So last weekend I went camping with my in-laws in Forest Lakes and it was so much fun! It was a bit chilly for this cactus baby but it was a blast just enjoying God's gorgeous creation, hiking, and of course- roasting 'smores! As I prepared to leave, I wondered how different it would be with a baby coming along- my mind went crazy! How many diapers should I bring? Should I bring her toys? What if she starts rolling over? Do I bring a pack n play? How many wipes do I pack?? Bottles??? Extra clothes????
The list goes on. A couple people basically told me I was crazy for bringing a 3 month old camping but it was no different than having one while not camping- just a different atmosphere and temperature. I found so many good blogs on 'camping with infants' and those helped me prepare for my trip but I wanted to make my own list of essential supplies for camping with a baby. I didn't have to buy anything special for this trip which was great. So here is my top my most important items! Hope it helps!
1. Snugli Baby Carrier- On day 2 of camping, we took a hike down to Bear Canyon Lake and enjoyed some afternoon fishing. Since this was our first camping trip with a baby, a lot of things we did were trial and error. When we got to the mountain Grace was still asleep so I didn't want to wake her up. I asked David to carry her down in her car seat so she could keep napping. NEVER just NEVER hike up or down a mountain with a car seat in your arms. Just don't do it. When we were ready to leave I put Gracelyn in the snugli and hiked back up the mountain with her on my chest. Soooooo much easier, comfortable and a good work out too! I used the baby carrier lots of times when we were out fishing and it was a life saver.
2. Baby Sunscreen- Because of the elevation, the sun is much closer than it is in Phoenix so even though it wasn't hot I made sure to bring along some baby sunscreen! I used a generic brand but I'm going to be trying different ones to see which one works the best. Every morning I would put a pea size amount in my hands and then rub it into Gracelyn's cheeks, nose, forehead and ears. I even used some on my face too and it seemed to work!
3. Bouncer- Although we held Gracelyn alot, there were times when we just needed to put her down like when we had a corn hole competition (So fun!), while we were eating, washing up etc. Her monkey bouncer came in handy since she was occupied with the music and toys. When she wasn't in the bouncer she loved sitting on someone's lap and staring at the fire!
4. Carter's Sleep Sacks- Okay these things are THE best! I use them at home too but for camping- they are amazing. At home Gracelyn sleeps in a footie pajamas in her crib without a blanket so when we went camping, I used these to make sure she stayed warm. Before bed I would nurse her, change her diaper, then put her in a warm onsie with socks and pants. Once she was comfortable, I'd stick her in the sleep sack, zip her up, put a beanie on her and bundle her up with a fleece blanket! She'd be out for the night- it was great. It also helped that David's parents had a heater in the camper otherwise we'd really freeze! She was always down no later than 8 so it left me plenty of time to enjoy Phase 10 (card game) with everyone else!
5. Manual Medela Pump- Without my pump I would have been in a world of hurt- literally! There were a few times when I would wake up from sleeping because I was so full! Ouch. Normally, at home this doesn't happen because I pump all the time so having my manual pump was such a life saver. I was free to pump in the camper or in the car and it was just so easy. After pumping, I would just store the bottles in the cooler!
6. I forgot to post this picture but a diaper bag backpack has been the easiest baby gear yet! I absolutely love mine and I would never use anything else! We got ours, with a gift card that my work sent me while I was on maternity leave, at Target. It was $40 and so worth every cent! It has a big pouch with stoarge pockets then a small front pouch with lost of storage too. Once side has a net for a water bottle and the other side is an insulated pocket that I use for milk storage. It is just so much easier than having to carry a bag on your shoulder. I don't know if I said it yet but, I love it! ;)
*I didn't add this because I'm sure it goes without saying- bring LOTS of extra diapers, wipes and onsies. I used the same few pairs of pants and a few different sweaters but I brought tons of onsies since Gracelyn loves to surprise me with blow outs.
Over all I'd say the trip was a success! We all had so much fun and I cannot wait to go again this fall! Here are a few pictures from the trip.
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