How old did you start bringing your baby to travel?
By Lee Ka
@kaka135 (14931)
Malaysia
October 16, 2009 8:10pm CST
The first time I brought my baby to travel is when he was 4 months old. We went to Cameron Highlands, where it's a local tourist spot about 1.5 hour drive from my hometown. We went there together with my in-law family. I suppose my son was having fun, as he likes to explore new things and look everywhere.
Actually the first time my son really travel long distance is when he was 1.5 month old. He was born in where I worked, a city about 2.5 hour drive from my hometown. We brought him back to my hometown when he was 1.5 month old. I am glad that he likes to sit in the car, so it told me that I can bring him traveling anywhere. He behaves really good in the car, without making noise or feeling uncomfortable.
We have been bringing him to travel to 5 places so far, all locally, though he's 7 months old now. All of us had good time during the vacation. The only problem I had is when he is hungry, I need to find a place to breastfeed him. Sometimes it's hard to get a place to breastfeed him, then someone has to carry him to look around, then he'll be okay.
I've heard from my friends that they don't remember anything, so why bring them to go traveling when they are so young? I agree that they might not remember anything at this young age, but they are having fun and also it helps to develop their brains when they explore new things, I suppose. My husband and I have planned to bring my son for traveling always.
How old was the first time your kids go traveling? Did you and your kids enjoy it?
5 people like this
10 responses
@shia88 (4571)
• Malaysia
17 Oct 09
Hi Kaka,
The first time I brought my son for travelling when he was 10 months old.
I was quite nervous at that time as it was his first time on board the plane and really worried that he will get cranky throughout the journey or his ears will get pain while departing and landing.
I was lucky to have my husband at my side and we tookcare of my son together.
I brought all the necesarry things on board the plane and I even brought a pacifier for him to suck and that was his first time sucking pacifier(just to prevent his ears get pain).
We went to Singapore,our first destination and was there for about one week before heading back to my hometown.
Glad to inform you that I can manage well throughout the journey and my son is behaved well.It is just like I can enjoyed my shopping session as part of my attention is for my son.
But overall, I enjoyed my holiday trip and it also goes to my husband and my son.
2 people like this
@suzzy3 (8341)
•
17 Oct 09
We never really travelled out side of our country,but he did use to travel some miles in England from two weeks old.Babies do remember the feeling of travelling and what they take in on their travels lives in their minds and helps form their charactor.Going to different places broadens the mind and they will get pleasure from being with his parents while they have fun.My sons first trip was to cornwall and we lived nearly 300 miles away ,we went camping and he loved it a year old,up and down the beach with his bucket and his little boat,when ever we went away to the sea side after that we had to buy him a new little boat to play with in the surf or beach pool.So they do remember what they do,after all why would he point or shout for a boat when we passed the beach shops,he is sixteen and we have a caravan now,and he still loves coming with us when we go away,so he will probably go camping and eventually work his way up to a caravan when he has a family.We meet people on holiday still with grown up kids with them,and they have done it from a baby as well.It is about family time,being close,playing swingball,nothing that costs a lot of money,just being together.You carry on and take him everywhere it is such a special time at the moment and they know more than you think.It also makes them very sociable ,we can turn up on anysite anywhere and with in an hour he is down the field playing football with the other kids to him it is normal,play stations ect get forgotton about ,he knows how to have good old fashioned fun like the rest of the kids that travel around meeting new people,seeing new places.If you get it right your son will never moan about spending time with you and for teenagers that is a wonderful thing.
@kaka135 (14931)
• Malaysia
20 Oct 09
Hi there, thanks for your response.
Yeah, I think many parents have ignored that babies do learn things and understand things even when they are still at very young age. I agree that my baby is quite sociable, perhaps he got to see many people since he was very young. ^_^
@ram_cv (16513)
• India
17 Oct 09
My kid is born in a family which simply loves to travel and go on long distances for vacations... So the kid has no choice but to adjust...
Jokes apart though, the first time I took him out on a long distance was when he was 6 months, then again when he was 9 months... I think he was really too young to give us any issues other than remembering his feeding requirements.
After his first year, he is the one who looks out for travel... He simply loves travelling in train and going and playing on beaches... Currently he is 2.5 years old and already a veteran traveller with his own backpack which he proudly carries... well at least for some distance... :)
Cheers!
Ram
@kezabelle (2974)
•
19 Oct 09
Well my parents live over 6 hours drive away so my eldest was 3 weeks the first time she travelled and my youngest 6 weeks, theyve been to all sorts of places ok they might not remember but there is photos for them to look back on and I dont think having kids should stop you living your life therefore we carried almost as normal to be honest just with an extra person (and then two) to share it with amazing!!!
1 person likes this
@vingyan06 (2486)
• Malaysia
18 Oct 09
Hi Kaka,
My daughter first trip was to Cameron too! That is when she was about 20 month old. She did enjoy the trip as her cousin sister was with us too. We brought her for strawberry plucking and she like it. Then her next trip was to Langkawi, which is her first fly on the plane. Lucky she behave well. Third we brought her to Port Dickson . And lately , about few months back, we brought her for her first international flight which was going to Bali Indonesia. She get my gene and likes to travel a lot.
She is now able to recall what had happen during her latest trip and she always ask me to bring her to the beach again ( at Bali) and she wants to stay at the hotel again. The most she wants is go to fly again!
1 person likes this
@JamesKYTan (1605)
• Malaysia
20 Oct 09
The first I brought my son to Melaka was when he was only 6 months. He first flight was by MAS to Kuching when he was just only 10 months old. He was down with diarrhoea and had to cut short our holidays. When he was 5 , we went to Gold Coast, Australia and later to Sydney. This is where he enjoyed. He had been to the Aquarium where he saw Nemo. What a memorable experience!
@maximax8 (31046)
• United Kingdom
17 Oct 09
The first time I took my son overseas was when he was 4 months old. I took him to Portugal and we went by plane. We explored the Algarve coastline and Lisbon the capital city. The weather was sunny and warm. My son has got used to traveling very young. The day be was born he traveled in an ambulance so it is great to have happy travels. I think my son liked it in sunny Portugal. Since then at 13 months old I took him to Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia. We had the most wonderful time there. We visited the three capital cities, the countryside and the coast. I was 17 weeks pregnant with my daughter when I took my son to South Africa when he was aged 20 months. We explored Cape Town and the Garden Route. The highlight for my son was seeing animals on a two and a half hour safari. His nick name is Leo the Lion and he was able to see a real lion. It was an excellent trip. Next year I hope to take my son and my baby daughter off traveling.
1 person likes this
@ladym33 (10979)
• United States
17 Oct 09
I think each of my 3 kids was about 6 months old when they went on their first vacations. They were not that far away though all of the trips were 8 hours drive approximately. We went to Ohio with both my first and second children because I have family there, and when my youngest was 6 months old we went to Michigan we stopped in several different cities there for a night or two and went to Macinaw Island for the day.
1 person likes this
@maygodblessu44 (7336)
• India
1 Dec 09
Hello my friend kaka135 Ji,
Your discussion will take me into my memories.So nice of you.My elder son took train journey to my ome-town from place of my hubby's work (approximately 2600 Kms one way), while he was three months old, and again for ten days journey during South India tour. My first G/Daugther travelled in train at amost same age in train. My second G/Daugther, flew from Miami to Bangalore while She was just 5 months andmyanother G/ (daugther's daughter) flew to Mascot (Oman-UAE), while She was just 3 months old. One of my friend son flew from US to India while She was only few days. I also believe your idea,what you said at concluding,
"but they are having fun and also it helps to develop their brains when they explore new things,.."
May God bless You and have a great time.
@izardy (60)
• Malaysia
17 Oct 09
The first time I bring my baby was when she was at 3 months. We have to traveled all the way from South to North of Malaysia due to Eid Celebration. My wife and I have to pack all the baby stuff in the car, we have to make sure everything is there or else she wouldn't stop crying if there's any problem and might disturb our driving concentration. Luckily, during the journey everything is OK .
1 person likes this