Travel with 2.5 week old twins

TheBachelorette

I come from a very small family.  Beside my immediate family (DH, sister and father), my cousin Sheila and her immediate family are the only family that I have left on my Mom's side.  Sheila and I are very close.  My c-section date was just scheduled for April 27.  Sheila's son is being Bar Mitzvah (big 13th birthday/coming of age in the Jewish religion) on May 14.  We live approximately 6 hours away from Sheila.  I really want to be there as it is such a special occasion. But as a first time mom, I don't know that it is really feasable.  Is this doable or am I crazy for even thinking that we might be able to go? 

2brides

Travelling with the kids probably won't be the issue - it will be if you feel up to sitting in the car for two 6 hour stretches of time (well, more - since you'll have to stop a few times en route for feedings/changes.) However, some kids HATE their carseats and scream the entire time they are in the car. Others don't care one if they are in a car. You won't know this till they are born.

People will say that you shouldn't have them out in public, but my opinion is that if you have them in slings/carriers facing in and people aren't touching them, you are fine.

Temp159135562506975

you will be crazy exhausted and still in some pain from your c/s - i would not want to go.... plus the risk of getting them sick.

I'm all about getting out of the house with newborns- but NOT all about having a big group of people wanting to hold them, etc- which will happen at a family event like that....  my one son got meningitis after his baptism, and the other got RSV after Christmas - all family events.... so it makes me nervous - even in the spring...  It's fine to go out- shopping, out to eat, etc- but big groups of people who want to touch/hold = dangerous IMO.

 

amanda31H

There's no way IN HELL that I would have been able to travel 6 hours and be away from home 2.5 weeks out.

The babies would have been fine, but I was a mess.  Being a new mom, I needed to be home getting used to my new life.

Do you have to decide now? 

Lilystar82

There is no way I would have been able to leave my house for a 6 hour drive 2.5 weeks after my csection. My twins were still in the NICU then, but even the 15 minute drive back and forth from my house to the hospital was brutal. You could feel every bump in the road and your body tenses up.

I also agree with Goldie. I wouldn't want to expose my babies to everyone quite yet. It's hard for people not to to want to hold them, and kiss them, and cuddle them. And that could be a recipe for them getting sick. Thats just my opinon.

katsblaze

I didn't have a c-section, but my boys were a little early.  Our Pedi advised us not to go out for at least 6 weeks in public with them.  I agree with PP who said that having them at the family event like that is the only thing I would be worried about.  Don't get me wrong, I want my kids exposed to germs and what not, but at that young, I wouldn't want a bunch of people holding them and oooh and ahhhing with their hands all over them.

tSquared1987

I wouldn't risk exposing them to such a large group of people that early on. The last thing you want to do when recovering from your csection is take care of sick babies.

And I agree with PP's on traveling. My boys were an hour away in the NICU and that drive every other day was absolutely brutal. I recovered very well from my csection, but every single bump in the road is just torture. It's not fun, trust me.

I just took our boys on a road trip four hours away to my grandparents. Needless to say, it was a task and a half. It was quite the treck (had to stop multiple times for them). I couldn't imagine doing it while recovering. No way.

TheBachelorette

Thanks girls!  I really didn't know whether it was going to be possible or not.  Listening to your experiences, I am probably going to tell them that we can't attend.  I don't want to risk the babies getting sick. 

nikinikinine

I just travelled for a funeral with the twins @ 5 weeks. It was doable but a major PITA b/c I'm nursing. And we've been home for 3 days now and I'm still paying for their change in schedule

atc282

When DD's were 3 weeks, we did a road trip that was 4 hours away. The girls slept most the way aside from one or two pit stops to feed or change them (we just used the lobby of hotels off the exit= much cleaner and roomier than most other places off an exit).

I was supposed to move at 4 wks pp driving 13 hours away but my dr. made me stay back almost another 2 weeks due to some clotting issues that I had post c/s. I When I was given the green light to travel around 6 wks pp, once again, the girls did great and we just took as many stops as we needed along the way.

GL with whatever you decide.

caitdana

I am a werido and maybe it was because I was in survivial mode with the girls in the NICU but I was back at work in 2.5 after my c-section. i sit at a desk all day. I do have to take breaks to stand up but it was not bad.