Best time to travel with infant?

[SpringCrane]

Planning a family trip to Hawaii (from California) next year, and I'm due in late March. My son was a big crier until about 6 weeks, and I'll wait for vaccines at 2 months. Anything else I should consider? We'll be renting a house, and we'll have tons of family to help. I'm trying to think back to the easiest time, if such a thing existed (ha!). I'm thinking 3-4 months? What do y'all think?

Likely to be breastfeeding and co-sleeping again, if that matters.

 

[Quartz]

Personally I would give it another month or so I travelled with DD at 5 months and Ds at 7 and I found them being able to sit up (and DS in particular could sit up by then) meant it easier for highchairs and the plane etc.

The 4 month sleep regression is over and I found it the easiest time I think 5-7 months

 

[LoraLoo]

I have always found the younger the easier. I prefer it when they're immobile! We have done a uk holiday when Lo was 3 weeks and an abroad holiday when another was 4 months and both were absolutely great.

 

[SpringCrane]

Thanks! I was thinking about sleep regressions. My son did great in the early days, but was AWFUL 4.5-6.5 months. The memory of that makes me not want to travel then, but I know that has no real bearing on how #2 will be.

I agree LoraLoo, younger does seem easier! We didn't do any big trips until my son was 8 months, so traveling earlier will be new. We travel a lot with my son and he's phenomenal, so I'm hoping we just continue our streak of good travels regardless of when we end up going

 

[MindUtopia]

I think anytime up to when they are actively mobile all day and needing to run around sounds pretty easy. If you can put baby in a wrap for in the airport and on the plane, that would probably help tremendously, but you can do that up until toddlerhood, so you've got plenty of time for that.

 

[DebbieF]

We went on a 10 hour road trip when ds was 5 months old. He HATED almost every second of it. He hated being in the car for so long, hated the beach, pretty much made life miserable for us for a week. I think it would have been much easier for us to have gone when he was much younger. But saying that, every child is different..

 

[Perplexed]

Anytime before they're mobile imo lol

 

[zorak]

Anytime. I just did a trip from San Diego to the UK with my just turned two year old and 4 month old. We had one 11 hour flight, short connection then a one hour flight. It was completely fine , both boys were so good so I would never let their age restrict my travel plans.

 

[Larkspur]

I reckon either three months (when sleep is evening out but before the 4-month regression, and they're not too mobile)... or 8-10 months when they're sitting and crawling, so not as frustrated, but not yet walking. Baby also may be down to 2 naps by that time, which makes things easier.

We took our son overseas when he was 9 months, and that was really good. He was not an ounce of trouble the whole trip.