Camping solo with a toddler
My first solo camp with my toddler
Three weeks before I found out I was pregnant, I completed a joyful four-day solo hike of the rugged coastal section of the Cleveland Way, from Saltend-on-Sea to Filey. I treated this trip as my last hurrah, a celebration and goodbye, thinking that parenthood could mark the end of these adventures. I hungrily lapped up every step in the omnipresent sea mists. I did not feel ready to give this freedom up, and I felt grief, and I felt despair.
Certainly, the colossal shock of a newborn baby and my broken, unrecognisable post caesarean body initially put an end to my sense of adventure. Yet, gruelling multi-day hikes seemed easy compared to the everyday challenge of getting out of the door with a confusing newborn, whose life depended on me. For a multitude of reasons, I fell into the terrible black space of postnatal depression, and I questioned if I would ever feel joy again. I loved my daughter so much, but what had I given up?
Fast forward one year, and I was sat alone and triumphant on a campsite in Edale, in the Peak District, watching birds loop around Kinder Scout, with my tiny daughter snug in our little tent. I had taken a brave step, so I had been told, to go camping alone with an energetic, chronically sleep rejecting toddler. An added challenge was that it was 38 degrees.
I had started to truly question myself whilst my daughter was screaming, very unlike her, as I pitched the very same tent that my husband and I had sheltered in during our six-month cycle tour in Europe, when we first decided we might like a baby, after all. Fortunately, I had pitched this tent hundreds of times and could give it a good go blindfolded. I hurriedly got the job done whilst fielding protests from Lyra strapped in a sling on my back. I thought I could feel the judgement of my fellow campers. Or, perhaps, they were just fearful for their night’s sleep? Why would anyone bring a one-year-old camping? And, in a heatwave?
With our temporary home hastily established, I took a disgruntled Lyra to a shaded wood and a glorious stream a short walk from the campsite. Nightmares dissipated into absolute joy as we both cooled down in an ice-cold stream. This was Lyra’s first outdoor paddle, and she raised her tiny feet high and stomped them down hard, laughing as she enjoyed the splashing sensation. Later, after she had run up and down hills in the campsite with great gusto, she sat crossed legged in my camp chair studying her animal noises books, and chewing on bread sticks. I knew I had done the right thing.
Bedtime consisted of the usual fireworks, but she went to sleep, eventually, after inspecting every corner of our tent and enthusiastically bouncing off the sides. I pulled her close to me and inhaled her with love as the sun set over the Kinder Plateau. There was a warm glow from the sun and her tiny synthetic red sleeping bag. What an adventure it had been.
I had driven to a national trust campsite and pitched a tent amongst dozens of others. I was only forty-five minutes from home. Before I had a baby, this would have been fun, but not at all challenging. It turns out, that far from being the end of them, children turn everything into an adventure.
Tips for camping with your baby/toddler
Pack enough warm clothes and sleeping bags
Even in a 38-degree heatwave, it got cold at night. The baby sleeping bags you buy for indoor use are not designed for the outdoors and are usually made of cotton which becomes damp and cold. Morrison Outdoors make specialist sleeping bags for your baby (6-24 months), and they come in down or synthetic depending on the need. They have arms and a zip down the front and have also been safety tested.
Pack plenty of clothes and clothes for all weathers, more than you need, as it surprising how many clothes you can get through!
All in one waterproofs can be really helpful for letting your baby/toddler loose in the morning dewy grass. You forget how wet it can be in the morning!
Don’t go too far from home
I am very lucky to live close to the Peak District so I was able to drive forty five minutes from home and be in the middle of nowhere. I felt safe in the knowledge that in a worse case scenario, I was only a short drive from home and could abandon ship! If you can’t get to the middle of nowhere, you could do a practice camp in the garden or at a friend’s house.
Have a plan for when your child wakes up early
If you are on a campsite, and you worry about disturbing people, have a plan worked out for removing your child from the campsite should they wake up early! This is not an essential, as I don’t believe we have to silence our children, but I remember the feeling of being woken up at 6am by someone else’s child and I would rather save others from it! Oh, how I miss sleeping in. I chose a campsite with plenty of beautiful walks nearby so we could get out the tent and go as soon as she rose.
Consider co-sleeping with your baby/toddler
This is a personal choice, but I have coslept (sharing the same sleep surface and not having the child in a cot) with Lyra since she was 5 months old. This was a saviour when it came to camping as I did not need much stuff, and I could keep a close eye on her in the night. If you take a travel cot, that is a lot of extra equipment, and more difficult if you need to settle them in the night. Cosleeping meant I was able to respond to Lyra very quickly which meant she didn’t keep the campsite up if she woke up! If you do plan to cosleep, make sure your set up is safe. It is recommended to take precautions until your child is 18 months old, such as having a safe sleep surface and excess pillows and blankets away from your baby’s face.
What to take co-sleeping?
Air beds are not suitable for children under 18 months due to suffocation risks if they roll into the compressed surfaces, so you need a foam pad, or a Thermarest. I bought a double Vango 7 Duo for car camping but are saving up for a more light weight option like the Exped Synmat Duo LW for bivvying and wild camping.
If using two single mattresses, a blanket on the floor is helpful if the baby wriggles off!
A good fitting sling
I couldn’t have pitched my tent without having Lyra in a sling! I always feel safe knowing I can have her close to me and she will be happy, no matter what physical task I do. Which sling is right for you will depend on your body type, your baby and your needs. I highly recommend going to a Sling library or surgery, and if you don’t have one nearby, you can get virtual consultations (a benefit of the post Covid-19 era!).
A camping highchair
If your baby is anything like mine, they will eat very little unless in the confines of a highchair. I learnt very late on that you can buy camp chairs that have built in tray tables. This would have solved many problems.