Brave, insane, and/or stupid: Taking a newborn on vacation

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
1

On New Year’s Eve, fairly spur-of-the-moment (although we had been kicking around the idea), hubby and I packed up our 3 1/2yro Boy 1.0 and our nearly 3-week-old Boy 2.0 and headed for a hotel in San Diego. Hubby has been working his butt off every vacation–all last summer, he was working on remodeling the kitchen; almost his entire Thanksgiving break, he was polishing off the nursery; this past winter break, it has all been about adjusting to a newborn and helping take care of him (and me, recovering from the c-section). We’ve had some rough moments that had us questioning the sanity of our choice.

But, we got a very nice room with a view of the harbor, and Boy 1.0 looooves “ho-tay-yulls.” (Dang, can you tell my Appalachian accent has started rubbing off on him?? Oops.) The first night was rough–Boy 1.0 didn’t fall asleep until late, then woke up at 2am. Boy 2.0 wouldn’t sleep in his SnuggleNest, so I pretty much had to just keep him on or next to the boob (which makes me nervous–I’m so afraid of rolling over on him!). It wound up that hubby slept with Boy 1.0 in one bed, and I slept with Boy 2.0 in the other. The following morning, Boy 1.0–over tired and over excited–tested both of us, but we managed to get out to eat for breakfast before heading over to the San Diego Zoo. We’re members, so we went for just an hour–as much as my tired, recovering body could take (actually, it was a bit more that I could take…oops), planning to return later. Boy 2.0 was fine until he got hungry, then I was conspicuously pushing a strolling with a screaming newborn in it. Ugh, that sound is worse than nails on a chalkboard. Everyone was fed and happy once we got back to the hotel, and the three men of my life all passed out cold in the hotel room taking what were long, restful naps. After recharging our batteries, we went back to the zoo for the bus tour, so mommy could rest and not be on her feet and vehicle-obsessed Boy 1.0 could get his car fix. (The whole time we were at the zoo, he kept pointing out the buses, asking when we’re riding the buses, where’d that bus go, when is another bus coming, etc. The animals were merely background scenery inbetween passing buses.)

Last night was a little easier until Boy 2.0 started fussing at 4am, waking up his big brother who then was more or less unable to go back to sleep. We’re all already coffeed up and aim to go to a nearby playground (on the beach, score!) before perhaps one more quick stop at the zoo, or a local kids museum.

We have to wonder how sane we are for attempting this. I mean–a newborn in a hotel? But I figure it’s easier now than in 6 months, and the change of scenery has to count for something…right?? Or…are we indeed out of our minds? Don’t answer that.

2

Well, I took a 6 week old tent-camping in April in Missouri, when I was young and stupid. The difference is, he was a one and only with two parents to watch over him.
We were out in the wilderness for just over a week.

3

I’ve never had any problem traveling with newborns. It’s when they get to three or four they get hard to travel with in our family.

4

It’s fine as long as you realize that you’re doing the same amount of work, just in some location other than your home.

Also, don’t worry about rolling over on your infant.

5

I see nothing wrong with this idea. After all, they are never more portable than when they are infants, (lots of accessories, notwithstanding). They sleep a lot, (waking, screaming in the night, notwithstanding). And other people love to fuss over them, hold them, walk them, sit with them etc.

I say go for it! Good on you!

6

I have a friend who took a month-old baby to Europe for two weeks. As long as you’re going to be sleep-deprived, why not do it someplace pretty?

7

We are planning trips to visit family with our now month-old baby boy. He’ll be about five months old for the first trip and seven months old for the second trip. Both involve plane rides of about four hours. Hopefully they will go smoothly.

8

What funny timing! I was wondering earlier today how things were going with you and your family.

Traveling with infants is much easier than traveling with toddlers. As long as you keep everyone’s food and rest needs met, you’re generally golden. When the baby isn’t even crawling yet and gets all his nutrition from Mama, he’s as portable as he’ll be at any time in the next 5 years. Smart to take advantage of it!

9

In Minnesota, at this time of year, stupid. You just don’t expose a newborn to that many people due to risk of RSV.

San Diego…just a risk of sleepless nights.

10

Oof. Didn’t get a chance to come back to this thread as I believe Boy 2.0 is going through a growth spurt. Typical at 3 weeks, I know, but my nipples are SORE from his constant demands, and I’m exhausted from not being able to put him down for more than 10min. He’s snoozed in his crib for nearly 3 hours this morning, though, so hopefully this phase is passing. I hope so, so my poor baby feeders have a chance to recover.

The trip actually went very well. Oh, sure, the lack of sleep blew chunks, but the beach, the zoo, and the museum tours more than made up for it. The drive home was ideal–both boys were sound asleep the entire drive, and there was miraculously no traffic. We were home in just over 90 minutes.

dangermom: Well said. Very well said. If I’m going without sleep, might as well be somewhere with a lovely view. :slight_smile:

suranyi, I’m a complete chicken about flying with a child under age 5, basically. Maybe a quick 1-2 hour flight, but anything more than that, and I’d be freaking. Although–a Doper once shared years ago about how someone traveling with an infant created a sort of care package for those seated near them. They included ear plugs, heh. Might be opting for that.

Excellent point, shantih. He’s pretty darn portable, and in fact, packing for him was incredibly easy: just a ton of diapers, several changes of clothes, the Snuggle Nest (a sort of crib for small babies that fits in the bed with parents), and his car seat (which doubled as a rocker/bouncer). In a few months, we’d have to add the food, toys, and etcetera that come with bigger babies. Sooooo…when we go on a family cruise in July (when he’s 8mos old), it’ll be a bit more challenging, I anticipate.

Oop, he’s awake and hungry. Off I go!

11

Heck, I’d expect Boy 1.0 to be FAR more challenging than 2.0! We did something similar when Dweezil was not-quite-3 and Moon Unit was 3 months, and** Moon Unit** wasn’t the problem.

Well, the 14 hour drives to and from our destination were nonstop screamfests on her part, but once we were there she wasn’t a huge issue at all. Dweezil, however… Well, when you’re in a hotel at 1 AM and your toddler has the worst sleep terror he’s ever had including trying to hit both parents and chasing said parents to hit them… and you have to drag him out of the hotel at 1 AM, through the lobby, to drive him around in the car (telling the folks behind the front desk that if there are complaints of an in-progress murder on the 4th floor, this was the cause of the screaming and nobody was actually dead… yet…)… this is not a fun trip.

Neither kid evidently read the “sleep while the car is moving” manual on the 14 hour drives. At least **Dweezil **was enjoying the ride unlike his sister :(. We took him to the zoo (Brookfield, outside Chicago) and he was NOT enjoying it like your Boy 1.0. Pitched enough of a fit that we had to leave after 2 hours.

Sounds like your guys had a pretty good time overall which is great! I guess 2.0 didn’t really care all that much, as long as the food supply was handy :slight_smile: