I initially was obsessed with the idea of getting away for some winter sun in October but honestly I just grew more and more nervous with the idea of it. Everyone knows that babies are small but their entourage of personal possessions is ridiculous. I didn't fancy trying to cart a breast pump, sleepy head, pram, car seat through airport security or pay £100 just for the basic right to take it all. So I started to look closer to home! Also I love exploring new places in the UK since we got our car.
A stay-cation is a brilliant idea for new parents. You get to bring all your essentials with you, packed in the car, whilst going to a cottage or rental which has all the rest. There is no dusting, hoovering or washing to be done. There is just time to spend with your new family unit getting to make memories, relax and get used to your new dynamic. Here are my top tips for having the perfect stay-cation.
Stay close to home
I found that Eva was amazing at traveling in the car for up to an hour and a half and then she'd want feeding or to have a cuddle. As its recommended that babies don't spend more than two hours in their car seats, the safest bet is to stick somewhere around 90 mins from home. We live on the South East coast so luckily that meant we had loads of options of where to go. Being close to home meant that I didn't panic about the journey and knew if there were any issues we could be home pretty sharpish.
Choose somewhere relaxing but close to good amenities
I wanted to be close to nature on this trip as living in a crowded city can be really overwhelming with a newborn. However the days of going for a leisurely stroll to find somewhere for dinner seemed like a distant memory on this trip! We ended up in the New Forest which was so tranquil and beautiful. It was somewhere I had never been before and it was so picturesque that we instantly fell in love with it. We were able to go for long walks with Eva in the baby carrier, we even went on one with some alpacas. However the great bit about staying here was that there was a restaurant and shop on site at the holiday park. There were plenty of places to eat in the nearby villages and places to stock up on essentials whilst we were there.
Upgrade yourself
We mainly use airbnb's or apartments over hotels as it means you can store milk and bring your own foods and drinks to keep costs down. We decided that after the super tough six months we'd had we would upgrade to a deluxe lodge with an outdoor hot tub. I normally go for the bargain room and flights when we holiday to try and maximize my money for activities. However on this occasion I felt we very much deserved a little luxury in our life! Sitting under the stars in the hot tub was glorious.
Keep it relaxed
Don't put yourself under too much stress to do every tourist thing going. Every place you go to has it's top sights to see, own culture and top eateries so definitely consult tripadvisor and see what the local area has to offer. We ended up going to Stonehenge on our trip the New Forest, it was amazing and somewhere we had always wanted to visit. On our recent trip to Devon, we fell in love with the place as we walked through chocolate box villages and had cream tea and scones. On other days we sat on the beach whilst Eva tried to eat sand. A perfect mix of relaxation and sightseeing!
Bring what you need
We all know in the early days how much stuff babies need. We ended up bringing Eva's next to me cot and her sleepyhead. Although this took up quite a bit of room in the car it was worth it as we didn't have any issues with her sleeping while we were away. Now we just request a travel cot from the cottage or hotel. No baggage restrictions means that you can bring everything from a favourite toy to a bouncer if you need to!
Take pictures!
Some of my favourite pictures over the past year have been from our little visits around the UK. It's a perfect chance to preserve the wonderful family moments for years to come.
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