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Should we drive or fly to MA with our 4 month old?
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Anonymous
| Another option to consider is the train. We took amtrak from DC to Boston when traveling with an infant and a preschooler. Big plus was ability to walk around and hold and feed the baby while on the train (vs needing to stop to do that while driving). Down side, you can only bring what you can carry on and off the train easily - we ended up shipping a box ahead with some stuff to lighten our load of suitcases. Boarding and getting off train is fairly quick, gotta round yourself and stuff and move it along, so that part is a bit stressful. But it was a pretty good option, I'd say. |
Anonymous
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OP,
What route are you taking? You will be driving for the good part of two days up and two days back because there is always traffic! Four days driving? AH! |
Anonymous
| P.S. I grew up in SW CT. The trip to Fairfield County almost always takes 7 hours with no traffic. It has taken me 15 hours more than once. If your baby is nursing, you will be stopping lots, that will add to the drive. Most babies are fine with flying so long as they suckle during takeoff and landing and ascent/descent. |
Anonymous
On some trains, for about $150 more you can get a compartment and check luggage. |
Anonymous
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I'm also from Fairfield County CT & have done the 6-7hr drive several times from 3months onward. Honestly, I prefer driving hands down. I stopped twice on the way up to BF and change the diaper if needed... also to give the baby some extra stimulation and stretching. She was great... much better than every time we've flown with her. Also, with driving you can coordinate the departure with your baby's natural sleep/feeding schedule. Much harder to do when flying.
I usually sit in the back seat with toys and a cooler with breastmilk in case she wants to snack before we get off at the next rest stop. We're able to time our rest stop with her feeding schedule, though. I'd imagine at 4months you could do this too. |
Anonymous
This is not true. We do the drive to NH/Cape Cod every year and it is about 10-12 hours with stops. We have done it since my older son was 6 months - we now have two boys 5 and 3 and it is always about the same amount of time. We usually leave super early in the morning - about 6am. A couple times we have done the more northerly route through PA, across NJ, the Tappan Zee, into CT. It is longer, but generally there is less traffic. the worst traffic for us is always in CT - outside of NYC. If you can avoid that, you will probably be OK. |
Anonymous
| 11:46 Were you there? Sorry but it has taken me 12 hours to get to Fairfield County more than once. It is true! Not every time, but once I left at 11 AM and got in at 2 AM. Two accidents, etc. I stopped driving for years. If OP is avoiding NYC , that's another story. |
Anonymous
I certainly believe it has taken you that long, but your original post implied that it would take 2 days to get up there and 2 to get back and that is not true. I know there is bad traffic, especiallly in CT, but if you leave at certain times and try to avoid certain areas, it certainly does not take 2 days to get to Mass. I have done it many times in one (long) day. That was my point. |
Anonymous
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I'm originally from Mass, and we've driven up there a few times to visit extended family. We prefer driving over flying when possible.
I'm not sure where you live now, or what part of Mass you are going to, but we like to take I-81 North to I-84 East, so that we avoid all the traffic/tolls on I-95. 
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