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UK travel

Welcome to our UK travel forum where you can get advice on everything from holidays to exotic destinations, to tips on London travel.

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Original poster

First trip with baby

19 replies

Babasaclover · 09/01/2017 19:39

Feeling like we need a break - baby is 8 months. Going to do uk as scared about amount of stuff needed to take abroad and also what do you do about nap times on the actual flight day?

Am I over complicating things? She only likes to go down in her cot, never in buggy etc so would she eventually fall asleep on plane or in airport or would it be a complete nightmare?

Also do I take a travel cot? Or would you trust the hotel ones? Maybe take own mesh breathable cot bumpers?

Do your babies settle as well in hotel cots or travel cots?

Advice please!!!

OP posts:

MinnowAndTheBear · 09/01/2017 19:47

There's no way I'd go on a plane with a baby. What a faff about for a holiday I wouldn't even enjoy.
There'll surely be others along to tell you how they went backpacking to China with their kids at that age and it was no problem.
I would probably take my own travel cot. I like UK holidays because you can "start" your holiday within a couple of hours of setting off, rather than it being a hugely stressful journey that you have to try to find ways to cope with.

Original poster

Babasaclover · 09/01/2017 19:50

It does seem like it would be hard work!!!!

What travel cot do you use? And does your baby settle in it as normal in cot at home?

OP posts:

Ilovecaindingle · 09/01/2017 19:52

Went to Milan with a baby by plane
Ireland by plane
France, Spain and Portugal - I drove.
Kids are adaptable and you will likely be surprised. You are over thinking things - it is your child - and you will be there!!

Lules · 09/01/2017 19:53

I've flown a fair amount with a baby as we have to see my ILs. Yes it's not fun but it's fine. I wouldn't worry about keeping to any kind of normal nap times on the day of the flight. It's just too weird a day for you and your DC. That may mean you end up with a very overtired baby but that doesn't matter for a day. I wouldn't bother taking a cot. You have enough to carry and hotel ones are fine.

Lules · 09/01/2017 19:56

And as to whether babies settle as well in travel cots, tbh prob not but it'll be ok. I just put my DS in our bed if he was really unsettled if you didn't mind doing that?

BendingSpoons · 09/01/2017 19:59

Don't think you'll need bumpers in a travel cot, they are softer sides. Unless you have a big car, a travel cot takes up a lot of space in your boot. Our DD doesn't settle particularly well at home so holiday isn't much different! Think about where you are staying. A hotel room means you are stuck there in the evening, unless you can keep your baby up/napping in the buggy. Self catered in UK weather can feel too much like home!

Absy · 09/01/2017 20:02

I've done quite a few trips with DS, including long haul and big time changes. He's generally been a rubbish sleeper, but actually improved on our last trip (weird kid). I'd recommend taking things like a blanket / you that your dc is familiar with. Sometimes he was fine sleeping in the travel cot, other times he ended up in our bed (which he does at home anyway so it was fine). Try to pick flights that are the same time as your dc's nap time / bedtime and then hopefully they'll sleep. Generally on flights DS just eats (boob and now snacks - he's 10 months) and sleeps pretty much. I've found that if we respected his routine somewhat he was more settled. Seeing him squeak with delight on the beach and meeting tons of family members (both DH and I have most of our family overseas) was totally worth it

Fitzsimmons · 09/01/2017 20:04

Been abroad a few times with mine. I have a Littlelife travel cot that packs down really small, it fits in a suitcase. I take that if I can't get one in a hotel etc. You just have to plan really well. I make a list about a week before for what I need and then I can add to it as I remember stuff. Flights are the easiest bit to be honest, especially at your little one's age, they will be happy to just be walked up and down the flight where they can look at everyone.

noramum · 09/01/2017 20:19

We flew as it is the only decent way to visit family, driving means 2 days in the car, very expensive and looooong. We went abroad for holidays, self-catering when she was 2.

We did a UK holiday when DD was 9 months, but not in a hotel, that would be - for us - hell on earth. We did self-catering, a lot easier as DD could sleep when she wanted, we had decent mealtimes, no being quite as we could sit downstairs and she slept peacefully in the cot provided.

We didn't cook a lot, ate out or had some fast cooking stuff like pasta. The house had a dishwasher and washing machine, cleaning was done when we departed. We only did hotel holiday when DD was 7.

cestlavielife · 09/01/2017 21:15

Why don't you try a short trip first to a premier Inn by the coast or city for a night then a weekend see how it goes and learn what works best for you. Or visit a relative or friend.
Then you can plan a longer trip.

Original poster

Babasaclover · 17/01/2017 21:38

Noramum self catering sounds great. Any recommendations for places to book through in uk that don't cost the earth?

OP posts:

mummymeister · 18/01/2017 11:40

if you are looking for uk self catering then I would always book direct because the cottage sites charge the owners around 20% and that price increase is passed on to you. what area are you thinking of and when?

Orangebird69 · 18/01/2017 11:48

I've flown with my ds 7 hours each way every 6 weeks or so since he was 6 weeks old. It's not so bad! An ipad with some baby apps, a couple of his favourite small toys, a few pouches/treats (I ebfd until 6mo and still bf now at 15mo which makes things easier). The white noise of the plane helps them sleep I find.

welshweasel · 18/01/2017 12:00

We started going away in the Uk when DS was 6 weeks old and went abroad from 3 months. He's now about to turn one and we have our first long haul in a couple of weeks, which I may live to regret. In the UK I'd recommend either self catering via air bnb, owners direct or similar. Or a family friendly hotel such as the luxury family hotel chain which has baby listening and crèche facilities. Don't go somewhere where you're going to be stuck in a hotel room in the dark all evening so the baby can sleep! I actually find going abroad easier, as the weather is normally more conducive to sitting on a balcony with a bottle of wine after the baby is asleep. Everywhere we have stayed has had a travel cot so no need to worry about that. We tend to take a cheap buggy and a car seat (free on almost all airlines) then hire a car at the other end at self cater. The last few holidays we've put DS to sleep in the pushchair at bedtime and gone out for dinner late but not sure if he'd do that now! Flights have always been fine, lots for them to look at and the vibration and noise seems to be sleep inducing. Why don't you try a short mini break first, somewhere with a short flight like Amsterdam or Paris? Book an apartment and then you have the option of cooking/getting takeaway if your baby is in bed.

ineedwine99 · 18/01/2017 12:01

Hi, we did the UK when baby was around 4 months, used the cottages travel cot, just took her sleepyhead, that was fine, taking her to the US in June when she'll be 10 months, again not taking travel cot, using hotel ones again with sleepyhead, won't be planning naps on the plane, will let her dictate that, once we land she can have cat naps then we'll try and get her to bed the same time as she does at home, though we fully expect a couple of tough nights.

mowgelijeffs · 18/01/2017 12:08

My son is 8 months old now. He was 5 weeks premature and he was away with us when he was 3 weeks old.
He's flown 16 times since he was born and he is never any hassle.
The only issue we have is he is noisy at night so we don't enjoy having him in our room if we are at a hotel (sometimes we put his cot in the bathroom) he doesn't seem to like being low down in a travel cot as his cot at home is a lot higher up.
Other then that he is fine. We bring his blankets from home and his bee thing that projects stars in the ceiling.
Oh and on the plane we usually feed him for take off and landing so it helps his ears. We were away with him last week and he didn't want his bottle but the dummy did help and he didn't cry.
Just make sure you bring plenty of milk stuff incase there is a delay.
Use the hotel travel cots, it will save you grief!
If you are hiring a car I would say to bring your own car seat- I hate the rental ones. They didn't have isofix for a newborn and the seats we borrowed before were filthy.

ineedwine99 · 18/01/2017 12:24

Thats very helpful to read mowgelijeffs as we were wondering what to do with her when she falls asleep and i did think bathroom. We're also taking her white noise projector and our car seat. Good to know you found a dummy helped in take off etc too incase she wont take a feed

mowgelijeffs · 18/01/2017 12:39

Ineedwine99 - great I am glad someone finds the tips useful!! We made Alex a bed in the shower last month in Dublin because he kept talking to himself no judging!!!

ineedwine99 · 18/01/2017 12:51

No judging at all, great idea

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