Baby Blog: How I Survived My First Child-Friendly Holiday

I've survived my first holiday with my baby in tow. Champagne for everyone!

Except not for me. I’m not drinking because my baby wakes me up three times a night so I perpetually feel like my head is going to explode without the risk a hangover.

Anyway, back to the topic in hand, pre-baby holidays used to look like this:

They involved an ashamedly single digit factor tanning oil, sambuca, a Club Rep called Daz who we all fancied thanks to the aforementioned sambuca and Pringles for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

However, now I am a mum. And mums go on sensible holidays that boast they are ‘child friendly’ and have excellent baby changing facilities.

Basically, mums go to all the places I used to avoid or not know existed.

Deciding Where To Go
Top of the list - Centre Parcs. Everyone at Centre Parcs either is a child or has one. So, I knew it was safe territory and no one would care if my little one cried or chucked his food across the room. Well, as long as it missed them, anyway.

The only place more child friendly would be Disneyland, but that would involve air travel which I’m just not sure we're ready for yet.

While flying used to involve downing as many miniatures as I could haggle, it now means praying the baby, who is on my lap because he is too small for a seat, doesn’t scream and annoy the other passengers.

So being a sensible mum, I took a deep breath and booked us seven nights in a woodland lodge in Woburn. The closest I would get to a nightclub would be baby sensory classes at 9am. Maybe I would even rent a bike and we could do baby yoga.

Settling In
Getting there was straight forward enough. Being in England it was just a drive away and driving I have done lots of times before. I know driving. I can do driving with a baby in tow.

Actually being there was slightly more complicated.

While our accommodation had a cot for us to use Freddy was acutely aware that it wasn’t his and as soon as he realised he was in it would scream until he was elsewhere. Usually my bed.

Despite taking advantage of the on-site babysitter a few times, most nights we found it easier to just stay in and relax. Freddy is still waking in the night so going out just seemed a bit too much unnecessary effort.

For once, I was happy to get an early night rather than scout out the nearest bars. Which, considering we were in Bedfordshire, were not exactly Café Del Mar.

Saying that, Bedfordshire does meet Ibiza at Centre Parcs’ indoor swimming ‘paradise’. For the first time I was actually grateful NOT to see the sun - I didn’t need to worry about my baby boiling or getting third degree burns due to my below par sun creaming technique.

The Dreaded First Baby Swimming Lesson
While the indoor pool came as a huge relief, I did panic about the chance of him drowning at his first swimming lesson. Being on holiday I was keen to get him in the water.

Thankfully, he absolutely loved it – clearly, his body image is much better than mine – and he kicked and laughed his way throughout the session just as I had hoped.

He even managed to smile while filling his swimming nappy which was a nice watery surprise for the changing room afterwards.

We knew from the start that the final step in the course was ‘total submerging’ which sounded, frankly, terrifying. Although the instructor assured us that the babies were safe, the feeling of letting Freddy go underwater without me was almost too much to handle. Water, in this instance, was not exactly therapeutic.

However, as reward for facing our fears (well, mine) we left with our very own baby tribute to the Nirvana Nevermind album. Definitely one for Nanny’s mantlepiece.

I think our first swimming lesson provided me with not only that fabulous photo and wonderful end to a great first baby friendly hol but a perfect analogy for this whole raising a human lark.

Sometimes, instead of wasting time terrified, us mums need to trust our instincts, relax and let go – if only for a few seconds.

Have you taken your baby on his or her first holiday yet? If so, let us know how it went in the comments below.

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