How can I convince DH that we can all travel next month?

mssaint

I have the opportunity to go to a conference for a subject I love next month, all expenses paid, in Boston, which is one of my favorite places. That said, I won't go unless DH and LO go with me. It's 3 days and I am just not ready to leave LO for that long, and since he reverse cycles, I'm not sure how his eating would be if I was gone.

DH is not working over the summer but he insists that there is no way we can travel with J because of his fussiness. I think he's much better now, and that Boston might actually be a good trip because it's a fairly short flight and it's a walkable city.

The cost for us would literally just be DH's plane ticket and food. My plane ticket, hotel room and food would all be paid for.

belizeitornot

Have you guys tried taking him out more locally to see how he does? The gals who came to the recent Mi Rancho gtg can attest how good H was for it... and that is her usual major fussy time. You might find that the newness of being somewhere other than home combats the fussiness. New things to look at, new sounds, etc.

I say your argument is "we''ll never know unless we try" and "it's only 3 days". And the fact that most everything is free for you should be extra incentive. If it's a total disaster, you won't feel as bad as having spent your own money on the whole shebang.

kafunder

I think you could totally do it. And, the flight to Boston is a great "starter" flight for flying with a baby. We did it with twins over Easter weekend...see my blog for details. Worst case, if your LO is fussy, you can at least take him outside since the weather would be nice in June. And, it's a great way to break up the routine.

tomandcourt

Do it! I think four months is about when J started sleeping better and really stopped the fussy for-no-reason crying. That's also how old he was when we took him on a long car trip (400 miles) and it was FINE. I would imagine a flight might be even better, because it would take a lot less time (ostensibly). Maybe if you kind of planned out exactly what it would entail - travel to and from airport, what you'd need to pack (check vs carryon), etc. - he might be more willing?

WinesNot Whines

This is how I would approach it:

What's the worst that could happen? Is the worst really THAT bad? Even if the worst-case scenario is a fussy baby on a plane... it's only a one-hour plane ride. There are two of you to handle the baby. And you'll never see the other passengers again. It's one hour out of your life (2 hours round-trip) and when you put it in perspective of having a great family trip in Boston, it seems worth it to me.

I also think a short trip like that is good practice for a longer trip. It will help you build your confidence to visit more places. Think of it as a test. I think it's good if your first plane ride is a short one. You don't want to test your LO on an airplane for the first time by going to California.

MrsPhilDunphy

How much do you guys take J out and about now? I ask because I remember that you had a lot of anxiety about it a few months ago. Maybe your DH is still in that frame of mind? If you aren't already, I would start by taking some day trips, going out to eat, etc, (with DH, obviously). He might just need to build some confidence, in both J's ability to cope with different environments and his own ability to cope with J. If he isn't comfortable leaving the house with J now (I'm guessing here - maybe DH is totally comfortable and takes J on amazing adventures every day), then going on a 3 day trip could seem very overwhelming.

We haven't actually taken C on a plane trip yet, but lots of 3 day weekends and he's always done fine. We did our first trip at 1 month.