Hey guys. I’ll start by saying I’ve been loving reading and exploring the property chat forum in the last couple of months. So I thought I’d throw this poll out there and see what you guys have to say. Me and my wife got married earlier this month and we had decided to postpone the honeymoon for 12 months because work have promised to pay for all our flights & accommodation for me to attend a course at NYU or Columbia (through a professional development type agreement). But only if we go in October when my current contract ends. The curve ball was an unexpected baby which is due in May. So we find ourselves in the situation where we have a once in a lifetime opportunity to go to New York (only costing us spending money). But we will have a 5 month old newborn. Would you take a newborn on a 20 hour flight or are we crazy even contemplating this? I do realise there is a third option of going by myself. But as they say “happy wife, happy life”.
Easier at 5 months than a little older, especially if breastfed (no bottles to pack or formula to prepare).
I'd look into breaking the flight up. Fly with someone like JAL or Korean so the trip is divided into 2 legs. @ 12 hours to Tokyo or Seoul, with an overnight stop, followed by a 2nd 12 hour leg the next day. My wife just took our 8 month old to Jakarta. That's only 7 hours and she flew business.... baby did really well on the flight over... not so great coming back. You just don't know what you are going to get - but if you can divide the trip up somehow, it should make things much easier
@euro73 has a great suggestion. You cannot afford to arrive tired because a 5 month old baby will need you regardless of how tired you are. We just flew to Europe in three legs (we had no choice in the flights) for 32 hours door to door. Flights home were about 28 hours door to door (two legs). It took us a week to feel "right". I believe it is worse flying East to West (for us anyway). Breaking the flight with an overnight stop is a great idea if you can do that, and probably would be worth paying a little of your own money if your work won't pay for the accommodation (one night each way?).
Having been there and done that x 3 kids; if its a once in a lifetime trip; you MUST do it. You'll be fine. Go and enjoy life!! One tip with babies on flights; bottle or breast feed them at take off and when decending/landing. Why? Because it helps to relieve the air pressure changes in their ears, and avoids the inevitable screaming.
Would you consider asking Grandma to accompany you at least on the trip over so there is a third adult to help care for the baby while Mum and Dad gets some sleep. She can also help Mum for the first week while you all get settled.
Yes this is a totally personal decision. You cant possibly know how baby is going to react to flying. There are people who swear that flying with a baby was a smooth experience for them, and others who would tell you it was a catastrophe and "never again"! You are only going to know when you are strapped in, wheels up.... If it were me, I'd be anticipating at least "some" trouble and breaking up the flight however possible . if nothing else, its the most humane way to go about such a long flight. Even in the comforts of home, babies will go through mood swings , tantrums, laughing fits, sleep, feeding, playtime multiple times in one day... so on the confines of a plane it is more than likely to be at least that challenging ....
I voted no because - basically - been the NY once and would never go back. However, if it's a once-in-a-life time and never ever going to happen again then go for it. Just be prepared for baby's internal time clock to be completely out of sync and wanting to be up, playing in the middle of the night. Don't know that your missus will get much sleep or enjoyment out of the trip if you're not there to pick up the slack (by being at work) as, literally, the first 8-10 months as a new mum are spent sleeping every moment you can grab and it can take all day simply to have a shower and make a single cuppa tea. We took junior to NZ at 6 months and it was fine - except she threw up down the inside of my shirt mid-flight but being breast milk it didn't smell or anything. But then it was only a 2 hours timezone change. She was up 2 hours later at night and then slept in the next day during the whole week
Yes, agree. Just throwing it out there - with 'maybe" It would definitely be high emotional cost with my in-laws. I love them dearly, but small doses.
I tried small doses with my MIL, but she still detected the taste ;-) But really, my MIL is an angel. I feel sorry for people whose MILs are still living.
Only if they are able to be transported in this manner. Pet Crates - Auto Airline Dog Cat Travel | IATA Compliant
We took a 9 months old to Shanghai return from SYD - a couple of small incidents on the flight over but the flight back was great. Now with two kids and they're a little older, they're actually worse to travel with. I reckon you should do it!
