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Good time to take a baby to St. John?
Good time to take a baby to St. John?
Parents, grandparents and those with opinions:
Any thoughts on good times to take a baby to St. John? I'm pregnant now and we're thinking about our 2010 trip. We'll have either a niece or grandmother with us for assistance. We are considering late June/July, when the baby will be about 6 months (assuming everything goes well from here on out!) or maybe October/November when baby is 9 or 10 months old. I'm thinking it's easier to travel with a 6 month old because they will be less restless on the plane and easier to tote around in the Baby Bjorn. But I could be missing something. From anyone who has done this - thoughts?
Any thoughts on good times to take a baby to St. John? I'm pregnant now and we're thinking about our 2010 trip. We'll have either a niece or grandmother with us for assistance. We are considering late June/July, when the baby will be about 6 months (assuming everything goes well from here on out!) or maybe October/November when baby is 9 or 10 months old. I'm thinking it's easier to travel with a 6 month old because they will be less restless on the plane and easier to tote around in the Baby Bjorn. But I could be missing something. From anyone who has done this - thoughts?
We did beach trips requiring plane travel at 3 months, 4.5 months and so on and so on. We did a driving beach trip at 9 months, 18 months...you get the picture.
The early trips were very easy. In fact, we found travelling with an infant to be shockingly easy.
I think 6 OR 9 months would be a great age. Babies are so portable at that age, it will be easy to tote him/her around.
Now, all kids are different, but we had no problems with napping on the beach or falling asleep in the Jeep, etc. so our trips were very similar to before.
Much of your enjoyment (or not) will depend on everyone's attitude.
If you/your partner is one of those parents how must do everything on an exact schedule down to the second or are controlling (for lack of better word) about when, where, and how the baby will be sleep, be fed, etc, nerves, including baby's, may fray.
(Don't laugh, I know many a mother that would absolutely freak out and have a complete breakdown if their child didn't fall sleep in their crib at the exact minute they are expected to. The same would never in a million years take their kid to Skinny's for a burger or any number of other STJ things that we did without thought.)
We are not that type, we are laid back, which is why our trips were so enjoyable. I fed my son on the beach, he napped under a little pop up tent, we took him to dinner with us at night and he slept in his little carrier.
The early trips were very easy. In fact, we found travelling with an infant to be shockingly easy.
I think 6 OR 9 months would be a great age. Babies are so portable at that age, it will be easy to tote him/her around.
Now, all kids are different, but we had no problems with napping on the beach or falling asleep in the Jeep, etc. so our trips were very similar to before.
Much of your enjoyment (or not) will depend on everyone's attitude.
If you/your partner is one of those parents how must do everything on an exact schedule down to the second or are controlling (for lack of better word) about when, where, and how the baby will be sleep, be fed, etc, nerves, including baby's, may fray.
(Don't laugh, I know many a mother that would absolutely freak out and have a complete breakdown if their child didn't fall sleep in their crib at the exact minute they are expected to. The same would never in a million years take their kid to Skinny's for a burger or any number of other STJ things that we did without thought.)
We are not that type, we are laid back, which is why our trips were so enjoyable. I fed my son on the beach, he napped under a little pop up tent, we took him to dinner with us at night and he slept in his little carrier.
I consider myself to be a pretty chilled out person, so I think our parenting style will be similar to what you describe yours to be. I wonder if those same types of moms would have eaten at Skinny Leg's themselves voluntarily prior to the arrival of junior? We've discussed how we will handle an infant at length and flexibility seems to be the name of the game with a wee one. (with all kids, really)
Thanks for your opinions.
Thanks for your opinions.
Trips with kids are definitely different and it was with a mix of extreme pleasure and a little sadness that I realized this would be our last trip to St. John with a "baby" - yes, I consider 2 1/2 to be a baby!
Next trip to STJ with him, he'll be just shy of 4.
5 months (our daughter to SXM) - easy. She was great on the plane, great there.
10 months (our son STJ) - pretty easy. You have to plan better for it but from his perspective he was happy as a clam.
19 months (son STJ) - I thought it would be easier than the 10 month trip, it was not. He did fine and we had a great time but it was DEFINITELY more stressful as he was at that age where he was mobile but not necessarily getting the point of self-preservation. We had to watch him like a hawk, 24/7.
2 1/2 (son STJ) - This is the trip we just wrapped up, and he was totally fine. Great on the planes, great in STJ. The only thing we had to work around was his nap. We just planned to be back at the house by 1-2ish and had no problem. The one day we skipped the nap, we regretted it.
That said, our little guy is TOTALLY different than our daughter, in that, he needs his rest. She started traveling at 5months and has been to STJ at 3, 5, 6 & 7 and has never had even the slightest issue. She stopped napping altogether at about 15 months of age, so that was never an issue.
It is a totally different experience with kids, not as relaxing as those trips I remember from SO LONG AGO as you are still on mom duty, but so totally worth the trade off for the memories!
Having a grandparent or cousin along to help makes a HUGE difference, especially someone the kid is very familiar with. My little guy was glued to me the entire time until Gramma showed up mid-week and then he switched to her. It was a nice relief!
Next trip to STJ with him, he'll be just shy of 4.
5 months (our daughter to SXM) - easy. She was great on the plane, great there.
10 months (our son STJ) - pretty easy. You have to plan better for it but from his perspective he was happy as a clam.
19 months (son STJ) - I thought it would be easier than the 10 month trip, it was not. He did fine and we had a great time but it was DEFINITELY more stressful as he was at that age where he was mobile but not necessarily getting the point of self-preservation. We had to watch him like a hawk, 24/7.
2 1/2 (son STJ) - This is the trip we just wrapped up, and he was totally fine. Great on the planes, great in STJ. The only thing we had to work around was his nap. We just planned to be back at the house by 1-2ish and had no problem. The one day we skipped the nap, we regretted it.
That said, our little guy is TOTALLY different than our daughter, in that, he needs his rest. She started traveling at 5months and has been to STJ at 3, 5, 6 & 7 and has never had even the slightest issue. She stopped napping altogether at about 15 months of age, so that was never an issue.
It is a totally different experience with kids, not as relaxing as those trips I remember from SO LONG AGO as you are still on mom duty, but so totally worth the trade off for the memories!
Having a grandparent or cousin along to help makes a HUGE difference, especially someone the kid is very familiar with. My little guy was glued to me the entire time until Gramma showed up mid-week and then he switched to her. It was a nice relief!
Ha Ha!alw1977 wrote:I consider myself to be a pretty chilled out person, so I think our parenting style will be similar to what you describe yours to be. I wonder if those same types of moms would have eaten at Skinny Leg's themselves voluntarily prior to the arrival of junior? We've discussed how we will handle an infant at length and flexibility seems to be the name of the game with a wee one. (with all kids, really)
Thanks for your opinions.
Some would have, most would NOT!
Thanks again ladies. I'm aiming towards going at the 6-month mark because: (a) it's sooner, and (b) I think a non-mobile 6 month old will be easier to deal with if we have a pool than a crawling 10 month old. Plus, if we go during the summer, our niece is available to help. Ah, the joys of having much older siblings.
I added this info to my cell phone contacts and had all those numbers in my paperwork in the case that I would need them. That is indeed the ONLY thing that scares me about traveling with a little tiny one.
So far the only peeps to be injured or sick on STJ have been my hubby and I!
And on our next trip we are literally taking our pediatrician with us (he's a good friend of hubby's) ... so we'll be covered
So far the only peeps to be injured or sick on STJ have been my hubby and I!
And on our next trip we are literally taking our pediatrician with us (he's a good friend of hubby's) ... so we'll be covered
I do the same, sans pediatricianflip-flop wrote:I added this info to my cell phone contacts and had all those numbers in my paperwork in the case that I would need them. That is indeed the ONLY thing that scares me about traveling with a little tiny one.
So far the only peeps to be injured or sick on STJ have been my hubby and I!
And on our next trip we are literally taking our pediatrician with us (he's a good friend of hubby's) ... so we'll be covered
, as well as taking all the numbers for the home doctors and insurance card. There is a NYC doctor living on Water Island that I learned about somewhere that married someone from the island and practices on STT.
We also get trip insurance that covers emergency transfers. The cost, for our entire trip in Feb, was $160 for the entire family.
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Teresa_Rae
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Re: Good time to take a baby to St. John?
Any time grandparents are available to babysit at home?alw1977 wrote: Any thoughts on good times to take a baby to St. John?
This is something I wonder about...hopefully we'll have kids someday and I don't know if we'll leave them at home or bring them with us to STJ.
Let us live so that when we come to die even the undertaker will be sorry.
- Mark Twain
- Mark Twain
That's why we're either bringing grandma or an older niece to help out. Though we both have helpful families, 7-10 days is too long to be separated from a small child, IMO. I'd rather have my cake and eat it too - get a day trip to the BVIs without the kiddo while grandma watches him/her at the villa, then return and get to play in the pool with the baby. Since I will be working, we'll want the baby with us on vacay - too little time will be spent together as a family already!
St. John is a really family-friendly island, which helps.
St. John is a really family-friendly island, which helps.
[quote="alw1977"]That's why we're either bringing grandma or an older niece to help out. Though we both have helpful families, 7-10 days is too long to be separated from a small child, IMO. I'd rather have my cake and eat it too - get a day trip to the BVIs without the kiddo while grandma watches him/her at the villa, then return and get to play in the pool with the baby. Since I will be working, we'll want the baby with us on vacay - too little time will be spent together as a family already!
St. John is a really family-friendly island, which helps.[/quote]
I couldn't agree with you more, I can totally relate.
While pregnant, my mom was hatching all sorts of schemes where we would go on vacation and leave her grandchild home with her. She had visions of having him all to herself for extended periods.
Once he was born, it immediately became apparent that there was no way we were leaving him behind.
Nana joined us for several trips and it was the best of both worlds, we had adult time to go to Jost or bar hop knowing Nana was back at the villa or at the beach having special Nana/grandson time.
St. John is a really family-friendly island, which helps.[/quote]
I couldn't agree with you more, I can totally relate.
While pregnant, my mom was hatching all sorts of schemes where we would go on vacation and leave her grandchild home with her. She had visions of having him all to herself for extended periods.
Once he was born, it immediately became apparent that there was no way we were leaving him behind.
Nana joined us for several trips and it was the best of both worlds, we had adult time to go to Jost or bar hop knowing Nana was back at the villa or at the beach having special Nana/grandson time.