I'm sure it won't surprise you that both Mr. Limestone and I are itching to go somewhere far and exotic. I always assumed that as soon as we were able, the three of us would be on a plane, exploring the far corners of the world. So what's the hold up? Well, two things really. The thought of all the stuff we must carry with her (keep in mind Ive always been a light packer - Ive never brought more than one carry on bag no matter where we were going!) and disrupting
In other words, I just have to get my big girl pants on and do it! Channel the baby travel whispering zen of Knocked Up Abroad and go! The question now is: where? We'd love to go somewhere far (Seoul? Vietnam?) but it might be smarter to go somewhere with a less insane flight (France? Italy? Scandinavia?).
What about you? Have you traveled with a infant? Where did you go? How did it all turn out? I'd love to hear some advice from the mom experts out there.
We just returned last week from a three-week trip to Burma. We met a cute couple from Norway who were traveling for three months with a six-month old and a twenty-month old. We are still feeling the effects of the twelve hour time difference.
ReplyDeleteThat is part of my concern. We don't have multiple weeks of time to be able to travel like that so we have to keep our trips on the shorter side. If I didn't have to be back on a schedule for work when I got back, I'd be a lot less worried about it.
ReplyDeleteGood for you! I've been flying with my son since he was 6 months old--but our limit is a 4 hour flight (I think he could have done longer as an infant, now as a restless 3 year old...no one wants to be trapped on a plane with him for longer).
ReplyDeleteEveryone tells me flying with a toddler is a lot harder and I totally believe them - but its like saying flying with a monkey is harder than flying with a baby. I know nothing about either :)
DeleteI think traveling with an infant is less daunting than traveling with a more mobile child (although my son who is now five has always been great on a plane). When she's a little older, finding someplace that you can spend part of the day at a pool/beach can help break up the day.
ReplyDeleteThe problem is Im soooo not a beach person. Most people love lounging in the sun but that is my definition of torture since I don't tan and Im not a big fan of the heat. So that rules out 99% of baby friendly resorts within a close flight.
DeleteTravelling with an infant is far less daunting than travelling with a toddler! Infants are WAY easier in that regard. Suffice to say, I was on the receiving end of many-a-dirty-look when travelling with my son (a toddler at the time), when he was overly tired and passed the Point of No Return when kids reach that state. I am even more sympathetic to parents travelling with little ones, especially the uncooperative ones. :-)
ReplyDeleteI say go for it. You're daughter is at a place where she's not mobile and easy to tote around - enjoy the lack of mobility while it lasts, because it's a totally different ballgame after that happens!
I haven't been there with an infant, but my husband and I baby-mooned in Vietnam. Definitely worth going, but I would wait until she's old enough to enjoy Vietnam, not just be thrown off by the schedule. Even if you wanted to attempt a long flight, maybe stay within a few time zones on the time change and go to Argentina or somewhere like that?
ReplyDeletePersonally, I am dying to go to somewhere in the Caribbean right now.
Once she is old enough to get something out of a destination, I have a long list of places I'd like to show her but for now its all about us. I imagine it would be quite a while before she could appreciate Vietnam :)
DeleteI agree with the previous posters; travel now, travel far. Infants are SO much easier to travel with, I loved traveling with my son in his ergo, easiest time ever. Look into renting or purchasing and donating infant gear (car seats, portable cribs, etc.) at your destination to lighten the load in transit. Now that son is a mobile toddler we are focusing on discovering the beauty of the US with a stop at EVERY roadside park to play.
ReplyDeleteWe are having our baby... tomorrow... and one of the thoughts that keeps running through my mind is "but what about our awesome world travels?" We've been all over together and we love to plan and go on unusual international vacations. I know you guys do, too, so I'm excited to see what you end up doing! Go for it... and then let me know how!
ReplyDeleteCongrats! Sending you safe delivery vibes.
DeleteI agree. Traveling with an infant is sooo much easier than a 1-2 year old in that early walking/talking stage. My now 3.5yo was on his first plane at 10 weeks and we starting schlepping him cross country a few times a year at 5mos,(vancouver, seattle, sf, LA - plus other random US trips)and until he was about 3 I'd say the worst part was the time change, now he seems to deal with it a bit better. Back then it affected him immensely and it can shift your whole idea of a vacation. Not so bad if you are planning on hanging out on a beach all day but trying to visit anything with a schedule ends up being difficult. The stuff is just stuff, sometimes we bring - sometimes we just buy when we get there - but having a kid that wakes up at 3am california time every day is a DRAG no doubt about it. Vacations with babies are awesome, but they can be so different from the vacations you went on alone. As long as you keep that in mind it'll be great. It can take a long time to get back on schedule when you get home too but don't let that deter you from doing something. Maybe keep the first one easy and flexible. We always try to rent apartments (or find places that are apartment like) and do at least 3-4 nights per location. Obviously if you have a few weeks to spend somewhere you can think of things differently, but we mostly did 5-14 days away at most. good luck!
ReplyDeleteIm with you on the apartment renting - having a kitchen is a big plus even at this early age (Im sure it will be essential once she starts eating solids). Did you travel outside the US at all when you had an infant? I'm sort of saving the US travel for when she is toddler and going international will be a giant nightmare.
DeleteMy daughter and her husband took their 3 mo. to Italy and loved it. The people of Italy love babies and were awesome, treating them special and letting them cut ahead, etc., because they had a baby in tow.
ReplyDeleteDon't have a clue what the weather is like in Italy now, but just their experience.
Regards,
jean
My husband and I have taken both our kids to many places (since they were about 6 months old), most recently coming back from Paris and London with our 18month old and 5 year old. Its not easy. Some days were down right hard. But being highly organized, and having reasonable expectations about what they are able to do helped us. We just read the signs and adapted the days plan. Sometimes a run in the park was necessary! Babies and kids are everywhere, wherever you go supplies will be (almost!) readily available. We've also notice that when traveling with kids people, locals or other travelers, are generally very helpful.
ReplyDeleteIt's our personal goal to show our children as much of the world as we can. Exposing them to new foods and cultures.
You just have to take the plunge! The pictures and memories are worth it!
Most of our family is in Europe, so our children have traveled there since they were very young. My son visited the UK and France before he was 3 months old. Agree with other posters that traveling with a baby is a lot easier than with a toddler. For me the best times to travel with kids was between 3-9 months and after they turn 4. Some kids are ok at 2-3 years old, but my kids are definitely runners/climbers and don't like to sit still for long flights.
ReplyDeleteWhen the kids were 1-3 I found that I couldn't really enjoy travel because I was primarily running around after them, but once my son turned 4 it was fun again. For us traveling with an infant was a dream, not difficult at all. My favorite trip during this time was to Spain. It is such a late culture that we could get the baby to sleep and then strolled him to a nice restaurant and he slept while we ate dinner out in a beautiful courtyard. I also loved Ireland with my kids. People are just so friendly there and there is no language challenge, which is nice when you sleep deprived. Good luck picking a place - can't wait to see the pictures!
Good to know that it wont be that much longer after she is mobile that I can really enjoy traveling again. The past 4 years flew by, why wouldnt the next?
DeleteMy first two were both on a plane at 2 months old. But we were just visiting relatives, so we had easy access to laundry/separate baby sleeping quarters/etc. Still, though, I think infancy is your first good window of opportunity for travel. They're much more portable and accessory like before they start moving around! Plane with a baby is way easier than plane with a toddler. Just plan on everything taking 5 times as long and you'll be fine :)
ReplyDeleteBabies are easier than toddlers and 1 child is SOOOO much easier than two (or more!). To deal with jet lag in a baby I just give them a feed and laid them back down for another sleep cycle. I recently took my 18 month old daughter to the UK and she was still nursing and it still worked! It gets harder after they wean, lots of crying it out.
ReplyDeleteKeep traveling. Lots of work, a much slower pace, but so worth it!
Besides the extra diapers to pack not much more is needed. (maybe a burp cloth or blanket, her clothes and bottles/formula if needed). Perhaps one extra bag. A front carrier and your baby can sleep on you while you sight see. Babies are a bit easier to travel with as they sleep often and are not mobile. Some draggy things are going through security... having to take baby out of soft carrier and pass her through. If she has a blow out on the airplane... not a huge deal, just not much room to clean her up. OR if you have to change her just before final boarding call. (But at least there is more room to change her in the washrooms). Seriously, if you have the energy and desire then no worries. I have traveled, alone, with both my children at all different ages. And baby was easy! They slept a lot, woke up, looked around and the engines lulled them back to sleep. Touring the cities (Istanbul) with baby in front pack, was ideal. Time change, well I was messed up too, so we all just run out what we can. I probably would not go anywhere where extra vaccinations were required, but thats about it.
ReplyDeleteTravel now while she's still small, it's great! When the boys were still infants we traveled and felt almost no interruption to our vacation time together. The best places with infants are efficiencies/apartments/B&Bs that offer you some kitchen space to disenfect bottles. We even traveled with a hot plate in one of our backpacks once so we could boil water wherever we were. Apartments are ideal because they generally offer some kind of laundry washing close by. It's very different than you're used to (imagine eating take away haggis in a laundromat instead of in a pub), but I wouldn't trade it for anything. Great memories.
ReplyDeleteAs small as she is, it's really easy to feed Agatha on the road. We avoided fancier restaurants (packing ultra light for ourselves to carry baby stuff) and ended up finding cute family resturants in local places.
The sleeping schedule is something you'll have to flex with and it's easier to do that with a car and a flexible schedule as opposed to extra flights and train schedules.
Best infant trips we ever did:
Iceland: drive the ring road. The boys were always great car sleepers and it was a great two weeks.
Scotland: Highlands, Ornkey, and the Isles.
Norway: Fjord cruise, and also another driving trip up the northern Atlantic coast.
Traveling once the boys hit toddler age changed things a lot. Get it in while you can!
Good luck!!
Thanks Dina! I was thinking of going back to Iceland because we loved it so much. Do you mind sharing what you did there? When we went about 13 years ago, we spent a lot of time in hot springs which I imagine isn't a great idea with an infant. My brother went spelunking and ice snorkeling - again, not very baby friendly. I'm not sure what else one would do aside from taking in the amazing views.
DeleteI agree with all the comments about traveling with an infant being easier. All our family is in England and both kids were born in the US so they have traveled to England (and any other places) since they were tiny. It can be tiring but it is so worth it. My kids are now fantastic travelers because we always just got on with it. I think the key factor is adjusting your expectations. If you realize that the traveling will be different than before kids then that is a good start. I think Europe would be a great place to start. Good luck and look forward to hearing about your travels!
ReplyDeleteOh, this is such a good question, and advice! We're already planning a west coast trip for when our babe is 4 months. I'm a little nervous, but maybe I shouldn't be!
ReplyDeleteWe took a road trip when she was just 6 weeks old and it was super easy. Provided you can deal with the flight there and back, traveling in the US is nothing. There are so many family friendly things to do, no language barrier and lots of changing tables everywhere!
DeleteThe only problem is that I'm just not that into domestic travel. There is not a thing wrong with it but I tend to want to go as far as possible.
We went to Egypt, Turkey, Greece and Italy with a 13 month old and a 3 year old and it was fantastic, your idea of how you traveled before just changes a little bit. You learn to take things as they come. We are avid travelers and always bring our kids with us. We just returned from a 3 week trip to Australia, Bali, Singapore and Hong Kong and we constantly have people tell us that we are crazy and that it must be stressful, but its not!! Its an amazing world we have and we want to show our kids that we are just a small area, and that people live completely different everywhere you go. Singapore is Amazing!! so clean and very family friendly!! I agree that Italy would be a great place to go, bring a baby carrier and your all set! I don't know what I would have done without mine!! PS I love your blog!! I love reading about your crafty ideas and your halloween decorations are amazing!!
ReplyDeleteI would agree with a previous poster and go someplace in a nearby time zone. We lived in the UK and traveled back and forth to the West Coast when my little one was 3 months old, 9 months old, 12 months, 18 months and 2 years. The 3 month trip was the easiest. Still, no matter how old she was, she really struggled with jet lag - waking up at the "correct" time for the old time zone. With an 8 hour time difference, it would take her a good 2 weeks to get her schedule back to what it was. I was exhausted and would not have enjoyed a "vacation" had it not been to visit family and go back home. The struggle with the jet lag plus the 12+ hour flight was really difficult on our whole family, and we will not be doing it anytime soon.
ReplyDeleteI would also suggest avoiding Paris. It was the most unfriendly child city that we visited. There are hardly any escalators or elevators, and we had to lug our stroller up and down many flights of stairs to get to their subways. None of the restaurants we ate at had high chairs. It was difficult to navigate and the people were generally unhelpful.
If you wanted to do Europe, I would recommend Scotland. We took our daughter when she was 5 months and she did great as we drove through the highlands. It was more relaxed and we went at our own pace.
What about going to some closer places - Vancouver, Montreal, Costa Rica, New Orleans, many national parks to see in the US.
Good to know about Paris. And what you describe on the jet lag is exactly what scares me. Its not like I have weeks to lounge around once we get home.
DeleteWe are holding off on the closer trips for when she is a more unruly toddler.
My youngest child had 11 stamps in his passport before he turned two! The very best place to travel with babies is Italy. Everyone absolutely loves children there. Waiters will happily hold your fussy baby so you can enjoy a delicious meal, and people everywhere will be glad to offer a helping hand and a kiss for your little one.
ReplyDeleteI've heard that Turkey is much the same (but haven't had a chance to experience it myself yet).
As expats we've traveled a lot with our three young kids. I can't imagine life any other way!
Oh thats good to know. We are thinking of doing Italy since its such a friendly place in general - never thought about how much they love kids.
DeleteWe had an assignment some years ago with the military where we got to travel...a lot. And it was paid for. Our oldest was 6 months- 2.5 yrs during this assignment and we were in 20+ countries. Traveling in warmer weather was definitely easier- less bulk to pack. She was on formula by the time we began, so we simply took a can along and used bottled water to mix up bottles; I trained her to take bottles at room temperature so I didn't have to have warm water. I carried a bottle brush and travel sized dish soap with us. She got one packing cube of clothes (Rick Steves), we packed enough diapers to get us to our destination and a few extra until we could just buy on the local economy. And we had a nice umbrella stroller that reclined and had a sun shade. That was modified here and there as she got older, but in general, we were able to be quite mobile on public transportation for up to 2.5 weeks or so. I would be happy to share some other items we used or took along if you're interested. The main point, however, is that it can be done and children are awesome at breaking down cultural barriers! :)
ReplyDeleteShe is too small for an umbrella stroller right now but I'd love to hear how you modified it for future trips!
DeleteHave you thought about Iceland at all? So beautiful and different, and the nicest people I've ever met. And, the flight isn't that long!
ReplyDeleteOh! Iceland! Yes, that would be a good idea. I was actually going to vote for Sweden - I was amazed how kid-friendly and hospitable. A Parent with stroller gets on back of buses for free :) We've traveled between USA, Scotland and Germany with our 4.5 yo since she was 4 months. Infants require a TON more gear but nursing was great for soothing. Using airplane bassinets are great - especially to store all the stuff you juggle on a flight. Don't get bulkhead when's she's older - you need to raise armrests for naps. Use Ziplocs to organize stuff in her bags. A very simple sling (like the Lifft) are a must for navigating the airports/security. Our Bugaboo Bee traveled quite successfully. iPads are heaven's gift to traveling parents (especially later.) And it's all not so bad when you realize that sometimes you will be THAT family and you'll sit on the airplane toilet with her and both cry. I imagine your A will be like ours before you know it and LOVE airports! PS - amazing baby and kid rooms in Amsterdam airport.
ReplyDeleteThanks Becky! Did you find Amsterdam to be a baby/stroller friendly place. I went about 13 years ago so I dont remember how hilly the city was.
DeleteHi, we have only used Amsterdam as a stopover but from what I remember, there are far too many cobbles to make strollers much fun in Amsterdam. What about Edinburgh? Easy direct flight from Newark! And Scottish folks are pretty tolerant of buggies.
Deleteoh yeah, when baby food days arrived, pouches were awesome for traveling and we always served her baby food at room temperature so that made travel even easier!
ReplyDeleteMy suggestion is to wait until the baby is older to travel outside the U.S. I don't mean to be a Debbie Downer but there are shots required for some countries, a change in the water, definite sleeping patterns, etc. Long flights are hard on everyone and a baby's ears are very sensitive. You just never know what germs are lurking too.
ReplyDeleteJust my 2c ~
Living in NYC (or any metro area) , we are exposed to the germs from outside the US all the time anyway so I'm not too worried about it. Unless I was going to lock her inside until she is 18, there isn't much we can do about it beside practice good hygiene and be smart. Having been all over myself, I would say its pretty difficult to catch anything as a tourist unless you are roughing it (which we do not!)
DeleteSorry, no advice from me. :o) We travel very little & the few times we traveled with our baby were road trips - which I don't recommend. :o) I guess I'm just a homebody!
ReplyDeleteI love this sweet pic of your baby & I'll enjoy seeing the world through your blog.
I think everyone is different. We've already taken a 14 hour each way road trip with her and it could not have been easier! We were scared going out but it was the best thing we could have done.
DeleteMy expert advice. Stay home! Which I say in the nicest way possible :)
ReplyDeleteI just went to Texas with a four month old and it was fine. All of the baby gear is annoying. He strapped him into an ergo and checked the car seat.
ReplyDeleteThe only thing I would caution is to make sure the water source is safe. The water in Texas ruined our son's digestive system and resulted in horrible diaper rash. I will always go bottled water while traveling now. It is not worth it.
I would also say to travel with a good home base. For us, it was wonderful to have a place we could set up for the baby like a sleep spot, changing area, bottle staging/cleaning, etc. That way we could continue our sleep routines. We also tried to keep our baby on our the local time zone sleep schedule. It was only a two hour difference for us.
I love to travel, and I've thought about what will happen when a baby comes along later this year. I don't want to turn boring just because I have a baby!
ReplyDeleteI think my first trip with a baby would be somewhere in a close time zone: Argentina, Belize, or Ecuador. Still pretty exotic, no measles, polio, malaria, etc and minimal schedule shifting.
My initial first instinct was Europe, but with their high measles rates (and babies not getting vaccinated here until 1 year old) I'm a little hesitant. Plus, sometimes I have trouble with shifting my schedule for short trips, so it would probably be tough on a baby, too.
I say do it! Pick 1 or 2 cities as a home base so you don't have to lug stuff around. I'm eager to hear where you decide to go!
Good point on the measles although she is so young now, she won't really be mixing with other kids to catch much. I think the danger is more for older kids who are touching/playing with other kids.
DeleteWe just got back from a vacation in Nicaragua and saw a good number of travelers with small children and infants there. Granada is a small, walkable city that is a great base for day trips to nearby crater lakes, volcanoes, and cloud forest. Many of the hotels are restored colonial homes with courtyards (and modern amenities). We spent a lot of time just walking around town and admiring the architecture. No malaria there and the water is generally considered safe (but we used bottled anyway) but this is not the case in different parts of Nicaragua. It's only about a 5 hour flight, so it might be a good option for when your daughter is a little older, too.
Deleteoops - I forgot the best thing! We traveled with a pop-up baby tent that made sleeping so much easier. She always went to bed and woke up with the same view and it seemed to give her the security to be a great sleeper wherever!
ReplyDeleteThink of the world vertically and not horizontally. Stay close to your timezone. We've traveled with our son and the plane ride has never been the issue. It's the time zone - while we've been there - and when we've gotten back.
ReplyDeleteAlso Luftansa! They have baby rows with basinets. :)
Good point!
DeleteI am from New Zealand, so I have travelled with my 2 children since they were very young from the US. The most challenging was when my son was 2 months old and my daughter 2 years old. In the airports I had a small fold up stroller and my son in a baby bjorn carrier. As a baby they are easy, it gets much harder when they are old enough to want to get down and walk around. International flights have bassinets for young babies.
ReplyDeleteI would say the easiest time is under 1 year old, and then it gets easy again after about 3. That 1-3 age is hard, because usually they are active and also if you are dealing with potty training to find restrooms in a hurry on a plane or in the airport is a challenge.
We are travelling this summer but it should be the easiest yet as they are 12 and 10 years old and Air New Zealand has the personal entertainment system - little tvs at each seat and you can choose what you want to watch.
I am totally in awe of anyone who can travel with TWO little ones. I'm having a hard time figuring it out with just one reasonably easy baby. You are a travel rock star :)
DeleteI think when you travel on a plane you should board as close to last as possible. They always call parents with young children first but I feel you lose your "good time" just sitting. It is also nice to start feeding at take off--I think the sucking helps like chewing gum for an adult.
ReplyDeleteBulk head is also nice because it gives more room.
Don't pack more than you can comfortably carry. First time Moms want everything but you will soon learn that there are lots of things you could do without.
Have a great time and take lots of pictures!
Im in total agreement about not bringing more than you can carry as a good travel rule but I can't quite figure out how that is possible with an infant. There are just certain things I need to bring like a car seat or stroller plus a diaper bag plus my own luggage plus her. Maybe I need to do some strength training first :)
DeleteWe travel a lot with little H - mostly back and forth between the west and east coast (Vancouver to Toronto or Vancouver to Boston). Last spring we flew Seattle to Phoenix for a night and then Phoenix to Orlando though. It's not always easy but we are relaxed travellers and it's rubbed off on Halle. When she was smaller she mostly napped and nursed. Our biggest thing is travelling as early as we can in the morning so she sleeps on the plane (she is used to sleeping in my arms so it makes it easy). We also pack lots of toys, books and snacks to help keep her entertained. Then once we arrive, we just try to stick to her usual schedule at home, in local time, as best as we can.
ReplyDeleteBest of luck and can't wait to hear about your travel adventures with baby! :)
When my son was 9 mo. I flew with him to London - then Amsterdam. It was fine. We were there for a month (my husband was working there).
ReplyDeleteI bought an inexpensive stroller there & left it when we were flying home. For the time we had a car - I just rented a car seat @ the car company.
I didn't need a ton of baby stuff as everything can be purchased (and I did buy a lot of clothing) & handwashed what I needed to.
The only thing that was difficult - my so did suffer jet lag, so when he should have been sleeping - he was awake...and I was SO tired!
I'm sure you will have fun traveling with her.
In November, we took our 12 month old to Key West, FL. The flight was only about 4 hours total, including a layover. I was able to find a company that rented pack and plays and a high chair. They delivered them to the house we rented and picked them up! The lightest stroller you can bring with underneathe storage is helpful, especially with going through security. i would bring enough diapers for the flight and buy more in your destination. That way, you don't have to pack so much...they take up a lot of room.
ReplyDeleteThanks Danielle. I'm not at all worried about domestic travel - a 3 hour flight won't be a problem since we have a pretty happy baby and she is easy to distract (for now). The problem is I'm not that interested in domestic travel. I like to go far! So therein lies our problem - how far is too far?
DeleteOh! And we checked our car seat, which was free.
ReplyDeleteWe travelled to Banff Canada and the Rockies when our daughter was 2 months old... It was wonderful! First because the time difference was only a couple hours...
ReplyDeleteAnd people were simply wonderful with us!!
We opted for that destination because we knew we could have a more flexible schedule with her!
We managed to book a hotel room with a mini kitchen and there was laundry facilities in the hotel.. so we could travel with less baby stuff and do a load once in a while!
We travelled with our own car seat and stroller...(we were going to do a lot of walking and outdoors activity, I wanted my bugaboo!!) the car seat was checked in with the luggage and the stroller at the gate! All for free! We had a travel bed that was small enough to pack in a suitcase so she could sleep in bed with us.. but friends have also improvised a bed using a hotel room drawer and their baby blankets! When they are that young, its just fine!
Travel now! Under 6 months its easy! Once they start crawling, and sitting up, its harder to keep them quiet for long periods of time.. they just want to get moving!
Yes! Do it! We went to Hawaii when our son was 8 months and we were worried about all the same things. Sleeping was our biggest worry but he actually slept better on the trip and it continued when we got home. The time change is a bear but we made sure to immediately do naps and bedtime in the current time zone instead of the one we had just left. Have a wonderful time! It will be different than any other trip you've taken so flexibility and humor are a must.
ReplyDeleteYes, we braved many trips abroad with twins. Babies are born all over the world and traveling with them at all ages is great....but it is also fun to leave them at home with family or friends so Mom and Dad can have time alone. I think it is fun to travel as they grow and become adults.
ReplyDeletepve
I always thought I'd be okay with leaving her for a few days but now that she is here, I don't think I could do it. At least not right now. So we will be dragging her with us :)
DeleteOMG those photos are divine!
ReplyDeleteOh, the stories she will be able to tell of all her adventures! I love that you want to include the baby right away in your wanderlust!
ReplyDeleteThis post makes me smile. I travel a lot, just got back from Burma and Thailand and we said we will be going back with kids. We do not have children at the moment and everyone says it will change and we won't travel when we have kids. This is always coming from people who did not travel before kids. Yes I am sure it will take a little longer to pack. (Agreed I take a small backpack for trips.) Things might not go as smoothly but it will and can be done. My parents took me to Australia when I was 5 and I lost my first tooth in that country. How cool was that! Go for it and I can't wait to see and hear about how it goes. It will give us hope when we have children.
ReplyDeletea - I say the same thing. How can people who never travel tell me I wont travel again?
DeleteOnce she is 3 or 4, Im sure we will be carting her around everywhere. But at this age its hard to know what will be worthwhile for us - its a balance of finding a location we want to visit but wont be such a terrible adjustment for her that it makes us miserable on the return. Decisions, decisions :)
Hi there. I couldn't get the link to reply below your response, so I'm posting here.
ReplyDeleteThe only time I went to Iceland was with the kids as infants, so I don't know it from a couple's perspective. We didn't do a long time in the hot springs, but we did make a midnight visit for a view and a little dip. But the drive, the purple mountains, the waterfalls, black sand beaches, fjords, and the magic of summer in Scandinavia made the whole thing so worth it. And by driving, you don't feel the crowds that the cities draw in the summer. And better, since they have so much summer daylight, your schedule is extra flexible. You can just pick up and go at whatever time of day or night!
Most of it is scenery, but it's beautiful and there are a ton of places to stop and visit along the way. Lots of cute towns with great shopping, food, and photo ops.
All in all, it was extremely relaxing and the most flexible trip we had. Our schedule was entirely our own because we stayed at small hotels or B&Bs, and we were driving everywhere so we could stop any time we needed.
Here's a great article on on the Ring Road for families, but a lot of this kid stuff won't apply to you yet:
http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/travel/best-family-trips/iceland-ring-road/
We went to a few places on that list, and the best were Geysir and the Gulfoss, Jökulsárós, Seydisfjördur (seals!! fjords!), Leirhnúkur lava field, Haukadalur Valley. We did a lot of random stopping in small towns that turned out great, too. The people are so nice, and everyone is extremely kid friendly.
Did you drive the ring road on your last trip? It's a great 1-2 weeks, depending on how long you want to linger along the way.
I hope you go; I'd love to see your pictures!! Your travel photos are always so great.
We went 13 years ago so before digital cameras (and before I knew much about how to take a good photograph!). The photos are all in a box somewhere. I really should get them all scanned but I haven't found decided how to get it done yet.
DeleteRe-posting as I think mine got lost - come to south america! I live in Lima, Peru, and it would be a great 4-day trip - fab restaurants and some decent cultural attractions (and you can save Machu Picchu for another trip). There's a 7 hour direct flight from Newark and it's in the same time zone! Or check out Bogota, Costa Rica, Buenos Aires - tons of great stuff down here, all in the same time zone (ish) with reasonable flights.
ReplyDeleteYou know this is my dream travel question (and thanks for the link)! I totally think travel with a baby makes you a better traveler and parent, you learn what you can do without and you get good at adapting to wherever you are. I wouldn't worry to much about her jet lag at this age, when she sleeps in longer cycles throughout the day. Of all the places we've been so far, I'd say Budapest was one of the easiest: really baby-crazy people (almost as much as Turks and Italians) and good infrastructure, lots of restaurants with changing tables and high chairs (not that you need them yet). Italy and Greece is very kid-friendly, but not so much for parents: lots of stairs, bad sidewalks, and dirty bathrooms. Seoul was also great because of the people, though the streets are almost as bad as Istanbul with a stroller. I preferred the Bugaboo for traveling in the first year or so, since it's good on any terrain and could fit the car seat on top. We are thinking we'll save Scandinavia until she's old enough to appreciate all the fairy tale/elf/gnome stuff, and Vietnam for better weather. There isn't really a place I would not recommend in these early days, so I'd say go for what might be harder later. I like cities so you can do lots of strolling and sitting in cafes! Can't wait to hear where you choose!
ReplyDeleteDo it! Maybe choose somewhere that doesn't require vaccinations, but other than that she's as portable as she'll ever be. We just got back from a trip to Hawaii (5.5 hour flight each way) with our 6 month old. It's still US, but our baby did really well with the flight & reasonably well with the time change. If you can, take a half or full day off work when you get back to give yourself a little time to adjust to being home again. Our flights would have been even easier a month or more ago, when the baby was less interested in being on the floor & rolling around. We took our City Mini GT & a car seat, gate checked both. It was nice to have the full stroller as it pushes really well on uneven ground (but not sand it turns out) and is what she's used to traveling in. If you're going somewhere with lots of walking/stairs/whatnot consider a carrier of some sort. Its really easy for babies to sleep in them so you don't even have to stop for nap time if you don't want to.
ReplyDeleteGood luck!
Sorry, aber Du hast jetzt ein Kind und solltest Deine Bedürfnisse zurück stecken. Die Zeiten ändern sich und auch Ihr dürft irgendwann Eure Reisewünsche wieder erfüllen. Doch vorerst sind "Reisen" in näher gelegene Parks empfehlenswert. Dann mit ca. 1 Jahr die kurze Fahrt in einem Auto an entspannte Orte oder zur Familie. Viel später dann - mit ca. 3-4 Jahren - könnt Ihr eine Innerland-Flugreise machen. Doch eine interkontinentale Reise mit einem Baby ist ein No Go!
ReplyDeleteThats my opinion! PS: eine treue Leserin aus Europa - Switzerland!
We will just have to disagree on this point. I think traveling makes me a better person and therefore a better parent. Not to mention I think exposing children to other places and cultures is good for them as we'll. Staying home isn't even an option.
ReplyDeleteAlso, Du wolltest einen Rat und als Mutter von 2 Kindern, habe ich meine Meinung geäussert.
DeleteIch sage ja nicht, dass Ihr daheim bleiben sollt, doch eine lange interkontinental Reise ist eine enorme Anstrengung für ein Neugeborenes! Zudem denke ich, dass Deine Qualitäten als Mutter sich nicht über Deine Reisen in die Welt definieren. Man kann auch so eine gute und glückliche Mutter sein! Ja, ich bin auch dafür, dass Kinder andere Kulturen kennen lernen sollen, doch ich bezweifle, dass es Deine Tochter mit 2/3 Monaten das schon wahrnehmen kann.
Meine Darlegung sollte Dich nicht in Deinem Handeln kritisieren. Alles Gute für Euch!
It's not the plane travel that hits you. It's the night time sleeping. If you can travel with a travel bed and get the baby used to it before you hit the road that changes things a great deal. Consider time zone. When I traveled with my babies, even now that they are older, I time the flight to their nap and sleep schedule. There is nothing worse than the anticipation of getting away and then having it wrecked because of lack of sleep in a new place.
ReplyDeleteOh I'm sure you've heard this, make sure your baby is drinking (breast or bottle) upon take off and landing. Time it. It's the change in air pressure that makes babies cry on the plane. They are just in pain and don't know how to automatically fix it like us adults.
The other thing that I worry about is catching a cold before a flight. I'm super vigilant before a trip. Again because of sinus congestion on the plane.
Good luck and definitely go for it. Bon voyage!!
We took our son to Turkey for a 10 day trip when he was 8 weeks old - it was really easy to travel with him - we got bulkhead seats so that he could have a bassinet to lie/sit in on the plane, we brought a car seat and an ergo, and we just carted him around wherever we went. he wasn't on a schedule then, so that was also easy, but i didn't feel like we needed to bring that much extra stuff for him - just something to carry him in and diapers. he napped in the ergo when we were out and about. so just go - it will work out one way or the other! it will only get harder - although it's so doable at any age - we took him to mexico at 20 months, florida at 8 months, italy at 24 months, etc.
ReplyDeleteWe went to Greece when our youngest son was 8 months old. Traveling before they are moblie is surprisingly easy. Also, I think going to a country that "loves children" is important too. Everywhere I would go, a ya ya would want to hold my son. We've also traveled a little closer to home when my middle son was in the toddler walk-a-bout phase -Mexico is very easy and do-able at that stage.
ReplyDeleteWe just got back from taking our 8 month old son to Japan. It definitely wasn't as hard as I thought. We created a good schedule for us where we would get ready in the morning, go out for breakfast then come back to the hotel for his first nap. Then after that we would go out for the rest of the day and he would either nap in the stroller, front pack, or in our arms for his second nap. I'd say the hardest part was the jet lag coming back. We arrived at 8:30 in the morning back in Oregon after a 9 hour flight. Trying to deal with jet lag myself with a jet lagged baby was hard. I'd say it took him 3-4 days to get over it. Plus he was getting his first tooth so I don't think that helped. You really don't need to pack too much stuff for a baby. At least all of their clothes are small!
ReplyDeleteWe just got back from taking our 8 month old son to Japan. It definitely wasn't as hard as I thought. We created a good schedule for us where we would get ready in the morning, go out for breakfast then come back to the hotel for his first nap. Then after that we would go out for the rest of the day and he would either nap in the stroller, front pack, or in our arms for his second nap. I'd say the hardest part was the jet lag coming back. We arrived at 8:30 in the morning back in Oregon after a 9 hour flight. Trying to deal with jet lag myself with a jet lagged baby was hard. I'd say it took him 3-4 days to get over it. Plus he was getting his first tooth so I don't think that helped. You really don't need to pack too much stuff for a baby. At least all of their clothes are small!
ReplyDeleteI just found your blog--I love it! I feel like we have so much in common (in terms of lifestyles; I have no idea about personalities). I'm knocked up abroad myself and live in a supertiny flat in a huge city. Anyway, before I got pregnant I was planning a trip to Hanoi and Halong Bay in Vietnam but I've now had to postpone it. I'm planning to go in the spring when baby has at least a few months of life under its belt. I've heard so many beautiful things about Halong Bay and I've loved Vietnam (and Cambodia/Laos, for that matter) when I've gone in the past. So that's my recommendation!
ReplyDeleteI just found your blog--I love it! I feel like we have so much in common (in terms of lifestyles; I have no idea about personalities). I'm knocked up abroad myself and live in a supertiny flat in a huge city. Anyway, before I got pregnant I was planning a trip to Hanoi and Halong Bay in Vietnam but I've now had to postpone it. I'm planning to go in the spring when baby has at least a few months of life under its belt. I've heard so many beautiful things about Halong Bay and I've loved Vietnam (and Cambodia/Laos, for that matter) when I've gone in the past. So that's my recommendation!
ReplyDelete