Camping with a newborn

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Hey guys, 

Welcome back to the blog and if you are new here welcome to the blog, here I share my adventures as a runner, and a mum as I navigate work, life and everything in between. 

Over the weekend we went on a family trip to experience some camping, this was for two reasons, a trial before some future events with camping thrown in and new adventures for the little man. 

The adventure started before we even hit the campsite, it started with the packing, packing to go camping as a couple is very different to packing to go camping as a couple with a newborn, there are more clothes, you have to consider feeding and decide the best way to ensure warmth through the night. 

Packing clothes meant packing plenty of spares, and plenty of layers, we kitted out with at least three changes of clothes, 2 night time outfits in case a change was needed and warmer layers to add if the temperature change, along with nappies, wipes, and back up bottles with ready to go formula we had little mans items pretty much ready to go. 

small digital thermometer

Sleep was a big hurdle to navigate, newborns generally can't regulate their temperature as well as you or I so planning to ensure he remained warm but not risked over heating was key, I invested in a small digital thermometer to keep tabs on the temp in the tent and we started with the initial plan of vest, sleep suit and sleep sack then added a blanket, I also put some gloves on him to keep his hands warm as he pretty much hates having his hands under blankets. I kept a hat nearby so if it dropped really cold I could cover his head but I didn't use it to reduce the risk of over heating, I also picked up a fold out mat for sitting on, this was the perfect size for a new born to sleep on and keep him off the floor to reduce heat loss, and as we are use to co sleeping this was easy to navigate- depending on the size of the tent you have their are plenty of travel bassinet and travel cot options but we wanted something, efficient, compact and easy to carry, its also useful for just sitting on as well. 

Planning for feeding was pretty easy with the fact that we breast feed but I did take a bottle with me and some formula, I also took a frozen pack of breast milk that could defrost through the day and still be cool enough to use later in the evening so hubby could feed. The challenge with camping and bottle feeding is making sure you have enough bottles as well as a place to wash and sterilise them depending on how many days you're out, this is an easy fix with cold water sterilising tablets and a collapsible bucket. 

 So boy packed up with his sleep kit, food and clothes and me pack up with my kit and food we booked a campsite, I managed to get all mine and his kit in one rucksack and a smaller bag, but I have invested in larger bag which should fit everything in. 

We booked a campsite that was close to home in case it didn't work, and one that was close enough to shops and places to eat but still off the beaten track enough that we could enjoy the peace, we packed up the car and headed out where we let him chill on his mat whilst we set up the tent, once set up we settled into a routine of feeds, snuggles and exploring the campsite before settling him down for the night, we cooked up food on a gas stove, and enjoyed some hot chocolates as the daylight dimmed down then got ready to snuggle up for a night of sleep. 

Little man slept better than I expected with a change in scene and temperature, he was cosy and warm through the night. Being used to co sleeping gave a sense of familiarity for him, feeding was easy enough with the nursing top I had on, but I have spotted a few changes I need to make, arm warmers and gloves will go  long way to keeping my top half warmer whilst I feed during the colder part of the nights. 

The morning rolled around and we all woke earlier than normal which I expected due to the fact that usually he is sleeping in a dark room with black out blinds that don't let the sun in, this is very different to a tent where the sunlight comes straight through. 

A slow morning of coffee, breakfast and feeds ending in a nap which gave us a chance to pack the tent away before a short stop in Costa and the journey home. All in all the trip was a success, it was less scary than i thought and a perfect length and distance to trial the kit and logistics before a 2 night trips later this year. 

Here are a few things I learned. 

Prioritise warmth through the night for all parties, focus on warmth for baby but also consider additional items for warmth if breastfeeding. 

Keep the first journey close to home and amenities and pick a site that has things like shower blocks and toilets. 

Consider how feeds will look for little one, breastfeeding and bottle feeding require very different tools, bottle feeding may be easier with ready to go formula rather than powder, or you may want to consider investing in a plug in fridge for keeping breast milk cool. 

The best way to experience it is to just give it a go, its not always going to go right first time, staying close to home helps, so does taking the car so you can pack more back up kit, but if you don't give it a go you will never know what to tweak, so don't wait till you think you have everything perfect just make a plan and then head out and try it. 

I really enjoyed camping with the little man and with a few adjustments I look forward to more camping with him! 

Share your camping experiences below. 

Thanks for reading

Scribble back 

Jessie 

x x x

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