Travel to India with an Infant - 2 weeks trip - Plz Advice

FreshStart · Sep 23, 2013

Hi friends,

I need your advice. My sisters wedding has been fixed for Feb 2014. My Baby will be only 7 and 1/2 months old then. My older child will be 5 and 1/2 years old.
Our trip will be a 2 week trip. 1 week at my place and after wedding 1 week at my IL's place and then we return back.

My husband and I are worried if it is a good idea to go for the wedding with the little one for only 2 weeks. It will be so hectic for all of us. Other than the long flight journey, reaching destination from airport there takes another 8 to 12 hours. Within 4 days will be the wedding. In that 4 days will have to do shopping for all of us.
I am worried if Feeding the baby solids or Breast milk will go smoothly. Here itself most days are a struggle to feed the baby. I am worried what will happen there. If I am engaged all times with the baby then I will not be able to even enjoy the wedding. I am thinking what would be the point in going so far if later it becomes a hassle.

I am also worried about baby's health. What if the baby catches something due to the environment there ? I had a C-section and still recovering. Will I be able to sit for so long hours and also attend the wedding ? I am worried it will all be too stressful for all of us.

I know poeple travel to india with small infants but most of them stay there for 3 or 4 months before coming back. That will help with the adjustment. But is it advisable to go on short trips like mine and for a wedding with an infant ?

Plz share your experiences if any of you have had a short trip like this.
Thanks

shrutimanjunath · Sep 23, 2013

Hi,
I think there is still time for you to decide whether you can travel it or not.
better take rest now, ideally till 6 months you would be able to be almost normal and almost recovered from c section.
If you are travelling for 2 weeks only, then it would be definitely very hectic for you.
Also journey would be long.
If you are really comfortable by this year end you can book tickets for feb and travel i think.

above all your health and baby's health is important.

if you or baby falls sick there nearing the wedding, then your family would have to concentrate on you and your baby apart from taking care of the wedding preparations.

if you are travelling from us to india, then for one week you will be jetlagged.

if you are not working or not having any other commitments here, you can travel a bit early without your hubby. and can shop for the wedding accordingly. this way you will stay longer with your family without any other tensions.

Rakhii · Sep 23, 2013

Freshstart, going there for 2 weeks is sure going to be very hectic. See how you feel about this in the long run though. I mean this is your sisters wedding. Once in a life time event.

Some things to consider is the jet-lag. I went to India for 5 weeks when my DD was 8 months old. It took a week for her to adjust to the time zone there. I would say, min 6 days it would take. If you do go, you maynot be able to squeeze in the shopping. You can get someone to do that for you, if possible.

Some tips are below:

http://www.indusladies.com/forums/infants/182779-tips-long-airline-travel-infants.html

guesshoo · Sep 24, 2013

If you do have misgivings about the duration, is it possible to extend it? Slightly longer will be better indeed. Especially if you go two weeks before the wedding.

However if you can't, here are the positives. You can leave you older one with your relatives to be pampered! Just focus on the little one. Your folks will be busy but they'll certainly be ready to cook some simple mashable food for your little one. Alternatively, you could take pots of ready food back home for the little one. We've done that on holidays and it was a god send. It will be hectic. Could you get your folks to buy stuff for you? For one of my family weddings I sent measurements to my mum and she even got the blouses stitched for me. Would've been ideal to get it done myself. But something had to give for making the trip more enjoyable...

Do delegate so that you can enjoy yourself.