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AIBU?

to think we can travel in a campervan with a 4 month old?

18 replies

shufflebunny · 17/10/2009 20:27

hi all... i'm currently pregnant with our first baby, and we're planning on campervanning in southern europe for a month or two once the baby is about 4 months old.

not too hectic a schedule.. staying somewhere for a week if we fancy.. sticking to more rural & beach areas... travel cot and all the baby stuff we need in the van..

i think it'll be a lovely chance for us all to bond and enjoy life for a while...i'm sure there'll be challenges, but i think it'll be great..

crazy? has anyone done similar?

OP posts:

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JoeyBettany · 17/10/2009 20:29

No, I think do it now as it'll be easier than when baby is crawling around and into everything.

We took dd to a rainy moto-x weekend in the depths of wales, when she was 6 weeks in the motorhome. It was fine

bronze · 17/10/2009 20:31

4 months would be fine as they're stationary( ish)

ScaryFucker · 17/10/2009 20:31

not crazy

I think this would be a fab time to do this!

much better than with a toddler, eg

hocuspontas · 17/10/2009 20:32

Sounds great. The only thing I'd worry about is not being vaccinated (although I can't remember if any are due then) and if you are not breatfeeding - the water supply.

But go for it - I would!

Ivykaty44 · 17/10/2009 20:33

If you do it then - baby will be used to moorhome and then you will always be able to do it - much easier.

All sorts of people travel with babies in allsorts of conditions and it is usually ine.

Are you thinking of Portugal and Spain? Or firther east towards Greece and Turkey?

everlong · 17/10/2009 20:36

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

vvvodka · 17/10/2009 20:40

the beauty of a four month old, is that you can take them anywhere. they stay put, dont move off on there own. poo nicely and sensibly withn a nappy. eat and drink only one thing. stay out of the mud. sleep where you put them. sleep through the night, (well all three of mine did) etc etc etc.. oh, andyou have recovered from childbirth tooo

fast forward six months, and the baby will b crawling everywhere. using there clothes as a mop/vaccuum cleaner. picking up tiny bits from the ground, sticking into their mouths. ten month olds dont discriminate between food, and dog turds. lets see, what else? food.... they are sloppy eaters, and you have to always be thinking about what you are going to feed them. you cant leave them tied up in the pushchair whilst yous pend the day sightseeing. etc etc etc....
do it when they are four months old, or wait at least a year..

justaboutautumn · 17/10/2009 20:42

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

shufflebunny · 17/10/2009 20:44

Thanks guys - it's good to hear some encouragement!! I wasn't sure if i was just being naive or not.

hocuspontas, that was my main concern too! we asked our midwife and she said there's 4 month immunisation, and then not one till 12 months.. so we'll wait until bub's had the 4 month one before heading off...

ivykaty, i was thinking down to portugal/spain.. then across the south of france and down through italy.. then back to the uk... we'll then be moving to australia as soon we return (i'm aussie, hubby's british & we've been over here 7 years.. time for a stint in oz!). i'm just really keen to get in a bit of a trip and bonding time together before we head off..

it's really reassuring to hear from people have done similar, even at different ages - hubby's a bit more wary of it than me, so i'll have to show him your responses!

thanks guys
x

OP posts:

ScaryFucker · 17/10/2009 20:48

good luck

'tis hardly the wilds of Borneo

they have good healthcare in Europe, you know

you will have a great time, I am very jealous

Ivykaty44 · 17/10/2009 21:06

France has some great free "airs" you can buy a book to show you where they are located, this makes the trip a lot less expensive.

Dont bother rough camping in Spain - normal trick is you will get a knock at 3am.

Portugal down on the algarve is usually fine for rough camping and especially up on the west coast where the surfers go and the beaches are deserted - it is also national park so very few buildings.

have fun

neversaydie · 17/10/2009 21:46

Umm - my Mum was dragging me around the wilds of Borneo at 3 months. Admittedly on a boat rather than a camper van. It was fine, other than leaving me with a taste for travel!

ScaryFucker · 17/10/2009 21:56

umm, just plucked "wilds of Borneo" out of thin air

Jux · 17/10/2009 22:02

Go for it. I'm really jealous!

Mavin · 17/10/2009 23:03

Not crazy - go for it!

We spent two weeks going round Scotland in a camper van when DS was 3 months, and we had a great time - he obligingly slept in his car seat while we drove, wriggled on his play mat in the back when we stopped, and got toted around a lot of castles in a sling. I think it was a really good age to travel with him - he wasn't mobile, he was v adaptable, and (as someone else said) he was only eating one thing!

I think the thing that took me by surprise was how long it took to cover distances - we thought we would do a day here and there of mostly driving (like we used to when it was just the two of us), but we forgot to factor in frequent feeding stops, changing stops, and just time-out-of-car-seat stops.

The only obvious thing I forgot was that it gets a lot colder at night in a camper than it does in a house, so pack warm baby sleeping bags / extra vests / spare blankets just in case! (Though I appreciate that you might have less of a problem in this respect if you're heading to Spain instead of Scotland!)

Have fun. I think it sounds like a lovely plan and am quite jealous!

stubbornstains · 21/10/2009 15:13

I'm planning to take my 4 month(ish) baby off to France and Italy (maybe further..)in a camper van next summer. Maybe we should get in touch- our paths might cross?

I just reckoned if I'm going to spend all my time bonding with DS-to-be, and mopping up bodily fluids, it might be nicer to do it somewhere hot and lovely with nice food!

I know a couple who took their 4-month-old to MOrocco by train and ferry- they had a whale of a time...

mamasunshine · 21/10/2009 15:30

Absolutely...my dh and i spent 2 weeks camping in france this summer with a 6 week old and a 16 month old !!! We loved it...have booked to go again next year!

mpsa · 06/04/2024 22:11

Hey @shufflebunny
im just on the verge of doing a campervan trip south Europe with a baby and was wondering if you ended up doing yours and if you have any tips or tricks you could pass on?

we are also based in Australia and Bub will be almost 12months but I feel like I need encouragement from someone that has done it wit a Bub 😌

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