Vacation with other kids at 1 1/2 mos.

[Anonymous]

I am due with my first this summer and my husband and I will be the last of our group of friends to have a child. Everyone is very excited to welcome us to "the club" and there is talk about renting a beach house for the five families to spend some time together about 1 1/2 months after our daughter is born. Clearly, we'll make a decision after the baby is born and clearly this post assumes a lot (DD born on time, she's healthy, I'm healthy etc.), but out of sheer curiosity at this point, do you think we could do it?

There will be 7 kids total (and 10 parents) ranging in age from our newborn to almost 2 yrs old. We would be driving there. Are there concerns about vaccinations/ immune systems at this point? (And, of course, I will talk through this with my dr./ pediatrician).

Just more curious than anything if it may be a possibility....

Thanks for indulging...

[Anonymous]

Looking back to that stage when mine was born there is no way I would have agreed to go on vacation with that many people. You won't be sleeping through the night at that point more than likely so you will be exhausted and overwhelmed. You will be feeding and changing diapers a lot around the clock. Many of us thought it was a good day if we bathed -- i.e. I can't imagine planning and packing for a vacation for myself at that stage let alone planning and packing for a baby you are still learning how to take care of. Who knows if you will be physically healed enough to be comfortable on vacation. There will be plenty of people who after having had kids will say sure go ahead. But if we all think back to those first 6-8 weeks after the first child, not the time to be with a bunch of friends and their children. If I were you I would pass.

[Anonymous]

If these are close friends who will be helpful and understanding, and if you are generally pretty laid back/flexible, I think you can go. We did early trips with both our kids and you will be tired, but you would be tired at home anyway. It might do you good to get away and be with grownups. Even if you don't go this year, I would highly recommend that you try to pick up the group beach vacation in the coming years. We have a group of four couples who have done this now for about 8 years, through pregnancies, babyhood, toddlers, preschoolers, and now tweens. We have eight adults and nine kids and share a beach house for a week every August. It has created a very close group of friends who are there for each other in all of life's events, both happy and sad.

[Anonymous]

It depends on how comfortable you feel after you baby arrives and you get to know your baby. Some babies are colicky and cry a lot for the first few months; while some are very laid back and easy. Hopefully you get an easy one

[Anonymous]

I have a 4 yo and a 4 month old...Looking back at when they were 6 weeks old...I wouldn't do it. Right around 6-8 weeks, I did find that taking care of the newborn got a little easier and I felt more human. But still...a vacation would be too stressful for me.

And, 7 kids under 2 is A LOT in one house. One of the biggest things that stressed me out in the newborn stage was trying to keep my older DS a little bit quiet while baby was sleeping -- because the very last thing you want is someone to wake your newborn when you're sleep deprived yourself. I can't imagine worring about that with 6 other kids about not to mention the other adults. (Although in retrospect, I worried about that too much.) At 6 weeks my youngest still would not sleep in a crib/bassinet -- only in the swing or on me. Which could present some problems if you're sharing a house.

I personally probably wouldn't worry too much about germs with the other kids. Even though your baby won't have had his/her shots yet, I imagine the other kids will have. Many babies start daycare at 6 weeks (mine started at 8 weeks) - and its OK.

[Anonymous]

I think I'd go. We went on a vacation when our first was six weeks. We didn't get out that much, but it was still fun. And you'll have lots of help. As long as your husband knows that he doesn't get to go out and party while you babysit all the time.

[Anonymous]

This would be a definite no for me. At 6 weeks babies cry (a lot) and you will be stressed out getting the hang of comforting the baby with that many people around. Plus, you will be frazzled trying to keep the toddlers away from your baby--not all toddlers are bad around babies, but, with several of them you have to keep a close watch. Wait until the early fall and go somewhere with just your family--it will be much easier to go somewhere once your baby is ~ 3 months old.

[Anonymous]

6-8 weeks was even harder than the first few weeks for us- could not imagine a single night elsewhere, let alone a week with so many other children. I'd wait until next year if I were you. Sorry! Also, if you end up with a c-section, it will be hard to get around/ lift things, etc.

[Anonymous]

My family did a beach vacation this past summer. My Brother / SIL had a newborn (8 weeks). Even though there were a lot of families there, it was really hard on them. 3 of the 5 families had kids so they had their hands full with their own trying to manage naps / sleep in a different environment. Also there was a child that was sick and this did not make it easy for anyone.

They took the baby to the beach 1 day and it was very hot and windy. After about 30 minutes they turned around and went back to the beach house.

So they spent the week at a beach house and were in the house for most of the time. (it was a very hot week that we were at the beach so even walks on the boardwalk were hard). And the other families were out at the beach or pool so they were pretty much solo.

If I was planning something in the future, I would have not done a family vacation with an infant that young. It was just too challenging.

[Anonymous]

No, I don't think you should do it. You probably could do it, but it would be a big pain for you and DH and the baby.

[Anonymous]

PP here. Oh yeah, we also took our less then 1 yo to the beach, and we spent most of the time in the condo. Not fun.

[Anonymous]

We took our first trip at ~3 months. It was a difficult drive and difficult for DC to get used to the new environment. I also ended up getting engorged and had to go buy a manual pump to get me through the weekend.

I get cabin fever and even though I was recovering from a c-section I still had to get out of my house to do something social by the time DC was a week old. I'd consider the trip if there were others who'd be helpful in taking care of the baby, but with so many little ones I don't know how helpful your friends will be. I had friends stop by often in the early days and they were super helpful, but no one had babies or toddlers in tow.