Uk short break with new born

[Firesidetreats1]

Just looking for some advice on taking a new born away for the weekend. I’m due 1st July and it’s my partners 30th at the end of August. I was thinking of booking something as a surprise but maybe in September when baby will be few weeks older and prices have gone down from the summer. Has anyone got any advice or gone away for the weekend with a new born. I’m a FTM, I think I’m going to wait closer to the time to book anywhere just looking at the moment.

It entirely depends on how you feel after the birth and how easy your baby is.

I wouldn't book anything until after the birth but it's not necessarily a bad idea.

We didn't take a holiday but took newborns and stayed at my parents and we spent a week in the lake district when dd was a baby (a few months older than yours will be though), did loads of walking with dd in a baby carrier. Never had any problems with either of mine and they are still excellent travellers now (13 and 8).

I would be inclined to rent a cottage or similar rather than a hotel though with a view to eating out (both mine were incredibly portable as babies and slept through many a restaurant dinner), somewhere with a nice town / places to visit.

That way if baby is unsettled by the change or you find it too much you can adapt your plans without too much trouble.

We done a weekend in the Lakes at around 8 weeks. A nice quiet b&b. Baby was portable!
Exclusively BFing made it easier as we had less stuff to cart around, but it is doable.

Do wait and book though, then you're not stressing beforehand on the rubbish days!

I'd go for a cottage where you have amenities.. like a washing machine! My daughter was easy and we went out to the pub for lunch etc, dog walks with her in a sling, but if she was having a sicky day she could go through 3 or 4 sets of clothes plus bedding and whatever I was wearing that got dirty, I wouldn't want to leave it in a suitcase!!

Definitely go for a cottage / apartment rather than a hotel or bnb.

We booked a gorgeous tiny cottage in Rye - town centre but close to beach - when DS was about 10 weeks it was lovely but I definitely needed all the home comforts eg bath, kitchen, microwave etc.

Make sure there's pubs / restaurants in walking distance- DS slept in his carry cot through some very lovely meals out.

I'm due early June and it's my 30th start of August. My friend said to me, if I can give you any advice, do not book anything until a week or two before because you just do not know how you'll feel. You don't know if baby will come early and spend weeks in NICU, you don't know if you'll have a c section, you don't know if you'll suffer from PND, you don't know if baby will have you awake all hours of the night and therefore travelling will be the last thing you want/need.

So we are going to hold off and do exactly that. Review the situation a week or two before my birthday and if we fancy a trip (with the steriliser, Moses basket, etc all in tow), we'll find somewhere but if not, we'll just have some nice meals out.

We had a couple of nights in a pub in Shropshire when DS1 was 8 weeks old, having already trialled a weekend staying with my parents when he was 4 weeks old. So yes, it's doable, but TokenGinger's recommendation is sound, as is booking for September.