Ah, holidays. Lazy lie-ins and hours by the pool reading a book with a cocktail, right? Er, not any more… They are a different ball game now, but can be just as fun. Read our guide on how to make the most of your time away
Before baby, you might have liked to be in the centre of the action, and just a short walk from the buzzing bars and cafés. Post-baby, busy restaurants and late-night drinking spots become something you’d probably rather avoid.
However, you don’t want to be so far away from it all that you can’t just pop out to buy bread or find a nearby playground. Spend some time researching the area you have in mind to see if it has facilities that suit children – you may well have to swap bars and clubs for parks and swimming pools.
Family travel forums on sites like TripAdvisor and Mumsnet can be great for tips on baby-friendly resorts or places to stay. Most bookings websites, including self-catering sites like Airbnb, feature guest reviews on their accommodation. It’s worth taking a few minutes to read them to find out whether other people have stayed there with little ones and if they’d recommend it.
Consider holidaying with friends to share costs – and babysitting!
If you really want to check out an area in-depth, Google maps is a fantastic way to pinpoint exactly what’s in the vicinity, and you’ll be able to see if there’s everything from banks to pharmacies nearby. It’ll even calculate distances by car, foot or public transport to various locations – though remember to adjust walking times to child pace…
Opt for somewhere a reasonable distance from the entertainment district, where it’s still convenient for eating out and shopping but thumping music isn’t going to keep you awake until sunrise.
James, dad to Ted and Harry and member of NCT Clapham & District branch, says: “Cities – where you want to go out and eat and stroll and go to galleries – do not work for us. This year, we went abroad and stayed in a village with our 2.5 and 7 year old, and made day trips. It was great.”
If you are choosing somewhere remote to get away from it all, pack a sling or baby backpack for walks as the ground might be too bumpy for a buggy. It can be a good idea to rent a car so you can get around easily (remember you’ll need to take your baby car seat with you or hire one there).
No matter how much of a traveller you used to be, now the idea of getting on a flight or ferry and braving it abroad may seem daunting. And budget-wise, you might want to avoid flights and other big hire costs. If you prefer the idea of a staycation, where you know you can get hold of familiar groceries and drive your own car, there plenty of family-friendly options available.
It might be worth considering holidaying with friends and family – perhaps your NCT friends. You can split the costs and it can be more fun to have others to chat to in the evenings if you can’t go out.
You’ll even have free babysitters on tap if you go out on alternate nights or rope in grandparents to look after babies (if they can get them off to sleep it’s an added bonus!)
If you like the idea of getting away but are nervous about travelling with baby, remember that you’ll find just as many parks and shops selling baby gear abroad as here. Many countries are very child-friendly, and going abroad can help you feel like you’re having more of a break. The likelihood of nice weather and easy access to swimming pools and beaches are also a big draw.
For those who have some trepidation about venturing abroad, package holidays can give be an easy, hassle-free option, which usually include transfer from the airport and half or full board. You can base yourself in the hotel complex and go out as much or as little as you fancy.
Bear in mind that flights for under twos are free, so now actually might be the best time to go away, before you have to pay a full air fare.
Flights can be easier before children are walking or crawling, as any parent who has walked the length of the aisle 20 times with a bored toddler will testify!
Either way, just getting away can be great fun and a wonderful opportunity to spend time together. Ruth, mum to Jake and Noah, and member of NCT Barnet branch, says: “We have had loads of brilliant holidays with the kids – and we’ve done all different kinds of stuff in the UK and overseas. We always over pack and take lots of snacks!”
So, whether in this country or abroad, do it your way and just enjoy the opportunity to spend time together.
Now you’re a family, whether you holiday at home or away, you might find self-catered apartments become more appealing than traditional hotels. It means you can make food you know your baby will eat whenever they need, rather than waiting for the hotel restaurant to open. They can be better value for money, too, as you’re not paying full price for a meal, which mostly ends up on the floor.
Holiday flats can also feel more homely and give you more flexibility. For instance, when your little one goes to bed, rather than being banished to read a book in the bathroom at lights out, you can relax in the living room. It can also be easier to find somewhere to sterilise bottles or get rid of stinky nappies.
Spend some time checking out different places on the internet so you know what they’ll be like – stairs without railings and furniture with lots of sharp corners and edges might look luxurious, but can be stressful with young children. Look for family-friendly accommodation which has a cot and high chair included, so you don’t have to take extra luggage with you.
Speaking of which, gone are the days when you could throw a couple of t-shirts and some espadrilles in a bag the night before you jetted off. Planning a holiday with kids requires a bit more effort…
One NCT mum says: “You can no longer leave packing until the last minute, and spreadsheets are required to keep track of what to buy and what to pack in which bag!”
OK, you don’t really need to polish up your Excel skills just to get your luggage sorted. But a list of things you need can be useful for making sure you’ve not forgotten anything, as well as checking you don’t take too much. You might regret taking 20 babygros ‘just in case’ when you have to lug your bag and a buggy up several flights of stairs.
Try to get prepared in good time, so you’re able to buy anything extra you need and wash and dry clothes if necessary. If you can, spread out packing so you can do it in chunks while your little one is asleep or occupied. Throwing things into a bag with a toddler screaming for attention won’t make for a relaxing start to your holiday.
Babies need a lot of equipment – fact. And yes, you are going to need to take plenty of things with you. But remember you’re just going on holiday, not on a six-month expedition to the Arctic…
One NCT volunteer says: “It took me a couple of baby holidays to realise I didn’t need to pack my entire house. You can buy things like nappies and wipes when you’re there to save luggage space so no need to take a mountain of them with you. The only thing worth taking a lot of is formula if you’re using it, or if you’re going abroad check if they sell your brand or a similar one there.”
To lighten the load, think about buying some baby products abroad (unless you like or need a certain brand). This can include:
OK, you probably realise by now that your holiday with baby is going to be very different to one before baby. So begin by lowering your expectations about how much you can do. For most of us, epic mountain climbing or scuba diving isn’t going to be an option! But instead of thinking about what you can’t do at the moment, concentrate on family things you can all enjoy, like splashing about at the local pool or building – then smashing down – sandcastles on the beach. In a few year’s time, your children will be old enough to tackle more adventures with you.
If your pre-baby holidays featured daily lie-ins, then you might be in for a shock. Babies will wake up just as early as at home – perhaps earlier if their room is lighter or noisier – and entertaining them can feel more challenging without access to their normal toys and games.
Pack some activities that will keep early-risers occupied without taking up too much luggage space. Young babies might like books with different textures to feel and prod that you can read with them, or not-too-noisy rattles, soft balls and squidgy bath toys (fun to play with in or out of water!) Remember to bring their favourite teddy or bedtime story to help them feel at home and get to sleep, as being expected to drift off quietly in an unfamiliar place can be a lot to ask.
Holiday clubs can be a great way to give you some time off while your kids have fun (holidaying with grandparents also comes into it’s own here!) If you’re staying in a hotel or resort, see if it has a babysitting service so you can at least have a meal or a drink at the bar after their bedtime. It’ll help you feel like the holiday is for you as well as the kids – for an evening at least.
At the end of the day, it might not be the most laid-back holiday you’ve ever had, but it’ll be exciting in a different way.
Silvia, mum to Miguel and Maria and member of Hackney NCT branch, says: “Holidays with young kids is about helping them to build up memories… it’s fun but maybe not relaxing in the way it used to be! There is also a bit of anarchy at bedtimes and with the amount of ice-cream they have…”
So relax, make the most of the fact things are a bit different and enjoy being out of your normal routine. You’ll come back with hundreds of photos which you’ll all love looking at in years to come, as well as great memories – even if things don’t always go to plan!
For practical tips on holidays with children, click here before you jet off!
Flying when pregnant: what are the rules? Find out now.
Get clued up on sun safety for children.
You’ll find lots of great offers on holidays and travel in NCT members club – take a look here.
