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Are you planning a holiday with your new baby but not sure when’s the best time to go?
Should you wait until they’re a bit older? Maybe wait until they can walk? Or possibly wait until they’re older again so they’ll remember the holiday too? Travelling with a young baby can be daunting, especially for first time parents, but now is the perfect time to go! Young babies are much easier to travel with in comparison to toddlers and young children, so make the most of the baby phase and book yourself a break.
Here are 10 reasons why you should travel with your baby before they can walk.
Make the most of the smaller travel fee for children under the age of two.
You need a holiday!
If there’s ever a time in your life you need a holiday, it’s now! Having a young baby is hard work and a holiday together with your partner and your new bundle of joy could be just what you need. Yes, it can be more difficult than travelling pre-baby but it’s 100% worth the extra effort.
Plane journeys are much easier when babies can’t walk
Plane journeys with small babies who barely move are much easier than travelling with toddlers who can’t keep still. Flying with a new baby can be nerve-wracking, but babies are often lulled to sleep by the motion and noise of the plane and they’ll quickly fall asleep in your arms. Toddlers on the other hand will be up and down like a jack in the box!
And let’s not forget babies under the age of two don’t need to pay for their ticket. You’ll usually need to pay a small fee for taxes and extra to check-in a suitcase, but make the most of that small fee while you can.
The younger they are, the more they nap
The younger your baby is, the more they will nap and there is nothing a new parent loves more than a nap! While your baby is napping, you’ll be free to go for lunch or a quick coffee, go for a swim, nip to the spa or even have a nap yourself!
What’s even better is that most babies love to nap in their pushchair so you can stroll around a new city or take a sunset walk along the promenade as your baby gets a much-needed sleep. As your baby gets older, they’ll nap less and less so it will become harder to sneak off to that cosy little wine bar while they’re sleeping in their pushchair.
Travel during your maternity leave to avoid using up your workplace annual leave.
You don’t need to worry as much about safety
Of course, safety will always be on your mind when you have a young child but it’s less of a concern before they can walk. Once your child is toddling you need to be aware of every trip hazard, every step, every unguarded stairwell and all the places they can squeeze into and get stuck!
It’s easier to get around busy spaces
Whether it’s a busy airport, a crowded train station, a bustling hotel or a chaotic market square, it’s much easier to get around when your baby is safely strapped in their pushchair or being held. It’s not quite as easy when they’ve found their feet and they’re desperate to be independent and run free.
Feeding a baby is much easier than feeding a toddler!
Whether you’re breastfeeding or bottlefeeding, it’s relatively easy to find somewhere calm and quiet to feed your baby. They guzzle it down and, while they may dribble or burp, it’s nothing compared to the mess of feeding an older baby!
You can travel during your maternity leave
There’s no need to worry about using up all your annual leave during maternity leave. If your partner is unable to travel as much as you due to annual leave restraints then look into mother and baby holidays. HolyMama offer mother and baby retreats with a focus on wellness and nurturing in beautiful locations around the world.
Take the opportunity to bond with your baby and make precious memories together.
People love babies so it’s a great ice breaker!
A baby is often the perfect ice breaker to get chatting to local people while you’re travelling. I’ve often found countries outside of the UK are much more welcoming towards babies and people love to interact with them. If you live in the UK you might not be used to this, but many countries make a huge fuss of babies!
Both parents can bond with your baby in a happy, relaxed environment
For many families a holiday is the perfect time to relax, bond and make precious memories together. It’s something that often feels impossible during our hectic everyday lives, especially when one parent works full time.
Happy parents = happy babies
I’m a firm believer that happy parents lead to happy babies and holidays make us all happy!
Monica Stott is a travel and family lifestyle blogger based in North Wales, where she lives with her partner, Sam, and their three children. Monica began blogging in 2009 while she was backpacking around Asia and became hooked on travel. She now runs The Travel Hack, a travel and family lifestyle blog encouraging people to get outdoors and explore the world.
