summer events 19
CHAUTAUQUA STAR FRIDAY, MAY 30, 2014
camping with babies what I've learned, not that I know everything, because I'm sure that I Well, last week's article don't know all there is to know about camping. ended with a promise to follow up on our However, we now have camping weekend. We some experience with had a lot of fun, and a camping with babies, lot of learning. both in tents and in There are many things campers. that I was grateful we If you or someone you thought to bring, and know would like to many that we wished take a little one campwe had brought. There ing, here are some are also plenty of things tips and tricks that we that we over packed, have learned along the and didn't end up using way. Even if you don't even once on our trip. desire to go camping, I promise that this will be As always, I share this somewhat entertaining. information with you from the standpoint of Before we ever got on By Katy Wise
Contributing Writer
the road to Allegany state park for our camping weekend, we ran into several situations. So rather than saying every detail, let me just warn you of a couple of things... Make sure you don't lock your keys in the house before you are done packing your camper. If you do intend to lock your keys in the house, at least make sure your toddler doesn't have to go potty first. Do not put your children in their car seats in the car before you are done packing your camper. Husbands - don't leave your wallet
at work in the midst of leaving early to go camping. And please, by all means, do not give your child chocolate before letting them watch a movie in the back seat for an hour on a curvy, twisty road. The combination of all of these things set us back approximately two hours from our original leave time. But that's where being flexible comes in, right? When ridiculous circumstances come up in life, the best choice is to laugh. Especially if you have kids, because something ridiculous is bound to happen with a toddler involved. Did I mention that we decided to take our new dog with us? That would make our camping adventure two adults, a three-year-old boy, an eleven-monthold baby and a dog that we have had for a week. Most people would say that we were crazy for even attempting this, but I also need to mention that the in-laws were already setup at the campgrounds for backup. If this could be on everyone's checklist for camping with a baby, I would highly suggest packing a Grandma. Better yet, pack a Grandma, and then a Grandpa along with her who isn't afraid to change diapers. Then, you are guaranteed a successful camping trip. To be perfectly honest, if my in-laws, our own personal camping experts weren't already going to be there, I don't think we would
have gone. We also wouldn't have a pop-up camper. But for those of you who are brave enough to still try camping without grandparents, here are the regular old items for camping with babies. 1. Disposable bibs. I didn't know until very recently that these lifesaving products even existed, but anything that saves me extra laundry time is worth a shot! They kind that we used were called 'Bibsters,' and were about $3 for a pack of 12. We only used half of the package, as the bibs are all sturdy enough to use more than once. 2. Drop-In bottle liners. We used these with both of our boys when they were nursing, because they are supposed to be the easiest bottle transition for nursing moms. We still had the bottle set, so we just picked up a box of disposable liners, which can be tossed after use. This one purchase alone cut down on our dishes by about 30% 3. Pack n' Play. A portable crib, better known amongst parents as a pack n' play is a must, unless you are a cosleeper. This made Andrew feel like he was right at home, since he uses his pack n' play to play in on a daily basis when we are at home. 4. Playpen & Carpet. Although this may be similar to a pack n' play, a playpen is actually a larger area specifically for babies and toddlers to play in. This is where the boys spent the majority of
their playtime, keeping them out of harm. We used a green outdoor carpet underneath the playpen to make it easier for Andrew to crawl around on his little knees, and to deter him from eating rocks. 5. Comfort Items & Toys. Another thing you don't want to forget is any kind of beloved animal or blanket that your child might sleep with. If it takes batteries, be sure to pack some fresh ones or replace them before you leave. Andrew sleeps with a light-up lullaby seahorse, and we kept the one that our older son Joshua used. You can't tell the difference unless you look very closely at the worn out parts on the older one, but we keep that older one as a backup or for when the boys need to leave the house. As far as toys go, don't pack too many. Children will spend far more time on walks, exploring the grass and water than they will playing with toys. But for the ones that do make it on your trip, pack plastic toys that are easy to clean and not easily broken. We did our best to mimic the environment that our boys sleep in at home. They sleep with a fan on and lullaby music playing. Both of these helped tremendously with the noises coming from other campers around us. Hope that all of these pointers help you in your camping experiences, and thanks for reading!