Would You Take Your Lil One of of the Country for Vacation??

hey all -
We just got back from 2 week vacation from Uruguay - amazing and wonderful! Just a quick note to ALL about US passports:

Anyway - remember that when you go online looking for the forms to use to apply for your (or your child's) passport make sure you use only the ".gov" site. there's a lot of sites claiming to aid your process and you shouldn't have to pay any 3rd parties to get it!! Go to www.travel.state.gov and that's the legitimate site.

Be careful - there're crooks out there - even in these United States.
C.

1 mom found this helpful

That's a toughy. I would talk to your pediatrician. We have taken our baby to Western Europe two summers and he is now two. Their hospitals are just as good as here. I especially have a lot of faith in France, Germany and England. Last summer we even had a doctor come visit me at the hotel in Amsterdam. I felt very confident with that doctor.

If there was any place I was going to take a baby in Mexico, I think it would be Cancun. I still say no though. They are pretty Americanized, but at this age they are putting everything in their mouth. Their water is not safe. Don't eat fresh fruits & vegetables from the markets. High end hotels are safer, but I still wouldn't brush my teeth with their water. Dehydration is a big concern too. If some responses talk about having good experiences with healthcare there, I would consider it along with what the pediatrician says.

Personally, our pediatrician compared Western Europe to Mexico, indicating Europe was not a place he would worry about. Eastern Europe where it is not as developed and brought up to speed yet, is a different story.

Good Luck!

M.

My children are now 20, 17, and 15. Our first trip overseas with a child was when our oldest was 4 mo, followed by trips every couple of years. I honestly never thought about the safety issues... as you said your child will be with you. Yes, things have happened and we have been to hospitals in Europe and Asia Some of the best care we have ever received was from a doctor at a hospital in Turkey. I certainly never left my child's side in these cases, and believe you should be very watchful, but I do the same thing in the States.

My children's lives are very rich for the experiences they have had. Each has treasured memories, a love of different peoples and cultures and a true love of adventure.

Absolutely. People travel the world with children as infants.
Take all meds you MIGHT need. Tylenol, Motrin, saline nasal spray, bandaids, anti-diahreah (not sure what children use)sunscreen, etc.
Find out about passport requirements. I'm pretty sure you have to have one even at 2 years old if you leave the country.
Find out where the American Embassy is and make sure they can recommend Hospitals, etc.
Customs is not fun, but she can sit in her stroller. No worse than a line at Disney!
and HAVE FUN!

I took my daughter to France at 23 months. It was fabulous!!!!

So, if you can overcome your anxiety -- you could have a great vacation. But, if you are going to be too anxious the whole time to enjoy your vacation, maybe you should wait and do Cancun later. (And if you are going to be too anxious, that is OKAY!!!!)

We ended up taking our 4 month old daughter on a trip that my husband won to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. I was NERVOUS. I was breastfeeding at the time, so I didn't want to eat anything that was going to make me sick, thus making her sick. We were at a very nice resort, and after the first day I was fine. We had zero problems, and it was a great trip. I think that it depends on where you are, but if you just use your common sense and are always on guard for trouble (like us moms should be at home, really) then you are going to have a great vacation and will make some wonderful memories. Have fun!

My boss tool his 1 year old and loved it. Just like with any city there are two kinds of hopsitals. The one you wouldn't want to go to is the one people can't pay go to. I had a friend get hurt in Cancun by falling. She went to the hospital where they send people who can pay and everything was fine.

We were missionaries in El Salvador and my dd was born there, lived there for the first 3 years of her life. She's been WAY healthier than my ds, born here, lived here all his life.

Health care was better and WAY cheaper when we were there. We could afford an ER visit to the best hospital in the country -- $45. Immediate service, too.

Here, she once broke an artery in her head and I arrived at the ER with a bloody, passed out child in my arms. I was also covered in her blood (and I had great insurance). I had to wait 30 minutes before a triage nurse would talk to me. I couldn't believe it.

I've been to Pakistan, South Africa, Guatemala, El Salvador and all over Europe. I've only ever been robbed in New York and San Antonio.

My kids do great on a plane. I was really worried about it, too, but they proved me wrong.

I'm not saying that the US isn't wonderful, but don't let your fears keep you from seeing the world and sharing it with your daughter. Fear isn't fair to the people you fear. :) Have a great trip!

You have to be comfortable with the idea, but for the record, I started traveling out of the country with my son when he was 3 months old. I have always had to do it by myself as well. Now he is 4 and has been out of the country 6 times and each time has been a slightly challenging, but always and memorable experience. Good luck!

we are dealing with the same issue and we decided yes. My child will be 2 1/2 when we take our trip...spoke with our Pediatrician and she has had all of her shots that she can have until she is 4...so no worries...just make sure that you have essentials when you go....plan ahead...I am packing snacks and some heat and eat foods in case she doesn't do well with the food there. I wish you luck:)

I stay overnight in Cancun all the time with my work. I brush my teeth with the tap water and don't worry. I haven't taken my 2 yr old son though and must admit I would be more careful if I had him there. Make sure all the liquid meds are in your checked luggage or you will have to throw them away. Drugstore suff is expensive there. If your daughter doesn't have her passport yet I would start the process. It can take a while. Have fun. Make sure you take a hat and plenty of sunscreen, the sun is intense there.

Cancun sounds great. If you are in a gated community there are probably a clinic within the gated community that you could go to in cas of emergency. You can also buy air-evacuation insurance before you leave. It would pay for any evacuation that you might need and they transport you by ambulance to the airport and in a private medical evacuation plane to the nearest US hospital or your a hospital close to your home. Which ever is best for your medical emergency. I think the company is called SOS International. They have a website and you can apply and pay online. You pay only for the time you are on vacation so it should not be too expensive and well worth the money.

I live in Romania with my kids so I don't know much about Cancun but customs takes less time to clear than US Airport security.

I would go and have a great time.....don't take any private tours or eat at any small restraunts. Stick to the tours and restraunts approved by your local guide. Take some imodium ad just in case.

I would be nervous myself. I would check with the pediatrican and see what they say.

We just took our kids to Paris for a few days. They are 7 and 3. We have traveled to Canada quite a few times with them since they were very tiny. I think it is totally worth it. It does not pay to worry but to be prepared. If necessary we go in to their doctor right before the trip and make sure they are not coming down with anything. We always pack preventative meds and take their insurance cards just in case. Hopefully as we aren't gone for too long they will stay healthy. Gotta have some measure of faith and take the chance. It is worth it.

I took my 1 yr old to Israel and Germany and plan on taking him to Mexico this summer (he will be 2). As long as your child is current on vaccinations, I don't see a problem. Of course you will want to pack some known remedies with you(benadryl, motrin, etc.).

Have fun!

My sister got married in Cabo San Lucas & we celebrated my son's first birthday while we were there. I was also nervous about the whole thing, but he did great. They will surprise you and adapt very easily to new surroundings. Sleep was a little off, but he is also younger than your daughter. Remember you do need a passport for her & it takes awhile these days. They have medical treatment available if needed. Go to a nice resort if you are worried about it. Don;t miss out on the trip!

She will be safe, make sure you get a passprt for her and keep it with you all the time. The gated communities in Mexico are safe. As far as getting sick, ONLY drink bottled water and freshly prepared food. The question would be: are you ready to travel with stroller and all the paraphanalia for the 2 year old? Customs in Cancun is a pain, especially if you are travelling during spring break. I would NOT do it during spring break- the airports are a mess, customs is a nightmare and everything in Cancun is about partying.

Did this help you or scare you even more :)?

When my daughter was 1 we took a extended family Thanksgiving cruise to Mexico and Belize. We did go on the day trips off the ship...the only thing we took precaution with was taking bottled water with us and then with the food we ate off the ship. Customs was a breeze....we put her in an umbrella stroller so it was easy to contain her and be sure to have your paper work ready. I asked my doctor about meds and all she said was to take the normal over the counter stuff like tylenol, motrin, nose spray, etc. We had a blast as did my 1 year old daughter and 1 year old niece. I would definately go again and we have lots of friends who travel internationally all the time with small kids and no one has had trouble!

We took our (then) 18 month old to Cancun. I was a bit worried as well and spoke to our ped. She said that it was fine and not to worry. She said to just be careful with what I fed him (ie nothing like strawberries, etc that can't be cleaned so well) -- basic stuff. Most resorts have water filtration systems that use ocean water she told me, so water is generally safe. You can always buy bottles though. I did bring those little milk boxes that Horizon has for its milk. Otherwise, we did just fine.

Take lots of sun screen, and get him a passport. I had to drive down to Houston with our planed ticket for that because it was so last minute. Customs was a non-event frankly. I don't think we went through customs on the Mexico side other than having our passports stamped. No biggie. The flight down there was what took so long but we're used to that. They did lose our luggage on our connecting flight from Mexico City so my only advice would be to travel with extra diapers with your carry on. That can (and has) happen on any domestic flight too. A direct flight to Cancun would have been easier, but we got there unscathed.

You can get good medical care in Mexico as well. I think most travel agencies have information on that. Also, the US Embassy there will also be able to advise you on that. If you're concerned, take the information with you.

Yes, you can find lots of horror stories about travel but, on the whole, a trip to Mexico is a breeze and fun to boot. It's a very child-friendly country. I noticed how much nicer everyone on the Mexico City to Cancun flight were when my son cried. We were stuck on the ground in the plane for an hour (at least) due to a thunder storm. They didn't care if he kicked. People either tried to cheer him up in a non-condescending way or just weren't bothered. It was so different from our US flights where people would give you dirty looks if he so much as peeped.

They're a bit more lax on the car seat stuff, so be sure and take yours with you. You can check it on the plane or buy an extra seat for your little one to fly in it.

That's all I cna think of right now. Go ahead and plan your trip. I bet it will be fun. My son loved the beach and pools. I'd definately go back.

Go! Have a great time. Cancun is soooo easy from Dallas. My family and I went in Nov. I have a 2 yr old and 4 yr old and they did great. The lines in and out of customs were a little bit long, but other than that it is ideal. We also stayed in a house with a pool which was awesome! If you have a multi-family thing going on you will have help and can even get away for a couple of hours or even a dinner. We did and loved it. No question - GO!!

Hi- I have 3 daughters who are now 10, 12 and 14, and we have been traveling with them since they were very small (the "baby" was born overseas). I would have concerns about going someplace like Africa or South America where you really don't have all the amenities of home, but Cancun is absolutely "civilized." You can probably even drink the water in the hotel without worrying about it. Customs at the airport is not really that big a deal- if you can make it through the security checkpoint lines at the airport, you can make it through customs. One thing that might make you feel better about safety is to try one of those toddler "leashes" that you can fasten to her wrist or waistband, so when you are in the airport with a gazillion people around you don't wory about her wandering off. Also, if you rent a car, they probably won't have carseats to rent so you will want to bring your own. If she doesn't have a passport yet, make sure you put in the application right away- the last renewal we sent in took 4 months to come back!

My son is not 2 years old yet and he has been 2 times to France, 1 to Cancun, 1 to Cozumel and 2 or 3 times to Mexico City.

Over the summer we took our two year old to China to visit my parents. Before the trip, Isak wasn't talking and after the trip he talked non stop. I think hearing another language and people speaking simple english got him interested in language. At the airport people were very considerate since we had a kid and we were bumped up in the customs line. I think traveling out of country is a great experience for kids.

If I were going to travel anywhere out of the country it would be Cancun. I havent taken a child there but we went there on our honeymoon and it is quite Americanized. Most of the people there speak fluent English and are very accomodating to American tourists. Just be sure to take proper documentation, any healtcare items you can travel with and try to go to a resort without a lot of partying. Have a great time it really is beautiful and very relaxing (even with a toddler LOL)

I was torn on this issue too... when I was about 5 months pregnant with baby #2 I had severe cabin fever. My husband and I felt like we HAD to get away... like we would never have an opportunity to go on vacation again! ha ha ha. We don't have anyone available to watch our daughter while we go on trips, so I did it... I took my 11 month old daughter to Playa del Carmen, Mexico (just south of Cancun.)

We stayed at an all-inclusive resort and I refused to take her on any "excursions." It was a LOT of work, but I never felt like it was unsafe.

Here's what I did to feel "better" about everything:

***TAKE OUT THE EMERGENCY TRAVEL INSURANCE! (your travel agent should offer it to you... it handles ALL medical emergencies.)***

**Customs DOES take a long time. The good news is that there is a pretty nice (large) bathroom right in the baggage claim/customs area with a diaper changing table inside. :) Just bring something to keep her occupied.**

*And don't let anyone help you with your bags... just go straight to your "taxi" or shuttle to your hotel. The guys at the airport will roll your bags for about a minute then expect you to pay them a FORTUNE in a tip." They are VERY persistent. Just go straight from customs outside and you'll see signs for your company.*

I hope this helps ease your mind! (oh yeah, I would suggest bringing a carseat. They are NOT required in Mexico... our shuttle service offered a complimentary car seat only to arrive to a van without a) a carseat and b) a driver who spoke ONLY spanish.) I had to hold my daughter on my lap for the 45 minute drive to Playa del Carmen. Talk about regretting not packing the carseat!

My friend took her 2 yr old to Cancun over the Holidays and it was fine. They had a good time. Good Luck and have fun!!

It's Cancun, not Malaysia, so I think you'll be fine.

Make sure your baby is up to date on all vaccinations.... that would be my biggest fear.

We took our son to our favorite place, Cozumel, for the first time when he was 14 mos and every year since. My daughter goes now too! I was lucky enough to be a SAHM so they never had ear infections or sickness. We've always stayed at the more family friendly resorts and have never had any problems. I always brought motrin and pepto just in case but never used them. We have never had used the hospitals in Mexico. Is your child sickly or very accident prone? We never had to go to the emergency room with our kids so I guess I never worried about that happening. One thing I did notice about the resort we stayed at was it was the same great employees year after year and that made us feel more comfortable. Also, you will now need a passport to go to Mexico.

Also, FYI - We stayed at a very nice resort in Akumal, Mexico (Riveria Maya - near Playa de Carmen and the Ruins) and when I returned to I was not allowed to give blood for a year because of the high rate of malaria in that area.

Cancun is such a tourist destination, they wouldn't let anything happen to its (esp. American) tourists. We took our then-3 year-old to Mexico City then to Cancun, and we had a blast! Just remember what the pp have said about fruit (don't eat anything with its skin) and bottled water, and ask your pedi if he/she recommends any vaccinations.

Don't have any advice as far as the hospitals; we didn't worry about that much because we were traveling with my dad and he's an ER doc. lol. But customs was sooo easy on the way there, I was wondering if we had missed it.

Good luck, and have fun if you decide to go! BTW, you have to try the Tequila Factory restaurant. Best margaritas!

NO more safe or less safe than she is anywhere else with you.

Cancun is as USA as you can get in Mexico.

S.

Sure. We went to Brazil for 60 days to adopt our older daughter three years ago. We took our toddler with us. She did great on the long journey. 10 hour flight to Sao Paulo, three connections to from there to get to Macieo. Macieo is close to the equator right on the ocean. My little one turned 2 while we were down there. The little one, Shelby, had a ball and still remembers the trip. Macielle, the older one we adopted, was 14 when we got her and is now 17. It was an adventure of a lifetime and so glad we had Shelby with us. Take a car seat incase you rent a car and just keep her with you. You will be glad you took her and you will have a ball. Cancun is beautiful and the beaches are amazing.
God's blessings to you.

Hi T.,
Well I've given this some thought myself with having a history of vacationing in Mexico for several years. I suppose it would matter on which "country" that you are talking about too.
My sister married a naive of Cozumel and lived there for a few years until deciding to move back to the States. Unforturally for us the level of medical care over there is a totally different system. It's not too safe or current as over here. I myself got the dreaded food/water poison my 3rd day into my 7 day stay the last vacation I took there. It was HARD being so sick over there and I wanted to come home so bad! I surely would make sure to pack plenty of Meds and a good first aid kit as well. And as you know stay away from the water and any veggies that may have been washed/rinsed in the water. No ice as well.
Use bottle water for anything that goes in your mouth (drinking, brushing you teeth) even if the resort says that they use a water purifier system.
As for whether or not I would do it, I wouldn't. I suppose that is because of my personal experince with being sick over there last time. But of course many people do without a problem but as with anything you take a chance that it won't. If you decided to do it just talk to your doctor about what you should take with you if someone gets sick while there and check with your travel agent about what you would need to do at the resort to get medical help if needed.
C.

Dear T.:
I took my son to Germany at that age. Kids can handle it. In addition to the other advice so far, bring familiar things like small toys as needed to make the child comfortable. If a kid has its parents and its rubber ducky or teddy bear, it can go to the North Pole.

Regards,
W.

We took our 19 month old son to Italy for a month, and it was an amazing trip. We are now planning three month in The Netherlands sometime this year with my three year old son and, by the time we go, one year old daughter. Traveling with children out of the county is no different that traveling across the country; you just have to plan a little. Sounds like you'll be in a secure place in a high tourism location so you should not have difficulty finding medical care if needed. If your daughter is prone to any conditions that you know of, talk to your DR. about possibly prescribing you any medications that might help. My son had two eye infections the year we went to Italy. Because I was able to recognise what the infection was our DR gave us an antibiotic to take just in case. Never skip naps, vacations are not just exciting for you your little one will have a lot of stimulus as well and will need her sleep. Spend a little extra on transportation and water and if your concerned about the town you are staying in make sure your back to your resort before dark.
Truthfully customs is no harder to go through than security for a domestic flight. Have things to occupy her and keep all your documents in order, passports are taking up to six weeks, and you should not have a problem.
Traveling with children is do-able and should be done you'll have so many wonderful family memories.
Hope this helped. Have a great time!

First, let me just say that if you are not comfortable, you are going to be stressed the entire time anyway and maybe should wait another year or so. Having said that, I've been to Cancun several times (at resorts) and there are children under and over 2 yrs. of age EVERYWHERE!!! They seem to REALLY enjoy the atmosphere. I can't speak for a rental place, though. It also depends on what they have to offer and how long you will be there. If it's child-friendly and it's for a week or less, your little one should be just fine. As for customs, it's a pretty easy system. They just randomly pick people to search luggage (they've NEVER chosen us) and the portion to display your passport is quick, as well. Just make sure to take all the medications your child might need as a precaution. If you can let down your guard just a bit and help your little one to have fun experiencing something different, it just might be an experience you won't want to miss.

I am sure everything would be fine if you took her. I personally would not want to take a child under 3 or 4 on that type of a vacation. Would the other families be willing to change the location, and plan for Cancun next year?
~K.

Trust your momma gut and first instinct. You are the mom and should have the last say. I had a similar incident where my whole family, parents two sisters and their kids, were going on a cruise. They expected my husband and I to take our 15 year old daughter. Had it been anything other than a cruise at the time, we would have gone. But that was when people were getting sick, disappearing, etc. My gut kept telling me not to take my 15 year old on that cruise. I couldn't pinpoint it, but God was telling me something and we didn't go. I caught flack over it from the family for months, but I didn't care. I'm the mom and couldn't overlook that feeling I had in the pit of my stomach.

Explain the concerns to your friend. If they are a friend, they will understand, even if they don't agree, they should respect your feelings and try to go somewhere else.

Good luck!

I have flown my boys all over the place since they were 5 months old (including Mexico, Dominican Republic and Panama). Granted, it is a little more invlved to go through customs than just going local, but officers are really accomodating for mothers with little ones. We were in Riviera Maya (outside Cancun) when my youngest was 2 years old. We do not stay in touristy places, so we stayed off the beaten path. He had a blast in the white sandy beaches (the biggest sand box he has ever seen) and loved the warm tranquil ocean water (like the bath tub). Cancun is, overall, very safe, there are so many American tourists and residents that nearly every one speaks English. There are very very (and I underline) very good medical services and private hospitals because it is now becoming a medical-tourism destination (good medical attention is very cheap compared to the US). Do ask for a private clinic if by any chance you need one, chance are you'll just have a lot of fun and your toddler too.
Further advice: lots of sunscreen, bug spray (one without deet for your baby, also some places in the Cancun area ask you not to use chemicals because they harm the ecosystem- Origins has a very good one), bottled water and enjoy the wonderful fresh fruit! (Cancun is less Mexico than you think, it was built to be a tourist destination and it is more geared to tourism than to Mexican nationals)

I feel sure that there are 2 year old children in Cancun, MX already and they are probably thriving! I took my three month old to Mexico and he is alive today...(8 yrs. old) - Relax and have some fun! And enjoy those afternoon seistas with your toddler!
MJ

Back in 93 we took our then 2 year old daughter to Cancun. We had no problems or concerns. Customs was easy and quick for us. The buses run regularly unlike our trip to the Bahamas 3 years ago. The buses stop running at 6pm, taxis and everything else was so expensive. Also, service is awful, unlike Cancun. We plan to go back to Cancun soon.

I think it would be a lot of fun for your family!

We went to Playa del Carmen over the summer with my boys who were 2 1/2 and 1. It was a lot of fun for the kids.

The airport and customs weren't terrible. If you have the right things to keep them occupied, it shouldn't be that horrible. The only thing that whipped me was that we took 2 carseats that didn't fit in the plane seats (they were just Evenflo Triumph carseats) so we carted them around and never used them (the hotel's shuttle didn't have seatbelts).

Good luck and have fun!
C.

Cancun is SO touristy that almost everyone speaks English there. If your little girl were to get sick or hurt, I am sure they deal with Americans at their hospitals all the time...sunburn, drinking-related accidents, fights, etc. We took our two-year old to Hawaii and had a great time. We couldn't go and do some of the more adult activities, but we traded off and each got to do some snorkling. The other thing to remember is you want to start a precedence. If you never go and do anything with your baby, you never will. If she gets used to travelling, you will be more inclined to keep that lifestyle up! Just go with a great positive attitude and lots of little toys/snacks for those long travel hours. It is worth investing in a cheap portable DVD player for the plane/long lines!

I would just be VERY cautious when you go there. We went for our honeymoon and stayed at one of the nicer hotels but when we borded a bus to go to the Mayan ruins, there were people saying that they had drunk people throwing up in the pool and everywhere. We also got sick when we went to the ruins because we stopped at a place to eat and although it was touristy-we still didn't drink the water but like my husband said-they cook the food with water so you can still get sick. We were sick a whole week after coming back. I would just be worried about what your child would see (lots of drunk people/partying) and the possibility of getting sick. I guess it all depends on what you plan to do while your there. Don't mean to be a downer-just telling you my experience with the place.

I think that it doesn't matter what anybody else thinks, this is your baby and if you aren't comfortable then you should not go! mothers have this thing called intuition! if yours is telling you no then listen to it! good luck!