A Cheats Guide to Winter Camping with a Baby

Whenever people hear that we’ve taken our daughter camping since she was eight-weeks-old they either think we’re incredibly brave – or incredible crazy.

I understand the reaction. There is a high chance she was conceived in a tent on the edge of a National Park so you could say she was born to be wild but, even for us, going camping for the first time with a baby was an intimidating experience – especially in winter.

What if she’s uncomfortable, what if she doesn’t sleep, what if she cries? These were the concerns I repeated over and over again in the car on the way to our camp spot.

But, now that we’re a family of four (with a 2.5 year old and a one year old) there is a reason we fill out spare time with mountain hikes, dewy forests and four-wheel-drive road trips.

There are few things as magical as watching a baby wake up in a tent, watching the morning sunlight reflect off the canvas. Still need convincing? 

Here are my top tips for sleeping under the stars with tiny people even when the temperature drops.

SLEEP CREATIVELY

When it comes to camping sleeping arrangements, you have to do what’s right for you, trust your instincts and be experimental. A lot of camping families co-sleep (bonus: body heat) but my toddler is very independent. Instead – and I realised this won’t work for everyone – she sleeps on her own in a swag filled with her cuddly toys and even a projector that plays nursey rhymes. Meanwhile, my husband and I sleep in a tent with the baby VERY close by. We pitched the swag in her bedroom for a practise run beforehand.

SUIT UP

On our first camping trip It was summer, yet I still underestimated the temperature at night. Now, I come prepared for arctic temperatures. It’s helpful to buy baby gear from colder countries such as Next’s snowsuits which are designed for Northern Hemisphere winters. We also use Phil and Ted’s pram sleeping bag to keep our baby warm when sitting around the camp fire in the evening (it’s not for sleeping in). During the daytime, Kathmandu’s bambino kid’s fleece jumpsuit is a must-have for misty hikes, as it’s warm but not bulky.

TAKE A SEAT

I have always been a no-frills camper who believed packing a camping chair was indulgent. But if you’re feeding without your favourite breastfeeding chair, then a ‘real’ seat is essential, and your baby can have their own throne too. We were given an OzTrail Junior High Chair as a gift and it’s now one of my top recommendations. It was a blessing when we went camping in an ant-ridden area. Plus, the tray is covered in wipe-clean plastic which reflects the light and seems to mesmerise babies. A positive of winter camping is you don’t have to worry about mosquitos.

PREPARE FOR DAWN

There is a high chance little campers will wake before sunrise in winter (ours always do!) so be prepared for the dark and the temperature. The night before make sure you have enough wood for the camp fire, water to make hot chocolate (for cold babies) and enough caffeine to appease the parents. Also remember your children are mirrors of your mindset: if you wake up moaning and groaning about the cold / how early it is / how badly you slept they’ll do the same.

CHOOSE ‘MICRO-ADVENTURES’

Be realistic about your limits. It’s possible to do multi-day trips with a baby but a one or two night camping expedition is long enough for us at the moment. I like to know that, even if my baby’s routine goes out the window in the wilderness, it will only be for a maximum of 72 hours before we’re back to home base. In fact, our daughter always sleeps better when we’re camping, after a day of fresh air and wild water swimming! It seems like it’s a tonic for stressed out parents AND the little ones too.

Amy Molloy is a journalist, editor and author of the sell-out book The World is a Nice Place: How to Overcome Adversity Joyfully. You can follow her family’s wild adventures on their Instagram account @Fox.and.Reef.