Comments on: Venturing Beyond the Playpen: How to Take a Baby Camping

By: Ashley

Ashley — Thu, 16 May 2013 20:05:36 +0000

I am planning our first (only 2day) camping trip with our 8 month old (will be almost 9 when we go) baby! Glad I came across this page. I’m sure we will forget something and figure out what works and what doesn’t work for us. Good to have some helpful tips and info before embarking though. Thanks!

By: Camping Momma

Camping Momma — Wed, 08 May 2013 18:02:05 +0000

I have always taken my babies camping and had almost all good experiences. I certainly recommend mastering nursing the baby while lying on your side before you go, especially if your tent is not big enough for a comfy camping chair (my favorite is a rocking camping chair) I don’t sleep well with a baby in the bed so I use the fisherprice rock and play sleeper with the bottom part of the legs removed to make it shorter. to keep them warm I use two layers of warm footie pjs, a knit beanie, a warm jacket with a hood and a warm blanket all together when it’s really cold or if I have a snowsuit in the right size I can use that instead. I know it sounds like a lot but it always gets colder than I expect at night and we use just as many blankets under us as over us. We bring a pack ‘n play to for outside containment during the day, then take out the padded bottom for our preschooler to sleep on at night.

By: MominPortland

MominPortland — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 19:58:37 +0000

I think nursing the baby in the tent would be just fine since I do it lying on my side. I am really excited to try camping with my baby this summer. He’ll be 9 months old when we are planning our first trip. If it goes well we’ll definitely be going again this summer. There are hundreds of spots within a few hours drive out here in the PacNW. To the midnight mama, since you are not car camping is packing in a pack n play an option? We plan on bringing one and setting it up – but he may end up between us anyway in zipped together bags. It’s much warmer for them next to mama’s body heat.

By: happy campers

happy campers — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 20:41:22 +0000

We camped with our three from the time they were a year old and loved it. One thing- if the kids are used to sleeping with a nite-lite make sure you have something- a tea-lite candle works well – so that it isn’t pitch dark and they will be freaked out by it if they wake up during the night. We learned this from experience! Your fellow campers will thank you for it.

By: the midnight mama

the midnight mama — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 14:59:57 +0000

a question on sleeping – my husband and I backpack frequently and our sleeping backs are not equipped to zip together (mummy bags). we also have personal thermarest pads that are barely large enough for our own bodies. what do you suggest for sleeping arrangements with an infant in this situation? we refuse to car camp on principle. =) we do cosleep but now that our daughter is close to 7 months she likes to toss and turn and have her own space, so she has migrated to her own crib. we are planning our first trip and i’m worried she won’t be able to sleep well.

By: Nate

Nate — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 02:57:50 +0000

On the formula note, it’s really not that hard. Buy pre-made formula, it’s already sterilized mixed and ready. You just make sure it’s not frigid or maybe warm it up a little. For the very lazy, there are premade ones that you stick a nipple on and then toss, no cleaning. For the rest of us, just get the baggy type bottles and bring plenty of nipples. Washing the nipples will be the worst you have to do, the baggies are already sterile and clean. No big deal.

By: Emily

Emily — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 01:00:34 +0000

Heh, where I live, mountain lions and coyotes are known to attack babies and toddlers. I’ll never forget going to the zoo and watching the cougars come alive stalking my toddler. So keep in mind that in the eyes of many predators, your bundle of joy looks quite tasty indeed. And don’t believe the hype that they won’t hunt humans, they do, they have, they continue to, and every year small toddlers and children go missing where I live in the Rockies with only a few signs of a cougar in the area as any hint as to where they went. Keep in mind that those diapers attract all sorts of things, from scavengers to bears, so store them like you do food, up in a tree and away from the camp.

My parents used to take us camping and tie my sister (who was toddling all over) to a tree so she wouldn’t toddle over a cliff or out of sight. This really isn’t a bad idea. If you’re not holding them, contain them, for their safety.

I’ll never go camping without my dog though. He lets me know if there are animals in the area that I need to be concerned about. And it doesn’t hurt to have a gun, not just for possible animals but also for the human danger. I won’t forget the time a camping trip was cut short when the ranger came to tell us of some dangerous people in the area. :/

By: Charlie

Charlie — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 16:28:12 +0000

I loved the article. For parents worried about co-sleeping, my wife found a portable co-sleeping bed we used for camping. It was small, folded up and had a handle. It was less than $50, maybe a lot for being used just a couple of times but it was peace of mind. Keep up the manliness.

By: Kat

Kat — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 05:15:37 +0000

Great Article! Agree with Diana though. I work in the ER and have seen infant fatalities due to co-sleeping, mostly with newborns. It does happen, so please research how to safely co-sleep if you insist on doing so.

By: Kevin Daley

Kevin Daley — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 02:46:02 +0000

Manly advice from Sacagawea!