Camping with a baby, especially one that is only two months old is not for the faint-hearted. It can even be more worrisome with your first baby since you still don’t have the experience and will be dividing your time between paying attention to an adorable, crying, and pooping baby and enjoying your family camping.

Let’s face it - going out on a camping trip with a baby won’t be as relaxing as you want it to be. But it can be a good opportunity for you to spend quality time with your family in the outdoors. And with the proper preparation, you can watch over your baby unscathed and enjoy yourself at the same time.

That is why in this post, we will share uncanny tips for camping with a baby. We’ve done this sort of thing before, and we’d like to share our knowledge with you. So keep reading.

1. Create a Checklist

As somebody who has adored camping my whole life, I know well enough how much stuff has to be packed for the endeavor. Do not mind luxury – you should prioritize your fundamental needs and bring stuff that that will let you cook, eat, bathe, and sleep.

If you’re going out with a baby, you can make that double or triple. Make sure you do not leave without your baby’s bath, bottles, toiletries, toys, pram, clothing for all weather, carrier, etc. Making a list is a good way to go about it.

Family Camping Checklist with a Baby:

• Mosquito repellent with a DEET-free type for babies
• Glow sticks, necklaces, or bracelets for a light in the tent (and to attach to your child at night time)
• Wearable light or hands-free headlamp like the Beam N Read
• Travel bassinet or bed to make a “tent in a tent” in colder areas
• Camp kitchen kit including bowls, cups, and spoons for your new addition
• Easy-prep meals in case it rains in your campsite - bagels, extra sandwich fixings, pre-cooked pasta, and cereal.
• Dining booster with tray for camping meals
• Thermos (with warm water) for keeping an early morning bottle warm or a midnight feeding ready in the tent
• Water reservoir with a lot of drinking water
• Warm hats and sun hats for the entire family
• Two thermal suits for the baby (one backup in case the first one gets dumped)
• Swimsuits for the entire family along with swim diapers (if needed)
• Pop-up sun tent for shade or entertainment by the lake
• Training potty (if you have one at home)
• Anti-itch cream for rashes or bug bites
• Antihistamine for bee stings and other allergic reactions (ask the pediatrician for information on appropriate dosage for your baby).

2. Check the Weather

We once took our baby camping in a famous national park, and we completely forgot to verify the weather. We knew it would be warm as summer, but did not consider the fact that the usual warm inside a house is sweltering inside a tent.

Whether camping in a caravan or tent, watch out for temperatures as they are always more extreme outside, and while it may be such an enjoyable for you, your baby may not be able to cope up with the extreme heat.

On a cool day, our son was as happy, but once the temperature is increased, he was uncomfortable, cranky and did not stop crying. While there are surely things you can bring to keep extreme temperatures at bay and keeping baby warm, it would be best to keep it simple and natural.

3. Campsite

When booking a campsite, make sure that you are located underneath trees to have shade. With abundant shade, you can keep your baby cooler throughout the day. It would also be ideal to pick an area that’s near the main water source to have quick access to water in case your baby needs it.

Here’s more information on how to choose the ideal campsite.

4. Sleeping Arrangements

At home, you have all the things you need for your baby to have a comfortable night - changing mat, compactum, cot, and much more. In a tent, you have to be creative regarding night time feeds and sleeping.

Don’t forget the mosquito net as well. You don’t want your baby to get mosquito bites. If you don’t have a mosquito net, you can use any clean net as a substitute. You can put it on top of the cot, and it should protect your baby from mosquitoes.

Be sure to put a chair inside your tent (it’s usually cold outside during nighttime) to carry out at night. Also kneeling on the air mattress to change the baby could be troublesome, so you can prop a few clothes on a crate and then changed him on it.

In our experience, sleep times and night feeds were nearly seamless because we applied the tips thoroughly and made sure our baby was protected from mosquitoes. Nothing can give you more peace of mind than the thought that your baby is safe and sound.

5. Noise

Don’t forget how cold, heat and noise can infiltrate a tent. So if a child is used to snoozing inside a rather quiet room, you may need to make a few alternate strategies to include white noise in it. You can select between white noise, fire, ocean, storm and rain sounds.

Check out this video for an example of what it’s like to go camping with a baby.

6. Conclusion

If it’s your first time to go camping with a baby, and then know that the activity requires a lot of planning. But that should not stop you from enjoying a nice holiday. Use this post as your guide in knowing what to do, and how to prepare if you’re camping with a newborn baby.

Always remember to prepare for the extremes of temperature and check the facilities of the campsite to determine what is lacking. This will help you make the necessary adjustments once you start camping.

We hope you enjoyed this post. Happy camping with your little one!