Concerned about caravanning with babies????

[Dave_5103700]

Hi,

Maybe a strange one this, but I need advice from anyone that can give it. I currently have a 13 month old daughter that is happy in the caravan with us. However, my wife is pregnant - with twins (!!!!!). She is concerened that caravanning is not going to be practical with 3 young babies, but I am reluctant to sell up and retire from caravanning. Does anyone have expereince of caravanning with several youngsters - include the logistics of bedding them all somewhere? - we have a 5 berth Swift Challenger

Thanks

 

[Bigpow_5039962]

Sell up and run for the hills. Sounds like 4 years of hell on the way for you mate. All joking aside it will be hard work untill they are old enough to settle down I'm Sure. Good luck with life and I've got 3 kids by the way so I know where your going to....

 

[MikeP]

No twins, but we have three daughters.

No 1 came away in a caravan at 4 months. No 2 in a trailer tent at 8 months, no 3 in a trailer tent at 7 months. Challenging but fun, although they were already sleeping well at night by then. We didn't go abroad until the youngest was 5 - no point really. In the UK we were guaranteed quiet club sites with set rules and no entertainment etc. I don't know how I would cope abroad trying to get very small people settled when some sites can be noisy until midnight.

My main bit of advice would be NOT to take the little ones away until they are sleeping fairly well. Being pitched next to a unit containing a baby that screams for half the night is not nice.

I reckon the whole thing is feasible. I don't know how, but it probably is.

 

[Dave_5103700]

We first took my daughter away when she was 3 months - everyone thought we were mad - she had never quite managed to sleep through the night - however, first night in the caravan she slept for 12 hours straight through, and has pretty much continued to do so ever since.

We would not take the twins until they are 6/7 months, so should be sleeping through the night (I hope!!!!) and we will only go to quiet UK sites, however I am more concerned about the logistics of setting up 3 travel cots, as no.1 child will be too young to go in the awning. We have still thorughly enjoyed caravanning with one baby, but are concerned it will not be a pleasurable expereince with 3!!!!

Thanks for the comments

 

[Denise4]

Hi Dave, We started caravanning this year and we have twin boys who were 16 months on our first trip and we have a daughter who is 4. Because Lucy is older we were able to put her in the top bunk which has a good guard and then the boys went in the single beds with bed guards slotted under the mattress. I don't know the layout of your van, but the twins could certainly sleep together for a while, ours shared a cot until there was no room. We are finding it a bit difficult this year because the boys just run in different directions, so they have to play in the awning (one of them did manage to crawl out of the awning and was seen running off). The awning is a godsend, we just use it as their play area with their toys and we bought veranda poles so we can have the front open when it is hot. We would still rather be away in the the van because with twins any holiday is difficult and staying at home is no rest at all. All I will say is I felt for anyone near us at Wood Farm at Whitsun because the boys were very noisy, not crying just shrieking with delight and they wake early 6am has their breakfast in the van then went in the awning to play. Having said that they were in bed early when everyone else was outside making a noise so I didn't feel too guilty. Hope this helps, good luck Denise

 

[colin(bridgend)]

We had our grand-daughter and her parents with my wife, son and self in a four bearth caravan for 2 weeks when she was just 6 weeks old. No problems at all - she was an excellent baby and slept through the night and awake/sleeping in the day. She had disposable nappies and the site provided for the disposing of them with no fuss or dirtyness at all. From our experience, although no two children are the same, I would say give it a try before retiring from the scene. They could possibly sleep better with a change of air. Good luck.

 

[Julie_5081178]

We haven't caravanned with 3 youngsters but have done it with 2.... theres lots of shortcuts these day that weren't around 25 years ago (think terry nappys!) so I would think that it's easier now. Ours came with us from birth and if anything I thought it was easier than at home! - Hubby was around to do more perhaps thats why!

Once they're toddling I used a long rope conected to a dog ring or a fence of windbreaks to keep them close! Plus there's always older children on site who are happy to entertain them!

 

[Denise4]

Hi Julie, what did you do with the log rope! I need something to stop my toddling twins running off. They stay in the awning but I would love to see them playing outside but thet won't stay near the van. We have thought of the windbreaks, but it depends if there is enough room on your pitch once the awning is up. Denise

 

[MooseontheLoose]

Hi,

Got 2 daughters currently 2yrs 8mths and 16mths, we took them caravanning last June in a 2 berth 16 year old Swift Corniche, youngest was 4 months then and it was great fun.

I completely concur with the advice about them sleeping well, we had a moses basket on the floor of the end bathroom with the little one in.

Each and every child is different and you will have to play it by ear. We deliberately went to a site close to home to trial it first so we could lock up and leave the van on site whilst we went home if either of them became impossible.

 

[cris_408518]

Our kids are all in there twenties now. My eldest at less than a year old took her first hands free steps on a campsite and her sister was camping at 6 or 7 months old and their younger brother at the same age.

We only had a frame tent in those days, not the luxury of a caravan. We coped with breast feeding routines, bottles, real nappies etc wit no problems.

We had three kids three and under, not twins, but without the luxury of a caravan we coped fine and the kids remained fit warm and healthy on Cornish campsites.

 

[AnnM1]

I took my twin daughters (3 years old) and son (a few months old) away in a tent. At that time I couldn't afford a caravan! However, we had a great time. Don't let youngsters stop you. Tots don't know any different, older ones will love it. Either way, the fresh air will 'knock them out'.

Club sites (along with many commercial sites) have extremely good baby/mother rooms (and fathers can use these also). Go for it, I am sure you will have wonderful time.

 

[Mac2]

Hi Dave,

We have 4 boys and started caravaning when they were about a year old. We've done both types of holiday (caravan & hotel) & I wouldn't go on any other holiday with babies as the caravan gives you so much freedom and is like a home from home. You eat when it suits you and no trying to feed tired children in busy restuarants or trying to get hotel staff to heat bottles etc. Take it from me - caravaning is the way to go!!

 

[AnnM1]

Hello Dave

I have just been going through some back issues of PC magazine. I came across an interesting article which you might like to read.

Entitled: "Baby on board"

PC mag, October 2005, page 60

Hope this is helpful.

Kind regards

Ann

 

[Dave_5103700]

Thanks for all the replies - still in a quandry at the moment - my wife is still not convinced.

Mac - you say you have 4 boys - presumably not quads (?), what are the age differences, and do you mean you started when the youngest was one?

Thanks Ann - I do not have back copies - do you know where I can get hold of that article.

Thanks again for everyones comments

 

[JandP]

Hi Dave, I would definately not give up the caravan because, as I am sure you know, it is the ideal holiday for children, though you might want to put it on hold for a couple of months. We first took our youngest away with us at 6 weeks! Everyone thought we were mad and with hindsight I think we probably were, her sisters were 7 and 3 at the time and all 5 of us + the dog slept in a 12ft Sprite Alpine! The 2 older children had one double bed and me and the wife had the other, baby in a canvas camping cot and the dog on the floor by the door, the dog had to be the first one up in the morning because there was no floor space left. Happy days! Later we moved up to a 14ft Monza and all 3 girls slept in one double bed (we found "top and tail" caused least arguements) and this gave us more room which was useful as we had 2 dogs by them. When the eldest was too big to sleep with her sisters she had a bed on the floor with her feet under the other bed. So you see you just need to be a bit inventive. We had some great times, our yougest is 22 now and all 3 girls are great friends (despite the caravan holidays?). Jim.

 

[Tapestry]

Hi, we have 3 kids and a 5 berth Swift Alloutte, I think the layout is the same as your Challenger, twin dinettes, L shaped dinette at the back. Our kids were 2, 3, 4 when they first started caravanning. The back dinette converts to a double bed, so potential space for 2 moses baskets for the twins. For a while we put our youngest was 2.5 years old on the bunk with a bed guard, I think it was by Tomy, on the outer edge, used pillows for gap. we also used one of the narrow cushions from the front as a barrier on the bunk side nearest the back window, we used the front dinette as 2 single beds, makes getting up in the night easier.

Electric sockets, you can use the same dummy plugs as you do at home, available from DIY shops and those shops selling kids stuff.

An awning is good for storing kids toys and doubles up as another room for kids to play in and you to relax in! We had the rule then, still do now, if someone is cooking or the kettle is on, the kids are not allowed to go walking past that immediate area. Our kids had their own little table and chairs to sit on when they were drawing, colouring etc. A TV and DVD with kids favourite DVDs helps on rainy days. PE kit type bags, labelled with child's names, are useful for holding socks, nightwear, undies etc and can be put in top lockers . Hope this helps. Annette

 

[AnnM1]

Hi Dave

You may be able to obtain a 'photocopy' of the said article directly from PC mag offices for a small remuneration. It's worth a try. Unfortunately, it runs to 2 pages and is too long to type out in full on Forum.

Good luck.

Ann