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Camping

Our UK Camping forum has all the information you need on finding the right equipment for your tent or caravan.

Original poster

Camping with a 6 month old

14 replies

FatimaLovesBread · 20/01/2013 13:35

DH and I follow a sport that involves weekends away and camping.
We would like to go to an event in May and take our DD but not sure whether we should camp with her or book in to a Travelodge 3 miles up the road.
We will be going with my DSis and her DH so if we did stop off-site we wouldn't be able to have meals etc with them.

Does anyone have experiences of camping with a 6 month old? Is it doable? What equipment would we need for her?

OP posts:
sumrandomgirl · 20/01/2013 15:59

I did once, an it was fine, I didn't have electric hook up either,
Bottles were given cold at night and I did worry bout other campers due to crying but all went dine. U could maybe get pitches away from other campers, but if ur baby is sleeping through there is no reason why they shouldn't when camping, I used the Moses basket in the tent for sleeping and just made sure baby was wrapped well.
As for during the day things ran pretty much the same as they did at home,
If you have a easy doing baby then all will be fine,
Personally I think baby's respond to how relaxed you are, if your panicy an tense then they won't settle , I loved it.

PeneloPeePitstop · 20/01/2013 16:04

I camped with DD at three months and it's far easier than when they're older!

I have a fabulous vango mummy style baby sleeping bag... Reminds me I must eBay it!

TinyDiamond · 20/01/2013 16:05

We did. Look into the samsonite pop up travel cot. Dd fit into that until 7 months. There's loads on eBay x

PeneloPeePitstop · 20/01/2013 16:06

Oh, and travel cots are good, as they are off the ground you have no issues with the cold 'leeching' from the ground.

Original poster
FatimaLovesBread · 20/01/2013 17:21

Sorry should have said, she's currently EBF so we're hoping she still will be then so that will help on the bottle front. She'll be 6 months that weekend so will only just be starting weaning.

Is a pop up style travel cot better than a traditional style one? Would you put a pop up one on a matress thingy to reduce the cold? She's in a Moses basket at the moment and her pram has a carrycot bit but not sure whether she'll still fit in them.

I've done a bit of googling and had a look at the Vango baby sleeping bag, will this be better than a Gro Bag and blankets?
If you do eBay it, PM me a link Smile

OP posts:
TinyDiamond · 20/01/2013 20:26

no not better just much smaller and packs down tiny for travel. normal travel cots are massive

attheendoftheday · 20/01/2013 20:33

We took dd camping at 8 weeks, it was fine. We didn't bother with a travel cot, she slept on an Ikea sheepskin and seemed comfy.

gemma4d · 20/01/2013 21:07

Don't try and co-sleep on 2 single airbeds pushed together. They will separate leaving a dangerous gap and you will get hardly any sleep and lie rigidly and very uncomfy all night.

AttentionToDetail · 20/01/2013 21:23

Hi. We did a lot of camping with my DS from 4 months onwards. We have a campervan and awning which is slightly different but have always had a good experience. He slept in his pram carrycot to start with then on a hammock bed in the van (until he could climb out of it...). We just used lots of layers (fleecy grows are good) and grow bags and blankets - just make sure you take plenty of clothes - my DS spat up milk all the time so needed a lot of changes! I did buy a pop up cot (little life arc travel cot) and found it really useful for him during the day for naps - esp for keeping him in the shade - but it was too big to put up in the van. Friends of ours also used the same one in their tent for their DS to sleep in - it has a matress in it but could also put it on top of more blankets to stop the cold. I also used mine at home in the summer and he would nap in the garden - but past 12 months he wouldn't settle in it.
Other things I found useful was a fold up seat with a tray for eating and a sling.
Hope this helps!

ATD

OneMoreGo · 24/01/2013 20:49

As others have said it is far easier than when they are toddlers and children! I took a travel cot and stuck DS in a fleecy all in one, then a gro bag, then tucked him in with blankets. On top of a sheepskin or fleecy blanket. He slept pretty well. Also hung a bouncy thing that you normally hang in the doorway in the trees near the tent, with a cushion underneath. he liked that a lot Grin

blondefriend · 06/02/2013 21:45

We took my ds when he was 7 months old and 100% tube-fed. We also had our 2+3 dd and were with other families (2x 2yr old, 1x8mth and 1x 6mth) and they all loved it. I would definitely recommend a fleecy all-in-one, we had a great Hatley one which was worth every penny. We camp all the time and have never used a travel cot. We take a small duvet and fold that under the kids to help keep them warm. Then in a gro-bag and lots of blankets. On occasion when it's got cold in the early hours then I've pulled them under my duvet with me.

If you're weaning then take lots of Ella's kitchen pouches. They're just the easiest by far when on holiday.

mybabywakesupsinging · 10/02/2013 23:14

DD went in April at around that age. Lovely weather in the day time but very cold when feeding at 11pm - definitely over-ventilated...
We found layers were the way forward - I think she wore vest, tights, thick babygro, cotton top, fleece all-in-one, gro-bag, woolly hat. We sleep on mats so she goes in between me and DH (the tent heating system). She was fine, has been loads of times since, and still loves it. Plus as she spends all night poking me in the eye I can tell if her hands are cold.
To be honest that year (immobile) was much easier than last year, when she ran everywhere and anywhere, or as an older baby weaning.
Someone on here suggested using a cosy toe as an extra layer which sounds like a great idea.

FloJo151 · 11/02/2013 08:08

all great ideas here
I tried a normal travel cot with ds1 and it was awful as anytime he woke up i had to get out of my bed and stand up (well stoop!) and lean over to him. It was freezing! With ds2 we got on of those samsonite bubble pop up cots which lasts til they nearly 2. This was great as i draped some black out material over the top so it was nice and dark and i could lay my mattress right next to him and if he woke in the night i could just stretch out my hand or easily pull him into bed with me. i put the pop up cot on some folded up blankets and a camp mat so it wasnt right on the floor.
Again would emphasize the need for layers and a fleecy sleep suit thing.
Would recomend some kind of seat thing if weaning has already started but you could just sit them on yours or someones lap. puches etc would be much easier than homemade stuff as you dont need to keep it frozen/cold till you need it.
Also think about the buggy you have and if it would cope with a boggy field!!!!! A sling /carrier might be a useful thing to take.

As someone else said camping when they are'nt mocle is soooooooo much easier than when they are walking about everywhere!!!
Have fun

seeker · 11/02/2013 08:11

I camped a lot when mine were little. Just tuck him in bed with you. Don't bother with any extra equipment!

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