Sleeping Arrangements on Overnight Adventures
For most parents contemplating their first multi-day adventure with their baby, the concept of sleep seems to be the crux. They worry about how they will set up a safe sleep area, or how their baby will adjust to the new environment, or how many zzz’s they’ll catch.
To the latter: Keep your expectations low. Real low! And who knows? You might be pleasantly surprised!
To the former two: With the right clothing, gear and sleep props, a safe sleep area and a bedtime routine are totally possible to re-create in the outdoors. Here’s how:
0 - 6 months
In the newborn phase, travel bassinets are key! You can find super lightweight and foldable ones on the market. They may still be bulky, but they can easily be attached to your backpacking pack with a carabiner and carried along for the ride.
We were handed down the Brica Fold N’ Go model, and it worked perfectly for Indy’s first few sleeps in tents and huts. We felt very comfortable with the safety barrier in between us, and could easily keep an eye on him through the mesh siding.
For pajamas, we follow the same rule of thumb as we do for winter-layering. Honestly, does it ever warm up in the Rockies? Start with a synthethic/merino wool base layer, followed by a fleece mid-layer… And cover their extremities with warm socks and a hat!
Wrap/dress your baby in the warmest swaddle/sleep sack they use at home, and place them in the travel bassinet (preferably, in-between both parents for extra body heat). You may want to touch the back of their neck throughout the night, as it’s the easiest way to tell if your baby is too hot or cold. Make adjustments as you see fit!
6 - 12 months
By this age, babies tend to be more mobile and the concept of a travel bassinet may be futile. We recommend shifting your baby onto their own inflatable or foam sleeping pad, ensuring it is a firm surface.
We used our lightweight foam sleeping pad for our son, folding it in half to create better insulation against the ground.
In terms of sleepwear, they may now fit into their own sleeping bag. That’s right! The good folks at Morrison Outdoors have created the “world’s warmest baby sleeping bag,” which has been designed to meet all AAP-recommended guidelines for safe sleep.
They come in two different sizes (6-24 months and 2-4 years), as well as two different materials (synthetic and down), rating appropriate for 4°C to 15°C and -6°C to 15°C respectively. Because we live in the Rockies, the down may well be your go-to!
The sleeping bag only adds about one pound onto your load, while completely removing the guesswork from your mental load. You can dress your baby in their normal sleepwear, place them in their sleeping bag with their arms in the sleeves, zip it up… and snooze!
“Cozy Rosy” car-camping in her Morrison Outdoors sleeping bag. Use code mamanurture10 at the checkout for 10% off your first order.
12 months & beyond
Once babies turn 1, the AAP no longer advises against the use of soft items (i.e. blankets, pillows, etc.) in the sleep space, since the risk of accidental suffocation drastically declines. By Indy’s first birthday, I felt super comfortable having him sleep with soft items around him. Coincidentally, it was the start of summer… Time for camping!
Since we did not own a Morrison Outdoors sleeping bag at that point, we dressed him in a merino wool base layer, a fleece mid-layer and a Patagonia Hi-Loft down suit at night. It’s worth noting that the down suit is hooded, which should be avoided at all cost with sleeping infants under 1. However, like I said before: Indy was past that age, and capable of physically handling a hood in his sleep.
Once again, we placed him on a foam sleeping pad and kept our extra layers available just in case we felt like blanketing him with them.
13-month-old Indy snoozing in his Patagonia Hi-Loft down suit at Taylor Lake in Banff National Park.
Keep the bedtime routine as similar as possible to the one at home. If that requires a portable white noise machine, an ‘ol “Goodnight Moon” classic, a soother and/or a bottle/nursing session, keep the steps the exact same and remember to pack your sleep props.
They may not be your deepest, longest stretches of sleep, but what are you really out in the backcountry for? My guess is all the daytime fun, not the nighttime sleep quality… Which brings me to the next topic: Daytime naps!
I highly recommend you incorporate your little one’s naps into the day’s activities. If you’re eager to explore beyond your basecamp, line up your baby’s sleepy cues with a walk/hike in the carrier. If you’d rather chill at the campsite, pack a lightweight hammock to rock/nurse your baby to sleep and soak in the snuggles. For more regarding naps on adventures, click here.
We wish you luck on your upcoming overnighters this summer. May the backcountry sleep gods be with you!