Travelling with newborn

[Macaron]

I'm going to be a first timer so was hoping for some advice from the Mums here

I'm due in July and my sister is getting married in Europe Sept/Oct. I would of course be there, come rain or shine. She really wants my hubby to be there too which would mean taking bub along. I'd dearly love for us to all go and spend time together as a family, even though it'd only be for a week max.

But I am paranoid about flying with bub so young, mostly concerned about bugs on the plane, what happens if he gets sick over there (it's an hour away from Milan) and I don't speak the language, and also disrupting the bub's routine at that stage, which hopefully would be just starting to develop at the time.

Any Mums got any advice? Thanks heaps.

 

[carang]

if you breastfeed, your baby should be ok. jetlag will be a drag, though.

newborns are VERY easy to travel with. you probably won't have much of a routine if hte baby is still very young.

 

[Macaron]

I'd imagine the hassle if bub was being bottle fed would be making up formula / sterilising / heating milk etc whilst on the plane? Sorry for sounding ignorant - have no idea whatsoever what I'm coming up against!

 

[LeahH]

I wouldn't worry at all - we went home with bub no. 2 at 7 weeks - it was MUCH easier than our trips with older babies as they just sleep eat and at that stage.

Cathay has just put a direct route into Milan which means a quick straightforward journey for you.

The jet lag going there will probably be, coming back the other way is a bit harder.

I would plan to all go together and if you have to adjust at the last minute for any reason, then you can always do that.

 

[LeahH]

Sorry meant to add, I have both BF and bottle fed on planes. BF is easier, but bottles are totally fine and not as much hassle as you might think. You just take bottles with you (sterlised with the caps on in plastic zip locks) and take bottled water that will be room temperature anyway.

 

[southside852]

i am having the same dilemma about traveling this fall with my #2 who will be born at the start of oct. we want to go home with him to the states for christmas so he will most likely be just under 3 months. the flight home is 19 hours and my worry is not about feeding etc...but what if he/she gets ill on the flight. if i were on the ground and the newborn spiked a high fever we would be at the hospital, but we will be on a direct flight back to NYC. In addition, the recirculated air is not ideal......

 

[nicolejoy]

You can always take some baby panadol for just in case, and buy travel insurance so that if the bub gets sick oseas, you're covered for the medical expenses at least... Other than that, I'd rather travel with a newborn than a toddler any day!!

I took my 7 week old back to Australia for Christmas when she was a newborn. It was BY FAR the easiest trip I've done with her - and I've travelled with her at ages 4 months, 7 months, 10 months and 14 months... I'm thinking of taking another trip soon but am dreading the travel with her now that she's quite adept at throwing temper tantrums and insisting on doing what she wants to do when she wants to do it

 

[Macaron]

Thanks ladies for your helpful tips.

Yes I think I will go ahead and book tickets for us to all go, and if things go pear-shaped then I will go alone. It'd be so nice for us to all go together though, and spend some time in the Italian countryside with family, even though it would only be for a few days.

 

[starbucks2]

We travelled with newborns twice - both times when they were about 6 weeks old. It was fine. Second time the newborn was a dream ... it was our toddler that was a problem ...! Breastfeeding definitely easier on board

SB2

 

[Aava.Wong]

travelling with an infant is def easier. i travelled with mine when he was 3 weeks old and also when he turned 4 months and he slept throughout the flight (cant say the same thing now as he is far more active!).

pls make sure that your bub is sucking on the breast/bottle/dummy while ascending and descending to help with the ear-popping. also, pack a bottle of liquid panadol incase bub gets sick.