Baby on the way - Tips when caravanning?!

Harris550
Harris550 Forum Participant Posts: 31
edited August 2016 in Caravan & Motorhome Chat #1

We have our first baby on the way (Due December). We have a rear island fixed bed which we will eventually change.

Can anyone share any tips or expieriences they have had whilst caravanning with a new born baby. We are particularly curious as to what they will sleep in after 6 months as a moses basket will be to. small and a travel cot being to big.

All comments and expieriences welcome to help prepare us!

Comments

  • Oneputt
    Oneputt Club Member Posts: 9,145 ✭✭✭
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    edited August 2016 #2

    our daughters 2 year old twins sleep with them on the front make up bed when they use our van.  However that's only a temporary solution.

  • allanandjean
    allanandjean Club Member Posts: 2,401 ✭✭✭✭
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    edited August 2016 #3

    Hi, over the years we have been vanning with quite a few babies and in the main used the following methods. The Moses basket, a carry cot, a travel cot,with 'bumper' if needed and, on one occasion,a 'made up' bed between the two front parallel seats on the
    floor.

    The most recent time was for George, our youngest Grandson,who was 6 weeks old and in a Moses basket on his first stay and then a year later in a travel cot but I would say that the in between 'carry cot' would be the answer if you need to and they are still
    available!

  • cyberyacht
    cyberyacht Forum Participant Posts: 10,218
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    edited August 2016 #4

    Plastic storage bins double up as a good baby bath. Just remember though - if the baby turns red in the bath, it's too hot for your elbow.

  • JCB4X4
    JCB4X4 Forum Participant Posts: 466
    100 Comments
    edited August 2016 #5

    Baby on the way!? – Tips when Caravanning.

    Next time make sure you take the TV and a riveting novel in case of poor reseption.  Innocent

     

  • FifthVan
    FifthVan Forum Participant Posts: 63
    edited August 2016 #6

    We only had a two berth caravan when our daughter came along, and slept as two singles with carrycot in between us. When she outgrew the carry cot she slept in between us with cushions to prevent her from banging her head on the middle chest. We used a small
    basin as a bath for her. Her first caravanning experience was at about two weeks old!

  • EasyT
    EasyT Forum Participant Posts: 16,194
    1000 Comments
    edited August 2016 #7

    A lot depends on your layout. I was fortunate with our first van many years ago as I was able to put a base in using plastic covered chip board and a cot side so that it provided a cot or a playpen later with a view through a window. 

  • allanandjean
    allanandjean Club Member Posts: 2,401 ✭✭✭✭
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    edited August 2016 #8

    Forgot to mention that the travel cot makes a great playpen for those times when you really need to have a growing baby somewhere safe while doing something other than cuddling and cooing!

    Being collapsable they can be moved around to suit and worth every penny.

  • Stevesie
    Stevesie Forum Participant Posts: 73
    edited August 2016 #9

    Laughing If baby is on way first advice is to make sure that there is a good supply of hot water and towels in the van!

    We took it as an excuse to have a bigger van and used a travel cot between the end dinette seats.  As mentioned by others, the travel cot also made an effective play pen/containment area!

     

  • JayEss
    JayEss Forum Participant Posts: 1,663
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    edited August 2016 #10

    Take a look at koo-dI 

    Excellent products for camping or travel in general   

  • cyberyacht
    cyberyacht Forum Participant Posts: 10,218
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    edited August 2016 #11

    Just make sure that any infant containment barrier is sufficiently high. No 2 daughter managed to do a "Tom Daley" over her pen in a yacht bunk once. Ended up with a non-slip diamond pattern bruise on her face.

  • Wildwood
    Wildwood Club Member Posts: 3,582 ✭
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    edited August 2016 #12

    We used a carry cot to start with and as they got bigger we found a Mr Men sleeping bag that they fitted in. This was a very small bag which I doubt is still out there buit there must be something similar available. If you put them in a single bed you need
    to fabricate something to stop them rolling out though.

    Because we used the very large lounges at the front as a bed it was possible to stick them at the front with us inside.

    We took the changing mat with us and used it on the floor. The only real problem is the paraphanalia took up more room than our stuff so a bit of careful packing was needed.

  • Harris550
    Harris550 Forum Participant Posts: 31
    edited August 2016 #13

    Thanks Everyone. Once the baby has out grown the moses basket, where do you then sleep them? We have a fixed bed, i was thinking about sleeping them on the front seat and making an upstand to stop the falling out. However, the wife is worried they will climb
    over it?

  • cyberyacht
    cyberyacht Forum Participant Posts: 10,218
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    edited August 2016 #14

    A justifiable worry. See my post above. They do seem to bounce though.

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