will having a baby stop travelling plans

Congratulations! Very exciting news.

I spent 6 months in South America a few years ago and absolutely loved it. I hate to be a killjoy but I don't think it's something I'd want to do with my little man (he's 18 months old). I'd be mostly concerned about access to clean water, safe food (I had stomach troubles a lot in SA - mostly in Bolivia), altitude changes and travelling in not the safest conditions (those bus drivers are wild!) Don't underestimate how fiercely protective you're going to be of your baby. I know that I wouldn't have done 75% of the stuff we did if I had Arlo with me. And the stuff - you need so much stuff with babies. I tried to go the minimilist route but it's still unbelievable how much stuff we have - we take more for a weekend away than we used to for an eight month trip.

This all said you know yourself better than anybody else. And a lot of your success will depend on your baby. My little guy didn't sleep much at all in those first few months so the last thing I wanted to do was to leave the comfort of my home. On the other hand you never get in a bus on the Andes without sitting near or next to somebody with a baby strapped to your back so it can be done... you just need to think about how enjoyable it would be with a little baby.

I hope I don't sound too depressing but I have thought about just this a lot over the past year. I would love love love to go back to South America for a long trip but my husband and I agree it would not be fun for our son at this age and we have to put him first. When he's old enough to understand what's going on a bit more and doesn't need to have day sleeps we hope to resume our old ways..please!!

Agree that first year would be much easier than second year. Once they're running it's hard to contain them!

AND all this said I've been very lucky to have backpacked all over the world and nothing I've seen or done in the far corners of the globe comes any where near as wonderful or amazing as having my son. He is pretty much the best human being...ever!! Maybe just wait until you have your bub and then decide!!

Good luck whatever you decide - it will be an amazing ride either way.

Congratulations! Stop traveling? Never! Check out my blog about travelling the world with our 2- and 4-year-old daughters. Ten countries and counting!

Here's a link: www.globetoddling.com

Jody

Hi There!

Having a baby is the most wonderful experience one can have, each stage/ month is an adventure of discoveries. Seeing the world through their eyes changes perspective and attitude.

We travelled for a family wedding to Canada and USA while our son was 6 months (He is 15 months now) and truly it was a cake walk. I feel that once the baby can sit and is on breast milk one need not worry about the travel at all. There is extra baggage of diapers and wipes but that's alright. Its vital though to ensure that your baby is comfortable in a baby sling carrier at an early age (I know of cases where babies detest those, by 3 months is good); ours slept like an angel in one, making airport transfers easy. Its important though to be careful of hotel bed sheets (detergents might be strong), Our boy caught a mild rash at a hotel in San Francisco (surprisingly). But all else was great. I've travelled in India with him and loved the attention that gets showered everywhere. Gives one a great insight into cultural aspects of mothering as well. :)

Happy little feet!!

Hey - congratulations. I was exactly like you. Completely obsessed by travel - 80 countries and counting. Never wanted children primarily because it would stop me slinging on a backpack and having amazing life changing experiences! I couldn't imagine staying at home and cleaning nappies all day - what on earth was good about that??? When I found out I was pregnant last year - on an all inclusive dive boat in the maldives ; ( I was terrified that my life was over.

Guess what - a year on I am a completely changed woman! Yes I am typing this in my pajamas whilst my very active 5 month old is making all sorts of crazy noises behind me but it is amazing. Think about the best travel experience you have had and triple it and that is what having a baby is like. Yes it is knackering and I do change nappies all day but I don't think I have laughed so much in my life! (or cried!).

For the last 5 months I haven't even thought about traveling as I was enjoying this new life so much (and getting to grips with it all) l but now I am ready to get going again. We're off to Mauritius (taking it easy at first) and then the world is our oyster. The first 6 months are difficult as everything needs to be sterile (you can't guarantee that you'll both take to breastfeeding) and you do not get a lot of sleep but now I kind of know what I am doing it is a lot easier and I can't wait to introduce the world to my daughter!

My advice is to take a short (couple of weeks) easier (close to major tourist centres so medical help is at hand if you need it) trip to South America when you are 4 months pregnant - that's after the morning sickness stage but just before you get too big. Don't go to Peru though - you don't need altitude sickness to make you feel worse. I loved loved loved Rio - there's plenty to do round there that will keep you occupied for two weeks and you can just hit the beach if you need a rest. That will scratch the travel bug itch for a little bit. Then just enjoy having your baby at home for six months. Then you'll be ready to hit the road again. It will be different (you'll know what we are all talking about by then!) but it won't stop all together which was my worry.

Good luck!

i'm just so scared that all the freedom and wanderlust will be gone.
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yes, your freedom will be gone, no point trying to lie about it and say it wont. but life will become wonderful in a different way and soon you wont even remember your previous life, it will be as if it was never there, as if your child was always a part of your life.

as for south america, well, it hasnt disappeared in hundreds of thousands of years, so dont worry it will be there in several years as well, plenty of time to travel there when your child is bigger.

we travel a lot with our son and so far, until the age of 24 months, he has travelled to:
france,germany,switzerland,serbia,norway, all of finland (where we live, he has been all 1200 km in lenght of the country), sweden...this summer we will take him to slovenia, italy, estonia and perhaps sweden again.

we travelled first when he was 6 months old because before that he just wasnt ready. so you will have to see and decide for yourself when your baby is ready to travel.

one thing we do do is travel to safe countries. he has so far gotten all his innoculations but i personally dont feel comfortable travelling to africa and such, so we stick to the safer world (in regards to disease).

which means that hopefully if we have money in the near future we want to take him to japan with us and the US and canada in some future.

Congratulations! Your child will change your life in ways you'd never thought possible. And, yes, you lose some freedom. But exploring the world with a child is the most amazing thing. Just give it time.