WE've been asked to go camping with a group of friends - am I bonkers to consider going, seeing as :-

[MamaG]

1. I've never been before
2. DD (8) and DS (4) have never been before
3. I'll be 7.5 months pregnant?

see if you can get a camp bed rather than an air bed. at 7.5 months pg I don't think that I could have got up off the floor!

Your 8 and 4 year olds will think that they have fallen in God's Pocket. They will play and explore and will give you a bit of a breather.

How long for, and how far from home and for the love of god take a bucket with a lid of the middle of the night pees!

Long weekend, 3 hours-ish drive from home

Kids are "outdoorsy" so will thrive, I'm sure

Good tip about the camp bed (and the bucket!), thanks

If you do get a camp bed, use a thin foam mat on top, and a folded rug on top of that, as you will be cold otherwise (you lose heat 'under the bed if you don't insulate it IYSWIM)

Righto, thakns for that

You will have a fab time - just back from a weekend away with friends - the kids all played together all the time and mostly left us alone to soak up the sun and drink wine!

Just make sure your DP / DS is ready to do ALL the heavy work - putting tent up / down, etc. Have you got a folding picnic-type table with built in stools - great for sitting at while preparing food, as well as eating at! And stove on a atble or something if you are cooking so you don't have to bend down!

You will love it
Kids will love it

Key is warmth at night, don't scrimp on sleeping bags and lots of layers including underneath as MB says. We have airbeds and put rubber backed picnic blankets underneath and a massive quilted throw. Our car is rammo with blankets etc, we froze one night, never again!

Shall I tell you what we have, so far?

3 sleeping bags (good onces)
An ancient stove (30 years + old!) that we don't know whteher works yet
A pan set

Um
thats it

I'm storing up all the advice though, thank you!

I have a trailer full of camping stuff and DH is adamant he is NEVER ...repeat.... NEVER E V E R going camping again!! Shame you're not nearby and you could hook up and go!!

oh yes I forgot, you're posh Florida bears now aren't you!

He was never EVER in a million years going camping again before Florida, but it was the deciding factor when I was on my last ditch attempt to get him to the States!! He hates it, hates being cold, wet, creased up, other campers, etc etc etc. I have decided to camp alone...! Well with Maureen!

He's got ideas above his station now, I told him, you get back in that tent and be lucky mate.

Just been camping and used self-inflatable mats to sleep on. They were far,far more comfortable than inflatables and easier to put up. We got ours from Aldi for £9.99.

Take sleeping bags and a duvet for warmth and cosiness.

I try to take a couple of meals made at home and frozen. If you get a cool box you can plug in to the car it should keep them cool. It's really nice to have a home cooked chilli, or stew to eat with minimal effort.

Also take lots of baby wipes. They come in handy for all sorts of things.

Have a lovely time!

You and the kids will have a wonderful time, and as you have been invited by friends I am sure you will be OK. I would suggest however that you take the kids favourite foods with you. as campsite shops can be rather more expensive, also take all the outdoor toys you can fit in, bat's balls etc. Otherwise you end up having to fork out for stuff the kids have already got. As large a water container as you can handle is a must. and don't forget your can opener, bottle opener and a mallet.

I've recently returned from 3 nights camping at 8 months pregnant - GO!

It was lovely to "escape" and I almost forgot I was pregnant (went with OH and DD 17mths). Managed with an airbed - it did take a while to roll off onto knees and then lever myself up but it wasn't impossible.

I have been exhausted the past week, my mother is convinced it was the camping, I think it's just that I'm 38 wks preg with a 17mth old!

GO

GO

GO!!!!!

I've always found airbeds more comfy than camp beds personally, but if you'd rahter not be on the floor then a camp bed is the way to go.

I just spent two weeks camping abroad, with only a sleeping bag, no roll mat or airbed or pillow or anything, I would have gladly paid anything for something soft to sleep on by the end.

Make sure you take as much as you can to keep you comfortable. Some camping shairs would be good too as you're preggers.