Driving Akl to Welly with a 8-9 month old

Has anyone done this.
Would you stop overnight on the way?

Its only going to be the two of us, and need car to get to Palmy.

I would stop overnight for a couple of reasons.

It's advised babies are only in their carseats for 90mins at a time (to do with their airway) so you need to be taking regular breaks for a decent period of time which is going to make the trip even longer timewise - and you'll be needing the break too.

And since the car lulls them to sleep you run the risk of them being up all night cos they have slept all day IYKWIM

We did Wellington to Gisborne at NY and overnighted in Napier. It actually made for a really nice trip, we had a couple of picnic stops to do the feeds, got the blanket out etc. The girls enjoyed it and actually it made it seem less of a mission so I enjoyed it too and they stayed in their routine!

ETA: Mummyfreckle we must've posted our opposing views at the same time

Edited by Danda08

Not with an 8-9mo, we had a 4mo. We drove from Wgtn - Taupo, stayed overnight and then drove the rest of the way the next day (leaving early to beat traffic). Umm... Basically drove while she slept, when she woke we'd have a stop for feed, change etc!

That is an option Fliss, DD will sleep from 7pm till 1am feed then go back to sleep till 5-6am.

Or I may end up flying and hiring a car, not sure how I'd get on with taking the buggy, car seat and portacot on the plane.

Wont I have to pay extra for the portacot and buggy as there is only 1 bag allowance on domestic flights.

If you're travelling with a child, you can usually take a pram, portacot and carseat in addition to the 1 bag - i.e. no cost.

I've done it lots with kids of all ages and I agree with Mummy Freckle We have done it at night a couple of times like we've left at 6pm and got there around midnight and that works quite well too.

We have driven from Hastings to Wellington and back in a day trip.
Do take the whole day, leave early, plan lots of little stops, If you have an already active baby make sure you find places where she can have a crawl.

Take plenty of easy to eat food for her (and easy to clean up!) and lots of water. Make sure she gets plenty of BF/Formula feeds at regular interviews, travelling can be very dehydrating.

We always make sure we leave at her normal first nap time, and if we have to we wake her up a bit earlier so she is up for 1 1/2 to 2 hours before we leave. We have the odd one out, she only sleeps for 1 hour at a time in the car. Most babies are out like a light for 2 - 3 hours.

If its just going to be the 2 of you plan for having to stop because she is getting upset from having to stay in the car such a longtime. Basically plan out a stop at towns every 2 hours or so for at least 15 mins (feeding, watering, changing) obviously you won't do all of that every time but both of you getting out of the car will be great.

Just a few tips I thought up, I hope they are helpful.

Writing and running here!

We drove with DD from Auckland to PN last month, DD was nearly one. Made sure we were driving in tandem with her sleeps and then when she woke up stopped for feed, nappy change, play etc. We stopped overnight in New Plymouth on the way there and Taupo on the way back. We would have done the flying option but had the use of a campervan at the time.

Edited by Jess299