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first camping trip with our 5 month old, help please, especially with what he should sleep on..

8 replies

victoriasmith · 15/07/2011 21:44

hi, my boyfriend and I will be taking our DS camping for the first time in august when we go to the Festival of Galtres, DS will then be 5 months old.

My main concern is him being warm enough and also where he will sleep. At home DS sleeps in his own cot but we do co-sleep at times and did lots of co-sleeping when he was in his first months. He will be too big for his moses basket so thats not an option and i wouldnt mind sleeping with him but i have concerns about what he would sleep on, dont like the idea of airbeds due to the risk of rolling onto him.

Also if any one out there has some really good tips or must haves which i should know about please let me know.

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HarrietJones · 15/07/2011 22:32

We are camping for the first time next week with dd3 who is 9m. Interested in tips too. We are taking a travel cot but often co sleep at home so a bit concerned she will want that

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Cuckoo05 · 15/07/2011 22:44

Hi, we've camped a few times and like you I worried about him getting cold. I tried various things (travel cot etc) but the one that is the winner for me is to lie him between me and DH but on top of the double sleeping bag. I dress him up warm in his own baby sleeping bag and then lie him on top of our sleeping bag so there is no chance of anyone rolling on him. He sleeps well because he's cosy, knows he's close to us and it's easy to feed him and check that he's warm.

I hope I've explained it ok and it helps!

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Cuckoo05 · 15/07/2011 23:27

Harriet - I spotted your post after I'd done mine. The travel cot was ok but it was horrible getting out of my warm sleeping bag in the middle of the night! I also didn't sleep well because I kept checking that he was warm enough - it was a Samsonite pop up cot so very little padding and I found it a really awkward design for getting him out easily - you might have better luck with yours. He seems loads comfier on our bed (never in it though because I like the sleeping bag up to my ears!). Have a great trip!

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victoriasmith · 16/07/2011 10:26

when you say baby sleeping bag do you mean the normal grow bags that people sleep babies in at home or is this some special baby camping gear?

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OutIntoTheBlue · 16/07/2011 23:37

We took the travel cot when DD was younger, with her normal gro-bag plus blanket underneath and on top, and always slept fine. Now she's a bit older she goes in her Ready-Bed. Enjoy your camping!

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mybabywakesupsinging · 17/07/2011 07:19

DD sleeps next to me on SIM, with a fleece blanket spread on top of it in case she sicks/leaks. She was much colder by herself on a ready bed. She is 8 months now, has camped a few times this year.
I layer her - start with long sleeved vest, babygro. Wooly leggings (with feet), fleece suit, normal grobag (quite a thick one, maybe 2.5 tog when new but well-worn now). She gets a hat if it feels chilly as she has very little hair. When it was colder in April she had an extra top on under the fleece suit.
Her hands and face always feel cold, but if I pop a finger up her sleeve she is warm, and sleeps well (worn out with excitement...).

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oranges123 · 17/07/2011 08:52

We camped a few times last year with DD from 6 months old. We have a littlelife arc2 travel cot which works well because you can put the baby in from the side rather than the top. This means if you need to get to her at night you can unzip the side and give her a cuddle without leaving the warmth of your sleeping bag/duvet. She slept on the padded mattress with an IKEA sheepskin rug on top and a sheet over that. We put her in a vest, babygro, fleece sleepsuit and her own gro-bag with a sheet and one or two blankets over the top depending how cold the night was. She was toasty.

I mention the littlelife for the OP in case you haven't bought a travel cot yet. We have been very happy with it but a pop up style one might work equally well and would be quicker to put up and pack away.

You might want to consider bringing some sort of chair for her too - if she has a layback type one at home that would be perfect. Highchairs are also useful (if you can fit one in) when they are older to corral them in when necessary and to give you somewhere easy to feed them rather than on the ground.

You will have a great time - enjoy!

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victoriasmith · 17/07/2011 16:41

right thanks for all the advice we have been to go outdoors today and invested in a double SIM which we can sleep on with DS, think that should solve our sleeping problems.

we were meant to be buying a tent as well as there was a sale on but think i have gotten my own way and persuaded boyfriend to spend twice as much money and buy a bell tent instead, they just look too gorgeous!