We currently have a five month old baby, and after many hikes with her — we officially can say that we love hiking as a family of three. There are a few adjustments we have learned along the way, and they have made all of the difference for us. Here are our top tips for making your hikes stress-free, meltdown-free, and full of fun.
- Go on a hike you are familiar with already. Being able to navigate the hike, to know if there are good spots for feeds or breaks, or having an idea of the elevation gain and distance involved are helpful to prepare your journey. If you’re a seasoned hiker, you can do a little researching on Alltrails or hiking blogs to decide if the hike is going to be a good fit.
- Plan your hikes around your baby’s feeding and napping schedule. We like to plan hikes where our baby feeds in the car at the trailhead (we even pack a nursing pillow for extra comfort!). That way, she stays awake for the first part of the hike and ultimately falls asleep mid-hike as one of her naps for the day. Having a little flexibility around the exact timing of naps and even feeds has been helpful for us, because she just loves to nap in the carrier.
- Use a supportive baby carrier. This seems like an obvious tip — but the more comfort you can give your back and shoulders, in addition to a pleasant arrangement for the baby make a huge difference in the amount everyone enjoys the hike. We currently are using the Ergobaby Omni 360 carrier. When she is able to sit up, we plan to transition to the Thule baby carrier and pack.
- Stay hydrated and pack yourself snacks! I am breastfeeding and my supply dips whenever I am not well-hydrated. On days we go on hikes, this makes drinking water so much more important. Snacking throughout the hike helps with this too! We love Larabars, Picky Bars, dates, and apples.
- Bring a baby hat and/or pick a trail with lots of shade. With sunscreen not recommended for babies under six months — a good sunhat and finding trails with lots of shade are new priorities!
- Take pictures. Going on hikes with our baby are so much fun now and we are creating some wonderful, lasting memories. Having pictures from all of the different trails we take are so meaningful to us.
Not ready for hiking with your baby? One last tip is that you can actually search stroller-friendly trails on Alltrails. Getting outside in fresh air does wonders for mental health, mood, quality time, and makes such a positive difference on the baby too! Interested in our hiking suggestions, find them here!
