Camping with a young baby

[Tiredtrout]

I'm doing a 3 night camping trip this weekend with a new tent and a 10 week old baby at Billing Aquadrome as a training run for Camp Bestival the weekend after.

I've done Camp Bestival a few times before, usually on my own with the two older dc, having never camped with a baby before what do I need to know. On the plus side she's ebf so I won't need any sterilising kit.

Any advice would be appreciated

[fishandlilacs]

i think 10 weeks is easier than older babies tbh, at least they still sleep a lot. Pushchair or sling will be handy to put her in while you do other stuff.

you are brave I have never camped on my own with the kids.

[Tiredtrout]

The trick is not to try till they are pretty self sufficient.

I've just got no idea about what the youngest needs to wear or be in for sleeping, I was going to just take her modes basket, a sleepy bag and a few blankets

[applejelly]

We recently camped with a 16 week old and a nearly 3 year old. The baby was a doddle; ebf like you, sleeping bag, travel cot, she slept better than at home! Toddler another matter altogether.

No specific advice really, just reassurance that although it sounds crazy, really it isn't.

[applejelly]

We went in May in Scotland so baby wore vest, sleepsuit, 2.5 tog bag and fleece cardigan over the top. She was toasty!

[Levantine]

Camping with a tiny ebf baby is really easy, you just need a sling. Toddlers are a nightmare!

[carrie12page]

We have camped regularly since our first son was 14 weeks old (we have 3 kids now aged 15, 10 and 6). The fresh air definitely seemed to have a beneficial effect on sleeping patterns when they were babies. When we went to festivals in the summer months we took a small beach shelter for use during the day as sun protection.

[happyyonisleepyyoni]

The crawling stage would be hard work camping IMO. At 10 weeks that shouldn't be a problem though!

[gruber]

Just about to head off camping for first time with 6 month old! I've been recommended:
-bouncy chair or similar to put down safely in tent
-hot water bottle in case it's cold at night
-cardigans for night time if in sleeping bag
-blankets to layer
-something to put under Moses basket to keep it warmer (if straight on floor may pick up the cold- try a folded rug or blanket underneath)

No experience as yet, hope yours goes well!

[fishandlilacs]

we had one of those samsonite pop up travel cots for ds when he was tiny-worked really well and folds up to the size of a dinner plate

[fishandlilacs]

www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B003VUR0GI?tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-21

[attheendoftheday]

We took dd1 camping at about that age, it was fine. It was useful to have a fleece for her to sleep on, it kept her really warm at night (she was in the carrycot bit of her pram in her normal sleeping bag.

[AlohaMama]

Young babies are much easier than the crawling/putting in mouth stage. Just got back from weekend camping with ds (2.2) and dd (6 weeks). She was easy. We were camping somewhere warm, so just had dd in moses basket with warmer-than-usual sleepsack, a hat, and sleepsuit. I had a carrier which she was in almost all the time apart from at night. Was invaluable. Also took a beach shelter.

What I would take next time would be lots more wet wipes, and hand sanitiser, which I'd normally have but had forgot.

[Tiredtrout]

Thanks everyone, I'm going to do all the packing for the trial run today, will definitely take the sling. Just got to work out how to fit all of the camping gear 5 people and a large dog in the car!

[ShoeWhore]

We put ds on a SIM next to my SIM in his grobag (and had blankets to hand to layer if it got chilly) - made feeding in the middle of the night an absolute doddle. We always put blankets under our SIMs anyway so did that too.

[Tiredtrout]

First night went well, 6 hours solid sleep and no real grumpiness

[Rooners]

We're taking a 6-7mo on Monday. in the rain

I'd not planned on a moses basket or anything - do you need one? He can sit up, generally, and isn't mobile yet, and I was planning on just sleeping next to him on all the mats we're taking for us all - it's a bell tent and I have a 10yo and a 6yo too. So communal bed type thing

Will this be Ok?

[Rooners]

I mean obvs with blankets, sleeping bags etc.

[AlohaMama]

We took moses basket for our 6 week old to protect her from her older toddler brother as much as anything. When camping with just ds at 9 mo we took travel cot, partly so it was somewhere familiar to sleep and partly as somewhere safe to put him when setting up camp and with fire etc. If you've got older subs to help watch out for the youngest probably not necessary.

[Rooners]

Thanks, Aloha. That has set my mind at rest. He can't crawl so won't go far from where we put him this year

[Tiredtrout]

Don't worry rooners, a sim would have been fine for her except we had the very large dog with us who although he takes his own bed camping he likes to try out all the others too. Camping worked out good except for the window seals on our tent failing and us having to come home early