Absolutely Mama speaks to Charity Ambassador, radio DJ, and new mother Neev Spencer about what it’s like to take your first baby away for the first time on holiday.

Words Miriam Carey

Neev Spencer spoke to Absolutely Mama about her first family holiday after the birth of her daughter Genevieve.

Fresh back from The Rocco Forte Verdura Resort in Sicily,  DJ and Charity Ambassador Neev Spencer says she had a blast with her new baby daughter Genevieve, enjoying the Italian food, sunshine and sea air, although the first time you go away with your baby on holiday takes quite some planning!

Genevieve had just turned nine months old, which Neev says is a good time to go away, as babies are becoming more interactive, and holidays are an exciting time with all the new sounds, smells and foods to taste, not to mention new places to crawl around and explore.

The one difference between their babymoon in Dubai, when Neev was 25 weeks pregnant, and this holiday with their daughter, was organisation: in the words of her husband Chan, they had to be ‘military operation’ level organised. The lists are long!

The couple went back and forwards to Boots picking up all the essentials in the weeks before the holiday – including baby formula, Calpol, and medicine to name just a few. Of course there are things you’ll be able to get while you’re away but if your destination is somewhere you haven’t been before, you might not be able to rely on getting your chosen nappies, or formula, so you’ll need to pack everything. Or even two of everything, just to be safe.

They managed to leave the car seat behind, but one thing they did rely on was their Silver Cross Pop pushchair, which they found to be super lightweight, foldable and therefore easy to travel with. The resort was really family friendly, and Neev says the whole family had a brilliant time. They had been worried about bringingGenevieve with them to meals out, or throughout the property, but it turned out that they needn’t have worried too much, because the Italian culture is very family-orientated and Genevieve was welcomed everywhere.

Highlights of the holiday included Genevieve playing on the oceanfront, “shrieking with glee in the wind”, and the couple really enjoyed taking videos and pictures, and managed to get a classic first ice-cream-face photograph of Genevieve. Other baby firsts included first pasta, first pizza, and even first teeth!

Back in the UK Neev is straight back into work. Juggling motherhood with her charity work for mental health charity Heads Together and being DJ, all of which she loves, although she says nothing feels quite as good as being a mum.

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