to not want to go on a family camping trip with a 7 week old baby?

[peacefuleasyfeeling]

DH has his heart set on going on a family camping trip the week after next. DD2 will be just 7 weeks old (DD1 has recently turned 3). He has in mind a very gorgeous site about an hour and a half from here, very remote with no facilities apart from a stand-pipe and a few portaloos. Normally we love this place and would go at the drop of a hat, but this time, I just feel like it's going to be such a lot of hard work! Neither DD sleeps through the night. DD2 is breasfed which makes it easier inthis context, I suppose, but the thought of shivery night-feeds and nappy changes by the light of a flickering headtorch, trying to keep everyone quiet so as not to disturb fellow campers, makes my heart heavy. At 5 weeks DD2 usually gets covered in poo or sick at some point every day (and night) and I'm pretty sure she still will two weeks from now. Added to that the certainty that DD1, in the absence of blackout blinds, will be rising with the sun... I just think it'll be hard work and I really don't want to upset other campers by having noisy kids on the site. What do you think?

definitely not suitable. I agree he should take your dd1 and go on their own.

I found camping with DS much easier when he was very little (I think we went when he was about 10 weeks- being b/f and in nappies made it easier. We weren't near anyone though so there were no worries about waking others plus I think he was a better sleeper then than he's ever been sicne

I wouldn't even think about it! I don't mind camping but not with a new baby. YANBU.

YANBU
For any number of reasons.
You won't be able to wash your hands properly.
Great idea for him to go with dd1.

7 week old, on a basic camp. No chance. Wouldn't be easy on a camp with facilities. But with a 7 week old baby ?

God no, YADNBU!!

I'm going on holiday at the end of Sept with my DH and DD, who will be 15 weeks old. We're hiring a self catering cottage and I'm still panicking! The thought of camping with a 7 week old is just horrendous! Stick to your guns and don't go.

Has anyone here saying YANBU actually camped with a young baby?

Because I have, and going from my experience I think the OP is being VU.

I camped when ds was 3 weeks, then 6 weeks, then 10 weeks last summer hols and it was one of the most relaxing holidays I've had. I also have a then 4yr old and a 5yr old with SN who doesn't sleep, so quite a lot to contend with on a normal day, but I still found it very easy indeed.

OP. Get a double sleeping bag and put it on a double camping mat. Unzip it all the way down and half-way across the bottom. Get in the non-zip end and wrap the top of the sleeping bag around you and under you. Sleep your baby on top of the inside of the side you are not sleeping on, dressed in a sleepsuit, a baby sleeping bag and an additional blanket or two if needed. When you need to feed, you just unroll a bit of your sleeping bag and place it over your baby. When finished take it off and tuck it back under your body.

Going camping with a 15 month old as we have been doing his summer, on the other hand, is to be utterly avoided.........

Oh, and we always go to basic campsites with no electric because they are cheaper and there is usually more space so other campers are less inconvenienced by my ds with sn.

I am a hardened camper, but no way on a very basic site with one that young, when both of mine were that young I was mostly sat gently weeping on the sofa, eating hobnobs and watching daytime shite.

I did take dd for the first time at 5 months and that was brilliant, she was so portable and pretty much slept all the time from all the fresh air.

YANBU.

I wouldn't go anywhere I couldn't have a daily shower/bath, or have hot water to wash my hands in, young baby or not.

Hence I have never been camping!

I'm also a hardened camper and have camped with children from the ages of 6 months upwards. Yes I haven't done it with a weeks old baby but from my experience, no, I still wouldn't do it.

Op what does your DH do with the children? Is it one of those relationships where you do everything and he blithely assumes doing everything must be easy - therefore this suggestion makes sense to him because its easy so can be easy anywhere?

If he's one of these types I read about occasionally on Mumsnet that do at least 50% of childcare when physically present to do so (day or night) as well as doing at least 50% of the thinking, planning, washing and packing that would go into going camping, then I think you need to ask him for five minutes and just have a chat about your concerns, if he contributes fairly to family life, he's probably the type of person who listens and takes your concerns on board.

Plenty of experienced campers have said no.

The OP doesn't want to.

Thats the end of the discussion IMO.

YANBU

Is he bonkers, or what?! YADNBU, camping with a 7 week old baby sounds like the stuff nightmares from hell are made from!
He needs to put what is best for the baby ahead of his own wants.
Go camping in a year or so when it won't be so much of a hassle and a lot more easier!

But Starlight the OP doesn't want to go - my response might be different if MIL was fortelling all manor of disasters should they go. I don't think going per se is wrong, but the OP knows the campsite, knows how much she will be expected to do (e.g. ds was nearly prem because I stupidly helped to take down a tent in a gale - but that tent is a two person job and no one else to do it), her baby etc. If the baby was older then no problem or if she was going in a big group and would be waited on, or if she was really keen then fine, but at that age I don't think she should feel obliged to go. We went camping for three weeks around Europe when did was 5 months so I know what is involved and would do it again - if I wanted to.

Good grief what a terrible idea.

If the OP doesn't want to go that is fair enough. However, the reasons she has given don't need to be a problem necessarily.

Having said that, one night when the baby fed nonstop and I'd pretty much had enough I woke up my dh and said - 'your turn' and he took the baby away from me for a walk around the campsite and rocked him back to sleep, and also took the baby and children away when they all woke in the morning to give me an extra hour plus on return cooking me a bacon sandwich and tea.

It does need a good partnership to work. But because dh does that kind of thing, it does feel like a big lovely family holiday iyswim, and I wouldn't have missed it.

It's a bit more stressful now going to sleep and waking every hour or so to an empty space where you last saw your 14month old.

I've never camped with a babe that young but it wouldn't put me off, especially if they are BF (I have camped with a tube-fed baby). And I have camped with small children in temperatures from just above freezing to 42oC!! They love it. Having just got back from a family festival I saw loads of people with tiny babies.

However this is YOUR choice. Why not compromise and look at campsites for next year with your OH? Then he can see you're not saying no, just not now.

I met a baby on a campsite that was half an hour old.

I went to our caravan, with ds2 , but he was quite a few months old, and still breastfeeding. I found it totally fine and loved it. But our caravan is more glamping than camping, with huge kingsized beds and pillows and duvets, awnings, and cadac bbq's, etc. Makes for a different experience.
OP, JUST SAY NO.

There is nothing wrong with camping, with a 7 week old. Per se.
IF, the mum wants to, is sorted, happy, and on the right site, with the right amenities.
Non of the above applies to OP.

YANBU X infinity.

That's the worst idea ever.

No way would I go. Sterilising, nappy changes etc