Babies in the Outdoors!!!

February 24th 2012

Photo by Dave Maliar

It's been a long winter.  Beginning in October with the storm of the century we all geared up for what we thought might be a repeat of last year's snow burial.  So far on this beautiful February day - nothing.  We have had a few days that were dusted with a coating of the white stuff and we had a few days that were unbearably cold but when the bulbs we planted this past fall began coming up in the beginning of January I knew this winter was going to be a flop (or a blessing... depending on your perspective I guess). 



So by a long winter I mean that even though the weather has been more favorable for a comfortable stroll I have had little time to get out a go.  My good friend Matt and I did get the chance on a couple of occasions to do some winter Kayaking down the Naugatuck River but that is the extent to my winter adventures.  As an owner of two Siberian Huskys I have been a sure disappointment.

On one hand, this winter has seen its downs with a bad economy and my furnace breaking down and on the other this winter has also seen the birth of my first child.  A baby boy named Christopher David.  Honestly, if I could be stuck inside with him for the rest of my life I would die happy.  As unrealistic as that may be I am sure our lives would be much more fulfilled if I started early molding that chip off the old block.

This brings me to the subject of babies and the outdoors.  There will certainly be a fair share of adventures without Christopher that may be too dangerous for a baby but I am a huge proponent of including your children in your life and that having a baby certainly does not have to change everything about you.  Kayaking may have to turn into canoeing, week long hikes may have to turn into weekend trips closer to civilization, and we may have to pack an extra bag with diapers, powder, and wipes but there is nothing better for a kid growing up than the experience of the outdoors.  Now when he gets a little older I am sure there will be times when I get in trouble with mom - one of those "you went where with him!!!" moments, but I am going to do my best to illustrate some of the many ways to enjoy, albeit responsibly, the millions of adventures to come with your young one.

As I blog about specific adventures I will go into further details about things that I have done with baby en-route and things that I wish I had done to make our trip more enjoyable.  For now I want to share a bit about how you should gear up for your first trip with baby.

• Start small and with things you are comfortable with already from your past experiences.  If you never had the great opportunity to go camping overnight in the woods, now may not be the time to experiment with your new baby boy or girl.  Maybe your first trip can be a picnic/day trip to the local reservoir.  This is a great opportunity for you to get out and plan small.  Maybe small for you will be jumping right into a weekend stay on the Connecticut River, camping on one of the many small islands that have formed with the changing tides.  Either way you must be prepared to care for number one... the little one.

• Make a list.  I have always been the guy who packs his bag the morning of, running out the door with a bagel in my mouth.  Gone are the days.  Now, since I met my wife I have been a little better at preparing, or should I say she has made me better at preparing.  You see, she is a list maker and if it wasn't for her the last time we stayed on what we so appropriately named "Thunder Island" we would not have remembered to bring the VIP.  Very Important Paper.  Turns out the thunderstorm that ensued all night long made it very difficult to start a fire to cook our dinner and without that TP we would have been up the creek if you know what I mean.  So make a list. And check it twice.  You may need to prepare for the unexpected and when you are with a baby it is extremely important that they are warm, full bellied, and happy.  No shocks that may ruin it for later adventures.

• Know your limits and do your research.  It is inevitable that there will be a time when you have to bail on the rest of your trip and call it quits early.  We probably would not have stayed the night on Thunder Island with Christopher had he been around then.  Though we checked the weather report and they mentioned the possibility of showers, that thunder storm was a definite surprise.  If you are on water check with the USGS website for water gauges and height.  If the river is flooded your planned campsite may be flooded.  If you are going on a hike be sure that you have the proper layers and change of clothes for your baby.  They will not always let you know when they are a little cold or wet so take frequent breaks. 

These tips may seem obvious to the regular outdoors-man\women but the main point here with a baby is that preparation is the absolute key to a successful trip.  Your baby should not be a ball and chain, they should be an addition to the greatness of the outdoor experience.  If you thought your baby smiling and laughing at home was indescribably warming then you should see them do it outside.  And when they get older and begin to remember, these memories will surely mold them into a stronger more confident person.  Please feel free to share with me either your memories as a child in the outdoors or some of the trips you had with little ones and how you managed to make it through.  Happy adventures!