[Closed] One for the parents - hiking with babies

I would not use the back pack for our 12wk old. But the Baby Bjorn on the front inside an oversized jacket would be OK.

Back pack is OK with plenty of checking, wrapping up warm etc, when they get a bit older. We've done lots of walking with our two from 12 wks onwards.

3 hours seems a while - particularly if you'll need to stop and feed/change them in 'open countryside'.

Is this a regular thing they do or a bit of an experiment?

Personally, I wouldn't want to carry a baby for 3 hours - we had a Mountain Buggy that worked quite well for xc walks but it did struggle when things got a bit gnarly due to wheel size.

As long as there's some points you can bail out and get back to the car quickish then I guess it can't be too bad.

Main thing woudl be to keep the baby warm and dry - you'll be hot from walking but they'll be sat doign nowt the whole time.

yeah!
Use a [url= http://www.huggababy.co.uk/ ]sling[/url] so the baby is in front of you in the warm, not a backpack up high exposed to the wind, you can bring them inside your coat if it gets cold, too.

It's a BabyBjorn. She's a bit of a tiddler (well, quite a lot of a tiddler - only around 10lbs), so gets cold easily.

Other question is (and it's entirely rhetorical) - will my back hold up?

unrhetorically, my back starts to suffer a bit with fatso on the front after an hour.

Is this a regular thing they do or a bit of an experiment?

First time. I suspect the organisers are regular walkers, so it seems an obvious extension to them.

I'll get my own back and take them out for a "gentle" ride.... 😉

1/ Baby Bjorn inside the coat if needs be. Be sensible. If the weather's not going to be great maybe 3 hours is a bit much as one loop, different if you have bail out options.

2/ Will my back hold up? How bad's your back? And do you have the BS Bjorn, in which case get one of the 'Active' ones. I carried my two all over in them with barely a gip. And my two weren't lightweights.

Another thing, at 12 weeks does she face in or out. If the latter, and they're like my two, she'll dribble all over the front of the carrier. Take plenty of muslin squares / flannels / anything so she isn't face down in windchilled spit for 3 hours. That would piss me off, and I suspect she'd be the same.

how did they assess 3 hours? their normal pace?

sounds a bit long for me for the first attempt, 2 hours with easy escape routes would be better. You may spend half your time with people changing poo explosion nappies (and therefore the clothes) one after the other and then it become 4 hours and then the feeds due etc etc ( 1 baby in a group is one thing, a group of babies is like a mtb group ride; you'll stop for a puncture,fix it, just as you are about to set off someone else finds they have one etc etc)

if your kid is only 10lbs put them inside your coat as suggested above

(though I do know ours hates the baby carrier, so that'll be a challenge).

take ear plugs as well

TOJV

1. Will have to find a suitable coat (most of mine are, er close fitting due to my current post-birth weight gain).

2. Aches from riding bikes (muscle imbalances). Have an Active BB.

3. She's still wobbling a bit, so prob facing in.

big_n_daft - my thinking, TBH.

Anyway, forecast is some rain, which might put the kibosh on it anyway.

It might be OK, but once they get cold, all hell will break loose and you wont be able to get them warm or comfortable again until you get to some shelter.

If there are plenty of bailing options, then you will probably be OK. If its an exposed out and back, then I'd say no.

I'm still mentally scarred from taking our eldest up Glen Tilt in off-road pram, Christmas Day 2005! He was wrapped up like a mummy, but still got cold.

Have any of the group had caesarians? I'd say a 3 hour walk might be a bit much for them too?

Have any of the group had caesarians? I'd say a 3 hour walk might be a bit much for them too?

Two. Mrs North and the organiser..!

Eeee, the glories of the NCT. We just met up for a weekly coffee! Started the walking thing a little later than that tho'. It's awkward walking with a baby strapped to your front for that long even if you share the load. Watch your back as you walk at an unnatural angle ime. Use a good pram?

We used a baby bjorn from about three months, though it was spring time when we started and we had all sorts of "fun".

I suspect that three hours in November will be a trial for all concerned. You will almost certainly get a sore back, with a jacket over you and baby, you will both over heat and then as you try to cool down young OMITN will get cold and complain. The smell of poo wafting up from inside your jacket will be something of a nice surprise and it usually happens just as you are furthest from civilisation, the rain is at its worst, there is no shelter and the young one really doesnt like the feel of a poo filled nappy. Not that I have much experience of it, oh no.

That and rolling the trailer with my eldest in a couple of weeks later are a couple of outings my wife reminds me of on a regular basis.

As mine is now 13 weeks old I would say a 3 hour hike in a Baby Björn would be too much with a 12w old. Unless you've already been out walking with the baby and its neck is strongish for their age. Can she hold he head still when being held upright, or hold her head up when on her tummy, etc? You could build up their strength over time etc. but 3 hours 1st time out is too much IMO.

I know when I walk with my little-un in the BB his head can flop about a bit so I normally tuck in his blankey to keep it cosy.

As for back ache, as long as your back is ok and you can MTFU it should be fine 😉

A sling (Baby Bjorn Active for us - good back support) does mean they are close to you and stay a bit warmer but three hours is quite a bit.

Definitely too young for a back carrier. But when you do get one, get a Bushbaby pinnacle - they are brilliant.

Echoing what's already been said, I would suggest that the two things to remember that the baby will get much colder than you, and the walk could easily take longer than planned.

As experienced by a couple visiting up here a couple of weeks ago who took their 16 month old boy on what should have been a 2 hr walk, but turned into a 12 hr walk/getting lost/mountain rescue. At -3.

My parents took my very well wrapped up little sister (18 months old at the time) for a long walk in a buggy near the sea in Winter - she ended up with pneumonia and had a nasty asthma attack and had to be put on oxygen overnight. Oops.

Right, you're talking me out of it.

Which suits me fine - I can do other stuff with the family on Sat (when it's raining) and then ride my bike on sunday (when it's sunny).

Everyone's a winner that way..! 😉

Surf-Mat - I'll remember that suggestion. Thanks! 🙂

we took Teddy most of the way up Pen-y-Ghent when he was 3 weeks old, watching the 3 peaks. He slept most of the time, it was fine. We took him for a walk from Grassington last sunday as well, and I took him on a 5 mile walk from Kettlewell a couple of weeks ago. Warm suit and hat on and inward facing carrier = warm and sluggly sleeping baby. We'd not think twice about a 3 hour walk with him, he's 9 weeks now. He just sleeps all the way round.

We have been for walks with ours (from around 8 weeks) but found that, due to feeds/nappy changes, travelling etc, we haven't been able to fit more than around a 1 hour walk and we are both normally knacked when we get back as even small ones (Izzi was just 4lb 10oz at birth) start to feel heavy after a while. We use Baby Bjorns.

mrsflash - fair enough. I guess I don't have a problem with the principle of a reasonably long walk (even in Nov), but the hassle factor of being in a big baby group may cause it to be longer than anticipated.

Unless we can encourage the babies to synchronise when they're hungry/need a change.

yes i can see there might be a lot more hanging about if therere more babies. do you know what route they're planning? if there are escape routes i think it's worth a try. excuse lack of caps, feeding!

Are there tearoom stops to keep warm? Always a good idea, as one of the buggers will want feeding pretty much all the time.

We had a moby wrap sling at that age, which holds the baby very close and supports them very well, and we took her on a few walks (we live in Derbyshire), although I'm not sure if we got as far as a 3 hour walk (10 miles or so?). We probably did walks that took 3 hours, but only thanks to tearoom stops - were probably 5 miles or so mostly!

Now, we have a [url= http://www.connectababycarrier.com/catalog.php?category=14 ]Connecta Integra[/url], which is a bit more like a baby bjorn, and is great now she is bigger and likes to look around a lot. I wouldn't be so happy going over stiles or walking in slippery mud if she didn't have good head control though.

I've done dozens of 5 milish walks with the baby in the sling now - sometimes she decides she won't nap in the house, so I take her for a walk over the hills.

Now it is quite muddy, depending on where you're walking / how steep & rocky it is, poles might be useful, just to give you a bit more confidence when carrying the baby - certainly some walks round ours (other side of Derbyshire) where I'd like them.

Also, in related stuff, you might be interested to know, you are close to kiddy bike trailer age (with baby insert) - ours says gentle cycling from 12 weeks.

Joe

A baby would get REALLY cold in a bike trailer.

I thought 6 months for a bike? But I wouldn't over winter anyway, as they don't have your body warmth to keep them warm like in a sling.

A baby would get REALLY cold in a bike trailer.

That surely depends on whether you have the wind cover up, and whether they are in the special padded & insulated baby sling thing, inside a lovely warm sleeping bag thing etc etc.

The chariot trailers have a ski kit (they recommend I think 16 weeks before you ski with the trailer) - if you seriously think that they're unsafe cycling in a British autumn, goodness knows how unsafe it must be cross country skiing in Scandinavia. Or maybe it is just like everything else, that you have to wrap em up warm, and make sure that they don't get too much wind in their faces.

Except for wind chill, I don't see why it's different from taking a pushchair on the same route, and when you close up the front, there isn't any extra wind chill. The pushchair has been on some pretty long walks on cold foggy mornings with no problems, you just have to make sure they're wrapped up well (if it is very windy, I pop on the rain cover to avoid wind chill on the pushchair).

Wife's friend has a (perfectly healthy) baby, and their only method of transporting it is on the bike. They just use the right stuff to keep their baby warm.

Joe

I thought 6 months for a bike?

But I wouldn't over winter anyway, as they don't have your body warmth to keep them warm like in a sling.

Would you also not put them in a pushchair outside in winter then?

Joe

As you probably know I have no kids and believe people are often far too overprotective but I would think that

to go for a 3 hour walk in November with a bunch of 12 week old babies?

Maybee if there are loads of bail out options but I think its too ambitious. depends on the weather to some extent. it could be cold and horrible it could be mild and nice

Not for the same length of time as a bike ride or proper walk, no, probably not. I'd use the moby.

Am going to get her a bike trailer at some point. Just need to be more succesful on ebay (missed a great cross frame last night due to Mrs North's insistence to looking at houses on Rightmove).

I suspect we need to do some of our own walks at some point, before we get stuck into walking in a group with the attendant faffing.

looking at houses on Rightmove

BTW - do either of you have an iPhone? Both Ebay and Rightmove have great apps so one could use that whilst the other is on your computer.

nothing to add to this thread other than to say I got a baby on tuesday morning and does anyone have a spare instruction manual there didnt seem to be one in the box.

nothing to add to this thread other than to say I got a baby on tuesday morning and does anyone have a spare instruction manual there didnt seem to be one in the box.

Nope. You have to write it yourself.

Llongyfarchiadau - hope you've go the nipper a red jersey already..! 😀

Joe - fair comments but as mentioned, my very well wrapped up 18 month old sister ended up in hospital and on oxygen after a two hours walk in a buggy in chilly conditions.

I just don't think babies can generate the heat that adults can. My bro in law has a 2 year old and a newborn and lives in Sweden - they don't take them out far when it's really cold.

ours are 8 & 10 now but mrs antigee nearly froze the youngest on a 2hr walk in a backpack - windchill is the problem

just been out for a 2hr stroll in a bog above bamford and car indicated zero as set off before sun popped out and the wind was cold enough to make me wonder if i had a neckwarmer in sac'
3hrs is too long in november

ps on a more positive note - walking poles great for mudddy hills and stiles - less chance of squashed babies

I think it depends completely on the baby. Baby FD didnt like his sling thing at all and managed about 30mins tops before having enough. Again dependant on the baby but I wouldnt walk for more than 1hr because Baby FD got in to nappy changing,feeding or both. One of my friends babies would go 3hrs (in the summer).

Multiply that by a bunch of babies and your going to get no where fast!

Babies are much more reactive to heat or cold than grown ups. Plus when your out walking, your moving generating heat. If you were to stand/sit still outside for 3hrs, no matter what your wearing you would get pretty dam cold.

memory fades for me when they move from Baby Bjorn to a back pack but I think the rule is that they have to be able to support their head.

if the Baby Bjorn is OK then tucked in a coat is great.

We then moved on to a Bush Baby back pack but definitely get a wind cover that wraps all about them otherwise their little ditty sticky out bits get very very cold. Oh and lots of fleecy stuff - all dead cute as well but I expect you know that. The Calange stuff used to be dead good. We used to buy loads from some discount Calange warehouse in Manchester/Stockport way.

We used to do lots of it when our girl was little. They are very portable at that age so no problem. She just slept much of the time on front pack. Mrs Mc even mastered breast feeding whilst walking!

Very strong November winds may not be so nice, but wrap a big cag/windproof and it goes round the lot. Toasty.

I just don't think babies can generate the heat that adults can. My bro in law has a 2 year old and a newborn and lives in Sweden - they don't take them out far when it's really cold.

We live in Sweden and like others have said, it's just about the right layering etc, we tend to draw the line at -10 and below mind. 😮

Haven't read all of the thread, so don't know if anyone else has said this.
Remember...babies are not particularly good at generating their own heat as they do not move about. They need lots of layers. If you're wearing 2 layers they need more.
Not something that a lot of parents of young ones seem to think about judging by the amount of babies who are carried/pushed about with insufficient clothing.
Think about their tiny feet and hands!!

We did walks from that age, of upto 3 hours regularly. BUT it was very weather dependant and required lots of fleecey all in ones / carriers of all kids, wind and waterproofs, meals (breast) on the go etc etc. Most walks were shorter, but I wouldn't be shy of such a walk, especially if you are kitted and a reasonable (sheltered and with escape options) route.

Don't think these "carriers"are much good, the force the little uns legs and hips appart too much your better off with a proper sling made of one piece of long fabric that you can wrap jnr up correctly for there age/development. They will also get far more body heat from you so they will not need wrapping up as snugly 😀

You need one of these - expensive for what it is but comfortable and easy to use
http://www.kari-me.com/

Sounds like a crap idea because assuming 4 or more couples at least one of the kids will be having a shit fit at any time.

For info you can get a normal pushchair right around Dovestones res in the Northern Peak (bigger wheels are better but not necessary) which is an hour to hour and half and great for a mob of parents who want some of the outdoors without much hassle.

I'd save the bigger adventures (i.e. anything over 1.5 hours) for when you've tested the limits, got better weather etc. A baby/toddler with cold feet / an hour from home can be pretty stressful.

I'd actually be more reluctant to go out with a pushchair then a front carrier for 3 hours.

No problems with getting cold, bad backs etc for that sort of length of time using an [url= http://www.ergobabycarrier.com/ ]Ergo[/url]

congrats a_a, what flavour?

Sorry about the manual we're definitely still looking for ours - can't find where to re-set the feed/sleep button to make him go for more than 2 hours at night without feeding!

3 months is way too young for a back pack, wait until they can sit unsupported before using one of these. 6 months approx though this varies.

However baby would be fine in a baby bjorn carrier, probably facing out as long as babe is holding head up by self. You can get a cosy toes attachment for these and they can be worn under waterproofs etc.
After 6 months We had a little life carrier and it was great. did up to 10 mile walks with our 6-18 month daughter with that and when she was toddling she could get out and walk or have a nap in it also

I can vouch for this from both medical knowledge and from personal experience.

However 3 hours seems a long time in a carrier. babies need changing, feeding regularlyetc and they quickly get cold. I'd try a baby bjorn on a shorter walk 1st maybe an hour or so and leave the NCT mentallists to freeze their babies by themselves!

For those who haven't read the whole thing, the "carrier" is a BabyBjorn Active. Just for the avoidance of doubt and all that.

😉

can't find where to re-set the feed/sleep button to make him go for more than 2 hours at night without feeding!

But then teething comes along (had 5 days of it now....) 🙁

oh dear m_f, hope they come through quickly! one of our nct group babies has her first tooth through at 16 weeks!

Teddyflash doesn't do much of an evening cluster feed, he seems to prefer a morning cluster feed for some reason.

3hrs is around 90 minutes too long for my money. Not just for the baby, but for the poor bugger who is carrying the thing. If it's the wife, her ligaments will all still be loose after the pregnancy, so she would be running the risk of damaging her spine. I'm currently having to work my arse off to try and rehab my wife's back for this very reason - and she is the model patient. So basically dont do the 3 hr thing - it's bad for you.

Not read the thread. You could, but babies (or anyone) will get really really really freezing cold in a backpack, since they are not moving and you won't notice the cold cos you'll be walking.

I wouldn't personally, for that long at that age.

The issue we had (being very active walkers) was with the stops for whatever reason. We have a bothy bag. This is essentially a tent with no poles. Thet idea is you sit in it using your body as side support. They are incredibly warm very quickly.

Id echo the comments regarding body harness. As my daughter got bigger we used a macpac harness which was awesome. It has a great back support much better for kids as they get bigger.

We successfully did 5 hour walks upto. 6 months including full winter walks (one up to the hut on Ben Nevis in Feb). I have to say we worked upto it and didnt dive and planned early routes carefully and knew what to expect. after this we used a macpac rucksac carrier but it is much harder to keep them warm in this so walks have been shorter or on warmer days until she can generate enough heat to keep herself warm.

We have the same issue on the bile. Quite hard to maintain her warmth during longer rides. Been using down to maintain heat successfully.

Thats my bit

we've just bought a 2nd hand macpack back carrier, can't wait till he's big enough for it! And bought a running buggy too, again, can't wait! only 4 months to go.... 😉

congrats a_a, what flavour?

baby Frank arrived tuesday 7 am after mum having contractions from 8am sunday morning, with quite a dramatic final flourish, both mum and baby fine though.

Sorry about the manual we're definitely still looking for ours - can't find where to re-set the feed/sleep button to make him go for more than 2 hours at night without feeding!

let me know when you find it

Congrats 🙂 Best wishes to you all.