Billy and I are celebrating our second anniversary today, so it only seems fitting to announce that we’re expecting a little one soon. I’m having a boy, scheduled to arrive in July.
We’re very excited about our upcoming arrival. I had a bit of a struggle with morning sickness, but now I’m feeling great. I’ll share some photos of our camp-inspired nursery soon.
I’m already thinking about camping trips with our little boy. Although I guess you could say that he already camped with us in the fall at Great Smoky Mountains National Park and this past weekend at Blackhawk Memorial Park in Wisconsin.
Have you camped with babies or toddlers? I’d love to hear your tips and advice!
Congratulations!
Thank you!!
Congrats on your soon to be new addition. I just returned from camping this weekend to celebrate our one year anniversary! I love your camp theme idea. I did my bridal shower in that same theme. Love it. Congrats, again.
Hi Christy. Thank you! I can’t wait to share the photos!
I had an autumn baby, so I’ve never tried camping with a newborn. However, we started camping again the very next spring. Following the advice of others, we upgraded to a cabin tent and took our pack ‘n play along. It was a breeze. No problems. The most important thing is to make sure that the pack’n play is the last thing you pack so that you can set it up FIRST. Then baby/toddler has a cozy and safe place to hang out while you set up the rest of camp. When it was particularly cold, he slept in the bag with me. Also make sure to bring hats for the little one to sleep in. Once our little boy was about two years old, he started helping us set up camp- he was great at fetching things. After 3 we left the pack n’ play at home and he has his own sleeping bag.
Thanks for the tips Jorena! I have a pack and play and I was thinking about getting a mosquito net to cover it. It’s so cute that your little boy helps you set up camp. I can’t wait to do the same with our little boy!
Noreen, we love this Phil & ted “Lobster chair. It hooks on to picnic and other tables very easily and clamps on securely. I’ve see other similar chairs used – the P&T “Lobster” is the most well designed. It comes with it’s own storage sack and folds up to a really compact, light, flat, shape. http://philandteds.com/us/Products/Feed/Lobster#.U44oPCxOWM8
P&T also make a nice super light port-a-crib. About 1/3 the pack size of a regular pack n play. We have one that has zipper screens on all sides – to protect from mosquitos at night. the one on their site now has an open top. When the kids are too little for sleeping bags we dress them (depending on weather) in long johns + footed fleece sleeper + sleep sack. And on cold nights drape a blanket over the top of the port-a-crib to keep heat in.
When they are old enough to go in a bag but youth sized bags are still a little too long (they fit up to 5feet) we use the bag’s own stuff sack to double back over the foot of the bag and cinch it off the excess space in the cavity to customize the size to them to make sure their little bodies fill it up and heat it up properly.
Cut their nails before you go so they collect less grime. And maybe pack one of those under-nail scrub brush things – particularly if you have a thumb/finger sucker.
We are so excited for you and Billy! Looking forward to hearing tips from your future family campouts.
Hi Kate! Thanks for stopping by! I have to check out all the Phil & Ted products. A smaller pack & play would be great since Billy and I both drive smaller cars. Thanks for the tips on making the sleeping bags smaller and keeping hands clean. I hope we can come out to California and camp with you sometime!
Wonderful news! I agree with the previous comment-get a larger tent for the pack and play–well worth it…also the Ergo baby is one of the best baby carriers ever–up to about two years old, for hikes, and ben to wear the baby while setting up camp…congrats! Enjoy your new adventure!
Thanks!! I received a carrier at my baby shower that’s similar to the Ergo. I can’t wait to go on hikes with our son once he’s old enough.
Congratulations on your little one! We tent camped with both our girls (now 6 & 9) when they were babies. Like the other comments, we invested in a larger tent and took a port-a-crib for sleeping. My babies never cared where they slept so it was pretty easy.
When they were about 2 we transitioned to the kid size sleeping bag. The kind we got came with an air mattress that secured to the bottom of the sleeping bag so they didn’t roll off. Think of it like a fitted sheet on the bottom of the sleeping bag that goes around the air mattress. Pretty handy!
We also threw in a bouncy seat so that if we were hanging out at camp during the day we’d have somewhere to put them if we were trying to cook, clean or something.
Enjoy your new adventures! 🙂
Thank you Marybeth! I’ll need to invest in a bigger tent soon. Sounds like your girls will have a lot of great memories from all your camping trips!
We do everything with our children. Camp, hike, travel, etc., They are 3 and 6 now but we’ve been doing all these things with them since they were babies (well not the canoeing we waited until last year for that one… they are a bit antsy). The best piece of advice I can give is start with short stays or short distances as soon as you feel comfortable bringing them. Be ready to pack up and go home if it gets too hard. We did our first hotel stays, camping, and such just an hour away. That way if it all melted down we could call it quits and try again. Once they get older it’s all about the flashlights. Ours adore having their own…. make sure they aren’t too bright because they will shine them in everyone’s eyes… including their own. Next year we are booked for a trip to Europe… now that one I’m nervous about.