Our first campervan trip with our new baby was in March, when she was 1 month old. It wasn’t the dead of winter, but I would argue still cold. Although we enjoyed it, we probably could have done with being better prepared.

March had been particularly sunny which is why I was itching to get out and about for a little trip away.

Here are some points to consider which made our trip easier.

Where will your baby sleep?

The first thing I wasn’t prepared for was how cold it got at night. It dropped down to 3°C! In hindsight I could have guessed that the night would be cold. It was only March after all! I think I had been fooled by the sunny days and didn’t really think. Baby brain! Luckily we had taken lots of blankets to keep us all warm (dog included).

I think another thing that saved us here was that Olive sleeps in the bed with me – this meant we could share body heat. We also have a heater in our van for those extra cold nights. Although next time we go we should definitely check the heater actually works and isn’t just pumping out smelly fumes.

Babies can’t regulate their temperature and you don’t want them to get too cold, or too hot!

• Never let a baby sleep overnight in their coat.
• Remember if you get too hot, you can kick the blanket off. Babies can’t do this!
• A cold baby will more than likely wake you up to tell you whereas a baby that is too hot will get lethargic and overheat.

Think about feeding

I breastfeed which made things easier in the feeding department. On the downside it does mean I am doing every night feed, unlike bottle feeding where you can share the load. But this is no different from life at home for me so no huge loss. Breastfeeding also means you don’t have to worry about storing bottles of milk and sterilising bottles! Although I’m sure a decent cool box would do the job if you are bottle feeding.

Consider a campsite close to home

Think carefully about where you go, especially on your first trip with a baby. If you stay close to home, and it’s too cold or you’re not enjoying it, at least you can pack up and drive home.

Remember most campsites lock their gates overnight, so make sure you have the night wardens number in case of emergencies!

Baby carriers/slings are a savior!

Keeps baby nice and cosy and are great for walks that aren’t pram friendly!

Or if you have a baby like ours, who would much rather be carried around all day, a sling means you can carry on with your day without too much hassle.

Careful packing

Think about things you might want easy access to e.g a changing station and fresh baby grows.

You don’t want to be rooting round in the boot in the middle of the night looking for clothes if you have a surprise poonami!

Other things I like easy access to are snacks, tea bags, jumpers, rain coat.

Planning ahead

Planning ahead makes campervanning with a baby so much smoother. It really makes a difference if you take pre-prepared meals and snacks, and don’t have to think about where you will walk the dog!

Take some activities to do indoors for if the weather is rainy, like a pack of cards or a book!

A full checklist of preparation ideas will be coming soon.

Enjoy yourself!

Your baby might not remember their first trip away but you will! You are making memories that will last a lifetime, and strengthening your bond as a family!

Please leave your comments below with your ideas and stories!

Elise x