Baby's First Holiday

Taking a newborn on holiday may seem like every parent’s nightmare. But with a little preparation, it is possible to travel safely and in comfort with young babies.

Many parents choose to spend their baby’s first holiday within the UK to avoid the long-haul flights, travel delays, time differences and upset stomachs. But a holiday abroad shouldn’t be completely out of the question, in fact it could be just what you need to help you relax after having a baby.
 
One big advantage to consider is that if you do enjoy going abroad, travelling with a baby is much cheaper than it will be when the child is older. Airlines, for example, let infants under two years fly for free. Many parents, however, on long-haul flights pay the child fare (about 50 per cent of the adult fare) because this means they get a seat for their baby.

There are some instances where babies are not allowed to fly. Airlines do not take infants under 48-hours-old, and they only take babies up to a week old with a doctor's note. Mothers who have given birth in the last 48 hours are also not allowed to fly. The reasons for this the are that medical risks, such as haemorrhage, blood clots or the baby getting into breathing difficulties are too high.

Most major long-haul carriers provide travel cots that can be assembled in front of front-row seats. They are free of charge, but when booking be sure to say you will be travelling with a small baby, so you can have seats in front of the main bulk-heads that give extra leg room. The cots are recommended for babies under six months.

Although young children often complain of ear-popping pain, particularly on landing, babies tend not to suffer as their eardrums are still underdeveloped. If your baby does appear to be in pain, however, giving him or her a dummy to suck on can help. It may also help to breastfeed while the plane is descending but you must ensure your child is still strapped in with the specially extended seat belt.

You also need to consider immunisation, even though your baby may already be covered for many diseases. Doctors advise parents to think twice before travelling to places where their child may be put at risk of more exotic diseases. Babies under six-months-old cannot be given yellow fever injections because they risk contracting encephalitis. Babies under two-months-old can take anti-malarial tablets.

Disease prevention should also include using mosquito repellent on your child and a mosquito net for their cot, particularly in the evening. The most common medical problems small babies experience in hot countries are sunburn, prickly heat and diarrhoea. Prickly heat is a fine red rash with tiny blisters. Youngsters are particularly prone to this uncomfortable problem because of their underdeveloped sweat glands and circulatory systems. Avoid the condition by keeping children cool and dressing them only in 100 per cent cotton clothing. If using a car at your resort, make sure it has air conditioning – cars in hot countries can be like ovens and your baby will overheat rapidly.

Diarrhoea can be particularly serious in babies as they dehydrate at a faster rate than adults. Make sure all drinking water and water for milk formulas is sterilised. Breastfeeding is the safest way to feed your baby in foreign countries.

Take plenty of bottled water – check it has low sodium content – and sachets of re-hydration powder, which is mixed with water. Take out comprehensive medical insurance so you can see a doctor without worrying about the expense.

With good preparation and common sense, there's no reason why you can't give yourself and your baby a great holiday abroad. Just one last piece of advice – don't forget to pack a camera so that later in life your child can see the places they went to!

Further information

http://www.babyworld.co.uk/information/travel/passports_and_immunisations.asp http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/features/baby_travel_003831.htm

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