Travel with 6 month old - please help with suggestions
 

Hello,

We are planning to take a 10 day break in early October with our son (who will be six months old then)
We are thinking of Ireland or the UK, but are worried about the weather. We now live in Singapore which is pretty warm all thru the year. So, our son will not be accustomed to colder weather at all. Do you think he will be fine (of course, assuming we buy all the necessary gear for him)? How cold will it be in Ireland or the UK during that time of the year? Or should we be thinking of some other destination. If so, are there any suggestions?

Any other general tips and suggestions on traveling with a six month old are most welcome (as you can see, as much as we want to do this trip, we are also pretty scared and worried)

Thank you

I lived in Norway for a number of years; Norwegians believe there is no such thing as bad weather...only bad clothing. In fact pre-schoolers there go outside to play for extended periods of time unless the temp is below 5 degrees F. Of course, it won't be that cold in Ireland in October -- but it could be chilly and rainy? And it can be a lot of bother trying to dress/undress a child for bad weather, dealing with rain covers on the stroller, etc.

The other issue that concerns me is the long flight from Singapore -- lots of kids simply can't sleep while traveling, the change in cabin pressure hurts their ears, they're restless and out of sorts. No one is happy: the kids, their parents, other nearby passengers. Antihistamines (sometimes given in hope of making the child sleepy) can have the reverse effect. Not saying you shouldn't travel -- but it might make a lot more sense to go some place closer to home?

TTT

When in October? The beginning can be mild, by UK standards, but by the end it will be cold, very cold. And it rains a lot in October.

Inside we tend to like the heating up as high as possible. That means that every time you go inside you will be peeling off layers. This makes sense in museums and cafes but I have no idea why shops do it.

You will also have limited daylight as 'the nights draw in'. About 9/10 hours of daylight.

You know your baby better than anyone and I don't have kids so I can't give you an opinion on whether you should do such a long journey BUT I do have a friend who took a three month old on a trip to a variety of Arab states. They were driving out of Baghdad as tanks were driving in. (This was 30 years ago). By the time her children were 2 they were seasoned travelers.

I agree - I wouldn't be too concerned about the weather, but I would wonder how your son will handle the flight and inevitable changes to his schedule (due to the time difference, if nothing else). I'm sure it can be done, especially if he's a good traveler, but those are big things to think about and prepare for.

I think in early October you have a good chance of having fine weather. It shouldn't be too cold - but you never know what the weather will do. However, in London, at least, it's not likely to be freezing, especially in the early part of the month. I'd dress all of you in layers and you should be fine. Check this for average conditions in London (in Celsius):

http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/world/c...ml?tt=TT003790

sashh - perhaps the shops keep the heat up so the staff will be comfortable, especially with the doors opening all the time?

I should clarify - I meant "fine weather" as in "not freezing." You'll almost certainly have some rain at various points during your trip. Just something to plan for, though - wouldn't keep me from going!

You can get nice weather in october in the early part so dont think it will be like UK winter weather. ireland tends to be slightly warmer...we rarely gets snow but sweaters and jackets I am sure you know will be necessary. You will probably feel the cold more coming from Singapore...god I know I felt the heat there one nevember!

If you are scared and worried, keep in mind that you and your 6 month old will be going through a lot of "firsts" all year. First cold, first teeth, first exposure to solid foods, first travel, first airplane flights, first medications.

I am not saying 'don't go' but you might want to plan a more local jaunt first... at say 3 or 4 months, figure out what you know and don't know about what the baby's needs are... how much you have to pack...where to buy diapers... how to sleep in a hotel with/without a crib. A practice trip.

nj- I took my five month old from the US to Tonga in the South Pacific (work related business). She was still nursing so didn't worry about food. Lots of people told me I was crazy but we had a great time. All the people adored her. Four months later I took her to Samoa. It was much more difficult that time as she was able to move around a lot more. The plane trip was tougher too as she got a lot more restless. Actually, the younger they are the easier they are to travel with. Good luck to you ;-)

Thanks a lot everybody for your replies.
Denise : Yes,we are planning to go to one of the islands nearby for 3-4 days when he is 3 months old. We will probably do one more of those trips before our 10 day vacation in October.

We are also thinking may be late Sep instead of October??

Please do let us know if you think any other place will be better (South africa? australia??)

Thanks!!