# Co-sleeping and Camping



## Ellen Griswold (Feb 27, 2008)

Early this week we took our children tent camping. Lots of fun and very dirty children. I'm wondering what other cosleeping tent campers use for bedding. DD (15 months) slept between dh and me on a queen size air mattress. I'm not really worried about suffocation because we were right there and she could move around, but man were we ever uncomfortable. Any suggestions?


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## onesofar (Jun 18, 2007)

No help here, we use an air mattress as well.


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## annekka (Nov 19, 2001)

We've been camping since DS was an infant, the best arrangement we've found is the queen sized air mattress for us and a smaller self-inflatable (thermarest-style) for DS next to our mattress. Air mattresses do not work well for people of very different weights to share as the air compresses as the night gets colder, and the heavier person ends up sinking and pushing up the lighter person. The result is a lot of rolling around; not very comfortable.

Usually one of us puts DS down in the tent while the other stays out to tend the fire, and DS falls asleep on the air mattress and is then gently moved to the thermarest. He sleeps there quite well. I guess next summer when DD is here we'll need another thermarest, and a bigger tent!


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## Sonneva (Jun 12, 2008)

We use three thermarests attached together with coupler straps and lay a few blankets over top of them... basically like a bed. The baby sleeps beside me in a fleece sleeper or cotton sleeper and sleepsack, and my husband and I use a blanket. We've been camping 4 times since May and our 5 month old seems pretty happy with the arrangement.


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## ann_of_loxley (Sep 21, 2007)

we used our air mattress as well...I actually found it very cosy!


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## Carolyn R (Mar 31, 2008)

We actually use the mattress out of our full size sleeper sofa - it's a bit harder to transport (although it does fold quite nicely) but we've found it to be so much nicer than an air mattress.


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## Ellen Griswold (Feb 27, 2008)

Wow, I guess the mattress would be more comfortable, but I'm guessing you have a bigger vehicle than us! Our little car was packed to the gills and we were gone ONE NIGHT. The only other option would be to tie my little ones to the hood!


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## jocelyndale (Aug 28, 2006)

I bought a King size air mattress from Coleman. Plenty of room and DS is big enough now (15mo) that the divots in the mattress don't terrify me. We use two sleeping bags zipped together, but it's hot enough this time of year that the top one is folded down around our feet. Kiddo is in weather-appropriate footed pajamas.

With the king size mattress, we can actually use the full space within the sleeping bags. They're smaller than the mattress, but that's okay.


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## Faliciagayle (Sep 9, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Ellen Griswold* 
Wow, I guess the mattress would be more comfortable, but I'm guessing you have a bigger vehicle than us! Our little car was packed to the gills and we were gone ONE NIGHT. The only other option would be to tie my little ones to the hood!









heh.

We use an air mattress, but I'm not satisfied. I've considered getting another twin mattress just for her, but I have no idea how to fasten it to ours, etc etc etc, and none of this works when backpacking...

but for now, and for car camping, I think an air mattress is the way to go


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## butterfly_mommy (Oct 22, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Sonneva* 
We use three thermarests attached together with coupler straps and lay a few blankets over top of them... basically like a bed. The baby sleeps beside me in a fleece sleeper or cotton sleeper and sleepsack, and my husband and I use a blanket. We've been camping 4 times since May and our 5 month old seems pretty happy with the arrangement.

We are going camping this weekend and this is what we are going to do. Except we have a feather bed to put on top of our two pads and will take DS lamb skin for his. and I figure DS will wear his sleep sack over footed pajamas.


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## mochimama (May 25, 2006)

We use three thermarests arranged as best we can (not strapped together) and sleeping bags. Dd used to sleep with me when she was nursing more at night, but she's 2 now, so we just put her in her own sleeping bag. We use lots of fluffy pillows now, but when she was younger she would sleep without any--just tucked in the crook of mine or dh's arm.
We just went a couple of weeks ago and she slept so much better than she does at home--all that fresh air and running around with excitement!


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## sweetpeppers (Dec 19, 2007)

lol, mattresses? what's the point of camping if you're going to bring the bedroom with you? My son and I just share a sleeping bag or a hammock. He's 18 Months old.


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## chirp (Feb 9, 2008)

does anyone else use sleeping bags? my baby is 3 months...i don't know if I'd want him too snug and wiggling in that thing. maybe we could unzip them and make them into a bed with more blankets on top.

i agree re: the air mattress thing. camping MEANS sleeping on the ground!


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## medicmama (May 5, 2006)

We used an air mattress as well,regular bedding and a few bkenkets. the boys took turns sharing a matterss. we had 2 that did not hold air well.

5 kids,2 adult, 1 tent = 1 crazy mama.

When the kids were babies I put the babies in a laundry basket.


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## ABand3 (May 21, 2005)

I've camped a lot with my little ones, and cannot stand using an air mattress with or without a cosleeping kid or adult. I use a closed cell foam pad under my sleeping bag, or just a sleeping bag. When my kids were probably 2 and under they shared a sleeping bag with me, especially if it was cold. In warmer temps they share the sleeping bag as a mat to sleep on, and everyone has their own blanket or sheet depeding on temps & clothes. By the time they were older than two or so they had their own sleeping bag & mat.


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## ColoradoMama (Nov 22, 2001)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *chirp* 
i agree re: the air mattress thing. camping MEANS sleeping on the ground!









Uh, *cough* no it doesn't. Especially if you can't walk after sleeping on the ground.

When we went tent camping with dd1, I slept on an air mattress, and she slept right beside me on a blanket pallet. The idiot dog slept right on my arm on the air mattress though.














Not that he got first billing over dd - it's just that she slept through the thunder storm and I had to constantly comfort him!


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## Thandiwe (May 14, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *sweetpeppers* 
lol, mattresses? what's the point of camping if you're going to bring the bedroom with you? My son and I just share a sleeping bag or a hammock. He's 18 Months old.

I guess in my experience, I had the same feelings when I was younger...and before giving birth twice...and before breastfeeding ALL night long on my side.

To the OP, we use a queen sized air mattress and two babes in tow. Works out well for us, except it is more uncomfy once the air begins to "deflate." My goal for next summer is to get both kiddos (and sweet baby J if fate allows) onto their own air mattresses.


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## senmom (Jan 12, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *ColoradoMama* 
Uh, *cough* no it doesn't. Especially if you can't walk after sleeping on the ground.

When we went tent camping with dd1, I slept on an air mattress, and she slept right beside me on a blanket pallet. The idiot dog slept right on my arm on the air mattress though.














Not that he got first billing over dd - it's just that she slept through the thunder storm and I had to constantly comfort him!









Not that a dog got first billing over the baby......but he DID!


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