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.

I don't want to sound like a downer but:

1. it took us 2 months to get an appt to register her birth
2. 9 weeks to stop bleeding and therefore be allowed to swim
3. she was a massive screamer at 6wks, approx 4 hours per evening and then sometimes again at 2-5am...

I bled for 9 weeks after a CS even, fairly heavily too as I remember needing to get those huge maternity pads. I wasn’t ready to go abroad after six weeks but I had a fussy baby. Many do go though of course!

Loads of people will say ‘it’s fine!’ because it’s quite trendy to appear like a five star coper, but in reality loads can still be dragging on at 6 weeks which would make travelling feel slightly dodgy. Feeding or weight gain issues, if you have an infection after birth you still might not be feeling quite yourself, baby will either have just had their first set of jabs or won’t have had them yet - my youngest needed a hospital trip after his jabs because he developed a temperature and non blanching rash. He was totally fine but reactions aren’t uncommon. 3 months would be a much better time.

Why don't you just wait until the baby is here and you have a passport to book? It would make things a lot easier. If you don't have older kids in school, you can go at any time.

I'd say - if you have to book ahead - that there's more confidence in being able to enjoy a holiday 6 months post partum than three. At 6 months, your baby is unlikely to be crawling or cruising, which is much easier for travelling!

My daughter had jaundice and was in an out hospital for check ups at 6 weeks.

I love holidays and took mine at 5 months but I wouldn't have been up for it at 6 weeks. I was still trying to figure stuff out and definitely didn't feel like getting in a swimsuit post C section. I had a velcro baby who wouldnt be put down too.

I wouldn't have trusted a hotel cot either for a newborn. If you do go, I'd make sure you take your own. What if its dirty, old, not safe?

3 months would be easier for sure. They still sleep a lot and need less entertainment.

Some people do but it all depends on your recovery and how your baby is. None of those can be planned in advance. I made an excellent recovery from.my caesareans but wouldn't have been able to swim at 6 weeks. I was also bleeding and I don't think it's advised to swim until bleeding has stopped? Also the logistics of passport, birth certificate. If all you're doing is booking flights you can cancel, there is no harm but I would possibly wait until 12 weeks. Don't underestimate how birth and New parenthood can hit you. You may want more space and flexibility and feeling that family are expecting you and your baby so soon.

We were so gutted to have to decline a wedding invitation when our DC was 2months old. She had a couple of really good days before it of course 🙄 and we were quite regretful but, sure enough, the day of the wedding she did a huge poop up her vest and outfit at the time of the ceremony (when we had been going “Ah we should be there now”) and had colic for HOURS that afternoon and evening. It was awful but we were actually grateful she confirmed we made the right decision.

But like I said she also had great days leading up to it. You just never know.

Congratulations with your pregnancy!

If anyone has strong opinions on whether 3 or 6 months is best, do say!

So baby is due Aug/Sept? Three months would be Nov/Dec, which is a damp time in Italy, plus winter bugs are starting to appear. I probably wouldn't choose to travel to Italy at that time of year. Six months will be Feb/Mar, which is still winter, but a six-month old is a bit more robust, has had more vaccinations and it should be a bit warmer. Not swimming weather, but depending on where in Italy you're doing it might be a bit spring-like by then. If it has to be one or other, I'd choose six months. Or wait until sometime in the spring - that would be ideal.

Definitely think 3 months would be easier. They sleep more and don't have a set nap schedule yet for you to work around, no teething, no weaning, need to be entertained less.

Just to add, make sure it's after the 12 week jabs though, so baby will have had the majority of their vaccinations.

Really depends on how your recovery, feeding, sleep pattern goes. We drive 2 hours up north at age 6 weeks and had a really nice getaway - however DS was already sleeping through (unicorn baby) and we had the car FILLED with baby supplies. It was still a big upheaval but once you are settled in your destination it can be enjoyable.

We formula fed, when we went abroad when DS was 5 months we ordered loads of formula to pick up at the airport for departure but actually not necessary as formula is sold abroad (albeit at a significantly higher price) it would have saved a lot of luggage.

In Spain the taxi company idea of a car seat was basically a booster seat for a 10 year old so I'd recommend taking your car seat. Really easy to check a buggy on on flight, we used sling in airport but you can also take buggy up to departure gate then hand it over for storage.

We booked the birth registry appointment as soon as baby was born, the first available date was in about 4 weeks. So it would have made it tricky to get a passport within 6 weeks with no birth certificate till week 4. I’d wait a fee weeks more if you can.

I'd wait and book something last minute nearer the time 😊

It might be fine and you might have a really chilled baby, but mine cried constantly 🙈 6 months would absolutely have been the earliest we could have taken her.

I think it would be lovely to get away! Personally I'd wait until after the 8 week mark so baby has had their jabs, especially given there's measles floating around at the moment. Also the passport could be hard to get in time - I had a 4 week wait to be able to register my first baby, then a 2 week wait until i could do a fast track passport in Liverpool. And a one week wait for it to arrive. Might be a bit tight!

Agree with people that obtaining the birth certificate and passport in that time frame may be stressful.

We have travelled a lot with our toddler. At six weeks our baby was still co sleeping occasionally napping in her bassinet. She hates a cot sized space. I would also take into account weather. We were in Italy in late September but there was a heat wave and it was truly awful. Baby was 4 months at time and was sticking to sheets me and had a heat rash and could barely sleep due to heat then up breastfeeding even more than usual as it was so hot. The. I was so exhausted during day I couldn't do anything. It was the worst part of my first year with baby.

We bought a huge bag case that could fit the car seat and clothes around so we're only travelling with one big case. But if visiting family they may know someone who has a car seat you could borrow?

It's definitely do able but I would you do it a little bit later. Maybe after vaccinations?

I'd personally go 6 months so your almost out of cold and flu season and baby is a little more robust to germs

6 weeks is silly IMO. I had a relatively straightforward recovery from my caesarean and would have found this too tough plus baby has had no jabs. Don't underestimate how absolutely knackered you will likely feel. I'd leave it till 10-12 weeks minimum by which point baby will at least have had first set of jabs, you'll be feeling less knackered and hopefully if BF that will have been established. And baby will hopefully be sleeping for slightly longer stretches.

I wouldn't. I wanted to be near the GP / shops / home when I had my two.

Sorry OP I missed your update. I think either 3 or 6 months would be great. Both have their advantages. At 6 months my baby sleeps better and gets a lot out of a new environment and meeting people so in that way it would be better. Weaning isn't a huge deal at 6 months as they only need food once a day at that stage so could be done abroad without much hassle. On the other hand if the trip is to meet family it's nice for them to meet baby while he or she is still very small, and 3 months would have been fine too.

For us the hardest part was the first 8 weeks and then it got steadily better after that.

Can be done in days if you're organised. Ds had his own passport by the time he was a week old.

OP there are too many variables. you may be ok, you may not be. personally I wouldn't reccommend it. I think there are also guidelines on newborns flying. they have very fragile ear drums which can be damaged by the pressure changes...
I would wait for at least 12 weeks before travelling...

I had a c section with my second and was still bleeding at six weeks, wound also reopened early on so didn’t properly heal until maybe around eight weeks. That’s not to say don’t go, just manage your expectations around swimming! Travelling with a newborn is easy enough though, much easier than when they’re moving and on solids. Good luck!

Oh sorry just seen your update, you’ll have a much more relaxing time of it at three months compared to six months!