Traveling with baby to Africa, need advice

[ilove2travel]

Help!
I just had my first baby which is great! But I have been a committed traveler all my adult life and I didn't want having a baby to stop me. So I planned and paid for an African Safari vacation to South Africa with my husband and baby (she will be 5 months when we leave) before I had her. Now I'm wondering if I should cancel.

Have any of you ever taken a baby this young to a place like that? She's breast feeding, which makes things simple, but I just don't know if I'm comfortable with the mosquitoes and everything. It's freaking me out that I'm so worried, but I don't want to risk her health. I've traveled all over the world...but this seems different.

[abouttravel]

Whereabouts in South Africa are you going? How long are you going for? And where are you travelling from?

Dependant upon where you are going in South Africa on safari, you might not be in a malaria zone.

I travelled to South Africa when both my children were very small, especially my second son. It is a country I know very well. If you can give me some answers to the questions above, I hope I will be able to help you out with some advice.

Kind regards
Helen Palmer

[linda]

You're crazy! Why bother to take a baby to Africa - are you trying to prove something??!!
Anything can happen, even if you're in the city. It just isn't worth it.

Go to the zoo - or someplace like the San Diego Wild Animal Park, where you take a tram through the savanah that mimics the real thing. You should be able to make some sort of arrangement so you don't lose all your money. But if I were you, I'd play it safe! Wait til your baby is old enough to get something out of it - like when she is a teenager - and don't
put her health at risk - you'd never forgive yourself. Plus the flight would be brutal.

[taylor]

I took my baby to Cape Town on business when he was about 1 year and it worked out fine!
Sure the flight was rough (waaaay too long), but don't let people scare you into stopping living your life! You don't have to stop traveling just because you have a baby. Just take extra precautions and speak with your pediatrician. It's really not that big a deal. Some people are afraid to go anywhere!

[Kyle]

I began traveling with my son when he was 3 weeks old, and I agree with some of these posts -- it's easy. You're right to think that it's especially easy when you're breast feeding, because then the food/water issue is not such a big deal. However, make sure you have bottled water handy for her, and be careful about eating new, spicy foods that might flavor the milk and bother her.

Ask your pediatrician about the many alternatives used for malaria prevention, as she's too young to use DEET-infested sprays or take medications. If you're going to be in the rural areas at all, check out Doc Holiday's tips on malaria prevention for all ages at http://www.familytravelforum.com/articles/article/10202 - also check out any BuzzOff clothing products (they make insect repelling kids wear) that might fit her.

I think starting travels young is the best way to acclimate our kids to an increasingly global culture and make them strong, resilient adults. Good luck and enjoy every minute of it, even if some people think you're crazy. I know you'll never regret taking her along.