Caravanning with a young baby

[phorbiuz]

Can anyone with experience give me some advice on this please?

My wife and I are in our late 30's and have been caravanning for about 10 years. It's always been the 2 of us and our dog but our circumstances are changing as we're expecting our first born next month. We don't want to give up on caravanning and we both think it's a great way to get kids outdoors, but we're concerned about noise from a new born if we are to book anywhere next year.

I think we realise the kind of peaceful sites we've traditionally gone for may have to change to those with activities in years to come, but next year at least won't need that kind of change. I'm reluctant to book anywhere though with the worry about noise, eg crying, especially at night.

What have other people done in the past to deal with this?

Thanks in advance.

Dave.

 

[GeorgeandAde]

Hi David.
Our 2 boys are grown up now and dont want to come away with us anymore but we do have the 2 dogs who love caravanning...lol
I would imagine that when your new born baby arrives(congratulations by the way)would be sleeping close to you at night so any crying would be minimal as a dummy or bottle may send the little darling back to sleep.
If you were pitched next to us on a campsite,this wouldnt bother us at all and would accept that little babies dont always sleep right through the night.
I would imagine that most other campers would feel the same.
Adrian

 

[GeorgeandAde]

Forgot to add.....we always carry earplugs in the van(the Spaniel snores alot)

so a baby crying wouldnt be a problem

 

[ValA.]

Although it's a long time ago now, we've camped/caravanned with our son since he was just a three month old. The first time was in a friend's (tiny) caravan on a site near Tenby in South Wales, when there was still frost on the ground, but the caravan had a wood-burning stove(!) so it was great. Thereafter when he was six months old we took him to France camping (tent) and that worked well too - so we carried on until he was too grown up to come with us any more.
He still camps in France - and there's no doubt that camping/caravanning is a great way for children to learn about the wider world, make friends, and socialise with other children - and adults.

 

[Martin24]

From experience just go for it!! I remember offering to go out in the field net to the site once on a regular weekend site about 7 and half years ago as waking up time was around 5am. The owner said that if the others didn't like they could move elsewhere and as far as moving away from quiet sites for activities, our three at (8,10&12) are quite happy on our preferred CL's and CS's

 

[MrsSorento]

hi, we have taken our 2 young children caravanning since they were weeks old. We had a 5 berth caravan, so the smaller sofa seats in the rear lounge made great beds and we put up a bed guard to stop them falling out once they got old enough to sit up.
We have always used family sites so we advised the booking office of the fact we had young childen and ideally not to be too far away from the wash block. We used the CC sites as most have baby/toddler washrooms and the same for the other sites as there is a baby bath available to use. The caravan we had and currently have (a Swift Charisma 565) both had separate shower cubicles which we otherwise ideal for putting a baby bath in and bathing the babes in. We usually go for breaks away between Feb and Dec depending on the weather as the van has the blown air heating to keep the van warm enough. We use service pitches where we can for the endless washing up young ones seem to generate i.e bottles, sterilising etc (tip if you are using powder milk for baby fill the bottle with boiled water to the amount required and seal by putting the top on then all you have to do when needing the milk is to add the milk powder, saves room in your fridge and throwing made up milk away). Good luck and congrats. Lisa

 

[Surfer]

Go for it! When booking a site mention that you have a young baby and I am sure that they will be able to accommodate you.

 

[Shirker]

At the risk of being Mr. Unpopular and the lone dissenter - I would hate to be next to a caravan with a young baby in it which was crying at night. Noise at night is my pet hate, whether it be people yakking on in awnings, music, dogs or children - I go away in the caravan for peace and quiet. If I heard a kid squawking at 5am I'd be furious with all and sundry but that's as much up to me to try and find sites which are quiet and kiddie-free as it is for parents to keep them shtum.
As above though - telling the site owner as you get in seems to be the way to go and some common sense on both sides will go a long way. We go for adult-only sites mostly but if we do end up on a family site we ask to be as far out of the way as possible so we can be quietly grumpy in our own corner.

 

[Gagakev]

If any ones got the nerve to complain just tell them they were a baby once................ many many MANY years ago!!!!!

 

[Shirker]

What's that got to do with anything - doesn't over-rule general consideration for other people, on both sides, which was my approach above. Strangely enough I too was a baby once but we didn't go on holiday until I was four so my parents say. I think I was just an ugly child though and they didn't want me out in public.
I am probably at the extreme of anti-kiddiness. I'm not yet 40 but would love to buy a house in an over-55s development so the street could be guaranteed to be child-free but got at least another 16 years to wait

 

[ProfJohnL]

Hello Dave,

First of all congratulations on your expectant situation. I hope that all goes well for the birth.

As for caravanning with a young child, We did when our first born was less just three months old, and again we continued to caravan with each of our three children. Perhaps we were lucky but I don't recall any great issues with noise from crying, and we certainly had no complaints from adjacent caravans.

Most babies, provided they are generally contented, may only have short bouts of crying and they shouldn't wake the whole site up. The only general exception is when they are teething.

Just as an observation, We are of the belief that if you give a baby a soother(Dummy) then they become reliant on having one to go to sleep. If they loose it in the night and wake up, they are then distressed because they haven't got the soother, so they begin to cry. Solution is to not give them one in the first place so the are less distressed when they wake up, you don't loose it when out and about, and you are not constantly having to clean or sterilise it if it is dropped. All I can say is it worked for us.

Provided you use family sites, then other campers have to accept that "families" often mean babies with the noises they can create. Provide the child is not being left to cry unreasonably then I don't think you should have any problems. You tend to get more noise from the adults who like to drink late into the evening exchanging loud stories to each other in the awning!

Babies are one of the essential miracles of life, and without them where would be(apart from better off) So go for it and bring on the next generation of caravanner's.

 

[Gagakev]

What's that got to do with anything - doesn't over-rule general consideration for other people, on both sides, which was my approach above. Strangely enough I too was a baby once but we didn't go on holiday until I was four so my parents say. I think I was just an ugly child though and they didn't want me out in public.
I am probably at the extreme of anti-kiddiness. I'm not yet 40 but would love to buy a house in an over-55s development so the street could be guaranteed to be child-free but got at least another 16 years to wait

Gee Shirker are you for real??
What's that got to do with anything - doesn't over-rule general consideration for other people
It's meant to tell Dave to just to go for it and dont worry what other people think or say. Consideration works both ways, ever heard of the phrase Give and Take?
Sorry Shirker dont want to start a bunfight here, not in my nature I'm afraid.
As you use mainly Adult sites why not stick to them? A family site is just that.. a family site.
Ive said it on here before there are plenty of different site's to visit for example
Family sites
Adult sites
Dog friendly sites
No Dog sites
Sites with pubs
No pubs/bars
The list goes on
By the way my first quote was not aimed at you personally, sorry if it looked that way.
Ps My daughter has a tiny tears doll in the attic if you want to borrow it, but dont turn her over as she will start crying

 

[Shirker]

What's that got to do with anything - doesn't over-rule general consideration for other people, on both sides, which was my approach above. Strangely enough I too was a baby once but we didn't go on holiday until I was four so my parents say. I think I was just an ugly child though and they didn't want me out in public.
I am probably at the extreme of anti-kiddiness. I'm not yet 40 but would love to buy a house in an over-55s development so the street could be guaranteed to be child-free but got at least another 16 years to wait

Gee Shirker are you for real??
What's that got to do with anything - doesn't over-rule general consideration for other people
It's meant to tell Dave to just to go for it and dont worry what other people think or say. Consideration works both ways, ever heard of the phrase Give and Take?
Sorry Shirker dont want to start a bunfight here, not in my nature I'm afraid.
As you use mainly Adult sites why not stick to them? A family site is just that.. a family site.

Yes I am for real, thanks. I just pinched myself to make sure. Strange way to avoid a bun fight that is so against your nature.
Which are you advising - "don't worry about what other people say" or "consideration works both ways"? They're complete opposites.
My post was saying exactly the latter, as I think was probably also your intent, but there will be people who a crying baby at night would really wind up (as it would me) but some consideration on both sides can solve most things and avoid the situation in the first place, such as choosing the right site (as Dave and I both mentioned) or speaking to the warden when booking or arriving, again as we both mentioned. Seems pretty reasonable, and far less likely to lead to conflict on a site than "don't worry about what other people think" which is the approach that seems to be behind most grumbles on this forum, be it dogs barking, sitting in awnings making noise in the small hours, driving over other pitches in impatience, speeding, and on and on. My response was supporting Dave's proposition, and question, just from the stance of one who doesn't think kids are cute angels to be adored.

 

[ProfJohnL]

The OP was looking for some positive advice about caravanning with babies. I think that the OP has shown a real concern about the subject by asking the question - well done

However there seems to be a number of posts that rather than supporting this young family seem to be intent on denying them their most natural rights to bring up their family in a caring way.

If our species is to survive then having babies is an essential process. No-one can deny that fact of life. So there will be babies wherever normal social activities take place, Get used to it because it won't change. It is the natural state of play.

Now there are some couples for whom parenthood is impossible, and I am very sorry for them, and whilst I believe society must be compassionate towards them and welcome them in, but in reality they cannot expect the whole of society to change the natural course of life and living just to accommodate their special sensitiveness

Then there are others who elect not to be involved in 'family' life, Whilst I respect their choice but its their choice and they are the ones who must make the effort to select the environments they are happy to live in. They must accept it is they who are 'different' and they must not expect others to make special provisions to alter the natural events of family life.

So Let me reverse the issue:- for those of you who don't like the realities of real family life, avoid the problem don't book onto family sites.

 

[Shirker]

The OP was looking for some positive advice about caravanning with babies. I think that the OP has shown a real concern about the subject by asking the question - well done

However there seems to be a number of posts that rather than supporting this young family seem to be intent on denying them their most natural rights to bring up their family in a caring way.

Who is denying them anything?? Or saying they can't do anything?? All I did was to answer the OP question honestly that yes, a crying baby would annoy me intensely as I really don't like small kids, but he was taking the right approach and it was as much up to me to find suitable sites as it is for him to try and manage the situation in the best way he can. Both sides finding a solution rather than one saying 'tough, my issues trump yours', which the OP wasn't saying at all but has been at least one unhelpful response. I would go as far as to say that's a lot more positive and helpful answer to the OP than a slew of 'don't worry about it mate' answers which at 5am for the third night on the trot will be a lot less realistic than my answer.

 

[Parksy]

In reply to the OP, the subject of children is one that invariably polarises opinion on internet forums, but what people write anonymously on forums is not a true reflection of real life.
I've heard all kinds of noises on various caravan sites over the years, some which have irritated me (drunken loud voices in the small hours) and some which have not but the sound of an infant crying has never unduly disturbed me at night, it's just another one of natures sounds.
If you use quiet sites (such as certified sites with 5 units) all that you have to do is to pitch slightly away from the other caravans whenever this is possible, don't be driven onto sites that you wouldn't normally choose.
I'm often surprised when visiting certified sites that whenever we pitch away from other units to afford us and them some peace and privacy some numpty invariably turns up and pitches right next to us, it must be the herding instinct! The 'baby on board' badges in your car windows should be a bit of a giveaway so if someone decides to pitch next to you there's not much that you can do about it.
Nothing will stop a baby from crying for his or her feed in the night so as long as you are not on an adults only site then there's no point in worrying about it too much, and although my sons are grown up and moved out now in my experience a quiet, calm environment and an established routine usually makes for a quiet calm baby.
Good luck and congratulations, another future caravanner on the way

 

[ij.brooks]

Hi, We took our son away for the first time earlier this year at the age of 6 weeks old, he was no bother, we had our first full sleep through the night (Must have been the Fresh air). On most sites these days the sound of a crying baby would barely be noticed due to other environment noises such as birds and traffic. Don't worry about it and enjoy the experience, there will alway be some one who may not be happy being woken up, but who's going to complain about a baby crying.
The biggest problems we had was all the extra equipment.

 

[Dustydog]

Hi Dave
My daughter first came away with us in a NR Nimrod trailer tent when she was 3 months old. She did cry a bit , but not a lot. The fresh air actually seemed to have a calming affect on her and then my son. How many times do you see parents walking the pram or carrying the baby in the middle of the night to comfort them? A lot and it works. I'm with Prof John on the dummy. Forget it.
Their mother was breast feeding at the time and we found if she had a small sherry each night babe slept well.
Now waits for a barrage of abuse for turning babes into alcholics

Gagakev has pointed out there are many sites catering for different tastes. The world is your oyster. Go out there and enjoy the whole experience. Caravanning is for families as well as grumpy old bores who have lost the plot.

Maybe something from here could help Shirker http://www.earplugshop.com/

 

[Parksy]

.......Their mother was breast feeding at the time and we found if she had a small sherry each night babe slept well.
Now waits for a barrage of abuse for turning babes into alcholics

................

I wonder what my mother drank each night??

If you visit quiet sites and the baby cries the grumpy's should look on it as a kind of investment.
Although the GoG may suffer very slight disturbance every now and then in the early stages the chances are that the child will inherit the parents enjoyment of quiet peaceful sites.
This means that at some future CS there will be one less noisy little 'erbert because the child will appreciate the calm quiet places that he or she was introduced to as a baby

 

[Martin24]

We took our three to Longleat and all enjoyed the park but not the site!!! We were all so glad to get back on to CL's. So were the dogs.

 

[James_Snooper]

Hi Dave, congratulations to you and your wife! Our kids are a little older now, but it's my experience that caravanners and campers are an understanding bunch. I know I've been next to couples with very young children in the past, but any noise really hasn't upset me, and we've found vice versa to be the case with our own children.
Some sites like to keep the families and the childless couples etc. separate, so as a few others have suggested it might be worth mentioning you have a young child when you book. Other than that I'm with everyone else - go for it!

 

[Willi-Wonti]

Congratulations to you both.
We (me & the boss) and my sons family go out with the British Leyland camping & caravan association.
When Tilly first came out with us she was the arr factor & helped break the ice for them as new members. Now as as a seasoned caravanner at 2 3/4 people miss her when they are unable to get out with us.
Lottie was born on the 13th December, we cant wait for the weather to improve so that we can all get out together again.

ps Tilly had chickenpox over Xmas & now Lottie has caught it