When I look back at the brief time we had as a couple without children it always seems as though holidays abroad were short lived and missing something. Maybe that says something more about our family ethos of togetherness and the notion that I was always meant to have this wonderful brood in my life. It felt a natural and normal thing to do, to take babies abroad on our holidays right from the get-go. I’ve never thought of it as challenging or particularly stressful and that’s because let’s face it, life can be pretty challenging any way. So I think the key to success when taking babies abroad is put the work in before you go; prioritise, connect and most importantly plan.
We recently visited Gouves in Crete for our summer holiday. A place that is really special to us and that we’ve been to a few times before. It is truly a magical island, nestled south in the Aegean Sea; steeped in history, mythology and culture with a super friendly and relaxed pace of life, perfect for travelling families looking for Mediterranean bliss and family down time.
The flight was fine, long, but manageable. Before babies are two years of age they need to sit on the lap of a travelling adult on most airlines, so this can make for a wriggly journey. We find that switching host laps, if possible, every hour or so is the best way to do this to renew baby’s interest! A bag of tricks is a must; a few bits and bobs, toys and snacks they’ve never seen or had before. It’s nice to let baby just ‘be’ for a while on a long plane journey, there’s plenty of stimulation around already before introducing items, one at a time, from your ‘bag of tricks’. The new sights, sounds and smells are exciting for little ones! Nappy changes can be interesting on a plane, anyone that’s seen the size of the supposed changing table in the toilets will know exactly what I mean here. It’s not easy this bit, but even something so simple as a nappy change can be a fun mini adventure in such a peculiar environment.
With us having three older children as well, ages 14, 12 and 8, it actually takes the pressure off and makes it a bit easier at the airport and on the plane. There’s always someone to entertain the baby, or to pass you a snack, or play with the baby for a bit. They are pretty self sufficient and can be trusted to entertain themselves and look after each other while myself and my husband can concentrate on keeping the baby happy and relaxed, one of the many benefits of a larger age gap!
I am a huge babywearing enthusiast and cannot recommend a light weight carrier for the airport, and your holiday in general. As long as they are ergonomical, so not world facing, and comfortable you may find having your hands-free makes moving around busy places a lot more manageable and makes grabbing passports, snacks and other little one’s hands a doddle! We love the Tula Lite carrier, which offers front (parent facing) and back carrying options. It isn’t padded so folds right down into a little cross body bag. This is also a great carrier to use when abroad in warmer climates as it’s not bulky and doesn’t make either of us overly warm.
I have to pack light when travelling abroad with kids, if we didn’t we would end up outnumbered by heavy cases and lugging around stuff we never actually use. Let’s face it, fifty percent of the stuff packed for a holiday rarely gets used. It’s a lot less overwhelming to plan a number of outfits for a set number of days.
Things can be re-worn, especially evening attire. And when your daughters reach a certain age you absolutely can and probably will end up sharing jewellery, hair products, accessories and shoes! I extend my thanks to my second born child who turned twelve recently and has a better stocked wardrobe than me.
When on holiday we most certainly let things slide; there are no bedtimes and there is never any expectation for the children to eat new foods or do what they don’t want to do basically. If we lower our standards when away, then everybody gets a proper break. The age old saying ‘pick your battles’ is in full effect when away, but the more easy going you can be, the less battles you shall see.
Have you been abroad with a baby or young children yet? I hope you made some lifelong memories. What did you find most challenging? I’d love to hear about your experiences and any recommendations for future locations.
Sophie x
The Local Mama Blog Editor
@sophieandteamt
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