Vacation planning with baby (clicky)

LauraJB313

DH and I have a deal from our airline credit card that we would have to book by the end of August.  Unfortunately, since we moved, we can essentially only fly back to Seattle with the deal.  We miss Seattle and would love to see our friends there (free lodging and borrowed baby gear type of friends: they are a pretty amazing gang).  If it was just DH and I, we would jump on a plane and head there in a heartbeat.  But starting some time next month, it won't be just DH and I (how crazy is that!!)

Is it wise (or even possible) to commit to a vacation with a baby we haven't met yet? 

[poll]

Manx4

It's a gamble, you don't know this child yet or their habits, likes/dislikes. 

Some babies will be easy travelers.  Some babies will hate anything off their known routine.  

I'd say the older, the better though because you want them to be as up to date on vaccinations as they can be.  To me, airplanes are just a petri dish of germs and sickness being passed around.  

So book the trip but also plan a backup plan - either have someone keep your LO while you're gone or plan on one of you staying behind if LO decides travel isn't something they're interested in.

Unem

Manx4:

It's a gamble, you don't know this child yet or their habits, likes/dislikes. 

Some babies will be easy travelers.  Some babies will hate anything off their known routine.  

I'd say the older, the better though because you want them to be as up to date on vaccinations as they can be.  To me, airplanes are just a petri dish of germs and sickness being passed around.  

So book the trip but also plan a backup plan - either have someone keep your LO while you're gone or plan on one of you staying behind if LO decides travel isn't something they're interested in.

That's a grand idea.

Stasi

I would say go for whichever option you feel most comfortable with...but I would do it. DH and I are going to the Florida Keys over Christmas Break for 10 with our 3 month old, I guess the only difference is we are going with his family, so we will have people to help out (if needed, I won't pawn my kid off on someone else without them offering), but it sounds like you've got some great friends out there who will help you make the trip easier with a baby...

GL!

Mom2Mack1

I would go with the youngest age possible.  By 8 months DD was mobile and would not have sat still through a flight.  Plus, like PP said when they are little they sleep anywhere.  By 8 months DD was on a nap schedule, which could be changed but you might end up with one cranky infant by the end of the day.

CarlySara

I flew with DD to Utah, just the 2 of us, when she was 4 months old.  She was awesome.  I attempted to nurse her at take off and landing, but just slept.  It was easier for me because I attempted to pick flights at times when she would sleep.

I agree with PP that it is easier the younger they are because they do sleep more. It was much more difficult to keep DD contained when I flew with her at 10 months.

melody921

I'd totally go. Worst case, your LO hates to travel, and it's a stressful plane ride. You'll never see your fellow passengers again. I say get the baby used to traveling young.

drubie

We're going on a family vacation when the baby's 2 1/2 months old, for the exact reasons as pp - he'll sleep more, be much easier to contain, and will also be pretty easy to feed (either breast or bottle) instead of having to make sure we have the right baby food with us. Plus, at that age, he'll have had his first round of vaccinations, so he'll be at least partially protected. 

skyejo

That's a tough one.  DD was so high needs for a while that I would never even consider taking a trip with her the first six months of her life.  Actually, I take that back.  We took a four hour car trip with her at 2 months and it was hell on earth.  I vowed to never do that again so early on. 

If it was me I'd go when LO is older. 

 

mrs.kapow

melody921:

I'd totally go. Worst case, your LO hates to travel, and it's a stressful plane ride. You'll never see your fellow passengers again. I say get the baby used to traveling young.

I'm on this bandwagon.  But like PP said, once they're mobile, plane travel goes up a degree of difficulty.

I flew with DD to Europe at 11 mos (pre-walking, 6 hr flight with a layover and another 1 hr flight) and she was a dollface. We flew to Disney when she was 14 mos (walking, 2 hr straight flight) and the flight home was a nightmare. 

LauraJB313

Thanks for the advice.  I have heard the younger the better (once they get their first shots) but that puts us in the Thanksgiving/Christmas range and we will already be traveling to see family for one of those.  We couldn't pull off a "just for fun" trip until the age ranges I listed due to work stuff... I just wasn't sure if traveling with an older/more mobile baby is a disaster waiting to happen.

(Our "deal" is essentially a BOGO on flights: not free but a good deal if it works.)

Eastie156

Some babies travel really easily at any age and others have a really hard time with flying until they get much older. I know a friend who flew with her 3 month old and her baby was great. I also know my nephew flew at slightly under a year old and gave my SIL the time of her life (ie: it was awful for her). It's hard to know until you fly, so my thought is do it anyway. I wouldn't pass up things you were going to do anyway just because you don't know how baby will react. It'll be a learning experience.

Eastie156

Some babies travel really easily at any age and others have a really hard time with flying until they get much older. I know a friend who flew with her 3 month old and her baby was great. I also know my nephew flew at slightly under a year old and gave my SIL the time of her life (ie: it was awful for her). It's hard to know until you fly, so my thought is do it anyway. I wouldn't pass up things you were going to do anyway just because you don't know how baby will react. It'll be a learning experience.

hmp1

I think 5-6mo is perfect. DS has always been a great flier. He still sleeps most of the time. I probably wouldn't want to stay with friends before 5-6mo because of the sleeping factor. At least for DS, he became a much better sleeper around 5mo (after we got through the 4mo wakeful). He was also sitting on his own at that age and was just more fun.

jbBeans

Phew, I'm glad to see we're not the only ones travelling with a little, little one since we're planning to go to the DR in January! I voted for the younger age because I've also heard the younger they are, the easier (typically). Plan your trip--you'll make it!