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Travelling with K at 3 months and 6 months was SO much easier than it would be now. I'd go with option 1.

DEFINITELY before 6 months! As soon as L became mobile she wanted nothing to do with being held. Also, feeding from 9 months - 15 months in public/away from home was stressful because it was messy (purees, solid foods, whatevs!).

Option 1--the younger they are, the easier it is to travel with them.

Between your 2 options, definitely option 1!

If I were to pick an absolute ideal time it would be between 4 months up until crawling. For us, that was around 8 months.

They are still pretty fun when they are under 1. Our LO was smiling at everyone and cooing/babbling when we brought her to meet her grandparents in Europe at 7-8 months.

Another thing - somewhere around 1 (a couple months before, a couple months after) they start to get a little more scared of people - at least in my experience. Your family might have a better chance of being able to hold her/play with her while she's younger? L went through her stranger-aversion starting at 14 months, so she still would have been fine before 1, but I think it gets riskier as they get older?

But, there are also babies that will not let other people hold them, so who knows... haha

I think 4-5 months is a great time. I flew solo with DD just before she was 6 months and it was reasonably easy. She was plenty social, too!

Definitely option 1.

option 1. at both those ages, LO will not remember the trip. so the benefits of option 1 for international travel far outweigh any perks of being in a new city with a toddler!

option 1! The older she gets the more difficult it is. I didn't believe it before. Now I do.

We traveled with LO to Australia (from US) when he was 5 months. Whenever he cried on the plane I shoved him the boob. Then even if he jet lagged I would still resolve it with shoving him the boob lol. Jetlag wasn't too big of a deal when I was used to getting up 2 times a night anyway even at home. 5 months was a sweet age to travel. LO didn't sleep all the time back then. And he played with a friend's same age baby! It was so nice. Not to mention you don't have to worry about solids because you don't need to feed them solids before 6 months.

option 2 is doable, but there are a lot more variables (especially you can no longer shove him the boob to quiet him down lol). Like how well he does on a long flight, how well he does on adjusting to jet lag...etc. It also highly depend on your LO's personality which you haven't met yet.

ETA: Actually I believe you don't need to buy a seat for them until after 2 years old. Some of the trips we bought a seat for LO anyway though.

option 1 for sure!! It gets so much harder to travel as they get older and more mobile. Under 6 months is so much easier. You don't have to worry about food/solids, nap schedules are more flexible/they can nap on the go, air travel is easier, etc.

@snowjewelz

The ergo is a lifesaver. For long flights, we were able to walk around with LO in the ergo and she slept well. We went to Korea, and they are baby friendly at malls and other childrens places. We just took her in the ergo on public transportation and then borrowed strollers at the malls, etc. It worked well.

For like long walks or places we went with in a car, we had a travel compact stroller. Again, lightweight so it's not too heavy to carry around but essential bc LO would sleep in the stroller. Especially bc of the time difference.

We also took a pack and play only bc LO only sleeps in her crib at home. She had never slept on the floor or with us, so we were afraid she wouldn't sleep without a crib. This def can be taken out if your LO can fall asleep with u guys on the bed.

I'm inclined to say option #1, but the only worry I would have would be travelling internationally and potential illnesses. I would probably check with a pediatrician from a vaccine perspective.