Active discussions

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Pregnancy

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

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?
Set a reminder
AndHarry · 14/01/2015 18:15

We took DS camping when he was 4 months old and it was fine, much easier than a toddler. We did slightly overpack, including a spare tent for all his stuff Blush but it was the best sleep he had for the next 10 months.

BirdintheWings · 14/01/2015 18:25

Like a PP, we took one of ours at 12 weeks. it was fine.

if you always have to holiday at that time of year, will you have another 3-month-old at next year's campsite?

Original poster
skyra13 · 14/01/2015 19:29

Haha we may well have another at next years camp site :P

OP posts:
Original poster
skyra13 · 14/01/2015 19:30

Can anyone who goes camping recommend any good sites they visit in south of UK?

OP posts:
YvesJutteau · 14/01/2015 19:38

What do you look for in a campsite? "Good" means different things to different people...

Re: camping with a baby, the temperature is the thing that's the problem -- keeping the baby neither too hot nor too cold is more of a challenge in a tent than in an insulated centrally-heated house. Lots of carefully-thought-out layers and you should be fine, though.

TheScenicRoute · 14/01/2015 19:38

OMG, I wouldn't dream of it. Last time I camped I got SO cold at night, I wouldn't be. Able to rest all night checking babies temperature after that experience. I will definately be going when my babies can self regulate their own temperature though.

stubbornstains · 14/01/2015 19:39

Lower Milton campsite nr Wookey Hole (Somerset).

The Barge Inn nr Devizes in Wiltshire (caution, comes with possible party animal warning- it is a pub, after all).

Runnage Farm nr Postbridge on Dartmoor.

Noongallas nr Gulval nr Penzance in Cornwall.

....But these are all to my taste- cheap, hardly any facilities, campfires allowed. You have been warned Wink.

Dogsmom · 14/01/2015 19:47

My dd was born early march and we were away at our caravan with her for most weekends from April - November, it was really easy, she slept like a dream but did so at home too.
The next year was much more of a problem when she was 14 months+ because she was mobile, a much lighter sleeper and wouldn't stay on the bed, we managed 4 hours then came home and booked a week in a static caravan where she could have her own room!

Original poster
skyra13 · 14/01/2015 19:53

We like smaller sights with electric hook up do favour sheltered sites when we have been really enjoyed being in the forest!

OP posts:
stubbornstains · 14/01/2015 19:55

Re: temperature: I seem to remember going to a festival in Devon when DS was 5 months old (although I did have a camper van at the time- RIP Sad), and there was a horribly, unseasonably cold night.

I remember shivering under every cover I could find, whilst gazing in perplexity at DS in his Moses basket, similarly rugged up, yet snoozing peacefully and appearing (and feeling) perfectly warm.

He's still like that, though- he had to be admonished for flinging all layers off and charging round the school playground in his polo shirt yesterday, in a balmy 5 degrees Grin.

HelenaJustina · 14/01/2015 20:01

We started camping when DC3 was 15months. Now that is an interesting age... But camped the following year when DC4 was 8 weeks and it was the easiest it has ever been. We went in the UK in August with friends. She still fitted in the Moses basket so we just popped her in that. She had a long feed at 8ish, went down, fed at about 2am and then woke up when the others did at 6.30am ish.

She napped in the pushchair so we could get around easily. And was generally extremely chilled about the whole experience.

I would advise booking a short/long weekend somewhere first for a trial run before committing yourselves to a week or more.

ToriB34 · 14/01/2015 20:05

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
skyra13 · 14/01/2015 20:26

It is doable seems it is easier also at this age!

We are planning a trial run somewhere not to farm from home maybe a month before just to see how it goes.

OP posts:
AndHarry · 14/01/2015 20:36

Depends what you mean by 'good' but I love Heaven Farm in Sussex, which is basic but gorgeous with free-range animals and have also been recommended Sandy Balls, which is holiday-park style.

AndHarry · 14/01/2015 20:39

X-post. Heaven Farm is in the middle of Ashdown Forest and you can opt for a pitch with an electric hook-up.

Original poster
skyra13 · 14/01/2015 21:38

The heaven farm looks good not sure if can take dog though! We went camping in the forest last year not far from ashdown it was lovely, we live In Maidstone area so anywhere south of that is handy for a short stay or even Essex x

OP posts:
Original poster
skyra13 · 15/01/2015 07:20

Thanks to all who have helped me with this it has been handy to find out what others would do. never though it would be such a popular thread x

OP posts:
colleysmill · 15/01/2015 07:27

We took ds2 in our camper van away for four nights when he was barely 6 weeks old last April and it was fine with ehu. In fact he was almost too warm one night and we ditched a layer or two of blankets but kept the fan heater on (for me!)

silversixpence · 15/01/2015 07:30

We camped when DD was about 4 months in June, we had a Vango baby sleeping bag and she was warm enough at night. I was breastfeeding so it was easy to feed her and we carried her in a sling.

Original poster
skyra13 · 15/01/2015 07:31

We have a little halogen heater might invest in a fan one feel it might be safer to leave on of a night! :)

OP posts:
colleysmill · 15/01/2015 07:36

Ours has a little thermostat so it clicks off and on throughout the night - wasn't particularly expensive tenner maybe?

Original poster
skyra13 · 15/01/2015 08:06

I shall have a look out for one, think we need to invest in a bigger roof box lol

OP posts:
Plateofcrumbs · 15/01/2015 08:10

In my experience camping, the overnight temperature can vary wildly on a single night, so I'd be inclined to use blankets so you can add/remove layers easily at night without waking your baby.

If you end up bottle feeding, use Milton tablets to sterilise bottles.

Original poster
skyra13 · 15/01/2015 08:12

I found when we stayed down south it was warmer of an evening, we went to Lincolnshire last august as a family member owns a camp site up there and it did really drop of a night up there.

OP posts:
geekymommy · 15/01/2015 18:47

I wouldn't do this anywhere where you're likely to encounter dangerous animals like dingoes, bears, or mountain lions. But you've never had dingoes or mountain lions, and I'm pretty sure the UK doesn't have bears either.

Swipe left for the next trending thread