Camping - 4 month old - Too Young?

pug_in_a_bed

My colleagues just come back from a week in devon with his 2 week old, and had a brilliant time. Probably depends on how experienced a camper you are, and how relaxed with the baby. As a dad of 6 him and his mrs are really laid back as is the baby

Chakani

We camped with ours from younger than that - if you pick a campsite full of adult only groups, it could be a problem (they could be noisy in the evenings when you are trying to settle the baby, and baby might upset people by waking early, which they do in tents).

However, on a site full of families, you would be fine, we have never had complaints about our babies, nor been unduly disturbed by other peoples'.

Make sure you have a big enough tent (we bought a cheapie one with two "bedrooms" and space in between, so we could sit inside if it rained, but separate from sleeping babies. There are usually perfectly good facilities if you use a proper site for disposing of nappies and rubbish, and if necessary, babies can be taken in the shower or washed in the washing up bowl.

We use this cot http://www.pushchairs.co.uk/acatalog/littlelife_arc2_blue.html#a888, which works well - put a foam or thermarest type camping mat under it if it's cold, and mine have always slept well in it. And on one trip where it was colder than expected, the footmuff from the pushchair made a great tiny-person extra sleeping bag.

brook2jack

We have camped with both ours from very small babies, never had a problem.
Buy or borrow a travel cot... invaluable when they get a bit older to keep them out of trouble when you're cooking etc. Baby sleeping bags (look like dungaree tops attached to sleeping bag) are very useful for extra warmth.

Choose a campsite that doesn't allow generators .. it's difficult enough for an adult to sleep through that din.

oh and don't make the mistake I did of thinking that potty training a child whilst touring in a tent is a good idea unless two weeks of travelling in a mobile sauna of drying clothes in the car is your idea of a good time.

barbiedoll

Yes, it will be fine, especially if the baby is breastfed. A trip to the shops means a bag full of nappies, wipes etc etc, so a camping trip isn't much more bother. And 35 mins away from home is handy if you forget something or if the weather suddenly turns nasty. All that fresh air will make the baby sleep well and I wouldn't worry about the noise, 4 month old babies aren't that loud, unlike some adults!


Have a good time!

neverdespairgirl

If you're happy, then go for it. We camped with our DS when he was 6 months old - in January, but it was in Israel, so not cold.

It was much, much worse when he went again when he was 18 months old! He hated being kept still on the flight, wanted to toddle everywhere and kill himself, etc. We didn't camp that time.

Margaret52129

We took our breastfed DD when she was 3 months to Cornwall (from Yorkshire) for 2 weeks - and disposable nappies were in their infancy too! :eek:

No travel cot, no baby car seat/rear car seat belts either! Her pram folded down and she travelled and slept in that and we carried her in a baby carrier everywhere.

We had a whale of a time and as she's now 30 she didn't come to any harm.

Can you imagine it now - we'd be shot for even thinking about it in todays world.

Gigglepig

Keith wrote: »

I know that feeling, the family have said that we shouldn't be taking her to Egypt in November!

Whilst I'd happily go camping in the UK with a baby I'd be very reluctant to go to Egypt or other countries where travellers often get stomach bugs, since these can be more serious for babies. I'd also avoid areas with malaria or other serious diseases. I'd also be concerned about the standard of medical facilities should the little one need them.

vroombroom

yep we've had the 'dont take him on hol' speech as well, but he's a very good baby, sleeps through the night etc x

rachbc

Gigglepig wrote: »

Whilst I'd happily go camping in the UK with a baby I'd be very reluctant to go to Egypt or other countries where travellers often get stomach bugs, since these can be more serious for babies. I'd also avoid areas with malaria or other serious diseases. I'd also be concerned about the standard of medical facilities should the little one need them.

A breast fed baby isn't going to get a stomach bug from food or water though is it? I travelled a fair bit wtih DS and he has never been ill - I got a bug once (on a first class BA flight back from Mumbai - never having been ill the 3 months we were there)

Lotus-eater

We've camped with both of ours when they were young in the UK, France, Netherlands and Germany. But I must admit I wouldn't take them to Egypt while they were young