We have to travel for an important family wedding (siblings wedding) when baby will be 5-6 weeks old. Husband and I are trying to figure out if it's better to drive or fly (18 hour drive broken up into 2 days or a 2 hour flight). I'll be talking to our Ped probably tmrw or Tuesday as well but wanted to see if anyone had any experience flying/driving with such a young baby.
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Yup! He did great. I nursed him as soon as I sat down and just kept him covered with the nursing cover. He slept the whole time and didn't get sick (and this was in late January/early February). We even went into a hospital (my dad had been severely injured in a car accident and we were visiting him) and he didn't get sick. I wore him as much as I could to keep people and germs away
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@MamaBehr: thank you for chiming in!
can I ask how old he was? And how long was your flight? Did he have any trouble with his ears during take off / landing?
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Not quite that early but we flew at 9 weeks and it was great. She slept the whole time!! I wouldn't drive, that sounds horrible!! We drove 4 hours when she was 4 months and it was awful.
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@pinkcupcake: he was six weeks when we went and seven weeks coming home. We did here to Chicago, two plus hours and then Chicago to my parents, about an hour. So, four up and downs, and no issues with ears. I just nursed him and the white noise of the airplane put him to sleep!
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Yes, we went on flights at 6 1/2 weeks and flew back at 7 1/2. She did great! Slept both 3 1/2 he flights! Breastfeed and was super quiet! Then car driving for a total of 10 hrs the entire week and was great!
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We first flew at 10w, then 11w, and 12w. He only got a cold at the end of the last flight. But we'd been travelling for 24+ hours at that point.
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I flew with my second when she was about 5 weeks old, for a funeral. At the time I had a 2.5 year old at home (who stayed with my husband), and it was so.much.easier than any travel with had done with our older daughter as a toddler! I felt like it was just like trekking along with a super cute and cuddly backpack. I would absolutely go for a flight over the drive.
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FLY!!! I flew alone for the first time with DD at 6 weeks. It was super easy. It did help that my mom has everything we needed at her house, so I only brought my beco as far as gear goes. Much easier to fly at that age than with a toddler! This was in late March and she didn't get sick because I wore her and no one touched her. I nursed/gave her pacifier on take off and landing and she slept the whole way - didn't cry once! Super easy. I miss those days!
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oh yeah totally fly. No matter what we all say on here you will ultimately be super stressed leading up to it, but I can almost 99% guarantee it will be a successful first flight. Maybe the worst thing that will happen will be a poo during flight.
Your LO will likely sleep the entire flight. I flew by myself with her at 7 weeks (her first flight!) and she was a dream.
My only tip would be to pack a gallon ziplock with a diaper or two, small changes pad, diaper cream, a travel pack of wipes, a smaller grocery baggie for the diaper, and an extra onesie. Its your "go bag" on the plane to make a dipe change SO much less stressful.
It will go SO well.
The first part of the flight I'm referencing was an 8 hour drive (we drove down, I flew back by myself). I feel like 6 hours would be the tipping point. By the time you get to the airport 2 hours early, fly two hours, get bags, get to your destination its probably nearly equal, except if you drove you'd have your car, carseat, and a ton of baby crap. But 18 hours??? no brainer!!!! -
Fly! My sister and I drove with DS when he was about 10 weeks old a 15+ hour car ride over two days. It took so long because he was nursing every 2-3 hours, so by the time I nursed and we got back in the car about 2 hours later we'd be stopping again.
Then I flew with him at just over three months and it was a breeze. He basically just slept the whole time. And everyone is super helpful when you travel with a baby.
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Following this post. I'll be flying with a 1-2 week old next month! Hoping it goes ok.
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We flew with LO1 to Mexico (7 weeks old there and 8 weeks on the eat home). Definitely easier than when he was 10 months old!!!
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@Mrs. J: @Littlebit7: @catomd00: @woodentulip: @HTownMom: @MamaBehr: thank you all so much for weighing in! (I hope I didn't miss any tags, on my phone and it's easy to miss replies)
Did your babies get their first set of shots before getting on the plane? It sounds like babies as young as 2 weeks have flown without any issues so I'm thinking 5-6 weeks should be ok,,, but of course anxious mama -.-
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@pinkcupcake: my guy wasn't vaccinated. We got home and then he got his first round of shots. He didn't get sick!
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Fly! If you babywear I'd just wear LO so people are less tempted to touch and he/she is super safe with you and can even nurse in the carrier.
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@Eieio: pls let me know what you decide
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@pinkcupcake: yes, they did his shots a week early for us. Definitely babywear!!! It was so helpful
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Definitely fly! We did when LO was about 3 weeks adjusted (actually about 10), and it was great. She slept perfectly the whole way. I wore her for the whole time at the airport and it went fine. She hadn't had any shots yet but we were just vigilant about keeping our hands clean and keeping people away from her. I wound up with a cold, but she was just fine!
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