Advice(and words of encouragement!) required from people with children

[Guest rachinadelaide]

Well, after 36.5 years of having no interest at all in having children my body clock got a bit noisy and so my husband and I spent a year making lists of the pros and cons to decide whether or not to take the plunge. So I now find myself 38, 15 weeks pregnant and terrified/horrified and wondering what on earth we have done!!

 

I want to book a nice, relaxing holiday as a reward for giving birth and committing the next 18 (who am I kidding?) years to child rearing. I fancy 5 days floating down the Murray on a houseboat so for those of you who have dealt with babies - do you think it's a sensible/practical idea to take a 2 month old baby on a houseboat holiday??

 

Thanks in advance! Rach

[Riponian]

Congratulations, personally I love being a Mum and it is the hardest but most rewarding job you could ever have.

 

I have not been on a house boat but many mums will tell you that travelling with a baby can be easy if your baby is easy...

Don't want to put a downer on your plans but if you end up with a colic or worse than a house boat might not be the most restful of places for you and the other guests. Having said that don't be put off by what others may think of you!!!

 

Also you might want to consider if your breast feeding or not as you would have to take a sterilisers or cold water tablets to sterilise the bottles and all the formula you would have to take along with you.

 

It might be more relaxing to take the holiday before your baby is born too - your last bit of freedom before baby arrives...

 

Anyway hope I have given you some pointers to consider, good luck with what ever you decide to do and congratulations again

[Guest Squareman]

I would say so. I think its important that you don't let a child stop from you doing fun things, because then there is a begrudging element to the whole thing. It's a just a matter of adapting to the new situation and making the necessary adjustments.

 

At two months, babies are still in the eat/sleep/s....t mode so you may as well be on a houseboat with lovely scenery than being cooped up at home.

[wizzywozza]

Absolutely! Book it at once! You'll love it ...... a relaxed mum makes a relaxed baby!

A lot of houseboats provide Portacots and high chairs. We hired Scamp from Blanchetown last year, it's a nice little houseboat, just right for a small family. Would recommend Griffens Marina there. We are taking our grandkids on a houseboat next year.

[Anne B]

I wouldn't book anything yet! Wait until you've had the baby and see how things are, how you are coping, what the baby is like. I personally found that the first 3 months were a total blur of sleepless nights, then somehow after 3 months the baby settles down and life takes on some semblance of normality. The thing is, everyone's experience is different. We took our first child away for a holiday when he was about 7 months old, rented a lovely cottage in the Peak District in the middle of winter and had a lovely break - we drove around sightseeing and the baby slept in the car! As for houseboats, you will be able to weigh up the practicalities once you have the baby, but I would say either go before you have the baby or otherwise definately before they start crawling/walking - so perhaps around 6 months would be a better time. Good luck - I had my kids late in life and had easy pregnancies (apart from morning sickness) and produced 2 fit and healthy children - however, there are times when I wish we had started earlier!

[minkyme29]

I would agree that you should go for it! Babies of that age are very portable and not in a proper routine. It would be a slow relaxing kind of holiday and this will be important as it's likely that you will probably be feeling somewhat sleep deprived. Daytime rests will be essential and what better place to snooze than on an houseboat.

 

However I can also relate to the whole colic scenario - maybe a houseboat holiday near Renmark or the like so that docs and chemists are on hand if necessary?

 

Good luck with the rest of your pregnancy.

 

[Guest guest3462]

Go for it!!!Even with a colicky baby you can still have a great time!! And if theyre up screaming anyway, whats a bit of added extra motion sickness?? lol!

We have a 10 week old and were ready to take her away camping during the easter break (couldn't get in anywhere though). Although I am very lucky and have a very well settled child that sleeps thru already and feeds lke a dream!

We will be taking her to Bali before she is 4 months old and she is going to have to get used to long haul flying very early.

Having a baby has never stopped us from going on holidays, we took both our older girls into europe before they were 3 months oldand we had a great time. Pack up the pram and off you go! They will sleep most of the time you will relax and get to spend some quality family time together.

 

Congratulations on your pregnancy, take it easy and get plenty of rest. Google babymoons, there is a holiday company in SA that specialises in holidays for pregnant families and those with new babies but cant remember the name!

[Diane]

Oh why not, we took our son on a driving holiday in France when he was ten weeks old (and he was born 11 weeks early so was still very small and on various medications!) and it was all good. The only issue would be if your child gets sick or anything, but there are plenty of little villages along the river where you could hop off and call a doctor in the worse case scenario!

 

Congratulations by the way!

[Damms]

I think its a great idea, go and enjoy yourself as many have said babies are very portable at that age and sleep a lot so you will have a great time, go now before they are running around and into everything!!!

 

I had my little girl later in life as I was very career orientated and it is the best thing I have ever done, wish i had more!!!

 

All the best

Kim

 

Good luck

[stringfellows]

OMG!!!you lot are making me broody now.We have no children[just Maisie the kitten]but it sounds like a great choice of holiday.Go for it!x

[Guest rachinadelaide]

Thank you to everyone for your thoughts and advice! We would be in the Berri/Renmark area so would stay near medication and drs just in case.

I may check the booking terms and conditions of the houseboat hirers to see if we have to cancel what we would lose. I am very enamoured with the thought of being on a boat and sleeping a lot (and drinking wine if I am allowed) whilst hubby takes care of the baby.

Now just got to give birth.....

[snifter]

Well everyone is different. If you'd asked me before I had my first at aged 37 if I wanted to be active, zipping round and able to consider going away for a few days when he was a couple of months old I'd have said yes, sure I'm up for it.

 

However the reality was after a great pregnancy and birth (at home, no problems) I had the crappiest 18 months of my life and the first 6 being total hell. I sufferered massive PND for over a year and a half due to a number of severe problems that began AFTER my son was born. One of these is still ongoing even today. I had to have an operation when my son was 6 months old also. All related to having had him. **** happens.

 

Throw in that from 10 days old my son had terrible colic and would spend his entire days screaming from 8am till 4 or 5pm, then sleep for an hour and start over. Throw in nighttime feeds and the usual nappy changes and I was a wreck. He didn't sleep longer than 40 minutes in the daytime normally till he was at least 4 months old.

 

Oh and as great as my husband was with our son, those early weeks he was really clueless and had no idea about what to do in many situations like hours of screaming with colic. It also meant I couldn't really relax as I felt so awful hearing my son cry and wanted to be with him.

 

So yeah, plan for it but allow that you may not be up for it for whatever reason that giving birth and having a baby may throw at you.

[Sallyh]

(((((((snifter))))))))

 

I'd say to be on the safe side and taking into account all things that could happen (like, if you have to have a c-section which obviously no-one wants but has a recouperation time...) - you might want to wait till the baby's here and decide what you feel like.

 

Or book something for a tiny bit further in, like 3 or 4 mths... and maybe a cottage holiday in a fantastic location for a kind of babymoon that allows for however things might be, rain or shine.

 

I think when our first was 4 1/2 mths we did longhaul UK to Aus to stay with DH's family for a month... flying was fantastic, breastfed him the entire way so no crying whatsoever, and I hardly needed to get out of my seat to go to the loo despite drinking gallons of water... holiday was brilliant and I'd say breastfed baby at 4 or so months is extremely portable, they don't need much and it's a great time to go. But I'd probably not book anything for 8 weeks in, even now after having 4 and knowing pretty much how DH and I like to parent, not expecting too many surprises... I'd normally leave making plans that involve money till after the baby's here.

 

But definitely do something. I don't believe in life stopping after children and I have friends who do seem to think it's the end of life as they know it... no, it's not, but you can't kid yourself it's not going to change either.

[Diane]

.... the thought of being on a boat and sleeping a lot (and drinking wine if I am allowed) whilst hubby takes care of the baby...

 

I found if I had any wine (or salad as it happened) while I was feeding mine it gave them terrible wind They're harsh and unforgiving taskmasters, these baby-things! Now Guinness on the other hand.... that was even recommended by my health visitor! Guinness, chocolate and digestive biscuits.

 

Can never see Dale Winton though without flashbacks as I spent a lot of time on the breastpump watching Supermarket Sweep....

[Sallyh]

shhhh Diane, we're supposed to be encouraging!!!!!!!

 

I've never quite given up alcohol, a bit of red here and there's always been fine for us but DEFINITELY not champers!!!!!! That's always been shocking.

 

I do LOVE the excuse of iron levels for dark chocolate though. Green and Blacks and breastfeeding go VERY well together.

[snifter]

Ooops my post wasn't very encouraging was it But that is how it was. TBH most first time Mums seem to struggle far more than those on their second, third or more. I think that's just natural. Its a huge learning curve.

 

But hey, it happened. And here I am 3 years later with a gorgeous little boy and I'm pregnant again! So even all my problems for all that time didn't put me off doing it again. Just it took me almost 3 years to feel ready.

[Guest guest7008]

Hi, being a mother of 7 (got a bit carried away lol) I think going away for a short holiday after giving birth is a fab idea, especially if you have a super hubby who will look after you and baby so that you can both rest! So pleased for you, having children is great, opens up your eyes to a whole new world, really does, so many congrats to you and have a great pregnancy Helen

[Sallyh]

Wow, 7, that's fantastic. ANd one of yours is the same name as one of mine... not often I come across another Tabitha! (Dh won't let me have a Phoebe tho!).

 

We're on our way to 5. I love having a big family! I do remember a mix first time of thinking there were certain things we'd not have to change, and even though we had an easy baby just really thinking "what were we thinking?!". However, like I said, with only 1 you can definitely still do more but no-one knows how they're going to come out, do they? (Or when!). Apart from in Oz unless you are determined and confident with the care you want, you're unlikely to get much past a week past the due date.

[Guest taunton]

Hi Rach

 

Congratulations to you both....

 

My advise, book a holiday before and after the birth of your new arrival....and then as many as you can afford after that....holidays are so important.

 

I am the older mum, I was 35 years old with our first and 38 years old with our second, I was never interested in having children until like you the old body clock started to make noises, I wouldn't be without them now, but would still like a lot more sleep every now and then.

 

Pamper yourself when ever you get the chance, because once they come along they take every penny, I always try and put a little stash away for myself, so every once and a while I have a ME day, nothing to expensive or over the top just something for ME...how selfish am I...

 

Enjoy every minute of it....BOOK THE HOLIDAY and RELAX

 

From the older mum

 

Wend

[Guest Happy Days]

Hi Rach

 

Congratulations!!!

You sound like us, 3 years ago. We had never considered kids and then at 36/37, we started questioning whether we should try for one!! Now we have a nearly 3 year old….and we def made the right decision.

 

Re a holiday- I reckon it’s a great idea. The first 4 months I seem to recall are full of bonding, getting to grips with feeding, sleepless nights and changing lots of nappies!!! I think it would be wonderful for the whole family to do this together, in a lovely location.

 

Not sure about houseboats though, as I haven’t been on one. I would be considering the practicalities - whether you can heat/cool it adequately, whether you can easily access a doctor if required, and whether there is a washing machine for all those lovely loads of washing you seem to do in the first few months. Maybe it would be more practical to stay in a holiday house somewhere nice?

[Guest rachinadelaide]

I may have to put the hol off for a while... The reason we wanted to go after 2 months is that my hubby will be off work for 10 weeks and that would be at the end of his time off, plus my parents arrive a couple of weeks after hubby returns to work and we don't want to say hi and then bye we're off on a holiday!!

 

Maybe it would be more sensible to see what kind of baby it is!

 

Thansk again for everyone's thoughts!!

[Guest MrsHills]

Hi there, older mums rule!!! (well anyone who's a mum really!!) We took our three month old over to Europe (we were still living in UK mind you) and had a wonderful time. Just do it, you will have a great time, juts make sure bubs is in one of theose 'floaty' typ suits at all time!