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Author Topic: How old before we can take the newborn out  (Read 7997 times)

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Offline georgel

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How old before we can take the newborn out
« on: October 04, 2011, 09:55:34 PM »
G'day all

Question to all the fathers out there.  When do you think its 'safe' to take a newborn camping/off-roading?

We have a 4 month old girl that I'm hoping to take to the Snowy's in January so she'll be over 7 months old.  Is this too soon?  How would she handle the rougher tracks or should I steer clear of these and stick to well formed roads.  Obviously don't wanna hurt the little tike....

Thanks in advance

Cheers
George.
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crackacoldie

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Re: How old before we can take the newborn out
« Reply #1 on: October 04, 2011, 09:58:18 PM »
All three of ours had there first trip at 3 weeks.  7 Months will be fine, take there blankets from home so they recognise them for sleeping, and pack warm.  They will have a ball.

 :cheers: Cracka
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Offline lilstookie

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Re: How old before we can take the newborn out
« Reply #2 on: October 04, 2011, 10:01:32 PM »
We took our son out for four nights at 3 weeks. Our 13 week old daughter is yet to go, but our new CT should be finished in a couple of weeks so she'll be going on her first outing in the next month or so. The sooner they do it, the better used to it they are and the easier it is ;)
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Offline Strider

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Re: How old before we can take the newborn out
« Reply #3 on: October 04, 2011, 10:03:06 PM »
2 Girls and both were taken camping before 3 mths old. Great photos of them having a bath in the plastic wash tub. There is no better family time than camping time!

Cheers
Alan
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Offline Nomad

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Re: How old before we can take the newborn out
« Reply #4 on: October 04, 2011, 10:10:49 PM »
Our first went her first trip at 6 weeks and she didn't sleep as well in her crib as what she did in a 4wd coming down the cooloola track from rainbow...........keep them warm and fed and they''l go anywhere with you.................... :cup:
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Offline MarkGU

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Re: How old before we can take the newborn out
« Reply #5 on: October 04, 2011, 10:11:12 PM »
all our kids were camping from a very early age. our last little bloke was just a few weeks old ( he was born 4 pound 6) when he made his 1st trip to the bush. as said above, keep them warm in the cold months and cool in the warmer months and they wont look back.
as for is it safe to take them offroad.......i reckon it would be a lot safer offroad than driving on some of the highways.
every kid should have the experience of camping at least once in their lives.

go for it.......they'l have a ball.
« Last Edit: October 04, 2011, 10:16:35 PM by navara04 »
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Offline PeteGU6

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Re: How old before we can take the newborn out
« Reply #6 on: October 04, 2011, 10:34:59 PM »
I'm not sure about a newborn but my wife told me that our sleeping 2 yo head looked like it was going rock and roll off on a bumpy sandy track approaching a dune that required a bit of a run up!  I had to stop after that to pack some things either side of his head to keep it still/appease my wife!!
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Offline hargs

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Re: How old before we can take the newborn out
« Reply #7 on: October 05, 2011, 06:19:41 AM »
Camped with relos that where breast feeding baby's ..............now years later that family is on a 5 week trip ........in Darwin today !!  still camping ...kids now 14,12 and 8 ...........never to young. Planning is the key.
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Offline Hefty

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Re: Re: How old before we can take the newborn out
« Reply #8 on: October 05, 2011, 06:41:02 AM »
Yeah, each of my kids were only a few months old. Our youngest is barely 4 months and has already camped 3 times!
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Offline schmik

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Re: How old before we can take the newborn out
« Reply #9 on: October 05, 2011, 08:02:12 AM »
The camping part is fine... it's the rough tracks that could be a concern. Apparently the size of the head is an issue. The poor little neck has a hard job supporting the huge melon.  This is one of the reasons small kids are in rear facing seats.  Put her in a vey reclined child seat where she doesn't have to support her head on her own and she will be ok.
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Offline Patr80l

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Re: How old before we can take the newborn out
« Reply #10 on: October 05, 2011, 08:05:20 AM »
Both my kids went camping at 6 weeks.
Another consideration is the long drive on the bitumen.   Babies shouldn't spend too much time in the capsule and infants don't tolerate long periods of inactivity.   I took my daughter to central Australia when she was 6 months old.   A few hours driving in the morning was OK but after lunch we were seldom able to travel past 2pm because she was upset and crying.    If you plan on 8 hours and 800km per day; forget it!
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Offline cdustbehindme

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Re: How old before we can take the newborn out
« Reply #11 on: October 05, 2011, 08:05:36 AM »
Took my daughter up north at a bit over 2 months, 5600kms a lot of bitumen, a fair bit of gravel and some really rough sections....  she thought it was all normal, the foot well on the passenger side of the prado made a great change table and place for her to have a kick....  we just tried to stay to her routine instead of making her keep to ours, made for some great stopping points though... saw stuff we wouldnt have and because she was feeding round every 3 hours made sure we were taking breaks from the drive.....  Have some great photos for her 21st, she even got to meet the Cunumulla fella ha!  We had to go up for a wedding so were staying somewhere different every night, very hard work shifting all the gear in and out of the car so i would reccomend staying in the one place as long as you can as we got really really tired (round 8 hours a day in the car up at 5 - 5.30  cause thats when bub was up).  I would be carefull with the real bad roads as apparently too much rattling round at a young age is not good for bubba.....    other than that have a great time, we are planning to go camping soon but will be stopping in the one spot!!  :cheers:
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Offline DANBRI

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Re: How old before we can take the newborn out
« Reply #12 on: October 05, 2011, 08:16:04 AM »
2 weeks, they are seriously robust - a lot more than we realise. Both of ours were out camping after 2 weeks, in 0 degree conditions!
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Offline GGV8Cruza

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Re: How old before we can take the newborn out
« Reply #13 on: October 05, 2011, 08:34:21 AM »
As young as possible and take some breaks. As others have mentioned just watch the really rough stuff with their head going side to side. Ours are now 6 and 4 and want to be out there all time

GG
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Offline cootha

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Re: How old before we can take the newborn out
« Reply #14 on: October 05, 2011, 08:35:59 AM »
not yet crawling babies are easy, it's when they start crawling and just walking that it gets a bit trickier.  Just been away with out 9, 8, 5 and 3 year old for 2 months. The 3 year old had to be watched all the time, she is a real tearaway.  When she was a baby it was much easier!
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Offline MDS69

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Re: How old before we can take the newborn out
« Reply #15 on: October 05, 2011, 08:57:16 AM »
For the real young ones you can get a support that will stop the head lolling side to side in a baby capsule. Also works in the pram.
Something like this
http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=11221114
or
http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2967791

Can't remember how old our daughter was but it was under 6 months old. We were driving to Qld from Sydney and thought we would have to do it in 2 days beacause of the bub. Turns out she travelled really well and we did it in one. Moral of the story the child will dictate how long you drive for.

We took both our kids camping in a tent from a young age, not weeks old but from around 4 months. Depends on what you feel comfortable with. You might have a screamer, reflux etc and it just might not be worth it.
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Offline Top.ender

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Re: How old before we can take the newborn out
« Reply #16 on: October 05, 2011, 09:05:46 AM »
I,ve got four and they,ve been camping since a very young age,my 7 year old Clancy was breast fed at 6 weeks of age in the middle of Tunnel Creek in the Kimberley.If your careful you can take them out at any age.Good Luck :cheers:
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Offline MarkGU

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Re: How old before we can take the newborn out
« Reply #17 on: October 05, 2011, 10:22:45 AM »
Quote from: MDS69 on October 05, 2011, 08:57:16 AM
For the real young ones you can get a support that will stop the head lolling side to side in a baby capsule. Also works in the pram.
Something like this
http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=11221114
or
http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2967791

Can't remember how old our daughter was but it was under 6 months old. We were driving to Qld from Sydney and thought we would have to do it in 2 days beacause of the bub. Turns out she travelled really well and we did it in one. Moral of the story the child will dictate how long you drive for.

We took both our kids camping in a tent from a young age, not weeks old but from around 4 months. Depends on what you feel comfortable with. You might have a screamer, reflux etc and it just might not be worth it.
something that is better than these supports and is free is a towel rolled up long ways and shaped to bubs head and neck  :cup:
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Offline D4D

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Re: How old before we can take the newborn out
« Reply #18 on: October 05, 2011, 10:43:53 AM »
There is some good info here http://myswag.org/forum/index.php?topic=8485
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Offline GOLDIE

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Re: How old before we can take the newborn out
« Reply #19 on: October 05, 2011, 07:04:10 PM »
7 months will be fine, Its the easy time as they are still not moving much and sleep lots. A packet of milk arrowroot bicscuts  in the car will also stop them crying for a while between stops.

We take our 4, 2 and 11month old boys and they love it. The 11 month old was the youngest at 6 weeks when he first went camping for a 3 week trip.

Getting them bathed and fed early makes it a lot eaiser as well.

The hardest night is the first, you will question youself as to why you do this..... I do every time.

Enjoy
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Offline Silvo

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Re: How old before we can take the newborn out
« Reply #20 on: October 05, 2011, 07:33:04 PM »
as everyone has said - take them out young and they will love it.. it's camping season!!
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Offline Barrabart

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Re: How old before we can take the newborn out
« Reply #21 on: October 05, 2011, 07:42:01 PM »
Geeeez mate some people live rougher then we camp........... bub's are born in village huts and hospitals we wouldn't take our dog to for a check up..... A bloke i worked with in Laos was quite proud of how he "spoilt" his young wife after she had their first baby........he borrowed a wheel barrow from a mate and picked his wife and new born up from the local hospital in it, he even went a little further and threw a few blankets and pillows in it just to make her feel special, straight back home along a bumpy village road to a dirt floor hut........ yep we're all too soft.

My youngest girl left hospital in an '84 dual cab hilux.... for a 120klm drive back out to the sticks, leaf springs and heaven forbid no aircon....

Like all good parents, we all do our best for our kids........... and you are obviously a caring parent..... your bub will be fine........ get out their and get your bub accustomed to your lifestyle.... it'll make things easier in the long run.

Good stuff :cheers:
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Offline white Knuckles

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Re: How old before we can take the newborn out
« Reply #22 on: October 05, 2011, 09:54:48 PM »
he loves camping because everybody is always around him unlike at home where we spread out threw the house his first trip 6 days flinders beach straddy and in the background is his bed
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Offline georgel

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Re: How old before we can take the newborn out
« Reply #23 on: October 05, 2011, 10:10:04 PM »
Thanks for all the responses guys.  I feel a lot better about taking her out now.

PS - love the pics.

Cheers
George
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Offline Mallory Black

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Re: How old before we can take the newborn out
« Reply #24 on: October 06, 2011, 12:30:27 PM »
Yeah not much to do but make sure you have very clean water and baby friendly medication in the first aid.
 
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