Travel before baby vaccinations – do or don’t?

How did I feel, asked my mum, about a trip to Lanzarote with the baby in September or October? Well, it’s not a tricky question. I’m a big fan of the volcano-blasted landscapes of the Canary Island, it should be sunny though not too hot, and I have doting grandparents on tap to help with the mini traveller.

Baby curled up in a suitcase with the other half full of holiday essentials - as I planned our first trip away, I tried to find out if you should travel before baby vaccinations

Although I’m playing it safe and deferring a definite ‘yes’ until after the birth, a family holiday in Europe feels like a great way to dip my toes back in the travel waters, even if there’s still everything from baby passports and travel insurance to newborn car seats to consider.

Then I remembered vaccinations. Not the exotic far-flung kind that you need when you’re visiting the ends of the earth, but the basic set of jabs that children get at two, three and four months. So should we travel outside the UK before the baby’s had the full set?

I can’t be the first person to have pondered this, but while searching the internet brings up reams of advice on vaccinations during pregnancy and taking older babies to more unusual destinations, not to mention how much travel vaccinations cost at Boots, there’s practically nothing on newborns flying to Europe.

The only useful tip was on Netdoctor, with parents asking if they could take their eight-week-old to Tenerife – practically the same as my query. Basically yes, said the experts, as long as your baby’s healthy. But it didn’t address immunisation specifically.

Check out these posts for more tips on what to keep in your travel first aid kit and what your family travel insurance should cover

Travel before baby vaccinations: the expert says…

So I turned to paediatric nurse Louise Lloyd, to see what she thought.

‘Babies have a certain amount of immunity at birth that is given to them via the placenta, then if a mother is able to breastfeed antibodies continue to be passed to the baby,’ she points out.

‘The first set of immunisations are from eight weeks of age as it is thought from this point the antibodies that have been passed from the mother may start to be less protective. It would be usually suggested that travel be kept at a minimum until this time.

‘Until all three sets of immunisations are made the baby is not fully protected, however each stage does increase the immune system so the level of risk decreases. The advice on whether you should/can travel between these would be with caution. Within Europe there is less risk than the more exotic locations.

‘Healthcare professionals could only ever advise the parent on the potential risks and the overall decision will be with the parent. Some travel insurance companies may want to know that a baby is “fully immunised” before giving an insurance policy.’

So there you go – the longer you wait, the better. But it’s down to me to weigh up the risks… Would you travel before baby vaccinations? Have you? Let me know.

For more tips on how to find out which vaccinations you need and booking appointments, check out this post

LIKED THIS? SIGN UP FOR MY EMAIL NEWSLETTER

Image: Depositphotos

 

30 Comments

  1. Hadn’t even really thought about this before. Like you say, the obvious question is about immunisations before visiting far flung places. I guess most places in Europe have equal medical care to UK – it’s just if travelling in the plane & through airports etc. exposes little ones to more bugs!

    I spent ages researching jabs etc. before baby was born as we went on a pre-baby break…really narrows long haul options down if you’re wanting exotic and interesting without jabs/malaria tablets! We plumped for Cuba in the end!

    1. Absolutely – there’s obviously a lot more to consider for travel outside Europe or the US for example but was surprised no-one seemed to address it. Have had lots of comments from people saying they’ve done similar or would do, and one midwife OKing a young baby going to Switzerland, which is reassuring.

      Cuba sounds amazing – definitely on my wish list. Will be a while before I make that trip to Burma that I’d planned until malaria came into the pregnancy equation though!

  2. It wasn’t really something we thought about until we had the toddler terror, however we did before his final 16 week jabs. We travelled to Bruges at 8 weeks and to Mauritius at 12 weeks. We felt it was the right option true we also had breastfeeding on our side but these trips were both booked long before we knew that we could so I didn’t have water or sterilisation issues.

    Now coming at it again with #2 I’m probably even more relaxed! MayBe bbecause this is my second or maybe because now I’m an expat and already abroad?!!

    1. I’m really glad we went – but also that we had the two and three-month immunisations first. I’d definitely be warier of travelling somewhere exotic too early but like your Bruges trip and Lanzarote, it’s really not such a big deal. And I’m guessing that if I were doing it again, I’d be a lot more relaxed too!

  3. I am preparing for my first trip ever with baby and I had never thought about this. My baby girl is nearly seven weeks and no vaccines yet but I guess I just assumed that because we were flying to Spain, the holiday would be harmless – though the doctor warned us that if we travel frequently to Spain we should give her some extra vaccine at her fourth month to match the Spanish vaccination calendar (I don’t remember the name but it’s something that here in Switzerland is given when children over one year but sooner in Spain because it is more common there).

    Anyway, as both the pediatrician and midwife know our plans and have okay end them, I assumed it was safe and never gave it a second thought. Thanks for your insight on this.

    Great blog as well 🙂

    1. I think if you’re within Europe, it is much less of an issue and obviously your doctor/midwife are far more qualified than me! Sounds like they’ve got some good advice about matching the local vaccinations as well. Enjoy your trip, I hope it’s the first of many – and thank you! 😀

  4. I can see this is an older post now – but as it popped up as a suggested read thought I’d share our experience x3 babies. First baby went to Egypt with only first set of jabs (admittedly we did nothing but sit in a resort); 2nd Baby we had to visit then move to our new home in the UAE before jabs were done – never even considered it a concern. Third child we went to Australia at 6 weeks old – and several other countries around Asia before his course of jabs were done. The only health concerns I would really have is heading somewhere for example where Malaria or Yellow Fever are a concern as you cannot immunize for these until 12 months +

    1. It’s quite fascinating for me to re-read this too and see how far we’ve come in almost four years (she’s now had typhoid and Hepatits A vaccinations among others – not that she was very pleased about it, perhaps I should have done it before she was old enough to object!). Looking back and at your experiences, I definitely agree that going to most of Europe, or Australia or staying in resorts just simply isn’t a problem and it’s the destinations with eg malaria which are a bigger issue. With her as my first, I was very much more cautious when she was tiny.

  5. Personally I would wait until the first round of immunisations, unless you absolutely have to travel.
    Whilst yes I LOVE to travel my child is the most important thing in my life – so why risk it?

    1. I think I’d agree – I definitely wasn’t up to venturing very far in the first couple of months anyway, but having at least one set done is a good plan.

  6. I can see some of these posts are from a few years back. I have the same dilema, bub is due early August. We live in Australia and weren intending on flying back to ireland ( home) when bub 4 weeks old as hubby’s sis is getting married in Spain so will fly there (a week after landing in Dublin) if all goes well with first round of flights. My widwife says she see’s no reason why we can’t fly as I plan on breastfeeding and I have all my immunisations up to date. Obviously it will depend on how I feel after the birth and how bub is doing, but my GP today warned my hubby against it and also said we should enforce all our family to get the whopping cough injections before we fly home..

    I just feel like I want to protect bub as best I can, but you can’t lock yourself up for 6 weeks at home either in case someone passes on infection to bub??

    any further thpughts or advice.

    Many Thanks
    Vicki

    1. Hi Vicki – first, congratulations on the upcoming arrival! It’s a tricky one isn’t it, as you say, you can’t lock yourself in for months. I would say that I’m not a medical professional so I would take the advice of your GP/midwife over anything I do write but I wonder what prompted your GP to warn against flying? Just a general recommendation or a specific reason he thought it was a bad idea? I know in the UK, there’s a whooping cough vaccine for pregnant women (advised between 20-32 weeks but available any time before labour) designed to protect babies against whooping cough in the first months – I don’t know if that’s one of the immunisations you’ve had?

      Looking at some of the stats, although the number of cases in the UK are up (but down from the peak outbreaks of 2012/2013), confirmed cases in babies under three months are low, according to Public Health England suggesting the pregnancy vaccination is doing what it’s supposed to. https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-whooping-cough-figures-prompt-call-for-pregnant-women-to-get-immunised There does seem to have been an outbreak in Spain last year, but no recent headlines. Then again, there are occasional outbreaks in Australia too.

      Obviously the final decision has to be yours and your husband’s but as you’re talking about a trip to Europe, I would have thought the risks were similar to staying in Australia and if you can get vaccinated (or are already), you’ve done everything you can do before two months anyway. I know that looking back, I was a lot more nervous than I needed to be although my daughter was slightly older at about 3 months on our first trip. I hope that helps a bit?!

  7. We traveled to Turkey from Prague with our two months Elisabeth without any vaccines and everything went really well. We spent a lovely time in front of the sea, enjoying the fresh air and warm weather (it was October, so it wasn’t hot). Now we’re planning a second trip to Spain and our little still didn’t get the vaccines yet because nowadays many babies here in the Czech Republic are starting the vaccination schedule at 4 months old-our pediatrician said until this age a breastfed baby is protected thanks to mummy’s antibodies. I have to admit I was quite nervous before our first trip, even though vaccination was not my main concern, however I’d be more afraid of taking my baby without vaccinations into a shopping mall or a supermarket :-). I think if your baby is healthy, travelling before vaccinations is not a big deal…and mainly if your plans are to enjoy nature and a nice environment somewhere abroad 🙂

    1. Absolutely – I think it depends very much where you’re going, and obviously if you’re breastfeeding and your baby’s healthy that makes a big difference too. I suspect everyone’s a bit nervous before the first trip regardless (I know I was!) but sounds like you’re starting off with some lovely travels.

  8. I would travel with an unvaccinated infant if we were traveling from the US to places like Europe. But I would use more caution if we were going to a place with more exotic diseases. We’re traveling to the Bahamas on a cruise and I’m a little worried because my son is still too young for the Typhoid vaccine. I’m sure it will be fine but it is something to consider.

    1. Absolutely, I think it really does vary from place to place, how old they are too. I don’t think I realised the Bahamas needed a typhoid vaccine, pretty sure my daughter didn’t have one when we visited (although she was a bit older but less than 18 months)

  9. My twins are 8 weeks when I go to lanzarote would you think this will be ok I’m trying to get needles done a few days early

    1. I think if you could have the first set done and they’re otherwise in good health, I’d be happy to go to Lanzarote. Definitely pack Calpol in case they do have a bit of a fever afterwards though. Obviously it’s up to you and how happy you are for them to fly with one set.

  10. Hi! I love this blog and this is something that I have been thinking about but no one seems to write about it! My family and I are expats in the UK due to have bub no.2 in Feb 2018, and due to fly back home to Australia in March 2018 for a month (3-4 week old bub). I’m worried because bub literally won’t have ANY jabs by then. I’m only worried about the bugs in the airplanes – what this be extremely harmful without having any vaccines. I plan on breastfeeding the entire time. So worried now after a friend mentioned this to me. Thanks!!! Xx

    1. Thank you! I remember everyone seemed to be debating complicated vaccines for older kids rather than standard baby ones when I looked too. It’s such an individual choice – maybe worth speaking to your doctor to see if there’s anything you can have during pregnancy that will protect the baby (eg the whooping cough vaccine) which would be some added protection to go with birth immunity/breastfeeding.

      Obviously I’m not a health professional but I wouldn’t have thought a plane between the UK and Australia would be any more risky than eg the airport at either end though – anyone who’s ill shouldn’t be allowed on anyway, although of course there could be coughs/cold etc and people who might be contagious but don’t realise (although only likely an issue if it’s airborne germs rather than touch).

  11. Reading this post was fascinating – as a doctor and a mum I can say that the problem with a plane is its a closed ventilation system and you are at the mercy of all the other passengers on the plane having had all their immunisations in order to protect your baby , in the same way vets advise avoiding taking your puppy to the park it really is a case of the best way to protect your baby is to avoid exposing it to the risks. Babies immune systems are immature and what is a cold to us can end up as a full blown bronchiolitis with the baby needing oxygen and NG feeding and worst comes to worst ventilatory assistance. I personally wouldn’t take that risk with the most precious thing in my life unless it was for an absolute emergency otherwise Id be patient and wait until 1-2 weeks after at least their first set of vaccines.

    1. Thank you for commenting – that’s really interesting to get the point of view of someone who has experience of both sides of the question, and a very good point that the plane is potentially going to expose babies to more than a day trip out somewhere. Having had two sets of vaccines before our first trip definitely felt more comfortable for me, knowing that she had some protection – and as a new mother, I felt a lot readier to attempt a flight by that point too!

      1. Hi there,
        I realise this thread is older but I can’t find much out online! I am contemplating a trip to Mexico with a 3 month old, so he won’t have had his final 16 week jabs. Any advice?

        1. I think I’d be warier about taking small kids to Mexico – partly because the flight is longer than eg Europe so you have the longer exposure there, but also because recommended vaccinations (including for adults) also include Hepatitis A which I don’t know if you could give to a small baby (and probably wouldn’t want to).

          However, you could argue if you’re planning to stay in a 4/5* beach hotel in a tourist area and you’re breast feeding, that’s going to be different than if you’re travelling around off the beaten track and eg bottle feeding (so have to worry about contaminated water) or even with an older small child who’ll be eating the food.

          Personally I don’t think I would have felt so comfortable doing that when my daughter was that age. But when it comes down to it, it’s obviously your decision although I’d always recommend getting advice from your doctor or a medical professional who’s an expert on travel health.

  12. I’m from Canada and was thinking of either accepting family visitors from abroad or taking my infant to see them. What are your thoughts in travelling abroad with an infant who hasn’t had MMR and there’s now a global measles outbreak? And now in the year of 2020, there’s novel coronavirus; would that too make you reconsider travel with an infant? I feel weary on both counts, but am I being overprotective? My baby is now only 3 months old and I’m a first time parent.

    1. I definitely think it’s better to be wary rather than run too many risks, but equally it’s good to keep them in balance – and of course, the final decision is yours (with any healthcare advice from your own doctor).

      With measles, we travelled before the first MMR jabs within Europe and to the USA: if there’s a high-profile outbreak at your destination, that’s different but otherwise I didn’t feel the risk was significantly more than being out and about in the UK.

      At present I’d be more worried about coronavirus: not necessarily because the risk is any greater but because it’s so new and doctors are still learning about it. In fact, it seems to be affecting fewer children than adults, with the risk greater to older people (although I totally understand that you won’t want to put your baby at unnecessary risk). So for now, I have no plans to travel to Asia but I’ve flown to Italy in the last week with my 7yo (again, not in the part where there are cases though)

      I think all I can suggest is to keep track of the news for this, ask your doctor about any specific worries and choose your destinations carefully. You are potentially exposed to more germs on a plane and in airports than out and about, but equally, many destinations will be just as safe for babies as Canada…

  13. Hello,

    I am in a similar situation and hoping to find some advice/ideas here.

    We are traveling from the US to Spain with our 14 weeks old daughter. She hasn’t got her first set of vaccines yet as we want to delay vaccination.

    She is exclusively breastfed and doesn’t go to a daycare.

    I’m mostly worried about the germs on the plane and the airports. What are your thoughts on this?

    1. Personally, I wouldn’t have wanted to travel before my daughter had had any vaccinations, even with the protection of breastfeeding. I’m not sure if there’s a particular reason you’re delaying them, but obviously if there’s a medical condition as to why later is better for her, then that could affect your decision too.

      When I wrote the post originally, it was long before Covid-19 too, so of course that’s an additional factor to consider (not that the vaccine would protect, but it’s an extra risk which didn’t exist when my daughter was a baby). On the flipside, planes do have extremely good filters and you can probably expect quieter airports than usual – although you can’t entirely avoid queues and groups there.

      It’s an individual decision (including any advice from your own doctor) and I don’t know if there’s any specific reason that it’s important for you to make the trip, but honestly I wouldn’t have flown long-haul with my daughter when she was unvaccinated, even before the pandemic.

  14. I really needed some advice regarding the issue as I need to go to Pakistan. My baby is 7 months old and his 8th and 12th weeks jabs are done. The 16th week one is overdue now as my doctor is not providing it (vaccination clinic and staff issues). I’m really concerned about travelling to a country outside Europe. Any help or advice?

    1. Is there anyone else who can do the 16th week jabs? As you say, they’re very overdue and while your doctor can’t do them (which is less than ideal), it’s good to have them done asap regardless. Personally, I’m not sure I’d want to travel to Pakistan without them and with a young baby, as there are additional vaccinations recommended on top of the ones for everyday life, so it’s definitely not as simple as a European trip. Having said all that, I’m not a health professional myself, so it would be best to speak to someone directly – is there a travel clinic who might be able to help?

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.