Is traveling 8 hours in a car with an 8 week old crazy?

Question

My husband and I are considering going to visit my grandmother for thanksgiving who live 6 hours away so I’m assuming it will be more like an 8 hour drive with a baby. Are we crazy? Will it be that bad? Any road trip tips? I’m breast feeding so we will pull over to feed, burp, change, stretch.

Answer

It'll probably be more like a 12 hour drive that young. Can't go more than a couple hours without getting them out of the carseat and that young my daughter took FOREVER to eat.

Answer

It really depends on the baby. My son was always an easy traveler and could easily have made that trip from birth on. My niece is four years old and can barely make it an hour. She just hasn’t ever traveled well at all. Definitely plan on closer to 10 or 12 hours if you need to feed a lot. Also, plan designated stops every two hours or so whether you feel you will need it or not. Get everyone out and stretch, change, feed if hungry, etc. Make sure you have plenty of safe options for where to stop in between if you need to. Our state is extremely rural and you can drive hours without having a restaurant or store or something so traveling here takes planning, especially with kids.

Answer

Hi everyone! Thanks so much for all your responses and helpful advice!!!! We ended up going on our road trip. It usually takes 6 hours and we did it in 7 hours! Not bad!!! I think it’s true that it depends on your baby but also their mood. Haha! My LO was either happy or sleeping. She slept for most of it. We stopped twice to breast feed. She was able to do longer stretches between feeds since she was asleep. I also had help since my mom and dad caravanned with us. I think I blew it up in my head. It’s just the idea of a screaming baby in the car for hours on end is truly scary. I will update how the ride home goes on Monday!

Answer

With a baby on a six hour drive which we make very often I always add another two hours. It’s not that bad. We’ve traveled with all our little ones starting very early and they’re so well adjusted because of it. Even traveling internationally with an infant is easy. They adjust much faster than we give them credit for.

Answer

Last update: the drive home went well! It took 8 hours. We stopped 3 times to feed/change. I’m shocked to say she didn’t cry at all and slept most of the way. Thanks again for all the help, feedback, and encouragement.

Answer

We drove from Pittsburgh outskirts to Jersey with an 8 month old. It was not bad at all. It was a 12 hour drive with no sleep on our parts. But our son did amazing! My fiance would stop at every rest area to check on him but he slept through allot of it.

Answer

I did a 6 a trip with a 2 year old and a 4 month old. It took us 8 hours with diaper changes and feedings. The baby slept
Most of the time and the 2 year old played on the iPad.

Answer

You will be just fine! We drove 24 hours with my 6 week old! Me and her flew home for a funeral and drove back with my parents! Breastfeeding and all and still made our normal timing!

Answer

When my youngest was 6 months we took a 10 hour drive to see great grandma, it was more like 14 hours (partly due to weather too). It went pretty well though. I was breastfeeding too no worries there. Go have fun!

Answer

I moved 4 hours away when my son was 4 days old and I was post csection :p lol

Is traveling 8 hours in a car with an 8 week old crazy?

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