https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sun, 10 May 2026 21:10:40 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/10-11-hour-road-trip-w-5-month-old#post-1745400 Tue, 08 Jul 2014 11:55:34 +0000 JoyfulKiwi 1745400@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>It's doable! We did a 12 hour (each way) trip at 3 months, 9 months, and 21 months. The first trip we drove through the night (left at 4ish pm and got in around 6-7 am). We both hated driving through the night and we drank a lot of soda/coffee and ate a lot of junk food, but we made it. One of us sat in the back with the baby and I ended up nursing him in his car seat (I unbuckled and leaned over). He mostly slept and we recovered quickly when we got there. All other trips (including the return trip home), we split it in two - it was easier for us. </p> <p>Also, your user name always makes me giggle Every Time! :silly: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/10-11-hour-road-trip-w-5-month-old#post-1745230 Tue, 08 Jul 2014 10:53:25 +0000 Applesandbananas 1745230@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We did this when LO was 3 months and it was okay. Can you take another adult with you? We did this and it was so helpful to have an extra set of hands with baby and an extra driver. </p> <p>We also started the trek at night, so LO slept for most of it. I bought a car power cord for my pump and pumped and fed LO bottles so we didn't have to stop a zillion times. It's not ideal for LOs to be in the carseat for extended periods of time, but I kinda felt like it wouldn't be the end of the world for one trip if he was in it for awhile, you know? </p> <p>Good luck! It's totally doable, tough , but doable! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/10-11-hour-road-trip-w-5-month-old#post-1745226 Tue, 08 Jul 2014 10:52:34 +0000 MrsKoala 1745226@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Doable. We just took our 5 month old on a 6 hour road trip. We left at his bed time, put him in an overnight diaper, and he slept the entire way down. We did the same trip back up during the day with three stops in 8 hours. He did really well. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/10-11-hour-road-trip-w-5-month-old#post-1745196 Tue, 08 Jul 2014 10:45:27 +0000 yerpie110 1745196@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We took our LO on an 8 hour road trip when she was 5 months old, and it was fine. She has never hated her car seat though, and was still a very sleepy baby at that time, plus she overall is a pretty low maintenance gal, so I think that makes a big difference. If she did hate the car seat/didn't sleep in the car, I would not have dared. She napped most of the time and we had fun! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/10-11-hour-road-trip-w-5-month-old#post-1745136 Tue, 08 Jul 2014 10:26:22 +0000 illumina 1745136@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Do able, but I think I'd do it overnight if possible. I think it would be a really really long day otherwise when you factor in a few extra hours of stops as is always necessary with a baby ;) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/10-11-hour-road-trip-w-5-month-old#post-1743898 Mon, 07 Jul 2014 19:04:11 +0000 Vegmama 1743898@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think it depends on the baby.</p> <p>Our baby likes the car okay, but we would probably split the trip into two days (so that she's not in her seat the whole day). </p> <p>I'd also suggest that one of you sit in the back with her. </p> <p>Again, it's just all about your baby, and their temperament. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/10-11-hour-road-trip-w-5-month-old#post-1743806 Mon, 07 Jul 2014 18:23:56 +0000 MrsRoo 1743806@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Definitely doable! We did a trip that length when my LO was 5 months and it actually went really well. We started the drive after her bedtime so she slept of a large chunk of the drive. We also bought a couple new toys for the ride that kept her entertained while she was awake. The fact that they were new held her interest for longer than if we had brought her usual car toys. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/10-11-hour-road-trip-w-5-month-old#post-1743649 Mon, 07 Jul 2014 17:00:15 +0000 birdofafeather 1743649@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@night cheese: i think that if you left right after work for your DH and drove late into the night, stopped for some sleep and then got up and did the rest, that's the kind of split PPs mentioned. instead of driving 11 hours during the day. which will take longer than that! when we drive long distances, we like to bank on the late night/early morning when she'll sleep a bit more. i think it's doable, but if i had not a lot of vacation time and it was that long of a trip, i'd fly to maximize the time with the people we're going to see. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/10-11-hour-road-trip-w-5-month-old#post-1743459 Mon, 07 Jul 2014 15:14:50 +0000 Alivoo01 1743459@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Totally doable! I did a similar road trip with DS around that age and he did just fine. He slept most of the time and we made a few pit stops to nurse and change diapers. He did great!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/10-11-hour-road-trip-w-5-month-old#post-1743446 Mon, 07 Jul 2014 15:11:19 +0000 Rockies11 1743446@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I did a driving trip when LO was 4 months - lots of driving, and even lots during the day, and it was totally fine. I think it depends on the baby! regardless I agree with driving though the night, if possible. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/10-11-hour-road-trip-w-5-month-old#post-1743387 Mon, 07 Jul 2014 14:50:18 +0000 Madison43 1743387@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think it depends on how your baby feels about the car. My LO hates the car so I couldn't have done it. We've done a 3 hour trip to visit family a few times and it's super stressful, even with one of us in the backseat the entire time. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/10-11-hour-road-trip-w-5-month-old#post-1743378 Mon, 07 Jul 2014 14:46:35 +0000 Mrs. Blue 1743378@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>It's doable. NOT fun, but doable. :grin: If possible. I HIGHLY recomend leaveing in the late afternoon and driving late into the night/early morning to make it more bearable so LO will sleep more. It sucks, but not as much as screaming babies. Also, I only recommend that if you're going to have doting grandparents on the other end of that trip who will be dying to take care of LO the next day so you can catch as many naps as possible! Another option would be to break it up in two days, but we would rather just push through and and get there. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/10-11-hour-road-trip-w-5-month-old#post-1743377 Mon, 07 Jul 2014 14:46:03 +0000 night cheese 1743377@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I should've mentioned - splitting up the trip isn't really an option. We discussed it, but my husband is going to be really, really low on vacation days this year (he's taking most of it when the baby comes) and he can't take two extra days off just to drive. </p> <p>If we took two days each way, we'd only be at his parents' for one night.</p> <p>But I guess it also depends on how the baby is in the car. We'll have to wait and see. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/10-11-hour-road-trip-w-5-month-old#post-1743376 Mon, 07 Jul 2014 14:45:47 +0000 Weagle 1743376@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Doable. We do a trip like that several times a year and have since LO was 6 months old. Doing it with a 3 month old this year. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/10-11-hour-road-trip-w-5-month-old#post-1743365 Mon, 07 Jul 2014 14:40:35 +0000 jetsa 1743365@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Totally doable. I travel 6 hours every 6-8 weeks and am planning an 8 hour trip in a few weeks. My kid hates the carseat and is even worse after 4 hours so I'd just try to split up the drive or drive at night. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/10-11-hour-road-trip-w-5-month-old#post-1743358 Mon, 07 Jul 2014 14:38:21 +0000 Turd Ferguson 1743358@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I would so not do it. The driving plus the trip stress would definitely not be worth it for me. </p> <p>BUT, I have a baby that haaaated the car seat and now at 8 months still doesn't like anything over about 30-45 minutes. I know some babes are great at trips! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/10-11-hour-road-trip-w-5-month-old#post-1743355 Mon, 07 Jul 2014 14:37:24 +0000 Anagram 1743355@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Doable. But I'd break it into 2 short days of 5.5 hours each, so you can stop a lot, drive during nap times. A hotel and gas is still cheaper than 2 flights.</p> <p>This is what we do. We have an 8-9 hour drive to my husband's family and we almost always leave after work on Friday right at LOs bedtime, so she mostly sleeps...then we drive till midnight, get a hotel, and finish the next day.</p> <p>This past Christmas, when LO was 5.5 months, we drove NYC-Toronto-western Virginia-NYC to see both families. Just this past week, we drove 14 hours over two days to Georgia to see my family, and back. We took 2 days each way to drive so we could stop every 3 hours or so--we went to outlet malls, random scenic overlooks, rest stops, etc. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/10-11-hour-road-trip-w-5-month-old#post-1743347 Mon, 07 Jul 2014 14:31:20 +0000 night cheese 1743347@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>It's still too early to worry about this but my husband and I were discussing this last night so I may as well ask.</p> <p>For the holidays every year, we drive out to visit his family. It's usually a 10-11 hour drive. We drive instead of fly because it's cheaper and because his family lives 3 hours from the nearest airport, so it's just easier.</p> <p>But, this year, by time time Christmas comes along, we're going to have a 5 month-old baby. And I'm just not sure we're going to want to take that long of a drive when we've got to stop for changings and feedings every couple of hours. Plus, I don't like the idea of the baby being stuck in the carseat for that long.</p> <p>Flying isn't a good alternative (too time-consuming, expensive, and complicated since we'll be bringing all of baby's stuff as well as gifts for his whole family) so if we don't drive out there this year, we'll probably just have to skip the holidays and celebrate on our own this year. Which isn't the end of the world, but we'd rather not.</p> <p>So: a long road trip with a 5 month-old? Doable, or a terrible idea?</p> <p>ETA: Splitting the trip into two days each way would be a good option but my husband is almost out of vacation time for the year and can't afford to take two extra days to drive. :bummed: </p>