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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

Camping with baby when she arrives are we mad?

51 replies

skyra13 · 14/01/2015 15:12

Me and DH started camping last year.
DH still wants to go camping this year when baby is born I am due April and due to husband being a teacher we can only have holidays in term time so looking to holiday in July and August.
Little one will be around 3 to 4 months are we mad taking a newborn?
What on earth do you take an let them sleep in?
Can not co-sleep as we have a raised camp bed, we have been given a bassinet that is raised would that be a good thing for her to sleep in!
Hoping breast feeding will be going well by then so won't have to worry to much about bottles an things!
Any one else been camping with a new born? any advice?
We will be in a tent along with our dog to......we must be insane lol

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

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ThinkIveBeenHacked · 14/01/2015 15:15

I wish id gone when DD was that age! We waited and waited and now she is three and we still havent camped since pre dc days.

Even if she isnt BFing, pick up a few boxes of ready made milk in the bottles and just bin them when done. Only thing is you would need a good few (DS is 3mo and drinks 6oz per feed, 5 times a day, so to match that would be ten mini bottles a day).

I dont have a dog so I cant comment there.

Bassinette fine - maybe bob to Mext and get some zip up fleece onesies to put on over her jim jams, then a Grobag over the top.

ThinkIveBeenHacked · 14/01/2015 15:16

Next not Mext!!

Number3cometome · 14/01/2015 15:17

That sounds amazing!!

Just be cautious of all the usual carbon monoxide issues, get a small travel cot perhaps?

The fresh air and outdoors will be amazing for baby and you'll have a great time!

Original poster

skyra13 · 14/01/2015 15:21

Fleece onesies sound like a great idea!! I like the idea of the pop up bassinet but would need to have it raised!

OP posts:

WilsonWilsonWoman · 14/01/2015 15:26

Sounds great, go for it!

ILiveOnABuildsite · 14/01/2015 15:45

I agree should be fine. I'm due in April too and we have a couple of camping trips booked already for the July/August period as we normally go with dd(3). Although one thing to remember is that when baby wakes in the night, the people set up next to you will probably hear baby too so worth mentioning this when booking your spot, we were guaranteed spots where our tent won't be too near too many others so as to not bother too many people in the night.

ILiveOnABuildsite · 14/01/2015 15:48

Oh and we used the pop up bassinet too when dd was newborn and we will be using it again this summer it's great. Might want to consider getting a couple of fleece sleep suit now for the size you will need in summer as I don't remember there being many fleecy ones available in the summer months.

ILiveOnABuildsite · 14/01/2015 15:55

One last thing. Even if you are not bf by then don't worry too much because you can either do as thinkivebeenhacked said or you can buy bigger (empty) disposable bottles (Tommee Tippy I think) and some cartons of ready made formula. The bigger bottles are very similar in shape/size and teat shape to the standard bottles a 3-4 month bottlefed baby would be used to. They come ready to use (sterilised) and completely disposable.

Original poster

skyra13 · 14/01/2015 15:56

ILiveOnABuildsite were about do you normally go camping?

I am thinking of maybe doing a trial run weekend away before we do a long trip we need to downside we take far to much!

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Highlandbird · 14/01/2015 16:00

We've always taken our guys camping, took youngest when 12 weeks old, I had him in my own 'room' of the tent in the Moses basket next to me, and DH, 2year old DS and dog in the other 'room'.
Just don't have high expectations, but we've always had a great time and have been lots, younger babies are great as all they need is boob and nappies, and to be warm enough. You will have a great time!

stubbornstains · 14/01/2015 16:00

She will probably still fit in a Moses basket at 3-4 months, no?

I too am considering this: DS2 due on 31st May, and am pondering a camping trip in September. To France, possibly. On my own, possibly with baby and 5 year old.....and you think you're mad! .

All I can say is that, from past experience, camping or any kind of travelling is much easier with an immobile baby than with a toddler.

Original poster

skyra13 · 14/01/2015 16:02

We currently have a 4 man tent room at back for bed we have a double camp bed so I am hoping we are able to fit either Moses basket or bassinet next to it!

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Original poster

skyra13 · 14/01/2015 16:06

I am also a little worried about keep other people awake if she wakes of a night!

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stubbornstains · 14/01/2015 16:12

I wouldn't worry about that. Teeny little newborn cries aren't that loud to anybody but you , compared to what a load of galumphing 8 year olds can get up to directly outside your tent at 7.30 in the morning! (Or what a load of galumphing 28 year olds can get up to directly opposite your tent at 1 in the morning, for that matter. Whoops, I've just put myself off camping again...)

CornishCreamPuff · 14/01/2015 16:15

We went camping in August when DS was 6 months. Like you, I had been camping pre DC. Problem is, we camped somewhere too remote and we were well away from the car so not too flexible. As it is, the wind came up, and sucked all the warmth out of the air.
We had a travel cot, and a sheepskin sleeping bag, wool onesie and a snowsuit but it was too cold. In the middle of the night I woke up to the sound of high pitched moaning - turns out my DS was actually blue :-(
We haven't been camping since...

ILiveOnABuildsite · 14/01/2015 16:19

We're in Devon so we normally go either to Cornwall a couple of times in the summer and a longer break on the Isle of Wight. We like to camp where there is a beach nearby. Also not too far to drive too, which is great.

NickyEds · 14/01/2015 16:24

If you enjoy camping this might actually be quite a good age. We called 3-6 months our "purple patch" because any feeding issues are usually sorted one way or another and teething and sleep regressions haven't usually started! It would be infinitely harder with my one year old.
The only thing that I wouldn't be sure of was having the dog there. You'd need somewhere to keep them safely separate. Also, they have immunisations at 12 weeks so remember those before you book anywhere.

Original poster

skyra13 · 14/01/2015 16:39

I am hoping to get baby in somthing high up so it is level with the camp bed as its a high camp bed, the dog usually sleeps under it so maybe a pack and play would be good for little one to sleep in x

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butternut22 · 14/01/2015 16:50

I camped when ds was 6 months. He was in a travel cot and fleece onesies. Tbh I found it really hard work and not enjoyable but it was at a festival which made it harder and he was weaning so will prob be easier at a proper campsite and breast feeding xxx

sleepybee · 14/01/2015 17:37

Can baby sleep overnight in a carrycot on pram? The pram I've ordered says it can be used for overnight sleeps

Original poster

skyra13 · 14/01/2015 17:42

The annoying thing is my pram said not suitable for overnight sleeping
Checked the carry cot instructions today seems odd as they can sleep in it in the day! As the bottom is hard an sides says not enough ventilation for baby!

I did just get out the bassinet we were given its a graco petite bassinet seems it would be ideal to put next to our camp bed of a night and its high up. The hood is broken if I can fix that then would be able to get a mossie net over the top to :)

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ThinkIveBeenHacked · 14/01/2015 17:51

You could also fill a hot water bottle and put it in the underneath part of the basinette( assumig its a travel cot with a raised part near the top?) - heat rises an all.

Luckily by then LO will probably be having longer sleeps, but not in so much of a routine that the later nights cause issues.

Original poster

skyra13 · 14/01/2015 17:54

That is a good idea yes it has the raised part so LO will be in that part may store nappies in the bottom :)

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IAmAPaleontologist · 14/01/2015 17:54

pop up travel cots are great for camping, you can get the fully enclosed one so when they get a bit bigger and start rolling you can zip them in and sit out with a glass of wine knowing that the baby is safe. i used to drape a bit of blackout lining over the top to avoid dawn wake ups!

VivaLeBeaver · 14/01/2015 18:05

I camped with dd when she was 8 weeks and then when she was 4 months we went and camped in Switzerland for a couple of months. No ehu either! Must have been mad.

A friend had given me a 1970s plastic fold down Moses basket which we used, never seen anything like it before or since but I reckon a Moses basket or bassinet would be fine.

She slept in a vest, fleece onesie and grobag. Remember to be careful that she doesn't get too warm either!

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