Taking a youngster abroad

[mats01_99]

At what age would you deem it OK to take a child abroad, I have a little girl who will be 5 months in late Sept and we were thinking maybe of a week in Portugal (shortest flight we could find). In the past (pre-fatherhood) I have always moaned about people taking small kids on a plane and to hot climates. Any thoughts?

[PatriciaH]

Shel be fine as long as shes sheltered from the sun-a sun shade with green lining- i dont know what the green lining is called but thats what were on proper sunshades for prams and trolleys , i think silver cross who made prams sold them, they were on a frame and were brilliant, plenty of drinks for baby as well even if shes not in direct sunlight , enjoy your holiday

btw -does anyone else remember these sunshades?

[kovac]

I was 2 months old when my parents took me abroad, and 27 yrs later, I'm still travelling the globe. I'm sure your little 5month old girl will be able to cope with a week in Portugal. She'll be ready for a holiday by September!

[KARL]

Our younger son made his first international flight at almost three months of age - his mother travelled alone with him and his older brother. If there were any effects of the flight on him at all then they must have been beneficial and I urge you to take your child even sooner than you currently plan - he has been an absolute gem (now approaching 19). Never mind grumpy fellow passengers, some people have very low tolerance thresholds. Just make sure the baby is drinking (or at least swallowing frequently for some reason) as you enter onto the runway for take-off (i.e. at the end of taxiing - listen out for the pilot's announcement for the cabin crew to take their seats, then start your measures). Keep it going as long as you can after that so there is no crying because of earache due to pressure change. Again on approach to landing, mark about 15 minutes after the descent has begun (you need to notice this - it will be detectable by the aircraft�s attitude � the announcement usually comes quite a bit later) then take measures. If the baby starts crying inexplicably at any point, somehow get her to start swallowing - earache is the most likely cause. Breastfeeding is of course the perfect answer to all of this - don't let anyone tell you it is unnatural anywhere. Always be well prepared with a stock of nappies and drink when out and about, that way she will not unnecessarily suffer discomfort. Enjoy your holiday - you will likely find people very pleasant, understanding and helpful everywhere.

[Dee Sa]

she will be fine but try and book a skycot for the plane journey then you wont have to take turns holding her.

Once there the hotel will help you much more than in UK, babies & small children are welcomed abroad, its only in UK that hotels cant be bothered.

[KARL]

Just a post-script. I have just made a long-haul flight (they usually cruise at greater altitude than inter-european ones and therefore the descent is longer) from a place that is at altitude to a place virtually at sea level and found that a cabin pressure adjustment took place from the very start of the descent. I suggest you get things ready as soon as descent begins and if you detect pressure change in your ears get your daughter to start swallowing straight away. The point is that once the discomfort starts it can be difficult to persuade a baby to start swallowing/feeding instead of wriggling about and complaining. But after swallowing only a couple of times the memory of the pain dissapears astonishingly quickly (as always) and peace breaks out.