When planning a vacation with an infant, ensure they’re 3 months old before deciding to travel. Plan short vacations which are flexible without an extensive itinerary. You can choose to travel to all-inclusive resorts, take a cruise, plan a staycation, or visit a national park stay. If you’re planning a city vacation, you can go to an amusement park, zoo, or water park. The goal is not to exert yourself or your infant and plan a simple 2-3 days vacation trip where you can relax and spend quality time with your spouse.
Having a baby doesn’t mean parents have to confine themselves to home for the next year until they’re old enough to travel safely and not breastfeed. But the first 3 months are crucial for the infant and the mom to heal and develop their immunity.
Traveling with your infant can be challenging as they require constant attention and don’t have a fixed schedule before 6 months.
It’s tricky but not impossible. After all, parents also need a little time off from taking care of their little munchkin 24/7.
Depending on how old they’re, the vacation ideas and plans can change and evolve into something your baby and you as a couple can be comfortable with.
Let’s take a look at a couple of these ideas!
Traveling with an infant
The first 2 months after birth, infants are still getting used to this world, and their bodies are still developing an immunity system. The baby and the mother need to recover from childbirth and gain enough energy to travel anywhere.
But after your little munchkin turns 3 months old, it’ll be easier to plan a family vacation. Especially with an infant, one pro is that they stay asleep for 17 to 19 hours daily, waking up every couple of hours to feed.
You don’t have to worry about traveling in a train, car, or airplane ride as long as they aren’t longer than 2-3 hours.
But when thinking about vacation ideas, you might want to avoid an extensive itinerary planned for long 10 days and maybe keep it short and simple for 3 days.
You need to remember that infants can’t play on their own and as they wake up every couple of hours, they need constant attention and care.
Different vacation ideas with an infant
Planning a babymoon destination where you can just get to be in different scenery and enjoy fresh air and peacefulness is good enough to rejuvenate you and your partner.
You have to avoid going to places that require a lot of traveling, which can truly be exhausting.
So, if you’re thinking of traveling to another country, strike it out right now to avoid the exhaustion you’ll definitely get from it.
Selecting infant-friendly places is essential when choosing a destination.
1. Family all-inclusive resorts
With a newborn baby, you’re not looking for a lot of adventure or places to explore but a nice chill time to spend with your partner away from the mundane life back at home.
Booking for 2-3 days at an all-inclusive resort is one way to get the relaxation you deserve. These can be anywhere at a fun beach, a mountain top with a beautiful view of valleys, or beside a peaceful lake.
Family resorts have luxurious rooms and suites which provide different activities you can choose to do while staying in the resort. So, you can avoid going outside the resort to enjoy your vacation and return to your room whenever you wish.
There’re professional babysitters, too, which you can hire to take care of your munchkin while you spend the much-needed alone time with your partner.
You can plan a surprise romantic dinner for your partner or go for a swim at the indoor pool for a couple of hours while your infant is taken care of by certified nannies.
2. Take a cruise
In the middle of the sea with nowhere to go? It can seem daunting at first, but with a good cruise, you get everything you want to relax and enjoy at the same time on one big ship!
It’s the same as an all-inclusive resort where you don’t have to go anywhere to relax or enjoy your few days of vacation. Family-friendly cruises have kids-friendly activities while parents get to do their own thing.
Disney, Carnival, Norwegian, and Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines are some of the best options.
Cruises even provide baby necessities from diapers, wet wipes, formula, bottle warmers, mini-fridge, and baby carriers or strollers, so you don’t have to bring your own or pack extra.
Depending on the cruise you choose, nurseries allow parents much-needed alone time. Make sure you check all your options and how baby-friendly your cruise is before finalizing.
3. Visit family or friends
If you’re looking to socialize a bit, visiting your family or friends is another great vacation idea with an infant.
There’s nothing better than a home away from home where you don’t have to worry about sanitization or if things would be available to you or not.
While your infant’s grandparents can take care of them and bond, you can go out with your partner for a nice romantic dinner.
Friends with kids of the same age can become a bit chaotic but also give you a sense of belonging. If you have an older child, they can keep busy with the other kids of your friends.
4. Staycation
Another great idea would be to rent out a cabin in the mountains, near a beach, or even anywhere not too far from your home where you can find peace.
In such places, it’s best if you invite your entire family or friends together.
You can save money on food by getting groceries from the local market and still have a decent time away from home. Planning one by a lake, mountain, or beach town can help you get the peace and fresh air you’re looking for.
With family members or friends, you can expect your infant to be taken care of for a while as you enjoy a peaceful walk on the beautiful beach with your partner.
5. Nearby cities
These are day recreational activities you can enjoy if you plan a weekend getaway to a nearby city with a vacation in mind, such as amusement parks, zoos, or water parks.
With a newborn, you probably won’t be able to go to various rides, but an outing like this can help you take your mind off things. You can enjoy good food and multiple attractions, which can be enjoyed with your newborn.
Your infant won’t recognize animals at this point, but they can see various animals, and you can enjoy a peaceful activity to do.
These are good for making memories with your new baby.
6. National Park
If you’re looking for a bit of an adventure, then national parks are your calling. You can enjoy the vastness of nature and fresh air as trees surround you.
Even though your infant can’t seem to understand everything now, if you’re a nature lover, you can surely start integrating your infant into this world.
FAQs
How to have a smooth vacation with an infant?
Keeping your vacation simple and short is ideal for a vacation with an infant.
While you can’t control their waking hours at this point or have them follow a schedule, you can plan something which is flexible and can be modified according to your infant’s needs.
Can you plan a road trip with the infant?
It can seem like a task, but if you’re someone who used to love road trips before your baby came into the picture, you can handle it.
It’s a lot different with an infant, but the good news is that they sleep most of the time, so you don’t have to worry about them being hyper or wanting to get out of the car or crawl around.
With adequate planning, plenty of essential stuff, and enough stops planned, depending on your baby’s current stage, you can pull it off.
Before planning a big road trip, try out a smaller one to see how you need to accommodate things.
What’s the hardest age to travel with a baby?
The most difficult age to travel with your baby would be around 9 months to 18 months of age.
It’s when they would start getting squirmy and wanting to move around all the time.
To summarize
Your infant is still fragile between the ages of 3-6 months and has no strict schedule formed. Keeping this in mind, you would probably want to plan a vacation with minimal traveling.
Whichever destination you choose should have activities for enjoyment and relaxation within the premise, so you don’t have to exert yourself. With an infant, keep your vacation limited to places where you can get peace away from your normal routine.
While it might seem nothing, minimalistic vacations are best. You can always start traveling more when you have a toddler, or your infant grows up where they aren’t fragile enough to require constant care and attention.
