Tips wanted for camping with an 8 week old

[shipsladyg]

Do you have any tips for going camping with an 8 wk old baby? We camp quite a lot but aren't really sure what modifications we'll need for a small person. We've got a big family tent with an awning and are going to a proper camp site (we decided she was a bit small to try out our wilderness hiking and camping experience)

e.g. Do we need a travel cot, or would she better off on a thermarest like us and in the pod of our tent? Would her normal sleeping bags be OK with a blanket to suit?

We've got a travel steriliser (although she's BF at mo), I've got an assortment of slings and she's happy having showers with us... Is there anything else I need to consider?

I'm thinking our ancestors probably did something similar once upon a time, so it shouldn't be too hard.

My tip - DON'T DO IT.

Sorry, shouting was excessive.

I still say don't so it though.

Hmmph...maybe if I could type better, my opinion would have more clout.

Took ds when he was 12 weeks, tbh I didn't enjoy it at all, couldn't really relax and join in with the others, as I had to spend a lot of time feeding ds.
He slept in his moses basket, on an airbed to keep him off the ground, with a grobag and various blankets.
Hope you have a much better time than I did

We're going with friends who are taking their 16wk old so at least I won't have too much of a FOMO (fear or missing out). They're seasoned campers too.

We don't have a moses basket - and TBH LO is a very long baby. She's already outgrown her pram so I doubt she'd fit in a basket.

I'm thinking her bouncer and playmat might be useful things to take too.

We'll only be about 1-2 hours from home so we have the option to bail out if needed (e.g. if it peeees down the whole time)

We took ds's when ds1 was 16months and ds2 was 5 weeks. We camped in France for 2 weeks and it was brilliant The 5 week old slept in his carrier from the pram with blankets layered, and hat if night was too cool. He was EXBF so very easy. The 5 week old really wasn't a problem at all, IMO the easiest time to take them. So all we needed for baby was: nappies, cotton wool, babygrows, couple of jumpers, muslins, blankets, carrycot, and the VI sling so can carry baby whilst having a drink/meal in a pub, country walk (basically anything!)and bouncy chair. A baby shouldn't really stop you from doing much IMO, they're very easy at that age (unless colic etc).

You'll be fine then if you're going with someone else with a baby. I was the only one, and dp offered no support (but that's another story)

It will never be easier than now. DD2 was 9 weeks when she first went, now 14 weeks. We have tried carrycot (too small for her - kept waking herself up by hitting sides) travel cot (not good on my back and CS scar) so this time she will be sleeping in an under-bed drawer (collapsible thing from ikea made of fabric - with the top undone)

This will be on a SIM and she will have lots of layers - vest, babygro, growbag, blankets. Adjust as needed. When napping during the day remember tents get very hot, but at night it can be pretty cold. No hats due to risk of overheating, and socks on hands as they are little ice blocks otherwise.

Once she is more mobile, we will take the travel cot again.

I sleep in with her as also EXBF.

How good is your baby at sleeping?

Second the bouncer tip. Essential at this age.

God you lot are so brave.

ooo.. i like the drawer idea (although initially conjured up a strange mental image!!!)

she's not too bad at night so far. daytime however is sling only

My dad slept in a drawer for several months apparently - a triplet born nearly 80 years ago mind.

Even at 9 weeks DD needed a bit of reassurance as she knew she was not at home - much easier to get them used to it at this age though - DD1 was a nightmare at 18 months saying 'wassat' at every bloomin noise!

we took dd at six months or so, was fine. we took her hammock to keep her off the ground, and her highchair was a bit of a godsend as well.

My children have slept in drawers when visiting people
My aunt got the laundry basket as her twin already had the crib

I would just sleep on a mat on the floor with the baby. Its what I do with my 15 month old

If you're going with other adults, it's really not too difficult, as there are extra hands to help put up tents, only one person need cook etc.

A UV sunshade might be useful (optimstic, me) for naps outside during the day as tents can be very airless and stuffy. Though I guess there's always some shade around.

Hope that you have a good time.

STAY AT HOME.

B&B

To be honest, quite aside from the obvious hassle which is kind of an each-to-their-own issue anyway, I am quite sure that I would be terrified of the SIDS risk with an 8 week old baby in a tent.

Dependant on weather conditions obviously, but we all know how changeable that can be.

I have terrible memories of waking up early hours of the morning in a tent sweating and feeling drowsy & faint from the heat on warm summer nights.

Whatever the weather - it is just so hard to regulate the temperature at all in a tent - is it not?

Or has technology moved on in this department?!?!?

Hiya,
We went camping when DD was 10 weeks last year. It was great - I didn't feel as if I missed out on too much as we were with other families with toddlers so all of us had quite early nights in preparation for early starts!

DD slept in her normal winter sleeping bag with sleepsuit and long-sleeved vest and a cardigan on top. I put her right next to me as was bf a lot and had my sleeping bag open (I wore a button through pj set and cardy to keep out the drafts!). For naps I put her in her pram or carried her in the sling as was worried the tent got too hot during the day.

I found her bouncer really useful and a big picnic rug for her to roll around on (she discovered rolling the day before we went ) and found the other adults great for helping out so I could eat with two hands, and grab showers etc. The sling was brilliant for getting out and about - we have a brilliant array of pics of DD asleep at various different locations around norfolk!

One thing I found useful was having a slightly larger waterproof that would do up around me and DD in the sling. Hopefully you won't need it thought

Think thats about all I can remember for now will be back if I remember anything else we found useful.

Have fun!

EverythingsRosie sorry to hear that you've had bad camping experiences. Tents need not be stuffy - even twenty five years ago when the technology was a whole lot more primitive. I don't think I've over/under heated whilst camping except when I built & slept in my first bivouac one snowy February and I'd worn too many clothes in my survival bag, got sweaty and as a result got a chill. Obviously I've only made that mistake once!

RunningMonkey - excellent idea about the waterproof. Very wise.

we've taken our 3 camping ever since they were babies (youngest we took was 10 weeks old at the time) and it was a great experience. We took DS's carrycot off the pram and used that for him to sleep in at night next to our airbed so he was safe and warm. Take mittens as little hands get cold camping at night. Take hot water bottles as if you're getting up for a night feed you yourself might get cold and its a bugger to get back to sleep in a tent if you're cold. Also I would recommend spare blankets (although you may not need them) for baby.

It'll be great and you'll have a fab time.

My DD was 8 weeks last year. She was a star and easily the most well behaved child out of the 4 of them. She slept on a thermorest - she didn't move at all! She was in the sleeping bag from the buggy (we have a Phil & Teds). Sling was useful but I wouldn't worry about going, as long as she is a good sleeper otherwise you might not be that popular with the other campers

I took DS at 8 weeks, and loved it. You need a nice comfy chair for yourself in case you're up in the night.

I used a travel cot with a sheepskin fleece underneath the baby, then grobag and blankets as necessary.

I remember arriving, DH set me up a chair and an umbrella/sunshade, and I sat and fed DS while DH put up the tent on his own.