Parenting

Mum uses maternity leave to travel the world with a newborn and 3-year-old in tow

From Guatemala to Canada - this family are on a world tour. But, would you do it?

Women are often reminded; maternity leave is not a holiday. But this mum begs to differ. Karen Edwards has ditched the piles of washing for an exotic life on the road with her newborn, Quinn, 3-year-old daughter, Esme, and husband, Shaun.

The family set off from their London home for the grand adventure when baby Quinn was just 9-weeks-old. And while some may find it hard to believe, the 33-year-old-mum says globetrotting with a newborn and a toddler is less demanding than juggling motherhood and the relentless task of managing a home.

“I try to explain to people … it’s actually easier than being at home because at home you’ve got so much more things to do in just running a household,” she told ABC News.

By now, Karen would have a wealth of travelling-with-babies knowledge, as she revealed this wasn’t their first family world tour. The mum-of-two explained she took a similar trip after her daughter Esme was born.

So far on this trip, the family has taken in the sights of Spain, Central America and the Pacific Northwest. But how on earth is the couple affording this trip? Karen is just as financially savvy as she is travel savvy. As a nurse manager, Karen has partially paid leave for the first nine months and unpaid leave for the final three months of her maternity leave. To help finance the trip, the family have rented out their home while they are away. Also, it appears some posts on Karen’s Instagram account, which has amassed an impressive following of almost 100,000 followers, are paid sponsorship deals.

Quinn is now 4.5 months and it looks like this mama and her family are living the dream.

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