As most of you know Matt and I are very outdoorsy people. We love to hike, fish, camp, and to just be outside. Since having Archer we have tried to keep our lifestyle as close to normal as possible before having a child. Everyone told us things change after having a baby and yes they do, but they only change as much as you want them to. So far we have camped as long as four days with Archer, hiked almost 10 miles with him on my back, and still been able to fly fish with him. We told ourselves having a baby would not keep us from doing the things that we love. We learned to just prepare for anything and make the best out of our time with Archer. Hopefully exposing Archer to all the things that we love to do one day he will love to do it just as much!
What I have learned after camping with Archer is to make a list of all the things you need to pack and keep it somewhere so you can reference it every time you go camping. Make sure you pack all the medicines you need, because we have camped places where there was no cell service or a hospital for hours. I always make sure I have Tylenol and Ibuprofen. Also take something for constipation, because taking your baby out of there comfort zone can put a toll on there body just like an adult when you go on a trip. You do not want to be stuck in the woods with a constipated baby! Also take something for cough/cold symptoms in case your baby picks up the sniffles from the cooler air or outdoor allergies. We always took Archer’s bulb suction and some saline to suction him out at the end of the day. You would be surprised at how much dirt would get in his nose just from being outside all day. Also, don’t forget when you are packing all these medicines to know how much to give of each and to pack the appropriate syringes to draw the medicines up with. Hydrocortisone cream is a must in your medicine bag for any bug bites as well.
Camping in Idaho the nights get pretty cold still in the summer especially if you are higher in elevation, and dealing with an infant you want to make sure your baby is warm enough while camping and sleeping. You can easily look up the temperatures and see how much layering you need to put your baby in at night according to the night time temperature. They also make some safe sleeping bunting suits for babies to sleep in if you are in 40 degrees or below temperatures. If it’s really hot where you are you may need a portable fan for the baby when they nap during the day so they don’t get too hot.
Pack as much of the routine things that you can. Archer uses a sound machine at night, so I made sure I had either his sound machine with a portable charger to keep it charged or used my app on my phone as a sound machine for him. Also, being outdoors there is not usually a lot of grassy areas where you are camping sometimes so I would take large blankets or old comforters for him to sit on and crawl around on for him to be able to get his energy out. I also took a stand up seat or bouncy seat for him to sit in. Finally I carry my California beach play pen http://www.thecaliforniabeachco.com for him to play in when I needed him in a confined area for instance while prepping food to cook or washing his bottles. For sleeping, we take Archer’s pack and play to sleep in for safety reasons and to help him feel like he is at home sleeping in his own bed.
If your child is an infant then you’re still giving your baby a bottle whether formula or breast milk. So you need a way to warm your bottles and wash your bottles. Picking a camping area that has potable water would be the way to go to be able to wash out your bottles. You can always use a propane stove top to warm water for the bottle if there is no electricity at your campsite. When you are on a hike you need a portable way to warm your milk up. I use the Baby’s Brew bottle warmer http://www.thebabysbrew.com and you simply just order the adapter for the type of bottles you are using. It has literally been a life saver and allowed us to do so much with Archer on the go. I recommend it even just for road trips or going on a day trip. It takes the hassle out of worrying how you are going to warm a bottle up. Now of course if you are strictly breast feeding your baby you don’t have to worry about any of these things, but unfortunately I was not able to strictly breast feed Archer and he had to have supplemental milk. Once Archer started eating solids his bottles got a little more spaced out and I would carry him some snacks while we hiked or fished as well. He also has a easy breakdown camping high chair that I found on amazon and its perfect for meal time.
For hiking we started out using the ERGO baby carrier which you can carry the infant on your front or back side. Once Archer got a little heavier closer to the 20 pound mark we had to upgrade to a nice back pack carrier that had more support and comfort for us and him. Also, the longer hikes called for more comfort for both of us too. We chose the Osprey Poco Child Carrier Backpack. We absolutely love this pack. So far we have hiked almost 10 miles at one time with Archer and it held up well. It also has an area to put your camelback for water and some storage for baby supplies.
I do recommend at least letting your baby sleep in there pack and play for at least one nap a day. We would normally do our hiking and fishing in the morning when it is cooler and be back around lunch time and spend the afternoon at the campsite letting Archer play and nap in his bed instead of on the go. Make sure you pack sunscreen for those hikes and some mosquito repellent safe for babies for the pesky bugs. I use the Johnson’s aloe and vitamin E lotion as a mosquito repellent and it works pretty well. Don’t forget a cute little hat to protect them from the sun.
Overall, most babies need a routine to follow, but when you are camping you need to learn that there routine is going to be changed some. For instance, your baby may not get all there naps in and they may stay up later at night because they aren’t in the same environment. If you are willing to bend the routine a little you can do anything with a baby. Just a reminder these are all just suggestions on how to experience the outdoors with an infant from our personal experiences. Archer was 7 months old on his first camping trip and now he is 10 months old. As your baby gets older it will get easier. We feel like the younger you expose your child to certain things the more adaptable they will be as they get older. You will figure what works best for your baby and family. I hope this is a great reference guide for all you mamas and dads out there who are interested in taking your babies outdoors! It’s definitely doable you just have to take the leap!
