I would not have done that personally. Both my kids screamed bloody nursery and cluster fed for like 3 hours every evening. It would have been torture. But it's very hard to know without knowing how your child will be.
A 4 month old is a perfectly reasonable excuse to not travel if you don't want to go to the wedding.
However, if you can figure it out with work I would go. Your four month old might be a wonderful unicorn or a holy terror, but at the end of the day I'd rather be "miserable" in Ireland than "miserable" at home.
My SIL got married when DS was four months old. I'm glad we went to the wedding and have cute pictures of DS in his tiny tux, but between the fuzziness from lack of sleep and having to duck out regularly to BF my kid who refused all bottles, I didn't feel like I was really present at the wedding.
I think the travel part will be OK if you decide to go.
I hate when these threads come up and everyone says how easy it will be. Probably because I'm jealous. This is completely dependent on your child. H and I traveled a lot before DD was born and we went to FL to visit my parents at 4 months and it was awful. I was dealing with chronic plugged ducts and was in almost constant pain. I wouldn't wish them on my worst enemy. DD was in a super mommy clingy, separation anxiety phase and traveling made it worse, to the point where she wouldn't go to anyone, not even H. Add to that the 4 month wakeful and she wouldn't sleep in a strange environment. We spent hours every night trying to get her to sleep. Honestly, it was hell. And this was super easy trip, staying at my parents house with a full kitchen, crib, etc.
Hopefully you will will get one of the super easy babies that is chill and won't mind. But if you do go, my advice is to book cancel for any reason travel insurance just in case.
I think it depends on the baby. DS was super high maintenance at 4 months. He had to be held at all times, and you had to be standing up. I remember going to my moms' club gatherings and everyone was sitting with their nice, calm babies, and I was standing, bouncing, and pacing around with DS. Flying with him would have been miserable at that age.
I wish we had traveled MORE when DS was an infant. I flew with him at 12 weeks with DH (Bahamas) and a week or two later flew down to Florida with him alone. Those flights were a breeze, even though I was nursing, pumping to supplement, and bottle feeding. Aside from those logistics it was easy peasy. I'm sure it completely depends on the kiddo, though, because it wouldn't have been easy if he had fussed on the flights.
Post by Shreddingbetty on Oct 17, 2016 9:45:45 GMT -5
I totally would do it. We went to Europe when DD was 4 months to see family and it was fine. We also went to a HS graduation across the country when she was 10 days old. She loved being in the carrier and so that made it really easy. She would do a lot of napping in there. Like other sad, if you feel like you want to go I definitely would not let the baby stop me. I, however, you are not really interested in going to begin with I don't think you should feel bad about not going. There are plenty of people that cannot make it to a destination wedding just because it is a DW.
I think it's the timing with work that sucks the most because it's mid-week, and you will likely be very tired and busy. Baby might be sick from having just gotten the first taste of daycare germs, unless you are getting a nanny. I would wait on your ticket or check on trip insurance exclusions. Yes travel is easiER with an immobile baby than a toddler but it's not easy the week after you start working. That said, if you do go it will be nice to have a weekend at home to recover, instead of flying home and working the next day.
I am prone to anxiety when I travel. So I wouldn't personally do it. I did it once with DD was 9 months in a snow storm without a bottle warmer. It was bad decision. Memories where made and they where not good. And that was just a 4 hour drive.
I am dreading taking my toddler on a plane to Aruba in December. Like hard core anxious about it. I am going to get some xanax or something.
Post by DarcyLongfellow on Oct 18, 2016 9:42:58 GMT -5
Those saying travel is easy with a 4 month old haven't traveled with difficult/high needs babies. DD1 was colicky and was generally just a screaming miserable mess until 5 or 6 months. No way could I have done that trip with her.
I'd wait until you meet your daughter before you decide. If that means you can't go because it'll be too expensive to buy tickets that late, then I'd probably go ahead and make that call.