Vacation on maternity leave?

pinkpigeon · May 2014

Am I crazy for entertaining this idea?

DH and I am considering taking a week-long vacation during my maternity leave (maybe week 4 or 5, after pedi sees DD2 and if all is progressing well). We have not had a family vacation in over a year, and with the past few months' activities, sitting on the beach (or by the pool, or even on a shaded porch) sounds divine. Things we have considered:

-getting vacation insurance: if DD2 is needier than anticipated, or if I am not healing well, or if any number of things come up that could make being away from home difficult... then insurance might come in handy.

-DD1 will be 3... and we aren't really interested in asking for help from anyone. Would bringing an infant and a toddler to the beach be way more than we bargained for?

Am I insane? Have you pulled this off?

TIA!

AmericanInOz · May 2014

I don't see why not! Not too much different from being at home, with baby waking you etc. I'd make sure I had a seperate room for dd so her sleep wasn't interrupted, but if you get insurance I don't see why not!

Only things is if you're flying (or just in general) I'd keep LO away from crowds of people as he wouldn't have had immunizations yet

rcbuko · May 2014

We are taking all 4 kids on a beach vacation when the baby will be about 6 weeks old. We rented a house which is less expensive in our case so it will be as comfortable as our home. We aren't bringing anyone to help us but just having DH around at that point will be help since he would normally be working. We are driving so can pack as much stuff as we feel we need. We took three kids on a winter ski vacation when DS was 9 weeks old and it was still fun. DH and DD1 skied by themselves (or in a class in DD's case) and I hung out with the two youngest. Just getting away from it all is nice. We don't have high expectations or a strict itinerary when vacationing with the littles.

kd&cd · May 2014

We are going on Vaca in January while I am on mat leave...we are in the same boat, we haven't been on Vaca in about 2 years and we usually go to one all inclusive per year and one mini Vaca per year, so this has been a long stretch!!! We are very much looking forward to enjoying our favourite thing with our LO!

AMcLaws · May 2014

We're going on a hunting trip about 4-6 weeks after DD2 is born. However, we're not going up to the woods with everyone else. We'll stay at grandparents house about an hour away. It'll be nice to get away, even though I won't be doing anything terribly exciting.

Lynnja616 · May 2014

We've traveled after both DS and DD while I've been on maternity leave. NBD. We plan to do the same with this LO.

dragonfly711 · May 2014

We will be going away even for few days this summer. We only will have the one newborn but we are still going to go, think it will do us good to get away for a few days!! Go and enjoy!! There will be two of you so if you have baby then hubby can have your toddler!!! Have some fun!!!

I have not heard of vacation insurance before.

ncbelle · May 2014

I don't see why it would be a problem, particularly if you are just doing something laid back like the beach. I'm flying solo with newbie across country - he'll only be 4-6 weeks old depending on when he's born. I also found the postpartum period for #2 much easier than with #1 simply because I'd done it before!

jcartz · May 2014

We go to the same place every year, the same week in August, and will be doing so with a 4.5 year old and a 5-6ish week old this year. Will it be as relaxing as usual? Probably not. But that's not stopping me from getting my beach time in! The only reason we would cancel is if baby is sick/in NICU, but even then I might send DD & DH on without me - they earned it too.

dawnangela79 · May 2014

We are planning a vacation while I'm on maternity leave, about a month after the baby is born. It will be an amazing memory!

RaeJ004 · May 2014

I'm just jealous. I want to go sit by the pool!

Go and have fun!

tbarker14 · May 2014

My DH and I are planning a trip in June, before the baby comes. So we can enjoy us time alone before the LO. (this is our first). However, after the LO arrives we will be flying across The country to visit family members. We plan to leave a month after the baby is born... we will be staying down south with family for 4 months. (during my DH's paternity leave)
We figure this way we can spend the holidays with family and enjoy the city life before heading back home. (We live in a remote area)
Just do whatever you and ur family wants to do. You know what's best for you! Have fun at the beach and don't get sun burnt!

bewilderingstar · May 2014

I couldn't see myself doing more than a day trip but hey, if you think you can do it - more power to ya!!

We are planning a few beach trips once Little Dude is over 5wks old

Can't wait!

naflmj · May 2014

We will go on our yearly vacation to the beach BUT we drive. Vacation isn't relaxing but the kids love it. We went with a toddler and twin 2 month olds and will go this year with a 4 year old, twin toddlers, and a 1.5 mo old.

Shelleybell · May 2014

This sounds like a fantastic Idea that I may have to steal - thanks for the suggestion op

ksyknelvr73 · May 2014

Yep, we are going to the beach in mid July, so about a 6-7 week old and our 3 year old.

laurakaz13 · May 2014

Not crazy at all. I had a natural birth with an easy recovery though. We went to San Diego for 5 days when DD was just 4 weeks old. We got a beautiful suite on Coronado, right on the water. It was so nice. You can do it!

chloephoebecali · May 2014

It wouldn't work for me, but I like the comfort of my home when I'm tired, hormonal and experiencing something new. I like having all my "tools" available to me. Packing and stressing about packing the right stuff would be enough for me to think twice. I feel I'm typically a go with the flow type, but the postpartum experience (for me) was anxiety ridden with major highs and lows. Those hormones are no joke.

Nekotaru · May 2014

We are planning to do this too after the new baby is enough weeks old. We can stay with my parents who retired adjacent to 3 different east coast beaches so it's only a two hour drive or so and we can take our time. I really want the new baby to enjoy the summer and experience that environment, plus I figure that is a good way to spend some time with her grandparents too

JuneRunner14 · May 2014

Do it! We went on vacation when I was 34 weeks with DS #2. DS #1 needed some special time and I needed the beach! It was THE BEST! At the moment I am pregnant with DS #3, 37 weeks, and I have been a little miserable since about 34 weeks with sleeping and those things. So the vacation was a huge help. I say GO! I would go now if the timing was right.

TexasGirl81 · May 2014

Not crazy at all!! We are doing the same thing. We did it last year too. When you go back to work you basically have no more time for vaca since you use up your time during mat leave. We will be going to Cancun on my mat leave. Do it!!!!

jessicarene09 · May 2014

My mother will be flying me out to Montana in September (baby will be 6 weeks old and hubby can't go with). I'm a bit uneasy about it, considering I'm a first time mom and have no idea how long it'll take for me to recover (and make sure baby is stable enough to travel).

I'll be running it by my doctor when I get closer to my due date and see what he suggests. I'd like to at least wait till baby gets her first round of vaccines & a couple checkups under her belt.

I won't even be on "maternity leave", since I don't qualify under my employer's standards. I'll just technically be unemployed for a few months until I wanna go back to work (and most likely won't be returning to the same place).

2goingon3 · May 2014

We're road tripping to disneyland with a 5yr old, 4 yr old and 2 month old in December (for Christmas!), so a beach vacation sounds relaxing in comparison!! Go for it and enjoy

caballablanca · May 2014

I don't know if I would fly with a newborn. All that germy recirculated air. I would drive however if I was feeling up to it. If you have to fly, I would bf and make sure I was getting extra vitamin c to ward off any sickness.

danalawrence · May 2014

Go for it! We're taking our crew to the Caribbean!

tealowl · May 2014

We are going to Disney the last week of my maternity leave when baby is 3mo old. We will be flying. I figured it'll be easier with an infant rather rhan wait till next year and have an older baby.

Everyusernameistaken · May 2014

I guess I'm going against the grain here but at 4 weeks I was a sore, weepy, exhausted mess and still trying to figure out routines and bfing. Going on vacation would have really, really sucked for me. That being said, you are a STM so you know how you felt after you gave birth, assuming you have a similar experience, and you should hopefully be less overwhelmed with new stuff this time. If you think you can handle it, by all means go for it!!

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