Babies enrich our lives in ways we never expected. Nothing adds joy to a family like a little one running around. But if you’re an avid camper or RVer, you may find a baby takes a little more work when adventuring into the great outdoors.
However, very few things bring a family together and make lasting memories more than RVing together. While there are certainly a few safety concerns when RVing with a baby, there’s no reason not to start making those memories as early as possible!
There are a few important things to bear in mind when taking baby on his/her first road trip.
Car Seats – This isn’t a concern if you’re pulling a travel trailer, but if you’re in a motorhome, you may need to invest in a different car seat for your little one as not all car seats are designed to fit into anything other than a car or truck. A few other things to remember:
- Never have the car seat in a side facing seat
- The car seat should never be in the front seat of the motorhome
- Be sure to make sure any loose objects around the car seat are properly secured
Baby-Proofing – Much like your home, your RV needs to be properly baby proofed as the lil critters have a terrible habit of climbing, crawling, and shoving their fingers into all the wrong things. Fortunately, RVs are already pre-prepped in a lot of ways with loose items secured, drawers and cupboards have security latches, and most of your RV interior has nice, round, soft corners. You can certainly limit your baby’s RV adventures by using a baby gate or a play pen. To be on the safe side, take a walk through your RV and identify any areas of potential danger and take the usual steps to baby proof as required.
It’s All in the Preparation – Like any RV trip, there’s a lot of planning that goes into a successful trip. When travelling with a baby, lists are your friend! Bottles, diapers, formula, extra blankets, your doctor’s contact info, etc. When route planning, try and stick to quieter routes in case you need to pull over. Map out your usual day with your infant and take note as to how that will translate to a day out camping so that feeding and nap times are still observed. The last thing you want to do is ruin an already well-established routine.
In the end, there are lots of advantages to RVing with your kids. It’s an overall more affordable way to travel and can create amazing memories for years to come, and it opens up a world of adventuring possibilities for you and your little ones.
