OT. Would you take a baby to India?

[Cathryn]

I'm posting this on Cyclechat because if I ask any of my girlfriends they'll just say 'no' without thinking about it.

The husband has to go to India in February - Bangalore for a week. He wants me and Arthur to go with him. I'm on maternity leave and so am free to travel. Clearly I'd normally bite his hand off to go with him, but with the baby, it's a difficult decision.

Arthur would be just about 3 months when he went. I feed him a mix of breast and formula, which adds sterilising complexity. He'd have some of his vaccinations done by then. I haven't looked into what additional vaccinations/malaria tablets he'd need for Bangalore yet.

What would you do? I want to be the kind of mum who seizes opportunities and this is a great one, but I'm fiercely protective over my boy (much less blase about him than I thought I'd be) and want him to be healthy. Any thoughts?

 

[Mr Pig]

No.

 

[upsidedown]

I'd think what benefits the child would derive from it. In an older child there would be many horizon-broadening experiences.
Not sure what a very young child would get out of it and sounds like hard work for you.
You've also got to deal with 30 degree-ish daytime temperatures, not my idea of fun.

 

[Norm]

My responses are, obviously, generalisations as I don't know you or Arthur.

I wouldn't do it for three reasons.
1. I wouldn't travel with a child that young on a long haul
2. I wouldn't take a child that young to somewhere which had potential health issues
3. I wouldn't risk the sterilisation problems if you use formula

 

[Kirstie]

A friend of mine is having her baby in India in April, but I guess has access to all of ex-pat medical services that are around. Given how ill it's possible to be there, I would be unsure. If your husband is going with work what kind of medical cover would he have? Also how well would he (Arthur) travel? It's 7 hours on a plane to India and there would be a lot of jetlag involved, with his routine interrupted (I presume). Could that create more problems later on?

 

[threebikesmcginty]

I wouldn't have taken either of ours at that age if there was a stay at home option.

 

[wafflycat]

1. Check what innoculations are required - and if Arthur is of an age where he can safely have the lot in time for the trip.

2. Medical insurance - will Arthur be covered and to what extent?

3. The implications of such a long flight on a young baby and looking after him on such a long flight in what are effectively cramped conditions with air carrying a vast number of germs multiplying in recycled cabin air.

4. Food sterilisation issues: practicalities.

5. Duration of stay - 1 week. Compare distress of father with not seeing his baby son for one week, against potential health implications for baby involved in the journey.

My personal feeling is that if it were me & WCMnr when he was a baby, as it's just for one week, not a long-term parting for father & child, we'd have stayed at home.

 

[BearPear]

Personally I wouldn't take such a young baby, as one poster said, he isn't at an age where he would get anything from the trip. Also there is the potential for him to get ill which could potentially be more serious over there than if he were at home.
I can remember going on holiday with ours when they were that small and needed tons of stuff - also you will be limited to certain items only in hand-luggage for the long flight.

Perhaps I would give it more consideration if the duration of the trip was going to run into months, but not for such a short time.

 

[fossyant]

7 hours on a plane with a new baby...I'd jump out..... Hard work. Wouldn't even do it with my two 9 and 6 year olds.....

 

[summerdays]

Not sure what I would do so I can't really offer advice. However if you decide to go then I had friends who went out there for a year, so I could ask them for suggestions of where to go whilst in Bangalore. I can't remember whether Feb was the really hot season when she found it really hot in their apartment especially at night time trying to sleep - so that might be worth checking.

 

[4F]

As a parent of 3 I wouldn't. Too many health issues with one so young and they won't remember the experience so they won't get anything out of the trip.

 

[ChrisKH]

Small babies are probably more portable than six-year olds and they sleep more, especially when there is vehicle noise and movement. I don't know if I'd have taken one of ours to India, but the oldest went to Guatemala when he was six months. The plane travel was absolutely fine.

+1. Both my children went long haul (US / Oz) when they were anything between 4 months and 18 months old. Preparing for the flight can be a problem re: bottles (use pre-made milk in cartons) and heating but otherwise they're oblivious and just eat and sleep. So no jet-lag issues as such.

We once checked our luggage in the night before, and then our first son had chronic tummy problems and we had only held three/four baby grows for the flight the next day. Cue me dashing round Gatwick looking for a Tesco Express to buy 20 extra baby grows at midnight.


India though? Tough call. I wouldn't.

 

[alan sherman]

How would the baby get fed if you got badly dehydrated from a dodgy stomach?

Is it worth it?

 

[badkitty]

I want to be the kind of mum who seizes opportunities and this is a great one, but I'm fiercely protective over my boy (much less blase about him than I thought I'd be) and want him to be healthy. Any thoughts?

I get the impression that this is what lies at the heart of your dilemma, and I can sympathise.
However, there will be plenty of opportunities for you to be exactly that kind of Mum in the coming years. There's no rush, Cathryn.
Stay home and enjoy having Arthur all to yourself for the week.

 

[Globalti]

No way. I've been to Pakistan and Bangladesh (never India though) and I can guarantee he would get diarrhoea, no matter how careful you were. There is also malaria and several other nasties that could harm a very young infant who has got no immunity to these from his mother. TBH I would also worry (irrational, I know) abut my fair-skinned baby being kidnapped like Madeleine McCann.