Since doctors have no idea how zika could effect kids in the future, for us it's not worth the risk.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What does it have to do with the trip itself that she's not good at helping cook or clean ? She's not your maid, right ?

If you go somewhere with your family, YOU do these things.
Especially if this is a trip for her retirement, she shouldn't do anything and her life should be made easier so she can relax.

But OP would not othwrwise choose to go on this trip at this time. And they aren’t going to a hotel or a resort, but tenting a condo. That means that OP is in a position to move all the stress and labor of caring for an infant and a kindergartener to a new place without their comfortable routine and familiar surroundings and with the added stress of keeping older DC safe around water or entertained if it rains, etc. It is very relevant whether grandma will be mitigating some of that labor and whether she is understanding and tolerant about kid/baby needs.

So ungrateful! Mom is giving her a free trip and should t have to do anything else! Such divas here. Take care of your own family or don’t go.

Anonymous wrote:no. one word - zika

I find babies that age very easy to travel with since they have low mobility, don't need anything other than their liquid diet, don't have floppy necks like a newborn and usually are on a decent nap pattern.

I also find being in a house or condo with kids easier than a hotel b.c everyone has their own space including the baby. You can have adult conversations after baby goes to bed.

Or if you want I can come as your Nanny!

Anonymous wrote:no. one word - zika

and PIRATES!!

Anonymous wrote:What does it have to do with the trip itself that she's not good at helping cook or clean ? She's not your maid, right ?

If you go somewhere with your family, YOU do these things.
Especially if this is a trip for her retirement, she shouldn't do anything and her life should be made easier so she can relax.

But OP would not othwrwise choose to go on this trip at this time. And they aren’t going to a hotel or a resort, but tenting a condo. That means that OP is in a position to move all the stress and labor of caring for an infant and a kindergartener to a new place without their comfortable routine and familiar surroundings and with the added stress of keeping older DC safe around water or entertained if it rains, etc. It is very relevant whether grandma will be mitigating some of that labor and whether she is understanding and tolerant about kid/baby needs.

What does it have to do with the trip itself that she's not good at helping cook or clean ? She's not your maid, right ?

If you go somewhere with your family, YOU do these things.
Especially if this is a trip for her retirement, she shouldn't do anything and her life should be made easier so she can relax.

Yes. Presumably, there are babies who live there and exist just fine. Caribbean and Central American residents didn't grow into adults by sheer luck.

Yes.
What are you concerned about? Flying is super easy with a 5 month old, before they are mobile. However, since your mom doesn't want to clean or cool I would suggest staying at a resort that way you don't have to clean and cook.

Aruba is nice, Costa Rica is Beautiful. Also, I was just in San Juan in PR, and they were doing well and in business.

Where in the Caribbean? That makes a difference. I would not go to puerto Rico right now, for instance. Check into the medical facilities, Zika/dengue risk, etc. of the island you’re targeting and make sure you’re comfortable with it. In November you’ll be past peak hurricane season so I wouldn’t worry too much about that. But be sure to get travel insurance.

Sure, we took our 5 month old to the Riviera Maya as an end of maternity leave trip. As long as your baby is healthy it's not an issue. It's actually easier at that age, particularly if you're exclusively breast feeding.

No

I would take a small baby to one of the nicer islands, like Cayman. I don't think that zika should be much of a concern at that age because you can mitigate the risk by appropriately dressing the baby when necessary and keeping her from mosquitoes. I remember when one of my kids was age 1 or 2 and she wanted to follow chickens into lush areas with some mosquitoes.

November is rainy season, but I don't think that would stop me from going. It often doesn't rain ALL day. Instead, you will get showers here and there.

We took our five month old to Aruba and it was fine. People were nice, she slept on the plane, and we actually still had plenty of beach time. We'd go to the beach in the morning after she woke up from about 7:30-9:30, she'd take her morning nap, we'd do lunch and relax indoors, then go back to the beach around 3:30 or 4:00 after she woke from her afternoon nap for a couple of hours. We'd go to dinner and get her to sleep by around 7 or 8, then sit on our balcony and drink wine and relax. It was a lovely trip at the end of my maternity leave and just before going back to work.

Now, other factors like relatives and other children may change the calculation.

Is zika a concern for a three month old baby? We are leaning towards the Cayman Islands as someone suggested.