The appearance of a child in the family is always accompanied by dramatic changes in lifestyle, schedule and habits. Many completely abandon their hobbies and other favorite things, as they are difficult to combine with a childcare schedule. Or maybe not?
Of course not! You should not forget about your hobbies. Moreover, you can easily accustom a new member of your family to your lifestyle from a very young age.
That is why we decided to write 12 tips for camping with your baby for those couples who cannot imagine their life without camping and want to continue doing this with their child. So, let's go!
Before you go on a trip for a long time to a remote place for the first time, it is better to practice somewhere close to civilization or even just put up a tent in your backyard and spend the night in it. You can have a lot of experience in camping in locations with different levels of difficulty, but with a child, it’s not worth the risk. A problem can occur at any time, and it is much easier to solve it in your backyard than in the mountains or forest.
A small child cannot regulate his body temperature well, like an adult. Therefore, when planning a trip, you need to take into account the weather and time spent in nature. You need to know that young children do not tolerate heat and cold. Therefore, you should refuse to travel on hot days of summer or rainy autumn. You also need to limit your outings to a maximum of a few days, in case the child is poorly tolerated by such conditions.
Keeping a distance will help you not only feel alone in nature (if you camp not far away from home) but also save you from possible conflicts with neighbors who do not have plans to listen to children's crying at 2 a.m. If you don’t have such an opportunity, then you should talk to your neighbors and warn them about a small child.
Baby camping gear can make your stay in nature much easier, especially if you are traveling alone and there is no one else to look after your child. Baby sleeping bag, a child carrier, a child playpen, a portable booster will come in handy. You can read more about these and other baby gear in our Baby Camping Gear article.
It is better to take more than less. Diapers are indispensable for any trip. Therefore, it is better not to save on them, so that later you do not have to return for them or, in the worst case, finish the trip.
If you usually buy diapers in large packs (most likely it is, since it is more profitable) and do not want to take one of these packs with you, then you need to think about buying a less bulky pack especially for traveling.
We will not focus on diaper sizes and characteristics, just consider the possible packaging options.
A very convenient version of the diaper kit, in which the name speaks for itself. The pack is not very large, but it will be enough. Such diapers have several advantages: natural cotton, naturally ultra-absorbent, hypoallergenic ingredients, no harmful chemicals. That is why you can protect your baby's delicate skin with gentle and all-natural ingredients.
Another set of 31 diapers for young campers. These diapers will also do their job perfectly even in the wildest place. The main advantages:
1. Nightlock Plus - locks away wetness, even overnight. Such diapers protect baby from leaks.
2. Wetness indicator - always know when your baby needs a diaper change. Diapers are also super soft on baby's skin for a comfortable feel.
3. 3 absorption areas - diapers also have large stretch tabs and a wide fastening area to help make diaper changing time easier too.
4. Leakguard core - Keeps baby's skin dry with triple leak guard. The wide fastening area makes changing a breeze and great-fitting contour shape flexes to fit your baby.
If your trip is short or it is a test drive (not far from home), then you should also pay attention to this set of 20 diapers. Like the previous sets, this one will do its job perfectly and will provide you and your baby the most comfortable outdoor recreation.
The child needs to be worn in several layers. Like adults, you need to provide a base layer that goes next to skin, a middle layer that provides warmth and an outer layer that offers protection from wind and rain.
Young children can sweat throughout the day, so you should take care of replaceable clothes in which the baby can sleep. At the same time, do not wrap the child too much, it can only harm.
You also need to choose the right material for clothing. You should abandon cotton when traveling and prefer wool or synthetics. The latter dries much faster, which is very convenient while traveling.
To ensure complete comfort for all family members, it is better to choose a larger tent, so that both you and the child have enough free space, and no one feels cramped. You can also allocate a special place for nursing, as feeding a child on solid ground is not very convenient.
You should always remember that you should never use insect repellent on babies. Therefore, it is better to bring a special insect net with you.
The same goes for sun protection. Do not use sun cream on children. It’s better to just keep your baby in the shade. It is also worth taking a cap or hat with wide brims.
When traveling with a child, there should always be filtered water. It is needed not only for drinking but also to mix baby formula and having bottles of water ready is much easier than waiting for water to boil.
Your baby can easily get dirty while resting, playing or feeding. You need to be prepared for this. And also to the fact that you will not be able to wash things. Therefore, it is better to take a few spare t-shirts or sweaters.
Regardless of what your baby eats, you need to cook his food in advance in order not to spend time and energy on this while camping. If this is the formula, then mix everything at home. If solids, then cut them and place them in small jars. Believe us, it will be much more convenient for you to feed your baby.
Traveling is always a bustle. And almost always something will be forgotten. And if in the case of an adult there is nothing to worry about, then with a child everything is different. The absence of a simple thing can be critical. Therefore, it is better to create a list with all the necessary things and check it for compliance several times before leaving.
We hope that these 12 tips will help you to plan and organize camping with your child. And remember that not only you but also your baby is adapting to this kind of camping.