Advice on camping with a small baby

[BRmama]

Okay so my question is would you/have you go/gone camping with your baby? I have a four month old ds and dh's family is expecting us to go camping with them as we have every year. I love camping btw but here's my problem with taking my baby:

Ds is way too small to go. He is ff (I'm trying to relactate at the moment and I use a sns with him). He wakes once a night to be fed and early morning to eat again. I'm afraid that leaving formula in our tent to feed ds at night will somehow attract bears to our tent (terrified of bears). Ds takes naps during the day and when we camp I'm afraid of leaving ds inside the tent by himself so I'd most likely stay with him in the tent while the others are having fun. Also the mosquitoes, I'm afraid that there could be certain mosquitoes that could bite him that carries disease. Overall I don't think it's very practical to camp with a baby but I could also be overreacting. I just don't have a good feeling about camping with ds and am scared that doing so could compromise his safety...Am I sheltering him too much? What would you all do or have done in this situation? TIA for any advice or suggestions

[Red Pajama]

Camping with a baby doesn't have to be hard, but I've not camped where bears are with a baby! It seems like you don't want to go, and could benefit from quiet time at home. In fact, a weekend at home in bed with your baby might help your relactation efforts, while a stressful camping weekend would not. I can't imagine trying to sanitize equipment for baby feeding.

Could you compromise and offer to let your husband go with his parents, and have a quiet weekend at home, alone, resting with your baby?

[mommy2maya]

We have gone camping with all of our babies. Babies are very portable, especially such young ones. It is young toddlers that are more of a pain- they want to get into everything!

Anyway, where are you going camping that you would be worried about attracting a bear into your tent with formula? I doubt that is a rational fear, honestly. And you could get the little powder pouches of formula to mix in the night and use, or even premade bottles that you just attach a nipple to.

Why put ds in the tent to nap? Use a carrier or nap in a stroller, car seat, pack and play, blanket on the ground, any number of different options.

As for mosqitoes, keep him in lightweight long pjs at night, and he will mostly be covered. With bug candles or similar, mosquitos won't be around so much anyway, or even a campfire.

I'd say you are definitely overreacting. Camping with babies is pretty darn easy, imo. At such a young age, tehy are so portable, and are so easy to entertain. Start a great family tradition at a young age!

[Multimomma]

We went camping quite a few years ago, across New Mexico and Colorado. At the time we had a five year old, three year old, 18 month old and four month old. In hindsight it was crazy, but we had so much fun and it really wasn't that hard. I can see if you are using the SNS how that would complicate things!

Are you staying in a place that has a serious risk of bears? I can understand how that would be difficult with the formula, because you would really want a bear box, and leaving the tent to go get the formula out of the box in the middle of the night would be hard! if you prepared the system early and zip-bagged it to keep in a little cooler, would that help?

We leave our little ones in the tent and play outside. I wouldn't walk away further than I could hear, but I don't see how they would be safer with you IN the tent as opposed to sitting outside. The alternative is to use a sling or wrap to let him sleep on you.

as for bugs, we use an organic natural spray, that we put on my sling and the baby's clothes. Honestly with eight kids we use the stuff from wal-mart because it costs nearly half what it does at the health food center. In an area that has a LOT, that we notice are ignoring that spray, we use tea tree oil. It's VERY repellant for mosquitoes and ticks.

of course, if you don't want to go, no one will call you a wimp :-P skip it one year and go back. I haven't gone the past two years because I couldn't do a baby WITH toddlers. Dh takes everyone else and I stay home and fret!

[Alyantavid]

Well I personally wouldn't take a baby, but only because it seems like tons of work! Probably easier than taking a toddler though. I have a friend who went camping 2 days after having her third baby so obviously it can be done. I'd decide if I really wanted to go and if not, stay home.

[Norasmomma]

Taking a baby camping is easy-peasy. You can wear them in a sling and do what you normally do.

It's camping with a 19 month old that is pure hell.

[karemore]

Camping with SOME babies may be easy for SOME moms.

If you don't feel comfortable going DO NOT GO. Your family (inlaws) can go without you until you feel comfortable going.

You aren't sheltering him too much by skipping this trip. Good grief you said he's 4 months old.

There's no way I would go unless I felt comfortable and confident doing it.

[jlobe]

It's camping with a 19 month old that is pure hell.

or a 12 month old that is just starting to walk.

I've camped with both kids at various ages, and like other posters have said, I found the younger the better. My daughter hung around in a sling and napped in the sling, or on the ground wherever we were at the time.

I also nursed both kids with an SNS system for the first year (not relactation -- just poor lactation in general) and we did it in bear country. (Boreal forest northern Saskatchewan, Canada). We were car camping, so I just kept the formula powder locked in the trunk of the car (beside the tent) and sent DH to get it in the night. DS only took formula once at night, and just nursed the other times. I also think the prepared formula in cans would be a good idea.

I was anxious about going when the kids were young, and every time afterwards I was amazed at how much my worries were unfounded. Also, if you're going with family, you will have extra supports to help with other things like cooking, etc.

Good luck.

[BRmama]

Thank you all for the replies. Yeah I guess I have a decision to make but glad to hear that at his age it's not as hard as with a toddler. The place we go to doesn't have bears (or so it's been said but some ppl claimed seeing bears like five years ago) but I know that leaving food in the tent is not a good idea as it could attract bears. Leaving the formula in a cooler is not a bad idea I guess, it might just be a hassle to use the sns while camping. I guess I could really use the weekend to stay with my baby and just nurse and pump the whole day. The only real problem that I just thought of is that everytime we have gone to this place it's rained on us pretty hard, although even here in the valley it's been raining like crazy. I live in Utah and we go to the Uintas which is southeast of here (we've given up on summer lol). It's raining right now as I'm writing this.

Glad to know about the tea tree oil as a natural repellant, and I'll definitely be wearing my baby if I take him. I love wearing him anyway, also I like the idea of prepared formula can for camping. Right now I'm leaning more towards not going (I'd rather pump and stay with my baby at home) plus the boys go fly fishing and while I love going for that I'd have to stay behind with the baby. I'll probably go when my baby is older and can appreciate it more. With the exception of my dh I don't really have the support of his family...
Oh well thanks for the support

[Fuamami]

Originally Posted by desperatemommytobe

Thank you all for the replies. Yeah I guess I have a decision to make but glad to hear that at his age it's not as hard as with a toddler. The place we go to doesn't have bears (or so it's been said but some ppl claimed seeing bears like five years ago) but I know that leaving food in the tent is not a good idea as it could attract bears. Leaving the formula in a cooler is not a bad idea I guess, it might just be a hassle to use the sns while camping. I guess I could really use the weekend to stay with my baby and just nurse and pump the whole day. The only real problem that I just thought of is that everytime we have gone to this place it's rained on us pretty hard, although even here in the valley it's been raining like crazy. I live in Utah and we go to the Uintas which is southeast of here (we've given up on summer lol). It's raining right now as I'm writing this.

Glad to know about the tea tree oil as a natural repellant, and I'll definitely be wearing my baby if I take him. I love wearing him anyway, also I like the idea of prepared formula can for camping. Right now I'm leaning more towards not going (I'd rather pump and stay with my baby at home) plus the boys go fly fishing and while I love going for that I'd have to stay behind with the baby. I'll probably go when my baby is older and can appreciate it more. With the exception of my dh I don't really have the support of his family...
Oh well thanks for the support

I have camped with babies, and it wasn't too bad. But I think it would be a major pain with the SNS, especially since it doesn't sound like you'll be in a trailer/RV, right? Everything just gets so stinkin' dirty when you tent camp, so I'm wondering if you'll be able to keep it clean? And how about washing bottles?

[vbactivist]

Originally Posted by mommy2maya

We have gone camping with all of our babies. Babies are very portable, especially such young ones. It is young toddlers that are more of a pain- they want to get into everything!

Anyway, where are you going camping that you would be worried about attracting a bear into your tent with formula? I doubt that is a rational fear, honestly. And you could get the little powder pouches of formula to mix in the night and use, or even premade bottles that you just attach a nipple to.

Why put ds in the tent to nap? Use a carrier or nap in a stroller, car seat, pack and play, blanket on the ground, any number of different options.

As for mosqitoes, keep him in lightweight long pjs at night, and he will mostly be covered. With bug candles or similar, mosquitos won't be around so much anyway, or even a campfire.

I'd say you are definitely overreacting. Camping with babies is pretty darn easy, imo. At such a young age, tehy are so portable, and are so easy to entertain. Start a great family tradition at a young age!

I would agree with your post under normal circumstances. But the OP is trying to relactate and is using an SNS. I don't think she is overreacting at this point, AT ALL.

Op -

I have camped with my babies, and the only thing that makes it easy is nursing. If youa re not nursing and are having difficulties right now, I would skip it. You are being completely reasonable about this.

[vbactivist]

Originally Posted by Norasmomma

Taking a baby camping is easy-peasy. You can wear them in a sling and do what you normally do.

It's camping with a 19 month old that is pure hell.

What the op normally does is use an SNS - that is NOT easy peasy.

[claddaghmom]

JMO I would not camp in a tent when relactating and using an SNS.

I could see winging it if full nursing. But tubes, bottles and formula on a campsite? ugh!

Mosquitoes: I swear by the natural coiled bracelets. I put one on each of her ankles so she doesn't chew on them.

Bears: if you keep the formula covered and closed in a container I doubt they'd notice.

[Pumpkin_Pie]

Another vote for "camping with a baby is easy, it's camping with a toddler that stinks". I took DS camping when he was 3 months old and it was a blast. For naps, I either wore him, or napped with him in the tent. For bears, as long as you have the formula in a cooler, or are making it up right there on the spot, you will not have a problem at all. Mosquitoes, put long sleeves and long pants on your baby, and have him in a sling with you wearing repellant, and you should be fine.

What is your night time routine with the sns? Maybe try a "dry-run" with a cooler by your bed and see if it is doable without going to the kitchen? If it is too hard, then maybe wait until you have re-lactated, or until baby is older. If it seems doable, then I say give it a go. Camping is great!

[Hoopin' Mama]

Camping with a baby is not too hard, but in your situation it sounds like you'd be most comfortable staying home. Revisit the idea in a couple months.

We brought our pack-n-play camping for naps and for a safe place to put ds down when we needed to. They actually sell mosquito netting for the pnp, but I just used a fitted crib sheet over the top. The changing attachment up top was convenient too.We actually used the pnp for camping until ds was almost 2, he slept in it bundled up and stayed very warm because he was off the ground. There was no way to keep a 2yo from rolling off a thermarest.

I think your bear fear is mom hormone and instinct (I think we can go into worse-case scenario mode) and doesn't sound like something to really worry about

[FernG]

I have been camping w/ a baby and w/ a toddler. IMO, it is much easier to camp w/ a pre-crawling baby. My DD loves to be outside, so she was very calm and happy. The bug bites are sad but are a small price for the intense calm and happiness that DD experiences outside. Pre-crawling, she was so happy to be held outside. It was easy for me to sit around have adult conversations or wade in the water. I absolutely loved it. DD needs the least adult entertainment and active snuggling when we are camping. It's so incredibly freeing. It's harder w/ a toddler b/c now I have to keep DD away from the fire and make sure that she doesn't wander too far.

For naps, DD went down in the tent. I stayed near her, but not in the tent. The adults congregated in the common area between the tents during kid nap times.

I wouldn't worry about bears at that location, and I would keep the formula in my tent.

If you are trying to establish relactaion, I would consider staying home. If you get to a stable point in the relactation process, I would go camping if I thought that there was a good way to clean the bottles/SNS. Would you need the ready made formula that comes in individual, prepackaged bottles? I can't imagine how you would keep an SNS clean unless you have access to a camper.

Have you thought about going for an abbreviated trip? You might really enjoy it.

[sapphire_chan]

Relactating is the most important thing and that process will be much harder while camping.

However, I wonder how much of your reluctance is coming from your in-laws pressure. Maybe you're coming up with extra difficulties because they're dismissing your valid concerns?

[BRmama]

Thank you all again for the replies I do have a fear for bears but I also think it's my motherly instincts wanting to protect my lo...anyway the problem though would be the sns.

I have camped with babies, and it wasn't too bad. But I think it would be a major pain with the SNS, especially since it doesn't sound like you'll be in a trailer/RV, right? Everything just gets so stinkin' dirty when you tent camp, so I'm wondering if you'll be able to keep it clean? And how about washing bottles?

Yeah I imagine it would. I'm not sure how I'd keep them clean? I hate washing his bottles for formula here. That's my motivation to keep relactating, and unless we rent a trailer (inlaws have the money to do so and have done it in the past) we'd be in tents.

I have camped with my babies, and the only thing that makes it easy is nursing. If youa re not nursing and are having difficulties right now, I would skip it. You are being completely reasonable about this.

Thanks for the support, and yeah at first my ds did not accept the sns but when I got it right (the latch) he did beautifully, and still is.

JMO I would not camp in a tent when relactating and using an SNS.

I could see winging it if full nursing. But tubes, bottles and formula on a campsite? ugh!

Mosquitoes: I swear by the natural coiled bracelets. I put one on each of her ankles so she doesn't chew on them.

Yeah I'm leaning not to, I love the outdoors but it's already been hard relactating at home. Where do you get these bracelets from? That's a great idea.

Maybe try a "dry-run" with a cooler by your bed and see if it is doable without going to the kitchen?

Sorry I just started relactating last month so I don't know, but what's a dry run?

Camping with a baby is not too hard, but in your situation it sounds like you'd be most comfortable staying home. Revisit the idea in a couple months.

We brought our pack-n-play camping for naps and for a safe place to put ds down when we needed to. They actually sell mosquito netting for the pnp, but I just used a fitted crib sheet over the top.

Yeah I'd love to go camping with him but with the whole relactation going on I'm not sure. We don't have a pnp but I want to get one so bad. That's a great idea.

Have you thought about going for an abbreviated trip? You might really enjoy it.

What is that? As far as ds being outside I agree it would be great for him. Even though he's attached to me as long as he can see me he loves being held by others so for me it would be great and liberating as well plus I'm not kidding when I say I have a very calm baby.

Relactating is the most important thing and that process will be much harder while camping.

However, I wonder how much of your reluctance is coming from your in-laws pressure. Maybe you're coming up with extra difficulties because they're dismissing your valid concerns?

Yeah it will be much harder. As far as my inlaws the problem w/o going into to much details: They are very reserved when it comes to the baby. I'm not American and where I'm from I have a huge family and the norm is passing the baby around. Of course if I notice that the baby is being aroused too much or crying they hand him back to me or I get him. (Where I'm from the majority of mamas are ap on most things). Well my inlaws don't really like holding him which offends me. Plus they make fun of us for co sleeping all the freaking time, and don't like the fact that I want to bf all my kids till they self wean and we don't vax that sort of thing even though they see that I have a very healthy baby as a result (he's never been sick). My bil's wife has lied to me before and mil went along with it. They've done things without me knowing it and knew it would hurt me in the end. Now I'm willing to put those things aside for my dh (who has always support me fully even in those situations) and my ds but I'll have no help from them being there. I love camping and I'd love to take him. He's such a calm baby ppl have said we're spoiled but I say we're blessed.

Oh and those of you that have said the prepared formula I really like that idea for the convenience but I'm not feeding my baby with the bottles anymore so I'm not sure I'd want to use the prepared formula as a bottle. Anyway thank you all so much for all the support and suggestions.

[BAU3]

I've camped with all of my babies at various ages. The youngest went two summers ago at 2 weeks.. We do not camp at campgrounds, either.. this particular trip was a boat access lean-to. I bring no accessories etc. Its me, baby, diapers and a sling.

That being said, there have been times when I've not wanted to go, for various reasons. I think that if you're hesitant for ANY reason (and your reason is pretty good..) I'd look forward to a nice quiet weekend (or whenever).. with your baby.

...now that i think about it, I kind of wish dh would take all my kids camping and let me enjoy a weekend at home!

[Pumpkin_Pie]

Sorry about that, I meant "dry-run" as a trial run with using your sns and formula without using any electricity (microwave/stove/dishwasher/refridgerator). That way you would have a very clear idea of ho much work it would be. Maybe make up the bottles of formula and keep them in a cooler, use a camp stove to sterilize everything, etc. I have never used a sns, so I don't know exactly what is involved, but I was thinking that if you could pretend you are camping at home for a day or two, it would give you a somewhat realistic picture of how much work would be involved at a campsite. Then if it really was way too much, you could just bail and no harm done, you are already at home. Maybe you could set up a tent in the backyard to make it feel a bit more "realistic" too? You would also get a good feel for how to set up sleeping arrangements that way too.

Good luck, whichever way you decide to go! And way to go for wanting to relactate!!