Camping while pregnant - tips?

keelykat

We're not going camping for a couple of years now-as much as i usualy love going. Im already getting back/hip ache at night, and toss and turn a lot so a hard floor (or even a blow up airbed) wouldn't help. And i am not squatting over a bucket at night!

So we're going in a static caravan again this year, hell of a lot easier and more comfy for me. Besides when it rains, i dont have to be sitting in the car or squashed in the tent.

keely.

Nenen

Wow... your question brings back vivid memories of going camping almost twenty-three years ago, whilst 35 weeks pregnant! In my experience, the bucket is an absolute necessity as is decent weather!

If it is raining and muddy you can have all sorts of problems. In my case, on the journey to the campsite my ankles swelled alarmingly (had been perfectly fine until then). This meant that I couldn't get my wellingtons on and had to resort to wading through thick mud wearing a pair of sandles with plastic carrier bags tied over my feet! :eek: I was terrified of falling over and spent much of the time clinging on to my dh for dear life! MY ds1 was born two days after our return, more than four weeks early. My mother was convinced it was because I had 'upset' the baby by going camping!

hobbesy_2

When around 34 weeks pg with my second we went camping in France for two weeks (also took our 8 year old nephew) and had a great time. We do have a large 8 man tent tho which you can walk into and around in. We made sure we were camped in the shade and close to the toilets and had no problems at all even with spd. The woman in the tent next to us was also fairly heavily pregnant and we both enjoyed lazing in the sun in camping chairs (which are actually pretty comfy) watching the kids play and the world go by.

By all means make sure your other half knows he'll have to do more than his usual share when it comes to collecting water, carrying washing up, etc

We actually find it even easier now as we have an electric hookup and take a double height kingsize self-inflating bed which is easily as comfy as our bed at home

As others have said you can't be sure of all eventualities, so take out insurance if you're spending out any amount you can't afford to lose if the situation changes, but if things trundle along well there's no reason you won't have a great time :-)

misspenny

when i was nearly 8 months pregnant oh took me to scarborough for a long weekend away he forgot to mention i was pregnant and when we got there we where on the 4th floor of a b&b with no lift and the rest of the b&b was booked up. i needed oxygen by the time id climbed all the stairs to the room at least tents are ground level

oops_a_daisy

There is a great website and forum called ukcampsite.co.uk which you may find really useful - there are a lot of experienced campers on there to give advice and they are a friendly bunch. Sorry I can not offer any other advice other than what has already been given - I think the port a loo is a must though remembering how many times I had to go when I was pregnant. It is a bit of a pain going on a campsite at night.
Good luck - oops x

izoomzoom

I started the thread of camping with a 6m old, so it almost comes hand in glove that I have done the camping whilst pg thing too.

Last year we went twice. First time I was 24 weeks, second 29 weeks. We have airbeds now, so was comfortable on that front. We bought extra wide sleeping bags so that I would have room around my girth.

We camped miles away from the ablutions (as first trip was a 'private party' and I wanted to be away from the music during the small hours of the morning) but I was amazed at how I managed to keep it in. I would even wake up in the morning, and manage to hold it a bit longer as unfortunately last year wasn't the warmest ... but a bucket would have been a good idea.

My DH did do a good job of looking after me, and although I helped with everything I did enjoy both our trips (except the weather). Our tent is a huge 8-man and you can easily stand up, and we had a gazebo stuck on the front too - so all very comfy and covered and warm ...

The only thing I would say was a downside, (self inflicted) was that I was anaemic during my pg, and I neglected to take my iron tablets on the second trip and my iron levels dropped quite badly so by the time I got back home (about 10 days of missed tablets) I was very very very tired and my iron levels were very low (GP phoned me the min my results were through and told me to come and get a prescription for double dozes immediately). I gladly took the tablets thereafter (side effects aside) as I definitely felt better a few days later ...

At the end of the day, I think it all boils down to how you are feeling. Each woman and ea pg is different. If you have never camped before or don't like camping then I would seriously reconsider but our holidays are camping or nothing, so camping here we come !!!!!

bestpud

Penny_Watcher wrote: »

Camping at 35 weeks caused much giggling among the kids when Mum couldn't get off the airbed. I just couldn't bend enough to get my knees underneath me to get off the flippin' thing.:o

If you're going to go be sure to take a block and tackle .

:rotfl: That's made me giggle and I wasn't there!

Cissi

I didn't camp, but I did go on overnight sailing trips when pg with my first - the last time at nearly 30 weeks. Getting in and out of the cramped cabin (a small double berth that you pretty much had to get into feet first) caused much amusement to everyone else on board. Oh, and nightly toilet visits (luckily we had one on board) weren't exactly discreet - the whole boat heaved when I moved!

izoomzoom

Cissi wrote: »

the whole boat heaved when I moved!

:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

pulliptears

I recall staying in my parents caravan in wales when I was about 34 weeks, it was bloomin hot.

OH took me to a market/boot sale and I could feel myself about to faint, so sat down quickly right in the flow of people lol. I had to be dragged to the side of the aisle where a burger van took pity on me and bought me lots of bottles of water.

Other than that it was pretty uneventful!