Camping with a Baby

[super doody]

We're taking our 6 month old daughter for her first camping trip next weekend . Any tips or recommendations would be appreciated. My wife and baby will probably sleep on the bed and me on the roll over couch at least for the first night. We don't have a furnace so I'm buying at Little Buddy heater just in case. The temperature should be pretty mild since we are camping at Henry Coe in Morgan Hill.

 

[billharr]

We're taking our 6 month old daughter for her first camping trip next weekend . Any tips or recommendations would be appreciated. My wife and baby will probably sleep on the bed and me on the roll over couch at least for the first night. We don't have a furnace so I'm buying at Little Buddy heater just in case. The temperature should be pretty mild since we are camping at Henry Coe in Morgan Hill.

6 months is no problem, they are along for the ride. Get a CO2 detector and vent when you use the Little Buddy. Take some pictures of Henry Cole, driven by and always wondered what it was like.

 

[marty]

Make sure you have a good CO detector if you are going to use that heater and do not forget to open a vent.
Marty

 

[craig333]

My friends always took their small ones camping. Except for mom doing most of the work its always worked well. Might check this thread on Expo.

http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/forums/95-Family-Adventure-Planning

 

[brianjwilson]

I wouldn't use a cat heater at all with a baby. That is just asking for trouble. Yes I'd use one with my wife and I but not with a six month old. They are much more sensitive and I'd hate for you to take up to bad news.

 

[jha6av8r]

We started tent camping with our son at 8 weeks. He'll be 6 in June. We didn't have heater until we got the camper 16 months ago. We used snow suits for his sleeping bag for the first couple of years. We also packed along one of those small collapsible cribs. Get them out as often as you can. We're actually camped at Beal's Point on Folsom Lake right now. Yesterday my son said let's live in the camper. Have fun and enjoy.

 

[super doody]

Thanks for the tip guys. I may not even get the heater. It was just a though. But, if I do I will definitely have a CO detector installed plus I don't intend on have it on all night - just warming up the camper before bed and in the morning. She will sleep in a baby ski suit and sleep sack so she should be plenty warm.

 

[GBW]

We started camping last year when she was 3 months old. She just turned 1 a few days ago. We did a longer 10 day trip to Utah when she was 6 months old. We had a very small bassinet and put it at my wife's feet on the overhead. She's fairly short and both fit fine. I need the whole width of the bed to stretch out (6'3") It seemed to do the trick for us. She slept in a snow suit and blanket, she was more than warm enough.

My biggest issue was kid crap management. Her stuff filled most of the camper! We used a tupperware tub for her clothes. Make sure you bring a couple good plastic bags just in case there is a major poop blowout and no place to put the soiled dirty clothes. We were caught off guard with that one once or twice.

We had to search for a bit but we found a good wireless monitor. Most ends which go near the baby are 120V, we found one that had a 9V? maybe 12V?, whatever, it didn't need a 120V plug in. We could sit around the fire and just listen on the monitor to make sure she was alright.

Chairs - this is what we have. Its awesome - http://www.parentfail.com/duct-tape/#.U1AAbfmtHE4 Just kidding. The Chicco works really well, very versitile. I guess if you're not near a picnic table it might be an issue... I'm intrigued for what you might get or use. http://www.toysrus.com/buy/booster-hook-on-seats/chicco-caddy-hook-on-chair-red-62508.7-2265745 One night it snowed quite a bit, we used the Bumbo with a food tray attachment and set it on the upper bed. She could eat and play and we didn't have to worry about her falling.

Point of the story - It was definitely more work with her but rewarding nonetheless. Your first time will be a mess. Trust me. You'll get better as you keep camping and learn what to take and leave behind. Please do report back. I'm sure I could learn some tips as well.

 

[sportsman]

Your little one will probably do great. At 6 months we didn't bring much special for our daughter (we tent camped until buying a FWC when she was 1 year old). I would wear her in a sling or ergo carrier until we were ready to go to bed. Now that she is older sometimes we let her sleep in her chariot stroller. Once in the tent or camper, she sleeps between us in the elevated bed area. The hardest part of sleeping is the climate control for the little ones. We would start her in footed pajamas and then as temps dropped, add layers-- a north face fleece bunting, a sleep sack, a woolen hat, and in the winter or the desert a down bunting bag (I think it was patagonia - it was fabulous). Eventually I would end up using my sleeping bag like a quilt and snuggling with her.

We didn't routinely bring a highchair or pack 'n play, but preferred this when we needed to have her contained.

If your baby is warm, well fed and near her momma and daddy, she will be happy!

(sportman's wife)

 

[mtnras]

well versed in this area... 2 kiddos under two years old.

you can both sleep up top and then make a "pack n play" out of the bags and other stuff you've brought with you. it can essentially baricade them into an area, under the overcab bed. works well w/o having to bring any extra gear.

i agree... rarely need the heat... just bundle them up! sleep sacks work well!

enjoy!

m