Caravaning with babies

[Claire_374235712]

We have just had our second child and she will be 3 months old when the new caravan season starts on the 1st March. I read with interest the suggestions for sleeping arrangements for babies already o the forum, but am a little concerned about some of the suggestions. At home we are recommended by the foundation for sudden infant death (FSID) to always sleep our babies on breathable mattresses. Obviously the seating cushions in our vans do not meet this requirement, so what is the answer. I did a few years ago see a wonderful slim line travel cot in Harringtons Leisure in Cheshire but this is no longer available. Can anyone help.

Claire

 

[Danny_5134221]

Claire,

We have caravaned with both our boys as babies, they are now nearly 4 and just 2, and I must admitt did not really think about the breathable mattress bit, we made up a cot come bed using the side dinnete and found this worked really well.

As for travel cots we found these were too big for practical use in caravans and therfore the homemade cot was the only solution.

In hindsight did we do the correct thing as responsible parents and take the gamble about the mattress ? Who knows..........

I am now 37, and years ago my parents did things that by todays standards would be frowned upon, but it seems to have done me no harm !!!!!!!!

 

[CarolineSimon]

Hi Claire,

When both of our children were really small we took their Moses basket & stand with us & set it up in the van for them to sleep in as they would have at home.

When they outgrew that we used the back dinette to as two mini single beds with Tomy soft side bed guards on them to stop them rolling out although the knee rolls did a good job of that and also help stop them rolling onto their tummys,and they both sleep in their baby sleeping bags as per their cot at home. The older one is nearly 3 now so he sleeps same way but with his quilt from home.

My youngest is 14 mths and is still in her sleeping bag using the abouve method.

To date we have never had any problems.

We are actually changing our van this season to a new one which has fixed bed & fixed bunks as we feel it will much easier to use as each child will have their own bed.

We do have a traditional travel cot but its far too big to use in a van & we also have a Samsonite pop up bubble which at a push you could put in a van if you had a fairly large one - these are great as there is no weight to them.

Good luck in whatever you decide.

Regards,

Caroline