Travelling pregnant or with baby - would/have you?

[pradabooties]

Hi everyone,

I've been with my OH for 5 years, I've just graduated from university and next year we are moving out of our city apartment into a house so my body is screaming to have a baby!

I am in the uncertain stage of WTT but not being sure when to start.

My question is, would or have you traveled either pregnant or with a child under 5? I am talking overseas trips.

I quite strongly want to TTC in 2015 because my parents are quite older and if I leave it much later its unlikely my baby will have his/her grandparents around by the time they are my age (23).

On the other hand, I am very eager to travel overseas with my OH - right before we officially started dating 5 years ago I had just returned from a trip to France/England and in one way I'm glad I have at least done it once so I COULD wait but on the other hand I am so desperate to get back there!

Basically if I were to conceive I would choose between either travelling while pregnant to Europe or somewhere like Hawaii or New York (from Australia) OR I'd wait and travel at some point with my child - but I doubt I'd want to wait more than 5 years so they would be young.

Advice please! xx

 

[Kitteh_Kat]

Haven't traveled overseas yet, but I did travel within the country while in the third trimester. I also flew across the country by myself with a 3 and 1/2 month old and navigated several international airports/rental car/getting everywhere at destination with her. Much easier if you have someone with you to help! It's also easier to travel with them while they're really little... babywear and they can just nap on you. I'd say go for it! Children shouldn't change your plans too much, just cause little adaptions to be needed. My mother traveled with us everywhere when we were kids, and I had such a fantastic childhood because of it!

 

[CMarie]

I flew 5 hours cross-country twice with my son, once when he was about 4 months old and again shortly before his 3rd birthday. I have to say it was much easier the first time around because all he would do was nurse I really had to plan ahead the second time around with snacks, activities, etc to make sure he stayed occupied & behaved on the plane.

As for flying when pregnant, if I was staying in my country I would fly, but not past 30 weeks, and I would never fly out of country during pregnancy. I've heard horror stories of women going into labor way early in another country & having huge medical bills to pay as a result or having a very stressful labor & delivery. Unless it's an absolute emergency, I think flying out of country can wait the 9 months imo.

 

[pradabooties]

Haven't traveled overseas yet, but I did travel within the country while in the third trimester. I also flew across the country by myself with a 3 and 1/2 month old and navigated several international airports/rental car/getting everywhere at destination with her. Much easier if you have someone with you to help! It's also easier to travel with them while they're really little... babywear and they can just nap on you. I'd say go for it! Children shouldn't change your plans too much, just cause little adaptions to be needed. My mother traveled with us everywhere when we were kids, and I had such a fantastic childhood because of it!

Thank you SO much for your reply that is so good to know. My mum did all of her overseas trips before I was born and then resumed them after I was 18 so I've always felt it was just something people didn't - and couldn't - do. Very glad to hear having a baby doesn't mean I won't ever get to travel! Thank you xo

 

[pradabooties]

I flew 5 hours cross-country twice with my son, once when he was about 4 months old and again shortly before his 3rd birthday. I have to say it was much easier the first time around because all he would do was nurse I really had to plan ahead the second time around with snacks, activities, etc to make sure he stayed occupied & behaved on the plane.

As for flying when pregnant, if I was staying in my country I would fly, but not past 30 weeks, and I would never fly out of country during pregnancy. I've heard horror stories of women going into labor way early in another country & having huge medical bills to pay as a result or having a very stressful labor & delivery. Unless it's an absolute emergency, I think flying out of country can wait the 9 months imo.

Thanks for your response! Good to know travelling with a very young baby is easier because I think that would probably be my preference if it worked out that I did TTC in 2015. Thank you again x

 

[staralfur]

I took my LO to Mexico (from Canada) twice, the first time when she was 18 months and the second time just a couple of months later! The first trip was to the far side of Mexico (from where I live) and it was a 12 hour day with flights and connections. The second time wasn't so bad as it was just a direct 5 hour flight.

It was actually way easier than I expected it to be. The only real drawback I think is that you can't just pop in your headphones and watch a movie or listen to music and relax. But not the end of the world.

I would love to take her to Iceland in the next year/year and a half before we have our next baby. It's definitely doable. It is a lot different than traveling on your own, you'll do different things, you'll have to plan around naps/bedtime if they're younger... but there are also a lot of positives to traveling with your kids. Watching my LO be amazed by all of the new things she was seeing was pure magic!

 

[Springermommy]

I have a similar question that I will make a post about soon.

 

[Kiki1993]

All my friends have travelled with their kids and honestly it varies depending on the child and the parent. I know they all prepared really well and made sure they were rested for flight. They made sure they had stuff to occupy them on the plane.
One tip would be if you travel with a toddler make them pee right before boarding, the last 3 flights I was on the plane couldn't take off for about 25 minutes because of the number of kids needing a pee, on one of them the mum let the toddler (aged 3 i think?) go into the toilet and the plane was delayed for ages because the toddler locked the door and couldn't open it again, staff opened it but really?! I don't mind kids on planes when parents use common sense but when a kid spend the whole 5 hour flight kicking my chair and screaming in my ear while the parent listens to his ipod and allows it.
As for flying in pregnancy I would only do it up until 25 weeks, I might not at all though. I might save money and miss a holiday so we can afford a family holiday when LO is about 6 months-1year

 

[callmedan]

im planning a trip to disney world with a 5/6/7 month old (fingers crossed!)
its all about the planning, sure it will be a different experience than without kids but that doesnt mean it will be worse, it'll just be a little harder but im sure it will be worth it

 

[babydustcass]

i havent travelled pregnant but ive gone on holiday with babies from 1-5. Every time it was great, and whilst it did make some activities off the cards, its not forever, we will go back and experience the desert, snorkelling ect when they are older.

 

[Eleanor ace]

How long would you be travelling for? I've gone on holiday pregnant and with my LO's, not the same as travelling but it was fine, easier with a little baby than an older toddler/s. I worried when flying while pregnant that I'd have a complication and end up having to stay in hospital somewhere where we didn't speak the language and would receive a different sort of medical care than I was used to, but it was fine. I would rather go on holiday pregnant but travel (for an extended time, rather than just a couple of weeks) with a baby.

 

[pradabooties]

Thank you so much everyone for your responses!

Its sounding like travelling while my first child is young would be the preference. Definitely feeling more encouraged to TTC in 2015!

 

[Kitteh_Kat]

Thank you so much everyone for your responses!

Its sounding like travelling while my first child is young would be the preference. Definitely feeling more encouraged to TTC in 2015!

So much easier during the first year! They don't require much entertainment, and you can strap them to your chest and go. Even toddlers are pretty amazing, they have such a curiosity for the world, and are pleased so easily. Take lots of pictures, and document so your children can see their journey.

 

[NovemberSnow]

I often wonder about this! I'm always quite relaxed about the idea of travelling when pregnant/with kids, I think my DH thinks I'm being a bit naïve about the whole thing! But my parents always said that travelling with a baby wasn't actually that hard (we had family living overseas when I was little and used to go and visit them often). As others have said, babies stay where you put them and don't need much entertainment!

 

[Springermommy]

This thread has been enlightening for me. Thanks, mommas!

 

[butterbaby]

Traveling is something that has always made me wait to have kids. After going on my dream trip (did things not advised during pregnancy ie. skydiving) last year with DH I feel I'd have no regrets if I now had kids. Like OP said, my parents traveled before I was born and then did overseas trips again once my siblings and I were in our late teens. We did go on a couple of trips as a family to Florida as well as many road trips/camping but it never occurred to me that I could travel overseas with little ones. Now I can't wait to give it a try. Obviously it will be a challenge but life will be different in general. I also figure it will be easier in some ways to travel when they are less than 2 and free flights as well. I want to see my LO learn and see new things along with me and have those memories together. They may not remember all of it but I think it will enrich their lives in many ways.

I have a friend who flew with her 9 month old to Australia from Canada and had no issues. In fairness her baby was a very good baby but still worth mentioning. As for traveling when pregnant, I would also hesitate to go out of country especially after a recent news story here of a couple who now have a $1 million medical bill.

 

[FionaJean]

My parents had a local honeymoon when they got married, and then did their "big" honeymoon to Europe years later when their youngest was 4. And they went alone, and left me and my siblings with our grandparents during their trip. I think they were gone about 10 days. I think it's awesome that they did that! We had a blast with our grandparents and cousins and playing on the farm, and our parents got to travel and have alone time. You can still take a vacation as a couple when you have children. Some you can make family trips, and then you can even take a trip or 2 with just you and your husband

My husband and I haven't done all our "bucket list" trips yet that I thought needed to happen before having a baby, but suddenly that isn't important to me anymore. Most of the trips I can see having with kids along, and one in particular I know won't happen before TTC and I've already half planned in my head that we will take it together in the future with just the 2 of us sans kids. I probably won't be doing such "couples only" trips when they are under 4... wait till the youngest is a bit older than that. I'm still gonna see the world, and you can too!

 

[tverb84]

This morning on Good Morning America I saw a story about a woman who gave birth while on a flight from LA to Arizona. I'm not sure what airline it was but her and her new son are doing fine.

 

[squirrel.]

When I was pregnant with our son we travelled round New Zealand in a van and lived in Wellington for a bit (travelled from UK). We were away 5 months and came back when I was 30 weeks. The 30 hour journey was fine even though I was quite pregnant.

Since having the kids we still go abroad a lot. In fact when my son was 10 weeks old I took him on my own to visit my mum in Qatar in the Middle East. It was a 12 hour journey with row flights, but it was fine, he was so tiny it was very easy. We're of the mindset that our lives don't have to change completely from what they were prior to having kids now that we're parents. Yes, having children does make things more complicated. Everything costs more, you have to compromise on a few things, everything takes a lot more organisation and time and you always have so much stuff (!!!), but at the end of the day I wouldn't say our lives are too different now.

 

[pradabooties]

When I was pregnant with our son we travelled round New Zealand in a van and lived in Wellington for a bit (travelled from UK). We were away 5 months and came back when I was 30 weeks. The 30 hour journey was fine even though I was quite pregnant.

Since having the kids we still go abroad a lot. In fact when my son was 10 weeks old I took him on my own to visit my mum in Qatar in the Middle East. It was a 12 hour journey with row flights, but it was fine, he was so tiny it was very easy. We're of the mindset that our lives don't have to change completely from what they were prior to having kids now that we're parents. Yes, having children does make things more complicated. Everything costs more, you have to compromise on a few things, everything takes a lot more organisation and time and you always have so much stuff (!!!), but at the end of the day I wouldn't say our lives are too different now.

Thank you this was very very encouraging to read! I am also hoping that I can travel as much as I want to after having children