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Can Babies Sleep in Sleeping Bags?
| Alice introduced her oldest child, Will, to the outdoors at a very early age by climbing New Hampshire's Mt. Washington—in winter—while pregnant. And she and her family haven't stopped experiencing the joys of outdoor adventure, even with newborn twins.
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Donna's Question:
We're thinking about camping with our 9-month-old boy in New England in May or June. Can babies sleep in a sleeping bag in a tent? Will he get sick from sleeping on the ground?
Donna Duffy
New Hartford, CT
Alice's Answer:
Donna, your baby can be a great little camper, but he's too young for his own sleeping bag. He's likely either to wiggle out of it completely or lose himself inside. Don't get him his first sleeping bag until he graduates from crib to bed, from baby blankets to regular sheets and blankets—when he's about two or three.
Meanwhile, your goal is to keep your baby safe, comfortable and warm so that with luck, you'll all get a good night's sleep. Keep in mind that May and June nights in that part of the country can be nippy and even downright cold, so be prepared for a wide range of temperatures.
For maximum warmth, layer your child with a onesie underneath a warm, footed sleeper or even a fleece coverall. Then zipper two adult sleeping bags together and let your son get cozy between you and your spouse (make sure he can breathe, of course!).
Another approach, one we have used, is to unfold an adult, rectangular bag as an insulated sleeping pad. Put your baby on top, again, between you and your spouse, but this time the adults have their own sleeping bags, and your child can have his own blankets.
Whichever route you go, be sure to have a mattress pad underneath your sleeping bags and your baby's sleeping space. The pads add not only comfort, but an insulating layer of warmth. We use self-inflating pads like the Therm-A-Rest; they're pricier than some brands, but worth the money in added cushioning.
Also, think of your tent as a great big playpen. Like at home, be sure to keep small objects out of your child's reach. If you have an exceptionally large tent, you can always take a portable crib, but it's not at all necessary and would cramp quarters or not fit in most tents. We decided it was just extra gear when our son was a baby.
Now, however, our twin girls have just turned one, and we're likely to need all the help we can keeping track of them both. This summer we'll probably bring along the portable crib as a handy play space for them while we adults are busy setting up the tent and doing other camp chores.
Rest assured that as long as your child is surrounded by the appropriate layers for the night temperatures, he won't be harmed from sleeping on the ground. Happy camping!
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