Having survived a whole week away from home, including 4 flights, I’ve concluded that travelling with a baby is perfectly doable, if not exactly relaxing. It helps a lot that Ingrid is happy to be transported in the sling, both awake and asleep, and that she is still fully breastfed. This makes her very transportable, without having to worry about getting home for naps or meals. All we need for a meal is a place for me to sit, preferably indoors this time of the year but I’m sure that in a pinch a bench outdoors in the sun would work as well. And all we need for a nap is a short walk to get her relaxed and sleepy.
Flights are still the least enjoyable part. She does not enjoy sitting still, strapped in and facing forward, with nothing to look at other than the seat back, and no one to “talk” to. And nappy changes on a cramped airplane were a bit tricky, too.
Nevertheless the overall experience was good enough to make me think seriously about planning an actual holiday for this summer. Maybe a walking holiday somewhere (day trips, I guess) or perhaps cycling.
We started holidaying with ours fairly early (two months) and it was the best thing we could have done. At that age they’re still very portable and don’t need too much entertaining, and both you and they get used to the idea of being in a new place. We haven’t looked back since.
The first time we stayed in a hotel for a night with a 4 month old was a nightmare. Add that to flying from Sydney to London with a 1-year old and I never want to travel with kids again :) (unfortunately I don’t have a choice when it comes to visiting Estonia a few times a year)
Staying at a hotel with Ingrid actually worked surprisingly well. For some reason, staying at my sister-in-law’s house was more trouble. Or maybe it was just the cumulative shock of even more newness in her life.