kmkeenan

My husband and I are expecting our first child in November. Were hoping to take trip to Maui in March or April with the baby. Wanted a hotel with suites like Fairmont, or condo? I had in mind a nice relaxing place, with hotel amenities, on the beach, golf nearby, of course want luxury at a great price... Hotels recommended have been the Fairmont (someone mentioned, hotel renovations and yucky carpets?), Westin Kaanapali, the Kapalua Bay hotel or maybe the ASTON condos. Also, somone said the Westin now had Condos next to resort. Maybe I am crazy for thinking that we could take this vacation, but I will have been back to work about 2 months and feel like we will need it. Any advice is greatly appreciated. Thanks. kathy

Mary2Go

I would look for a condo type of place that has a full kitchen and free laundry. When we stayed in Kauai at the Marriott Waiohai with out teenage sons last summer it was really convenient to throw things in the washer and dryer in our room and fix breakfast or a sandwich and a few times we barbequed. With a small baby it would allow you the luxury of doing a load of wash while the baby napped. The kitchen would give you a place to fix meals if it's a fussy day and you don't want to cope with a crying baby at a restaurant. We will be staying at the Fairmont in Maui in a few weeks but they don't have a full kitchen and I don't think they have washers and dryers in the room.

islandmom

Aston Kaanapali Shores condos work well with family. Not top of the line luxury, but very nice.

shelley360

Hi! We are looking to travel with a two month old baby. Have you found out any good information that you could share?

Thanks,

Shelley ([email protected])

patg

Shelly, I think you would be wise to wait and see how "easy" your baby is. Two months can be the worst time for colic. You'll also have a big adjustment from the birth, lack of sleep and a dramatic change in your pattern of life. Don't make any expensive travel plans that can't be cancelled.

By the time your baby is 4-6 months, things will have settled down. This is also when the baby's sleep pattern will deepen and become more dependable.

I always did laundry every day with a baby, so the condo suggestion is invaluable. The goal is to make your vacation as relaxing as possible, especially if you are getting ready to go back to work. Good luck with your new babies!

EdenPrairieArtisit

Let me tell you from experience that this trip will not what you expect! When my first born was a few months old my husband surprised me with a trip to Puerto Rico. We thought it would be a nice respite from the daily grind of a newborn. Ha! It only magnified the demands of a new baby ten fold!

He was crankier than usual (the baby, although in retrospect this could also apply to Frank, my sweetie). His (the baby, not Frank) routine was disturbed and I guess I was impatient with him because all I could see was the beach and the adult activities I WANTED to be doing but could not because I had a 6 month old with me. Plus I am sure he drove everyone else around us nuts. He cried on the plane all the way there and back again. He cried at every meal. He cried on the beach. He was a baby. Babies cry.

Babies don't swim, so my beach activites were severly limited. Babies are not appropriate at better restaurants, even though that doesn't stop many parents from ruining eveyone else's fine dining experience these days. Babies really don't like long flights and waits in lines at rental car counters. They do spit up and soil their diapers at the most inopportune times though.

I really felt more exhausted after that trip. I came home with a bag full of stinky baby clothes instead of a tan, and I needed a a good rest after that trip. We have not taken a real trip since then, but we have had another child. The kids are 4 and nearly 3 now and we are considering a trip to Maui next spring. This, again may be a mistake, but we thought they were more suited to a week on a beach and we have found some age-appropriate activities in Maui. Of course, any advice anyone might have that indicates otherwise, please share. I don't want to feel like we are wasting the money and time on a trip that is going to be less than enjoyable like we did in Puerto Rico.

kamahinaohoku

I know this answer is probably going to irritate some people, but here goes: IMHO, 2 and/or 4 month infants do NOT belong on airplanes that fly great distances.

There are a number of questions that you should ask yourself:
How long a flight is it from your home to Hawaii? If you live in California, it's at least 5 hours. If you live somewhere else in the US, it's considerably longer.
Are you planning to hold a cranky, squirming (and probably screaming) infant on your lap for that long? Or will you buy a seat for that same cranky, squirming, screaming darling?
Are you prepared to carry diapers, babyfood, toys, babyseat, etc for the flight (as there are none on board)?
And knowing how small the lavatories are, where are you planning to change the baby? (Certainly NOT at your seat)
Are you prepared for the rest of the passengers on board to be upset and angry with you for putting them through all this? After all, they've also paid a good price to go to Hawaii to relax...and a 5-10 hour flight with a bawling infant is not the best way to start a vacation.
Are you prepared for your child's schedule to be thrown totally off base by this trip?
And unless you're traveling with a nanny, how do you think you'll get time off to relax at the beach? (See EdenPrairieArtist's reply above.)

Hawaii is of course, the best place on earth to relax...but traveling there with an infant is hard on everybody...Baby, mom, dad, and everyone else. It's probably better to go somewhere closer to home on this vacation.

GoTravel

Isn't there a health hazard concerning infants and sunblock?

Also Shelly, what if you baby is two weeks late? What if you must have a C-section?

What if the baby has health issues that prohibit you from flying?

I would book the trip after you have your child. Infants are such a grey area. No black or white situations.

wtggirl

I loved edenprairies's perspective- a mother who has been there! I have kids (now 17 and 13). My first real vacation after each of their births was right after each one was weaned from br.feeding and it was for a long weekend WITHOUT them. Mom and Dad needed a break. But not everyone has grandparents handy. If you do decide to travel soon after a baby is born, I recommend a car trip or SHORT flight. Haven't you seen the flustered Moms on flights that can't console their infants? To EdenPrairie, I agree that your kids at ages 3 and 4 are easier for you to travel with, I still think a flight to Hawaii could actually be as bad as with an infant (depending on your kids temperment). I would highly suggest a cruise that you could drive to port of departure for. They have great kids programs and you will have some time alone as a couple. Or, perhaps Disney would be nice! I STILL haven't taken my kids to Hawaii even at their age! Although I did take them to Europe. My son was actually 10 or so before he could handle a long flight (more than 5 hours) without driving me and those around us crazy!

islandmom

I thought babies couldn't safely fly for at least 3 months.

nytraveler

My understandng was that most peds did not reco air trvel for infants that young. And the beach/no sun block issue is a very real one - infants that young just cannot get any sun.

Also, what if your child develops a cold or other minor problem - common for adults who are flying - how much more likely for a tiny infant with an undeveloped immune system - how will you obtain healthcare in the islands?

I would suggest a consultation with the baby's pediatrician before doing anything definite. Get a list of do/dont's - in writing - including your ped's recommendations for a specific doctor near where you will be staying - just to be on the safe side.

lcuy

Well, my experience traveling with babies was quite different.

We took our (mandatory) first trip when our daughter was 7 weeks old. Honolulu to San Diego for my sister's wedding. DD slept in the bulkhead bassinet almost the whole flight- only woke once to eat.

We stayed with grandparents, which we key..okay to cry, laundry available, lots of loving relatives to spell mom & dad, etc.

When she was 5 months old, we went on a trip to Japan...planned and paid for before I got pregnant. had to use it or lose it, so we went.

Japan Air upgraded us to business class - "more space for you to care for baby" -, everyone we ran into was incredibley welcoming and friendly, and despite some cranky moments (and yes, some inappropriately times bowel movements) we had a wonderful time travelling all over on trains.

Some key things though...I was breastfeeding, so she did not have to deal with new food, and she was protected with my immunities. She was a cuddly baby and was at her best when being held. We tried to follow her schedule- napped in the afternoons, went to bed early, ate in our rooms vs fine dining out, etc.

My second daughter was also a good traveller, but was different in that she didn't sleep well unless in her own space. We had to really plan ahead to have space to put her down when she got tired.

It may be too late to change your plans now, but I do hope you got a condo kmkeenan. It will be less stressful than a hotel on the off chance your child is not a good traveller. Travel insurance is also a good idea!

Kennedy3

My sister had a baby last year. Prior to the baby's birth, she used to always say that the baby wouldn't change their lives. My sister also said that she wanted to "train" her baby at a young age to travel well... blah, blah, blah. WELL.... after said baby's birth, my sister and her husband took a 3 week trip to Europe with their 7 month old son... After returning home to the States, she said they were NEVER leaving their house again. Apparently, baby caught a bad cold from the flight over, and essentially cried for 3 weeks straight. Finding "regular" jarred baby food in Europe was also quite the challenge. (Baby threw up his first serving of jarred roasted pork purchased in England.) My suggestion is to vacation within a couple hours of your home and save the long flights for when Baby is older, much older. From my personal experience, traveling with babies is completely exhausting and far from a vacation.

EdenPrairieArtisit

I'm not saying thay babies can't travel. My kids have flown since that first trip fiasco. But only to visit family. The big mistake we made was to try to have a adult-oriented vacation with an infant. Beach resorts are chock full of adult activities, like snorkeling, fine dining, late night strolls on the beach, cocktails and dancing. None of these include a baby.

As for our trip planned for next spring. My husband will be working in San Francisco for three months early next year and we would be going to Hawaii from CA. My boy will be 5 by then and he is very good at entertaining his sister on flights. They both went to visit gramma in MA this year and we had a pleasant flight. We are still thinking about our plans though. It is good to hear input from others who have travelled with small children.

islandmom

We've traveled with oldest from Honolulu, NYC, Mexico, and everywhere in between since she was 5 months old. All went well. My thoughts were that 2 months is too early.

Thanks for the pointers on Europe. We were planning on taking our baby at 10 months. I didn't think of the food issue.

droolpatrol

OK Kmkeenan, it was completely unnecessary to tell us this was your first baby. The fact that you are considering this trip makes it obvious. I have a 4 month old - about the same age your child will be when you want to take this trip. You couldn't PAY me to take him on a trip to Maui at this point.

Going anywhere with a baby is more complicated, takes longer and requires more "stuff" than you think it will. Some things you may want to consider:

What are you planning to do in Maui? Even just vegging on the beach will be a hassle. You will need to bring down a playpen type thing for him to be in; it will be next to impossible to keep sand off him, and he certainly doesn't need sand blowing in his eyes or nasal passages (Maui beaches were pretty windy when we were there, and that was in May). Our pediatrician told us absolutely no sunscreen on baby before 6 months of age. Surfing, helicopter rides and the like are out. A drive to Hana or up Haleakala could go well, or it could go badly. Depends on the baby. And you will need to lug his carseat with you.

The airplane -- it's a very long ride, even if you're on the west coast. Airplanes are excellent places to catch a respiratory virus, and your little one will not have a very strong immune system at that point. Babies don't know how to effectively relieve the pressure in their ears and can scream bloody murder on a plane. Not to mention feeding arrangements, a possible "poop explosion" onto his and your clothes, spitting up and having people shoot you disapproving looks for the duration of the flight.

I would put this trip off. Really. I know it's not what you want to hear. Maybe with the money you save by not going you can stay home on a longer maternity leave. I really think all that makes Maui unique will be lost on your child, and you will likely be too exhausted to appreciate it to the fullest.

To end my post on a positive note, congratulations on your upcoming blessed event. You will experience love at levels far above what you thought you were capable of. You will become sappy and sentimental despite your best efforts to the contrary. It's the hardest thing you will ever do, but also the best thing.
Best of luck.

wtggirl

I posted earlier....I just want to turn the tables for a moment and give a different perspective. I travel long hauls often. I am always very anxious during boarding time watching everyone board and when someone with a baby or toddler heads towards me I literally start praying "please, not me...". I have really bad luck getting a seat right next to the screaming baby. Next time boarding with a baby look into the eyes of that person you are about to sit next to and see that "OH, sh--" face. Honestly, this is nothing against babies in any way- I just think we need to think about the fact that everyone is forking over big bucks for these flights and really all they want is a peaceful flight. I think traveling on long flights with babies should be out of necessity unless you have a very good baby or toddler.

islandmom

Our ped said no Haleakala with babies.

We were in the hospital in June with our 1 month old who caught a virus. They did a spinal tap with NO pain killer. IV's and just gobs of awful things. It was so sad and frightening. Small ones can die very quickly from just stomach bugs. My rule is no air travel until 3 months.

We took her to Turtle Bay at 3 months. They can't get in the pool or sun. No sunscreen. You forget what a pain it is to be on their schedule.

It's all going to depend on the personality of your little bundle of joy. When they start crawling yet can't run away from you is probably a good age to go. LOL!

travleis

Is this a troll post, or just a post from someone who has zero insight into the complexities of travel with an infant?