Baby Camping...

[gratefuldanny]

Some good ideas, thanks! I think car camping may be the best idea. I am really interested in keeping my wife sane. She married me so I am already a little worried.

[Beast 71]

My baby loves being in a hammock, but I wouldn't do it unless I'm awake and within sight/earshot of him. Makers of baby slings (think wearable hammock) had to recall them because of suffication . I've had good luck with a pac-n-play with the detachable bug net. The net is really stretchy and has an elastic bottom. I think that it would work with most any playpen. You could put the whole works under a tarp or better yet in a tent.

P.S. I don't think the net is no-see-um proof so you may have to couple it with a tent with the no-see-um netting, depending.

[gratefuldanny]

i already have no see um net that will fit over the pack and play!

[kc7fys]

Hooch. You're a barrel of laughs.
This is a topic I have pondered. I'm imagining a baby hammock somewhere around the ridgeline. It would need to be mighty safe to work for my little Edith.

[stevebo]

I had both of my kids out camping when they were 5 weeks old---------close to home, car camping in a tent. It was kind of crazy, but fun! Just dont plan any long hikes, and keep the trip short. (with weekend trips you can dodge bad weather) Good luck!

[Pitch]

I just wanna say "Thanks!" for starting this thread - We have a little girl on the way and will be subscribing to this one.

-Xex

[tbctx]

Best bet is probably in the hammock with mom for an infant as it ensures warmth, lets you get to the little one quickly if it wakes up, and peace of mind. With mom as woman seem to instinctively not move when something little is next to them, its kinda funny watching them sleep in weird, has to be extremely uncomfortable positions as they started to shift and the cat moved next to them and they immediately stopped.

If in its "own" hammock I'd have to say probably a bridge style with bars running its length as well to ensure it stays flat for them. Do to the suffocation risk I'd also say probably single layer 1.0 rip-stock. Suspension wise off your RL in easy reach would be my choice.

[exup]

We've been talking for awhile about this. Our girl is 10 months, walking, and more than ready and hiked her share of miles (in a carrier) seeing how its winter we'll probably get her out spring or summer. There's some places where its like car camping buts camps are seperated by good distance and lay along a nice backpacking trail so I think that's what we'll do.

How about a playpen type,with a bugnet, and a tarp over it. Mainly sun protection and they can just tent it at night with mom while us guys or gals enjoy the luxery of a hammock

[kc7fys]

We took our 9mo son all over Vietnam in buses, trains, taxis, and (VERY BRIEFLY) on a motorcycle. (Just a few minutes until we realized, that although it was typical of the locals to do so, it was not going to fit with our skillset to do the same. Rest assured, we didn't use that conveyance after one brief morning try-out.) Anyway, he was totally comfortable--sometimes the sun was too much for him. Well, it was too much for him every day--but we did this trip in the awesome huge and fancy Vietnamese hotels scattered across the countryside. The bonus was babyfood with rabbit! He loved it. I still tease him that all them rabbits in his tummy made him wanna jump!
With our second we have been camping twice, and she's 5mos old now. It was mellow car tenting, no hiking--and she took well to it. Warmth was our primary concern, and we kept her well-swaddled. We are co-sleepers, so we don't have the suffocation fear so many speak of. The kids are doing great.
As far as hammocks go, though, my son is in love with 'em! He's got his own "manket," which he calls it. (A weird variation of 'blanket' that we gradually adopted.) I started with a futile 5-footer, which was quite insufficient for his 42-inch body, and now I have in the works a full-fledged WarChicky--it's a tad long at 90 inches, but he'll grow into it. I'm about 25% finished. He has the coolest routine that he says, copying my instructions, "Sit down, like a chair. Spread it out, and... there you go!" He says it every time. Kids DO mix with camping, and perhaps even hammock camping someday.

[gratefuldanny]

Thanks for the advice and suggestions! I am the proud father of a beautiful baby girl. One of my friends got us a "sleepywrap" because one of its methods of holding the baby is called a hammock hang! :-) My smart and beautiful wife who is standing over my shoulder right now says that I can take my baby camping at 6 months of age and she (my wonderful wife) will get a full nights sleep at home!