WDYT: Long distance travel for a newborn..???

h2babe · March 2010

DH's brother is getting married at the end of September; and he lives about 9-10 hrs away (driving distance from us). My EDD is July 10, which means that our baby would be about 2-months old by then. I am a little bit nervous about driving that far with a newborn. I thought that even if we split up the drive probably into 2 days, it may be too tiring for the baby.

The other option is flying; and I have heard that doctors don't recommend babies younger than 6 months to fly even for a domestic flight. I am a little bit paranoid; so I told DH that maybe he should go to the wedding by himself. What do you ladies think about this situation?

Wendy525 · March 2010

2 months is a bit young for such a long trip. You'll still be BF the baby every 2-3 hours and not to mention all the poopy diapers! At 2 months postpartem, I was still in so much pain and felt like a complete mess, I would not be in any mood to take a trip out of the house for more than a couple of hours. In the end, baby will not be happy, you won't be happy. DH should go by himself in my opinion.

PhillyPhan · March 2010

If you guys are willing to work with LO's limitations in mind, then I see no problem in driving up there.

0danielle0 · March 2010

I've been wondering the same thing. My dad wants us to visit him a month after the baby is due, which would mean driving 500 miles during the dead of summer in California. It would be to see Dave Matthews Band, {yes please!} but there are so many variables to consider, the biggest one being... what if baby comes late? Tough to decide until the time comes...

Can you RSVP "maybe"? Hopefully they'll understand. Yes

h2babe · March 2010

Wendy525:
2 months is a bit young for such a long trip. You'll still be BF the baby every 2-3 hours and not to mention all the poopy diapers! At 2 months postpartem, I was still in so much pain and felt like a complete mess, I would not be in any mood to take a trip out of the house for more than a couple of hours. In the end, baby will not be happy, you won't be happy. DH should go by himself in my opinion.

This is what I was worried about. My girlfriends have all told me that they were still in such a "blur" stage for that first 8 wks, with no sleep, constant feeding and changing..

MomE2Be · March 2010

My DH and I are planning on going to Seattle to visit family in September.. DD will be 3 months old... not sure if we are going to go anymore either.. I am going to stalk this board for advice Big Smile

MomE2Be · March 2010

My DH and I are planning on going to Seattle to visit family in September.. DD will be 3 months old... not sure if we are going to go anymore either.. I am going to stalk this board for advice Big Smile

canamama · March 2010

I'm pretty sure it's fine for a baby to fly. I flew with my first DD when she was 6 weeks and the pedi didn't say anything negative.

barnwife · March 2010

Personally, it would depend on the reason for the trip. As it seems to be for an immediate family member's wedding, I'd go. Yes, I'd take a couple days for the drive.

I think it would be easier to travel with a non-mobile 2 month old, than a 7 or 8 month old. (Of course, I might be crazy since this is our 1st LO.)

I fully intend to attend a wedding 3 hours away from where we live 3 weeks after my EDD. Will the drive be easy? Nope. Do I want to be at this wedding? Yes. Will the bride understand if I decide at the last minute that we can't go? Yes. But I will do my best to be there.

LovinLife10 · March 2010

It think it will be fine. It may take you a little longer with more stops but if the doc says ok then go for it

happy-honey · March 2010

If flying shortens the trip I would recommend that. We flew with DD at 6 weeks and she did great. Our pedi didn't have an issue with it. She did great and made it so much easier getting home for the holidays. With a drive that long figure you would have to take breaks to feed potentially and breaks for diaper changes, it just makes that trip really long with a newborn.

smilejenn · March 2010

I would talk to the pediatrician you have selected before booking an airline ticket. Many will okay air travel as long as they've had their first shots, some prefer you to wait. But keep in mind that many 2 month olds are already in full time daycare and exposed to all kinds of germs that way, so flying isn't much different.

As for driving, how easy it will be will depend entirely on the temperament of your child. My son was such an easy going baby who almost never cried. Had we been in your situation, we would have done the drive in one day. At that point, I think he was eating every 3 hours.

JhawkCE · March 2010

My sister travels with her newborn a lot. Car rides between 6-8 hours and flying. None of her kids have had a problem. Actually the newborn is easier to travel with than the older ones

Tassie06 · March 2010

Theres no way i would drive 9 hours with a new baby. my sister flew to Toronto from Vancouver (4 + hours) when her baby was 6 weeks old. it's fine to fly with a new born.

krm0129 · March 2010

I talked to my OB about this issue because I was going to fly to India when the LO is a month old. He said after 6 weeks, driving and flyin should be fine. I would totally check with yours and see how the baby is doing.

*speedracer* · March 2010

for a trip that long i'd fly. they do sleep a lot but it's hard to feed/burp/change a baby in the car since you have to stop all the time to do that. Flying with a baby that small is nice because they're quite compact and will likely sleep on the flight. we're flying 2000 miles when DS#2 is about 3 mos old for a wedding - he will be easier than our 2 year old!

GreenieTA11 · March 2010

We're traveling 5 hours by car to spend a week with DH's family when LO will be about 3 weeks old.

A friend at work traveled by plane (5 hour flight?) with her 4mo old and said she slept the entire time ... was woken up for one feeding and then passed back out.

KYColtsGirl · March 2010

It is SO much easier to travel with them when they are little!!! We did a 12 hour trip with Lily when she was 3 weeks old for a good friend's wedding. She did brilliantly. She was still in the sleeping almost all day phase so literally we could travel until she wanted to eat...stop for 15 minutes to gas up/nurse/change a diaper and be on our way.

I'd DEFINITELY do it!!!

AliciaCM · March 2010

I haven't heard anything bad about flying that young... We are flying from hosuton, TX to Cleveland, OH for thanksgiving. I'm due july 26 so LO will be about 4 months old...

StarlitRN · March 2010

We will probably be moving internationally when LO is around 2 months old! DH is flying out ahead of me to get the housing set up so it will just be me & a newborn on the long transatlantic flight. Not going to be fun but it is doable!

I would rather fly than drive that far......I could wear the baby in my moby the whole way there & it is much much quicker!

ejbinky24 · March 2010

For DMB, totally worth it I am still trying to convince my hubby I can make it to the gorge this year (due July 3) , but he is telling me no currently.

GO DMB

MoniqueJW · March 2010

6 months for flying??? I have never heard that we will be flying around 19 hours from Australia to MN when our baby is about 12 weeks old.

I'd say fly - the baby will be fine!

nykya@ymail.com · March 2010

I wouldn't travel with a new baby. Not only is it a long trip, but I'd be nervous about all the germs floating around that wedding and reception. I'd let my hubby go alone.

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WDYT: Long distance travel for a newborn..???

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