hey everyone, i am travelling to pakistan first time alongwith the kids. i have a 4 year old and a 1 year old with me . i am totally freaked out about my trip, courtesy, my ever present, pessimistic,and discouraging inlaws!! everyone in my family is trying their best to stop me from going cos they think..no, they are SURE my kids will get very sick and possibly DIE there..God Forbid..these people are a source of negative energy in my life and i can do better without them,,,
So, the reason for my post is to ask people who went to pakistan or india recently with their kids about their experience. did your children get sick? i mean really sick..like being hospitalized??? what precautions should i take in order to avoid any mishaps?????? what are the things i should take from here, and what i can trust buying from there?? i mean baby food..diapers, baby wipes..etc.medicines...i dont know what to do, ia m so worried and i am not getting any help from my husband too, cos hez as discouraging as his family!
your answers would do much to help me, please do share ur experiences..
Assidously stick to bottled mineral water for drinking, avoid cold foods (eat anything piping hot), avoid too much direct sunlight, the kids should be fine.
The key would lie in preparing well...I would depend on packaged food for the first week (biscuits, cookies, cereal bars, flakes etc) Basically everything the kids are used to in their daily routines
Slowly you could shift to the local food, again carefully.
Lots of the kids from my playgroup go to India/Pakistan for up to a month at a time and they have all come back in good health.
Have a great time and just stick to the strict hygiene rules of the home/country your in, there may be bugs and viruses that you and your kids don't have antibodies for yet. Most important have your kids had all the inoculations that are recommended?
Perhaps your partner (husband/wife .. not clear) and in-laws think you won't come back and intend to disappear with the children. My mother-in-law wanted me to leave my 6 month old son here when I went back to England for a holiday. Thought he'd never survive outside of super clean germ free Switzerland.
they dont think im gonna disappear wtith the kids,, there primary concern is the same as ur mother in law's , they think the moment they are out of switzerland they are bound to get sick..they refuse to acknowledge the presence of HOSPITALS AND DOCTORS in pakistan, and the interesting thins is that they are NOT AT ALL SWISS THEMSELVES, or even EUROPEAN !! they are from afghansitan, a place more wretched and God forsaken then pakistan and yes, my mother in law also wants me to leave the childrn here and go myself, and absolutely ridiculous solution
Since i am a pakistani, i am not afraid about anything my childhood course of immunizations is complete but i have not had any vaccinations, or boosters since a long time.. the kids' pediatrician gave them the necessary shots.i.e. hep A n B, polio and tetanus.. and was not particularly concerned about my trip..he prescribed just an anti diahrrea and thats all!
Because they dont want me to meet my family!! they are all too happy to hold me prisoner here, for the life time if possible and ye i have to go, cos i havent been back home since i came here, and it was some 8 yrs back!! a time they think is not too much!!!!!!!!!!