Camping with 13 month old - bedding

[KoalasAteMyHomework]

Sorry if this subject has been done to death, but I've had a look through recent threads and couldn't find an obvious answer.

We are going camping and taking our 13 month old. We have a travel cot that will fit in the bedroom area of the tent, but I'm really worrying about bedding.

I can't seem to find any inflatable beds that are suitable, then all seem to be 18m+. So we are happy to take the travel cot but not sure what bedding to use? He normally sleeps in a grobag/baby sleep bag at home with the appropriate clothing combo underneath.

Would a 3.5tog be suitable for camping? Or will something like a slumbersac be better?

I've always had real anxiety over sleeping and follow the Lullaby Trust guidelines to the letter. I'm so paranoid about overheating etc, but equally don't want him freezing cold!

You probably want a baby sleeping bag. We used one for my DS at about this age in a campervan, it was pretty chilly at night.

This sort of thing but I got ours from Ebay I think.
www.gooutdoors.co.uk/15983510/pod-infants-sleeping-pod-space-15983510

Go with a fleecy onesie that you can put on him under a thick grobag, and put an extra blanket under the sheet, that'll help.

Basically, layer up, rather than adding too much.bedding. Make sure he's in his PJs before it gets too late as well, it'll stop him getting cold.

@KoalasAteMyHomework

Sorry if this subject has been done to death, but I've had a look through recent threads and couldn't find an obvious answer.

We are going camping and taking our 13 month old. We have a travel cot that will fit in the bedroom area of the tent, but I'm really worrying about bedding.

I can't seem to find any inflatable beds that are suitable, then all seem to be 18m+. So we are happy to take the travel cot but not sure what bedding to use? He normally sleeps in a grobag/baby sleep bag at home with the appropriate clothing combo underneath.

Would a 3.5tog be suitable for camping? Or will something like a slumbersac be better?

I've always had real anxiety over sleeping and follow the Lullaby Trust guidelines to the letter. I'm so paranoid about overheating etc, but equally don't want him freezing cold!

I used to take the winter grobags with sleeves until lo was 3 plus and outgrew. And lo had also had a bed jacket that was meant to be used over sleeveless sleeping bags. Lo was very toasty and slept with me on the blow up mattress. If you're taking the travel cot lo can sleep in there I presume.

Thank you everyone! I'll concentrate on layering up his clothes under the grobag then, I think.

Ds as a baby wore hat and mittens for camping in Scotland even in August!!

When are you going? It's amazing how cold it can get at night towards the end of August when you're sleeping on the ground.

Another thing you can do is insulate under the travel cot, if that's an option. Blankets, coats, anything really.

We are actually going next weekend, but plan to do trips throughout the warmer months of the year. So I know from past experience it'll get pretty cold, have just never camped with the kids before!

I'll put some blankets under the cot as well then.

I know I'm being overly anxious. I worry at home all the time, even with a room thermometer, clear cot, firm mattress etc so am just a bit nervous about it all in an environment I can't control, especially keeping him warm without being too hot, as he does get sweaty easily.

DS slept in the sleepyhead grande on an air bed in long sleeved vest, sleep suit, cardigan and 2.5 bag and was perfect temp

Head covering - for everyone! It can get really cold at night, even in the height of summer so make sure you don't get cold. Take beanie hats for you all, better to have them than not.

It's important to protect yourself from the cold floor. So blow up beds aren't great as the cold comes straight from the ground, through the cold air in the mattress. You're better off using special camping mats which have a special layer to protect against the cold floor. So with a travel cot, make sure you stuff stuff underneath it to stop the cold air from the ground.

Mine sleep in a Vest, long sleeve pj's, zip up hoodie and 2 blankets (or sleeping bag and fleece blanket).

Make sure you put layers on early in the evening so they don't get cold. Once you're cold it's very hard to get warm again!

Sorry, don't want to be rude, but hoods aren't recommended for small babies, suffocation risk

They can wear a hat though.

Well.. Not sure that's actually recommended tbh, small hats, maybe.

Hoods definitely not. Which is why I said hoods.

I Co-slept with my son when he was little as it meant I could monitor him and he also slept longer. It can get very cold when camping and I felt better having him next to me.

If you have a foam play mat, the jigsaw type mats, you can put that in the floor if your tent. It will make a nice soft floor and insulate all of you from the ground, keeping the bedroom pod warmer.

When our youngest was about that age, we put them in a fluffy sleep suit over their normal sleep suit and long sleeved vest, and put thick socks on. We then used their winter sleeping bag from home and he slept on the mattress with me.

Thanks everyone for the replies!

We had a sleepsuit with padded arms last autumn to go under normal sleeping bags (2.5tog and 1 tog worn together) and a blanket. This year we have a 3.5 bag with arms from Jojo Maman Bebe. No idea what she’s gonna sleep on though cos she’s grown out of the camping cot!

I couldn't get hold of fleecey sleepsuits etc in time in the end. And the foam mats didn't fit in the car So we went with stuffing things under the travel cot then a blanket under his sheet. And I dressed him in a long best, pjs and got a sleep snuggler from JoJo Maman Bebe which is a sleeping bag with arms legs and little booties. It meant I could basically put him in the sleeping bag/snuggler before it got chilly, and he could still move about until bedtime. It mostly worked but he did get cold on the second night from underneath.

We are getting a pop up travel cot that sits on the floor with no gap for our next trip, and hopefully some insulating mats/foil backed picnic mats too. He wasn't super cold, despite it being a damp and chilly night, but I think we can do better next time!

@Skigal86 is she big enough for one of those ready beds yet? They are from 18 months old. We are getting the Arc 2 travel cot which is on sale on the LittleLife website at the moment for our next trip. DS just isn't big enough and too wriggly for an air bed or camp bed for me to be comfortable with him using one.

Long sleeve vest, not best. Sorry for the typo.

@KoalasAteMyHomework not sure, we were looking at the kids airbeds in aldi which had sides on it the other week but they’d sold out by the time I got there. Our tent isn’t massive so need to think about that. Our camping cot was the little life twin arc (think the arc 2 is the newer version), we got ours off marketplace for £15!

£15! Bargain! I know Argos do those ready bed things - basically an air bed with the sheet sewn on top. I think Intex and Kampa do junior air beds with sides but have no idea what ages they are for or a price. Most are too big for my DS so didn't look into them much. I hope you find something!