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What’s the best age to travel with a baby? We found out.

What’s the best age to travel with a baby? We found out.

While no two babies are the same, the journey of parenthood certainly involves some shared experiences. And one of the big milestones is taking that first family vacation with your baby.

I put “vacation” in quotes because anyone with kids knows that vacations don’t really… exist — they’re just parenting in a different location. But when is the right time to take a vacation with a baby? Well, as mentioned earlier, every adorable, lovable gremlin has their own unique set of needs. But it turns out, after surveying 23 moms who vacation with little people, there’s a lot of consensus on the best age to take your baby on a trip — and there might even be a sweet spot for that first family road trip.

This is what they had to say.

Watch: Anna Chlumsky talks about traveling with children. Story continues below.

“Before six months. They can’t crawl and they can’t eat solid food. After that it gets harder.” — Jessie

“Between two and eight months, when they’re just a potato! Once they want to be moving all the time, it’s hard, until about two years old, they can be distracted by a screen.” — Ele.

“Before four months or after two years. Before four months they just sleep, and after two it’s so easy to entertain.” — Christie.

“Before they start solids. They can go anywhere as long as they’re only getting milk. Plus, they still sleep a lot during the day, so you can just put them in the carrier and go.” — Andrea.

“Under two. Cheaper to travel because you don’t have to buy a seat, you don’t have to worry about potty training accidents if they’re still in diapers during travel, and they can sleep on you if you take a baby carrier with you everywhere.” — Lorie.

“We took a 22-month-old (and a 4-year-old) to Malaysia and rural China, and traveled independently. It was different for the kids, but definitely doable. I think it’s more about your planning and expectations than a specific age.” — Joanne

“We were traveling when my daughter was three months old and she was basically sleeping. The guy behind us didn’t even realize there was a baby on the plane!” — Hanna.

“Within three months or three years if you are taking a long trip.” — Clare.

“I took my nine-month-old on a five-hour flight followed by a five-hour car ride, and I had my mom (her grandmother) with me. It was absolutely fine. I think it makes a huge difference when you have two adults traveling with you!” — Sarah.

“Newborn to four months — sleeping, feeding, cuddling, happy baby. Bottle/breast means no other food, no exercise, hopefully no teething.” — Christine

“Five months, because then they’re old enough not to cry all the time like a newborn, but young enough to sleep in the stroller and not have to eat solids. That’s one less thing to think about.” — Kayla

“The sweet spot is between four and eight months. You’re experienced enough to be confident, but they’re potato enough to go anywhere/sleep almost anywhere and not run away.” — Chanell

“Between one and five months, when they are potatoes who sleep regularly and like to sit on your lap/chest. Definitely not when they can crawl or eat solids. I travelled from Sydney to the Maldives when my daughter was 10 months old and it was horrible!” — Katie.

“We went to Palm Cove when we were five months old and it was the perfect age. We weren’t crawling or eating solids yet and we slept the entire flight on the plane.” — Kim.

“After the ‘fourth trimester’ and before rolling.” — Kate.

“I have travelled from Australia to the UK alone with my 12 week old and it was so easy. Did the same journey again when she was 18 months with the rest of the family and it was pretty awful.” — Rach.

“Four months. I took my daughter on a family holiday to New Zealand when she was just under four months old and it was a dream. I was out of the hellish haze of the first few months of newbornhood, I had mastered breastfeeding and she loved sleeping in the pram while we went out for dinner.” — Lisa.

“For five months. After that, it becomes logistically difficult to start solid food.” — Megan.

“We took our daughter to Japan when she was 18 months old, with no seat for her. I am honestly so traumatized by it that I would happily never fly on a plane again.” — Sarah.

“Had a great time with my 13 month old daughter. She couldn’t walk yet but loved asking ‘dis?’ at everything.” — Jemma.

“It wasn’t until last month that we felt like we could fly with our daughter. She was 18 months old at the time. She was doing great and slept most of the time and was such a go-getter.” — Stephanie.

“For nine months! Between nine months and two and a half years they’re under house arrest.” — Mel.

“I took a lot of plane trips with my first child when she was under one. They sleep well in a bassinet on the plane. They love being in the stroller/easy in a baby carrier or on a play mat when they are out and about or relaxing! And as a bonus, if they are breastfed and not on solids, you don’t have to worry about food.” — Jess

The consensus.

When you look at the snapshot of responses from mothers who have traveled with their babies, it’s clear that there is a wide range of experiences. However, there are definitely some trends that can help us determine the best age to travel with a baby.

Many believe that traveling before your baby starts eating solids is the best option, which for many is around six months.

“We went on a trip with our baby when he started solids, so everything on the other side was tough,” said mom of one Chelsea. “I had to take a mini blender with me and always have to know where a local grocery store was so I could get food to make.”

Another popular stage to take babies on a trip seems to be when they are still taking long naps during the day. Around four months seems to be a good time to do this, as your baby is still quite portable and loves to nap in strollers or carriers. Plus, they probably aren’t crawling at this age, so you don’t have to worry about holding them!

The general consensus seems to be that a baby between four and six months old is the best traveling companion because of their eating, sleeping and exercise habits.

And overwhelmingly, moms said to avoid the ~hot zone~ between 10 months and 2 years, unless you want to have a secret meltdown on your vacation. If that happens? Just know that it’s happy hour wherever you go.

Main image: Provided by Lisa Hamilton.