Camping with a baby!

[Logan]

Originally posted by chrangharris
Johanna- To funny! DH knows I will only go camping as long as we have running water- I HATE not having a hot shower in the morning. He grumbles that it is not real camping but I always get my shower!

My first husband wouldn't let me drive down to a nearby campground where you could pay to take a shower. I would have been so much happier, and might have learned to enjoy camping! Instead, I got to lean over the "slop sink" at the bathhouse and wash it in cold water, then ride my bicycle down to the visitor's center in the wee hours of the morning and dry it with a hand dryer they had in the women's bathroom. He always liked "roughing" it in the National Park where there was no electricity, no hot water, no shower. I guess I can say there was at least a bath house with a potty!

[sirrahbed]

Originally posted by chrangharris
Mom- An 8x12 should be big enough for us and the pack n play? Are you sure you don't want to join us?

The pack-n-play is great to have for Misha in the campsite - might be crowded in the tent but is do-able. I would bring it whether she sleeps in it or not. It is somewhere to play while you are cooking, etc. Since she will be crawling well and possibly walking this summer - she'll be in your bed - like it or not unless she was in the playpen-inside the tent....but remember we are aging hippies/earthparents and communal sleeping just made everything more fun

in answer to your questions...
Yes and Yes

[Corinna]

I don't camp unless it has a hot tub and room service. @ reasons. One my folks camped all the time , my first camp out as a baby my diaper froze to the tent floor. (explain a few things about me?) 2nd when we moved here to montana we live in a tent for 3 months trying to find a house to rent. I Do not camp. If we had a motor home like Peanut and CJ maybe I would.

[Tonya]

Originally posted by Logan
Johanna's response brought back a fun memory for me.

My parent's had a "late in life" baby. My brother was 13 years younger than me, the first boy. Our sister was 4 years older than me. Chip and Dad decided to go camping....sorry I can't remember how old Chip was at the time, but I'm thinking around 9 or so. They went to the mountains, set up their tent, built their fire, ate, talked......got cold, so they went to bed. They got colder. Couldn't sleep. Finally, my dad, who has never been a "camper" says, "I make too much money to be this cold and miserable. Let's go find a motel!" First and last camping trip for them!!! LOL!!!!!

LOL. The few times Mike and I have camped, we've went home WAY before planned. The last time, we arrived and were set up around 7pm on a Friday night, and packed up and on our way home by 8 am the next morning.

[Tubby & Peanut's Mom]

Originally posted by Corinna
my first camp out as a baby my diaper froze to the tent floor. (explain a few things about me?)

ROTFLMAO!

When we were young we didn't go camping, we went "Up North" (Up Nort' to be more precise). When my parents were first married they lived in a mobile home. After my brother came along and I was "in the oven" they realized the place was too small so they bought some land in the North Woods of Wisconsin and moved the mobile home up there. That's where we "camped." It was similar to camping because we had no running water, but we did have electricity, a roof over our head and a bed to sleep on - if you count an old army cot as a bed (I hated that thing).

But the funny part of this is - and the reason for this post is - there was no running water so we only had an outhouse. My mom tells me today that I would NOT go to the bathroom in the outhouse! I do remember peeing in the woods, and I remember the outhouse as being all spider webby, dark and creepy and I'm not surprised I wouldn't go in there. My mom said I was usually sick by the time we got home Sunday night because I refused to use the outhouse - just held it all weekend!

I was there the outhouse "died." It had a big heavy door on it and one day (when I was in my early 20's) I remember opening the door and letting it swing wide, and when it got fully open it was too heavy for the rotten boards that were holding the outhouse up, and the entire thing fell backwards into the woods. We then burned it for fire wood - my sweet revenge. But the outhouse got back at me because it turns out there are new covenants now and if an outhouse is still standing it can still be used, but once it's down you cannot build a new one, so the place has no bathroom anymore. However, now with the motorhome, this isn't a problem. We've got running water, electricity, comfy beds, and all the comforts of home. I do have a really neat picture of the motorhome parked next to the old 50's sytle mobile home, but I don't have it here at work. I'll have to post it from home.

[Stenograsaurus]

You have some good responses here. I have camped frequently every summer for the last five years. (I have three children: Sabrina, 8 on 3/26, Brooke, 2 on 2/14 and Hannah, 5 mos. old on the 29th.) Brooke's first summer camping I walked my butt off. If she would not sleep in the camper I had to walk her in the stroller. My legs were so sore. So bring the stroller. You could also feed her in it so you won't need a stroller and high chair. I also had the play yard/bassinet/changing table all in one. That thing was great.
I would suggest doing a trial run in your yard if that's possible. If not, the first time you camp, camp close by. If Misha is unconsolable, you can always pack up and head home with her. The first summer with Brooke, I had to bring her home and put her in her crib until she was in a deep enough sleep that I could put her back in her carseat and drive back to the campground.
We're going camping this year and I am looking into one of those octogan exercise kennels for dogs to put around the campfire. When we camped with all three kids this fall, it was pretty stressful. I remember Brooke was heading right towards the fire. I was holding Hannah and their daddy was in the camper getting something for Sabrina. I was so scared, I think my heart stopped. Fortunatley I was able to get up and grab her arm and pull her away in time.

Camping with babies can be a challenge but I always live by the saying "Babies join our lives, we don't join theirs." If camping is something you enjoy, introduce Misha to it at a young age and have fun.