Baby in boat! Photo by mikedarnell1974, used under Creative Commons license. I’m four months pregnant with my first (due in mid/late September). After the birth, I’ll be on maternity leave until the end of the year. Where I live, November/December get extremely bleak, grey and dreary, there’s lots of fog and somethimes you don’t see the sun for weeks. The failing light and the grey weather usually have a negative impact on my mood, and I’m kind of scared by staying at home with the little one in this season.
I had the idea of spending a month in Japan when baby is about two months old. My husband can arrange to go there for work, and we’d stay in a small furnished apartment. In Japan, the weather is great in this season, lots of sun and beautiful autumn leaves to admire. We lived there for three years, so I am very comfortable over there and I really love the place.
Thing is, there’s the 12 hour flight, plus I have no idea what life with a small baby is like and whether this idea would work out at all. Is it wise to take my two-month old overseas for one month? I’d love to hear your input! — Sue
Working tirelessly to bring you stimulating content day after day, our team of Offbeat Editors will not sleep until you've gotten your offbeat fix.
Comments on I want to take my two-month-old overseas: what should I keep in mind?
I’m married to a US Foreign Service Officer (a diplomat), and within the Diplo-family community people are always taking long-haul flights with young babies. Many families choose to take a long leave from post and return to the U.S. to give birth. And then the family flies back to post when the baby is about 6 weeks old. This means we have 6 week old babies flying from the US to India, Nigeria, Cambodia, etc….all over the world really.
So you certainly wouldn’t be doing anything out of the ordinary or dangerous by traveling with an infant to Japan.
Two things. First: make sure you apply for a passport immediately after your child is born and pay the rush fee. Second: if both parents are not traveling together, write a letter saying you both approve the international travel and have it notarized. Bring your child’s birth certificate so that you can prove that you are his/her parents.
Posted by
I’m married to a US Foreign Service Officer (a diplomat), and within the Diplo-family community people are always taking long-haul flights with young babies. Many families choose to take a long leave from post and return to the U.S. to give birth. And then the family flies back to post when the baby is about 6 weeks old. This means we have 6 week old babies flying from the US to India, Nigeria, Cambodia, etc….all over the world really.
So you certainly wouldn’t be doing anything out of the ordinary or dangerous by traveling with an infant to Japan.
Two things. First: make sure you apply for a passport immediately after your child is born and pay the rush fee. Second: if both parents are not traveling together, write a letter saying you both approve the international travel and have it notarized. Bring your child’s birth certificate so that you can prove that you are his/her parents.