, logic was I'd be able to swim. Get some autumn sun in October.

We're going to DH's place of birth in Italy, so it won't be too hot or a long flight. I'd like his family and friends to meet the baby.

But now I'm wondering- can the baby sleep in a hotel cot which probably has an old mattress? Or should we bring our own travel cot? And our own car seat if we decide not to rent a car?

This is our first, we don't have a clue. I know I have a lot of time to plan, I'm just wondering what we should consider.

It's a cancellable flight in case we're struggling too much to travel or baby/I am not doing so well after birth.

We took our baby on a similar flight to meet relatives at 5 weeks. We had a travel bassinet. It was fine!

I would be most worried about getting the baby's birth certificate and then passport in time to travel.

I should think it would be fine but I am basing that solely on my parents doing the same with me at 6 weeks old back in the 80s. A country similar to Italy with just a slightly longer flight time.
I guess it would all depend on how easy your birth/recovery is.

Do you mean something like this?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Beberoad-Portable-Bassinet-Foldable-Toddlers/dp/B094MTRT2K/ref=sr_1_1?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.nYWINSTLJLYdVcm48qjcdApHxI4E_f2HOO2bY50RPDrg9gpVgfWwRAg1vX7oqp2KglLpSiDTeTyJS4w_Wqht3hhPwPswCSpzpbuHM8tGqH-b3IjKVEmVfDUJ-fv-P6ousfDOJWFB-WUslxHWZTlwtdKbn-huPOCQZ5FPTBUI69o1cNu1GwJbOTaclmA6dJRvMnNkRD-D6pWuFAakJUYRe6gry1VRJY_r8d3u08xKdCpepLYrBvFE9Rj8v9mBcqG9BhQazK_7CKu_1riDwAapuPrjrEhHLYR4CHwKk5OVlYs.aPANGmsPd_T4eRMJYMUIC_w05un4P4CpF0HT3_rFSx4&dib_tag=se&keywords=travel+bassinet+for+babies&qid=1707869247&sr=8-1-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&psc=1

I've just thought of another thing - what about being on a plane and exposed to loads of potential bugs? I'm hoping to breast feed but obviously things don't always go according to plan...

I had a C-section (after failed labour) and recovered really well, was up walking about after 36 hours keen to get home etc. definitely wouldn't have been able to swim after only 6 weeks though! Don't underestimate how much you can bleed vaginally after birth, even after a C-section. I'm pretty sure I was still wearing granny knickers and maternity pads until at least a month after birth. My legs were also like stuffed sausages with retained fluid (despite wearing the lovely surgical stockings). Oh, and you need those anti blood clot injections for a time after (can't remember how long now, a week, two?).

Definitely yes to your own car seat and new mattress for baby.

I'm starting the blood thinners in week 28!

Everything you're describing (except the bleeding) makes swimming sound amazing. Even if I'm just bobbing up and down inthe pool/ kicking against the side.

Would you buy and take a new mattress for the hotel cot? We wouldn't be able to buy anything out there

OP you can't go swimming at six weeks if you're still bleeding. And many women still are.

And your wound might not have healed.

You might also be too exhausted with the baby not sleeping much to enjoy a holiday so soon after your delivery.

Buying and taking a matress isn’t that easy, it must fit the hotel cot exactly with no gals down the side. You would need the exact measurements of the cot.

they will surly provide a travel cot in the hotel, in which case no mattress is needed.

I was still bleeding at 6 weeks so couldn’t have gone swimming, however travel with a baby is fine. Italy will be lovely and you can buy nappies etc there.

I would take a push chair with the car seat and pram attachments. They would then sleep in the pram and obviously you need the car seat for cars/taxis

I was still in loads of pain 6 weeks after my sections.

Not a chance I could have managed a flight or getting in an out of a swimming pool

Getting a passport turned around in 6 weeks for baby will be stressful.

I think it would be fine, especially if you’re staying with family who you get on with. The only fly in the ointment is that’s not really a whole pile of time to be getting a birth cert plus first passport sorted. I would be worried about that in your shoes to be honest, especially as September is usually a busy month for births so you might not get a registrar appointment straight away.

I was definitely was still bleeding (albeit lightly) six weeks PP after both my sections, and you’re not meant to use tampons with postnatal bleeding due to the infection risk.

Actually I'd forgotten the pain you might still be in after your operation.

You need to think of all these possibilities. I was definitely still in pain at six weeks.

I can remember going for a walk and needing to get home because of pain at about this stage.

I wasn’t allowed a bath for six weeks. Caveat, I’m in Canada and the rules here might be different.

I echo a PP - passport in time? And does baby need vaccinations?

Hi op, there are so many variables here. I’d say it’s impossible to predict. I planned a tiny birthday celebration for myself 6 weeks after my first baby. I developed mastitis the night before and spent the whole day struggling to bf and crying. That said, I know people who were out and feeling great at 6 weeks post partum.

Variables to consider: breastfeeding can take a lot of time, assistance and trial and error to get going. I’d say 6 weeks minimum. I personally had lots of support from breastfeeding counsellors, midwives etc. My babies also had tongue ties that needed intervention. Less to worry about if you’re thinking formula…but you mention bf.

Recovery might take a while. And your mental well-being can be affected by hormones/huge life shift.

Not all babies are chilled out - some scream and it’s hard being away with them.

BUT it could all be a breeze and your baby is cool, and a great holiday. Maybe play it by ear and cancel close to the time if you need to?

I think starting out with very low expectations- of yourself, your partner and your baby, is often the best advice. If you don’t go away at 6 weeeks pp, could you arrange for a few months later?

good luck

I took my son transatlantic at 6 weeks, but I didn’t have a c section.

It was easy to travel with him, but I was going to family so they had all the equipment i needed except car seat.

Yes I agree

Took us ages to get an appointment for both DC to have even the birth certificate done

Then running around getting a passport photos, friend to sign etc...really there will be far more things taking up your time!

So this may be the determining factor, regardless as to whether you feel amazing/back to normal at 6 weeks post partum

You might struggle to get a passport in time depending on the waiting times for birth registration. You need the certificate to apply for the passport.

You will need a small travel cot or bassinet for the baby, it probably won’t like a big travel cot at that age and definitely yes to a new mattress, waterproof cover and a sheet. If travelling by car there you’ll need a suitable car seat too. Also be aware that at 6 weeks you’ll still be having health visitor and gp appointments, even if the baby And yourself has no issues, and the baby won’t have had its jabs yet.

I would have definitely not been up for a holiday abroad 6 weeks after my planned c-section. We’d only just got the hang of breastfeeding, we were absolutely exhausted!

Our dc is 12 weeks old, the delays in appointments for a birth certificate meant dc wasn’t registered until 10 weeks!

You’re also looking at getting signed off at 6-8 week mark from the gp, vaccinations around then too. With dc1 we went on holiday around the 12 week mark and it was very easy. He’d had all his vaccinations, physically I’d recovered from the c section etc.

I think 6 weeks is a bit too soon for a number of reasons - clot risk on flight, getting baby's passport, you might still be bleeding, you don't know if baby could be poorly when born and be in hospital for a week or two, they won't have had all their vaccinations, bugs on flight. Personally I'd leave it until after their injections, feels a bit safer and also less stressful!

You could be lucky and have a baby who sleeps really well and is quite easy, but there Is no way we could have gone at this stage tbh unless we had another family member with us to help. Our l.o. didn’t really sleep at this age and was a really clingy baby - wanted to be velcroed to someone 24:7. I was also still exhausted from giving birth and very sleep deprived.

I still miss holidays pre baby as with clingy babies there is no lying in, hard to have a meal out, no late nights, couldn’t just lie by the pool, plus with ours being so colicky also hard to go and do sightseeing.

When I say colicky just to clarify he cried all the time.

I can't think of anything worse than travelling 6 weeks postpartum. But then everyone heals differently and some people just get on with it straight away!
I still wanted to be in a newborn bubble at home😂

Can you even bring a car seat on a flight?! It's pretty big and bulky.

Would a ferry be an option?

Honestly please consider rebooking to when baby is 8-10 weeks. You’ll feel a million times better, less stress about getting passport in time, you can even get first vaccinations in before you go (done at 8 weeks).

your baby will need a passport.
for one of my dc we only were able to get the birth certificate after 3 weeks.
plus then the passport application which took another 3...