Exposing my two month old to that many people and germs during child and flu season would stress me out more than the logistics of traveling.

I know missing Christmas is a bummer but I would think about waiting until the spring to visit.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do you plan to nurse? If so, that will be seriously and completely awful with a 2 month old. You will be stopping to nurse ever 1-2 hours and a baby that age might nurse for 30-45 minutes.

I would stay home next Christmas because you'll have a new baby. Problem solved.

OP here. As I said in my original post, yes I plan to nurse. My first kid didn't nurse every one to two hours. More like every two to three. But yes, it definitely poses an additional challenge!

You know this means nothing, right? Also, you know you have to take the baby out of the car sear to burp him/her while driving? Are you willing to do that?

However, if you know and accept that you will have to stop every two - three hours for the baby and the dogs, go for it. 12-13 hours will turn into 15-16 (or more). My kids are 3 and 5 and I still build in 25% extra time when driving. If I did this, I would do an overnight.

OP here. Ha, yes, having already raised one child to toddlerhood, I am aware that you have to burp them. And no, I would not do it while driving. I would stop, nurse, burp, and then get back on the road. I am aware that it would extend the length of the trip. I am simply trying to figure out whether the additional time is worth the $1,500 we would save.

PP here - I didn't mean to be snarky, but apparently people will take their babies out of their carseats while driving to nurse/feed/burp to avoid stopping. I couldn't tell from your post whether you planned to do that or not.

Anonymous wrote:To those who have suggested staying home, it's obviously a possibility. It just makes me really sad. I love my fam and miss them, and always love spending the holidays with them. Would like to make it work if possible.

And to those who have suggested finding a pet sitter or boarding the dogs, we've looked into it and it's no cheaper than just flying with them. They're not hard to fly with. They each have little carriers and go under the seat and don't make a sound. It's just expensive--but again, no more expensive than boarding them.

Seriously, you really think that adding 2 dogs to the mix won't make it harder to shepherd a toddler and an infant through the airport at Christmastime?? Have you ever BEEN to the airport? Do you know any babies and children????? Or dogs??????

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Thank you to those of you who have offered helpful information. Sounds like most think the drive would be really difficult. Maybe we'll try to do the flight, but do it in January or February when tickets are cheaper. Sadly, the dog tickets don't get any less expensive

They are free if you get them certified as medical assist dogs. I think it costs about $100. Do you have anxiety and the dogs calm you down? Done.

Ugh, really?

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Thank you to those of you who have offered helpful information. Sounds like most think the drive would be really difficult. Maybe we'll try to do the flight, but do it in January or February when tickets are cheaper. Sadly, the dog tickets don't get any less expensive

They are free if you get them certified as medical assist dogs. I think it costs about $100. Do you have anxiety and the dogs calm you down? Done.

I just did an 8 hour trip with a 4 and 1 year old. It took 11 hours and I was driving almost 75-80 MPH the entire time. I would not want to do that 4x, especially with a nursing baby who needs to be changed often.

What if you all fly up together for the holidays, but you and the kids come back a little later? Your husband could go ahead (with the dogs), and you might find a cheaper flight back?

Alternately, try costing your flight with a return flight on NYE or New Year's Day -- those are often significantly cheaper.

Hey OP - I've found that the 1-2 weekends before Christmas usually have awesome flight rates. No one wants to travel then, everyone is prepping for the holiday and getting ready to fly out for the holiday itself. Also - New Year's Day is often a great day for low flight rates.

Have you considered not boarding your dogs but getting a dog sitter? Could that be cheaper? Any great high school/college kids nearby who would be delighted to do it for half or less of what it would cost you to fly with the dogs?

Also - is it worth it to check other airports within a 3-hour drive?? Driving 3 hours to not have a 15 hour drive sounds worth it to me if it helps save you some money.

Good luck!!

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Thank you to those of you who have offered helpful information. Sounds like most think the drive would be really difficult. Maybe we'll try to do the flight, but do it in January or February when tickets are cheaper. Sadly, the dog tickets don't get any less expensive

Thats what I would do for sure. Bonus is that you get to escape DC in Jan/Feb drudgery and go to (hopefully) warmer climes down south.

OP here. Thank you to those of you who have offered helpful information. Sounds like most think the drive would be really difficult. Maybe we'll try to do the flight, but do it in January or February when tickets are cheaper. Sadly, the dog tickets don't get any less expensive

I would not do the trip this year and maybe go visit after the holidays when air tix are cheaper or see if at least someone from your fam can come to you (I know you said they couldnt all come but maybe at least 1 or 2 of them could?). My fam also lives down South, also about a 12 hr drive and there's just no way Id do that trip w toddler, nursing 2 mth old and 2 dogs...

Anonymous wrote:put the dogs in the kernel. at least one of the logistical issues solved. Also, if tix are 400$ per person and you need to buy 3, how are you saving $1200 by driving? what about gas both ways, tear and wear on the car... plus the time it takes to go back and forth.

Tickets are typically $350 to $400 each. So between $1050 and $1,200 on tickets alone. Plus $500 on the dogs. So flying with the dogs would cost us between $1,550 and $1,700. Driving, including gas (around $200 to $300) and hotel (likely some small town in NC or TN) would cost around $250 max for two nights total (there and back). Add in another $50 or so for food on the drive, and driving would cost a total of about $500 to $600. So even at the low end of flying and the high end of driving, it would save about $1,000. At the low end of driving and high end of flying, $1,200.

Again, taking the dogs is not a logistical issue. Flying with them is easy, just expensive (boarding them is not less expensive).

I regularly do what is supposed to be 5.5 hour car trips (which is never less than 6 hours) and once a year do a 8 hour (usually closer to 9 or 10) hour trip. I have three kids. I can't imagine anything more miserable than what you're describing for the road trip, particularly because you have to add in holiday traffic and possible weather issues that would delay you further. Spend the money and fly. Board the dogs, because even if it is the same amount of money, you at least won't have to deal with them at the airport.

I also used to get paranoid that my infants were going to stop breathing in the car during long car rides, so that added a layer of stress that wasn't necessarily rational. I am mentioning it just so you know I'm biased towards avoiding the long trip with a two month old.

put the dogs in the kernel. at least one of the logistical issues solved. Also, if tix are 400$ per person and you need to buy 3, how are you saving $1200 by driving? what about gas both ways, tear and wear on the car... plus the time it takes to go back and forth.

We drove to Alabama when DC #1 was 3 months old. We drove all night, stopping a few times to nurse. I tried to pump in the car but I don't think my pump could get enough power off the adapter because I got no milk. Or maybe I was too stressed. Car motion mostly kept the baby asleep the whole trip, but she did get fussy towards the end. It sucked overall.

DD is now two and we have an infant. I don't think I would do this with a toddler. We stayed home last Christmas. Traveling for Christmas sucks anyway!