Hey all,

We've been going every year for three years. This year we'd be taking our 3-month-old baby if we went. Are we nuts? We're going to be first-time parents, and this year we're taking my parents to celebrate their anniversary. They've never been there. ARE WE NUTS? I keep hearing it's easier to take a 3-month-old than a toddler. We don't do extreme sports or anything, more just swimming and snorkling...plus my parents would be along for babysitting and helping out. Anyone have any experiences they'd like to share?

Depends on where your starting point is. If you're flying to Hawaii from the East Coast, that would seem to be a very long time on a plane for an relative newborn.

That said, a 3 month old is oblivious to their surroundings. Give them a cieling fan and a light to look at, you can plop them down anywhere.

The pracitical issue you might face the sheer volume of everyday items that a 3 month old requires. If it were me, I'd consider bringing enough from home for the first day and than hitting the Wal-Mart in Lihue(?) for things I'd need the rest of the time.

Don't know what kind of car seat you have, but you'll probably need to bring the base along.

Kids that little get sunburned very easily - and may not be able to tolerate sunblock. Even sun reflection off sand could burn them.

Before I had my first kid (18 years ago), I thought all babies did was eat, sleep and poop. After a few weeks of wondering if I would even have time to brush my teeth, reality hit. We took grandparents with us on trip when first kid was 3 months old - a total disaster - kid screamed, grandparents refused to babysit screaming kid, etc. Our second kid traveled well at that age. So a lot will depend on what kind of baby you hatch.

That said, we have traveled with our kids since birth. You will take more carryon stuff than you are used to taking for a 2-week trip. But it can be done and can be fun.

IMHO it's not the greatest idea, but if you are hellbent on doing it, I'm sure it can be done. Please be realistic about the logistics. You may well be up half the night breast or bottle feeding that child. Infants don't tolerate heat very well and certainly not sun, so I would venture to say the baby will spend all its time in the airconditioned room, sleeping mostly. Just so somebody knows they will be onduty 24/7 in the room. There will be no snorkeling and swimming unless the grandparents want to take their turn in the room, and even then - consider the breastfeeding issue - not something you can turnover to grandma . The baby will not be sitting up in a highchair at 3 months so he/she will be laying on your lap in the restaurant every time you go out to eat, unless of course the 4 of you eat in shifts. Not to mention all the stuff you have to drag with you. The flight is another story, too. It's doable, I just don't know how much fun it will be for anybody.

I would start with the baby's pediatrician.