I am a first timer at camping and will be going next weekend with my 4 month old baby. Is it too cold for this time of the year and if not where will he sleep ? I have read other threads around this but still unsure. He is now too big for his moses basket and the travel cot does not fit in the sleep department of the tent. Any help would be great.
We have four children and I have taken the two youngest when they were 4 months old and 6 months but it was a bit later in the year, around July or August. I found it easier with the four month old as didn't need to worry about food etc and she was breastfed.
I slept with her on a double airbed and put her in a winter sleepbag (grobag) with a fleece sleepsuit and socks. I also put a cardi on her to keep her arms warm. Then I used blankets too (although I must admit I was afraid that she would overheat and slept fitfully as kept checking her but she never did!)
We also have an electric heater that we used - I would put in on in the morning before the children woke up (it does have a thermostat but I was a bit nervous about leaving it on all night).
I've taken my babies camping since they were weeks old, in April in Scotland. If you keep them warm (and they have no health problems) they'll be just fine. Ask the Health Visitor? If they don't know anything about camping they'll say no just in case. They always do when they don't really know.
I found the best way to keep them warm was to have them in with you and that goes x10 if you're breastfeeding. Have an extra wide airbed to yourself and a wide sleeping bag, tuck her into her normal night clothes and snuggle up. You'll need a fleece blanket to slung over your exposed shoulder while feeding though. Of course you have to follow the usual co-sleeping rules ie no alcohol or anything that would make you sleep too deeply. My OH likes a beer so he had his own bed.
Or if you don't fancy that, try and locate a good old fashioned carry cot, which is bigger than a Moses basket. Make sure you use a piece of insullation under it though, like a piece of cellular camping mat. If you get one with a seperate chassis then you can use it as a pram during the day. The Silver Cross ones were a good size. Ask around your friends with older kids...might be one in an attic somewhere.
I took our youngest at around 3 months on the late May bank holiday. It was one of those strange years, shorts and t-shirts during the day, then down to 3 or 4 degrees at night. It's been a few degrees warmer than that these last weeks. It's amazing what difference a degree or two can m make.
We put him in a travel cot, hat, vest, pj's, socks, winter gro bag, cardie, blankets under, blankets over. It really felt cold! He kept waking up and ended up in with us. We were used to co-sleeping anyway, if you're not then it's worth reading up on the guidelines. From that point he was fine & warm, we were still cold, but as I said it was a cold cold night. We had some spare foam mats, so we put him on them inbetween our airbeds.
If I were to do it again with a young baby, early in the season, I'd arrange to have the baby in with an adult from the start. Or at least have things in place that you can be flexible in the early hours. That baby happened to be a good sleeper at night, I think if it'd been a bit warmer he would've slept through. Who knows, sleeping in a tent must unsettle them for the first time.
I like Valks idea of the old fashioned carry cot. Get a foam camping mat (I don't think 3 season ones are that expensive) and use it underneath. Cut the foam mat in half for extra thickness,
I don't know how these
compare in size to a moses basket. May be worth a look. Again insulate with foam mats etc
Another thought about ickle ones at this time of year! They don't do body temp regulation very well, they do cool down quicker than us big ones and take longer to heat up. Both mine loved their bath or shower as part of their bedtime from very young & I kept it up when camping. In retrospect there were a few occasions it'd have been better not to have done.
Maybe if they do need a proper wash then get it out of the way early, if they don't then just stick to face and hands. get them into their base layer night clothes before the chill sets in. Then put outer clothes on top if they're still going to be up and maybe get mucky. That way when it comes to bedtime you don't need to completely unstrip them.
Of course you'll have to do the nappy several times but hopefully avoid them also getting cold on top all within the same period, If they do look chilly before bedtime then give them a good old snuggle against you, under your coat before putting them away for the night. However warm the bed it's much better to go there warm than cold,
My kids are now 7 & 4, I still get them into their Pj's earlier and let them stay up outside with jeans and jumper over the top. I'm 38 and do the same I put my merino base layers on, put my old combats & hoodie over the top, then bedtime I sleep in the nice warm merino wool layer.
we took our little one camping with us from an early age,unfortunately she didn't like grass,sand etc...but now loves it!!!we will soon be taking our other 9 month old little one for her first camping stint,we like the previous mummy,wrap them up in ,vest,fleece baby gro,cardiagn,thick baby sleeping bag/gro bag,even hat if really cold,and also sleep in with either one of us,mainly me because she too is breastfed.I too though slept fretfully thinking that she was either too cold,too hot etc...byut always slept soundly all night,the first couple of nights were fretfull though,probably ne wexperience etc...
I honestly wouldn't woryy about the cold,as long as they are in with you,getting your comfort and body heat etc...it wont be a problem,
I also at one point had a small mamas & papas travel cot (around £25),that fitted on top of my airbed when she was really young.it litterally just folded out like a box,about 30cms high,not sure if youve ever seen one,its a good idea though if you really dont want to sleep "with" your baby....hope I've been of some help to you!!xx
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Topic: Taking Baby 4 Months Camping
but hopefully avoid them also getting cold on top all within the same period, If they do look chilly before bedtime then give them a good old snuggle against you, under your coat before putting them away for the night. However warm the bed it's much better to go there warm than cold,
I put my merino base layers on, put my old combats & hoodie over the top, then bedtime I sleep in the nice warm merino wool layer.
