Travelling with newborn (surrogacy
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Anonymous
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Our surrogate is due in a few months and we will need to travel cross-country (surrogate is in GA) for the birth. We're trying to plan for the trip and since we're doing an independent surrogacy, we're here for some advice. Any advice is welcome, but in particular we're wondering about the following:
1) Is a week the right amount of time to stay in GA after the birth? It seems we can fly with a doctor's note earlier, but is it worth it? 2) We assume we should fly, but theoretically we could drive or take a train or something. Is there a reason to not fly? 3) We can either fly standard cabin and rent a 3rd seat for the baby in a car seat or we can fly 1st class/business without an extra seat. (It seems like most airlines won't let you use a car seat in 1st class due to the seat-shape.) What would you recommend? 4) What are we missing from this list of supplies that we will need before we get home assuming we are stuck in GA for a max of 2 weeks after the birth: - car seat - stroller - bassinet - baby clothing, sleep sacks, swaddle blankets - diapers, diaper bag, wipes, etc - formula and bottles |
Anonymous
| Where are you coming from? Meaning from where to Georgia? |
Anonymous
Mom though adoption. Fly a week out, especially with covid to make sure you aren't positive. Just bring an infant seat. You don't need a stroller but if you do get a snap and go. Get a folding portable travel bed. You just need minimal of all that. Use the ready made 2 oz formula bottles vs. formula, bottles for travel. So much easier. You can buy anything you need locally. You need far less than you think. We brought very little and bought there as needed but we had our car so no big deal to bring back. Know if you fly there are rules and you need a doctors note to clear the baby before a week or two depending on the airline. We had friends stuck at the airport without the right paperwork. They do check. Fly coach if seats are an issue as you can get a full row. Do pay for a seat for safety and bring a seat. Personally with covid, I'd drive. Way to risky to put a newborn on a plane now. Fly early, rent a car, drive that car back. |
Anonymous
| Los Angeles |
Anonymous
Sounds like West Coast to GA. |
Anonymous
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Fly. First class with two seats OR regular with three seats - either one will be fine.
If you're going to do first class, bring a huge garbage bag with your last name in sharpie on masking tape - when you're about to get on the plane, put the carseat in the garbage bag and leave it in that little spot RIGHT BEFORE you step onto the actual plane. Drop your stroller there also. Your list sounds good. I'd add a white noise machine and a baby bathtub to put in your real bathtub. |
Anonymous
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I would bring a baby carrier, like a wrap style. I think that will be more useful than a stroller in the first days/weeks.
You won't need a sleep sack if your baby will be swaddled. I would 100% drive instead of fly due to the pandemic even with the long drive. Personally, I would try to drive home as soon as possible. You won't be as comfortable in a hotel or rental so there is no point being there for a week and the sooner you leave, the less tired the parents and the more sleepy the baby. You can also get home and get to your pediatrician faster. Congratulations! |
Anonymous
| I would fly. Long road trips with a baby are terrible and the longest I ever did was 3 hours. Now a newborn newborn might be slightly easier but you’ll need to stop frequently to feed/burp and change. If you can get your own row in the plane. There is a recent DOD study that showed the covid risk of an airplane actually isn’t bad at all. The only thing a newborn needs is a safe place to sleep, diapers, wipes, onesies, swaddles, and burp cloths plus formula and a car seat. If you plan to baby wear a soft carrier like a moby wrap is great for keeping baby close and protected somewhat when walking through airport and on the plane. Good luck! |
Anonymous
| Friends recently adopted in the Midwest and pediatrician told them they should drive back to DC, no flying |
Anonymous
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Gosh, I don’t know. CA to GA is a 3-5 day drive and involves hotels and, well, driving. Do you have a partner or are you a single parent?
I want to follow this thread to see how it goes! How early will you get there to ensure you don’t miss the birth? |
Anonymous
I did a long drive home after adopting. It was fine. I stopped regularly and as long as baby was screaming I knew he was ok till I could stop. Fed before we left, stoped and pulled baby out for a while. It wasn't fun but well worth it. |
Anonymous
Use a duffle bag and wrap the seat in a blanket. A garbage bad is unprotected. |
Anonymous
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Congratulations! Another mom through adoption here. I'd suggest you talk to a pediatrician before making your decision. We drove with our first child and flew with our second. Flying was easier, but with COVID I think I would consider driving - you do need to be prepared to stop frequently though. We had to pull over every couple of hours (at most) to feed, burp etc.,
I agree with the other adoptive mom who said you need a minimal amount of stuff and buy when you get there. You won't need a stroller. We bought a car seat, travel bed, the right size clothes and swaddles once we got there. The tiny ready made formula bottles are the way to go, especially in a hotel. Also, to make travel easier we never warmed formula. You can give baby a sponge bath and download a white noise app on your phone if you need it. |
Anonymous
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I was going to say drive for sure, but west coast to GA is admittedly a long way. I do think in your case I'd probably go for flying, with driving second choice. I love trains but newborns can be messy and you'll want good availability to a bathtub and lots of very clean running water at least at nighttime.
I can at least tell you that DH and I drove our newborn from Atlanta to GA as soon as she was released from the hospital (about 30 hrs old). It was kind of crazy in that we got on the road about 1 pm and I want to say we made it home around 3 am with brief stops every 2-3 hrs for gas, feeding, and changing. We really just wanted to be home. I'd already been there in an Airbnb for 3 weeks waiting for the birth and DH came down the day before. But as far as DD was concerned it was totally fine. She slept the whole time except when she woke up hungry and we fed her. It was was by far the easiest car trip we've taken with her in the 3 years since she was born! 
Congratulations, by the way. The surrogacy journey is so long, but it's going to be amazing when your baby arrives, and I'm so happy for you! |
Anonymous
There's two of us. Planning to arrive a week before due date. We can work remote , the only issue is boarding our dog. |