Festival camping with a baby - give me some advice!

[Gert2a]

Am soooooooooooooooooooooo excited! We've just booked tickets for the Beautiful Days Festival . We weren't going to go this year due to having our new DD. She'll be 4 months when we go.

What advice do you have for being at a festival with a baby?!

All advice very greatly received!

Good luck!!! I've never done a festival with mine as babies or toddlers come to that, but we have camped, my DD was about a year though, she slept in a travel cot in the tent and went to bed at normal routine time, I would say as a 4 month old she'll be more flexible?
Have fun

We took our DD to WOMAD last year when she was 5 months, and are currently packing for the same again this weekend :-)

Are you breastfeeding? That certainly makes life easier :-) Main things to think about I guess are transport and rain/sun - as always at a festival I guess! We took both a sling and an all-terrain type buggy with a good raincover, though luckily the weather was gorgeous so most of our problems were with hot sun and keeping cool...scarves and shawls are useful. Also took a beach-tent shelter type thing, which was good given the weather but a pain to move from one stage to another. The buggy was comfy enough for her to sleep in very happily, so we didn't really worry about bedtime, and just moved her from buggy to bed when we got back to the tent. A big tent that you can actually wheel the buggy into is a godsend if you have one or can borrow? We borrowed a mini paddling-pool (just a pound-shop one)from campsite neighbours and that was fantastic for washing DD in. I didn't think she'd need bathing much and was planning just to use wipes but the combination of suncream and dust meant she got filthy! You might want to think about ear protectors - ours are Peltor Kid - good for keeping little ears safe, though to be honest I didn't feel like getting up too close to the front with baby in tow anyway and she didn't like wearing them much.

You'll have a fab time! It was much easier than I expected... Any specific questions, just ask! :-) Now I'm just trying to imagine how different it's going to be this weekend with a 17 month old!!

Smosma thanks for the great advice!

Our plan of action is to just take the baby bjorn sling and no pram. As there will be two of us to carry DD I don't expect that to be a problem. Our only experience of festivals is in torrential rain (Beautiful Days 2007 and 2008!) so we're not even risking taking the pram in the mud!!

I was planning on just the wetwipe bath too, so will pack a washing up bowl for a bath!

And scarves and maybe a pop up shelter need to go on the list!

Am praying for warm overcast weather as I guess that will be easiest to cope with!

DD's ear defenders have been ordered, but like you I don't think we'll be going too near the front of any stage!

It's our first camping trip this weekend with DD, so we'll find out how she copes in a tent!

Roll on the festival - hope you have a grand time at WOMAD x

My tickets have arrived for Beautiful Days and I am starting to have 2nd thoughts. We've just got back from a group camp and I really struggled. I cannot decide what to do...I'd love some encouragement as we are meant to be going with friends and I don't want to let them down.
I have a 4 month old, 3 year old and nearly 5 year old.

I,m watching this thread with interest.Will be going to croissant neuf with 4 month old,plus 8,9,12 and 14 yr olds.Am single mum,don't know anyone else going.The older one's are a great help,but I may chicken out at the last minute if it looks like a very wet weekend...