Vacations After Baby..

[tasha41]

Hi ladies just looking for your thoughts.

When is the right time to go on vacation with your baby? Like what age?

Or, alternatively, when is the right time to leave them with say, their grandparents for a week?

I know I'm being sort of selfish but I'm 19 and I've never been on a "real" vacation... my family just didn't do that sort of thing; I don't even know if my parents have ever gone anywhere. They're very outdoorsy.. they like to go backpacking and camping. And they like to go visit American civil war tourist sites etc.

My parents left us with my grandparents as young children but I'm not sure what the rest of the world does? lol.

And, if you've gone on vacation with your baby.. how did it affect travel plans in terms of destination, activities you were able to do, etc? I'd like to go down to the Caribbean somewhere or to Mexico, Central America you know.. and I don't think those are really baby-friendly destinations IYKWIM.

 

[MoonMuffin]

Well me and my husband never got a honeymoon since Kathryn was 1 month when we were married. We'll wait a couple years to go as a couple (for our honeymoon), we can't really afford it right now and my mom has had knee surgery and can't watch Kathryn by herself. In the meantime we are planing on eventually go on a family vacation to Florida to visit some of my hubby's family (hopefully they can watch her one night so we can go on a "date"). But mostly we have other priorities first, I would love to go on vacation though. A bunch of my friends when to disney world for spring break and I was so jealous, they can just go anywhere they like whenever they like.

Also, don't go to mexico any time soon, there has been a lot of tourists being killed (a lot are beheaded ) by drug gangs, it's bad.

 

[tasha41]

Another reason I don't want to go until at least next summer or the summer after..

I guess I should explain lol that we can definitely afford a vacation and my mother will definitely take care of Elyse for the week (TBH she'd probably be over the moon)... I just don't know when it's "right" to leave them or when most moms feel comfortable leaving their kids?

I don't want her to be a 10 year old who's never been away from her mom/home etc... I hope she'll go to overnight camp.. I realize a lot of it will have to do with how she tolerates being away from us too.

 

[Vickie]

I think some of it's going to depend on Elyse really. For Hannah she's really only around me and Stan the large majority of the time and gets very anxious around others (strange anxiety hits later on--something you get to look forward to ) but since you live with your mom that may not become an issue We have never left Hannah with anyone for more than an hour because of her separation anxiety and my anxiety leaving her. I'm honestly not sure if I could leave her overnight anywhere, not yet anyways. But we're all different and you are comfortable with it and Elyse will obviously be in good hands than go for it. (I'll stop now I think I'm rambling )

 

[MoonMuffin]

Right, its up to you hun, if you feel that you are both ready to be apart for a while then I'd say have some time to yourself. Maybe try leaving her with the grandparents for a few hours one day, and a bit longer another day and an extra hour the next time, etc. Then try leaving her with the grandparents sometime overnight (like get a hotel room or stay with a friend maybe?) and see how it goes. That way you can see if you would feel comfortable leaving her and if she would be ok without you.

 

[mommyof3co]

My oldest turns 6 on Sunday, I've never left him more than 24hrs. I had him at 16 so I know it can be kinda hard to put all tha aside, but if we go on vacation they go. I just can't do it. Me and my "husband" we are common law, just no wedding yet, so his mom is trying to get us to get just married...long story butto get into his grandad's will, horrible I know. But she told us tonight that she would send us on a cruise and watch all 3 boys for us. I'm completely freaking out at the thought of possibly leaving them for the first time lol. Hayden is 18mo and I've never even left him with anyone other than DH, and even him not for more than a couple hours max. I can't imagine being away from any of them for that amount of time

 

[tasha41]

I also live with my mother btw lol.

 

[Chel]

My family did the camping thing also - I think camping is the best way with children. I met my OH when I was 19 and he took me on lots of wonderful holidays - The first time I stayed in a hotel in my life was 5 star... In fact... Only on as couple of occasions we've stayed in less. I got spoilt very quickly! I'm not a princess about it though, I guess growing up where holidfays involved 'roughing it' means a solid roof over my head and running water while on holiday is pretty impressive!

I went on a 'holiday' with Jasper a month ago, not overseas, but in australia you can go a long way without leaving the country. I just stayed with family. It is a bit limiting, we went to the beach, swam in the pool, went shopping a few times, went to an art gallery, stayed up all night drinking with my brother, I even went out to a bar one night with my mum and left Jasper with my grandma! I dont think I 'missed out' on anything I wouldn' have normally done without baby in tow. ONLY I was supposed to go to my bestfriends 21st and I couldn't - which was painful, but I was okay with that.

The plane wasn't so bad, we were only in the air for 2 hours at a time, it was annoying, but it was bearable! All I can advice is dont over plan, take it day by day.

 

[cparks1]

We are taking a week off in June, We are just going to go to the Omaha zoo. It's supposed to be really cool. I wanted to plan something where Peyton could come along with us. He has only stayed over night with someone 3 times. I plan on nursing until he's one, so being away for a long period of time is not an option. Besides that, I don't feel that I could leave him for a week, I would be so sad without him. I might leave him with grand parents for a day or two so we can go to the lake and me and my husband can rekindle the romance (sorry if TMI). Other than that, a real vacation is on the back burner.

You do what feels right to you. If you can be away from your LO for a week, then do so (if funds and babysitting are available). Try some of the things that the other posters have mentioned to see if you're ready to be away for a week. Good luck on deciding.

 

[hsollis]

I agree do what you think is best.

We're headed back to Maine in the States in 2 weeks for the first time with the LO (she'll be 7 months on the day we leave) and then we're visiting with family. We're back again in June with the baby and friends and hoping to be able to do day trips and include her. On the days she doesn't/can't go, she'll be with Nana

Growing up we had family camping vacations, etc. and my husband and I are still planning on doing vacations but with the baby - we just decided we'd look for more child friendly things to do or make sure we split the time with the two of us (like on ski vacations, take turns watching her so the other can ski).

I personally am like some of the others, I don't think I can leave her for more than a day or so and it'd take a lot to get me to do that