Caravaning with babies

[awbeattie381]

Hi all,

my wife and I are continuing on our quest for a 70s viscount and given we are looking at the smaller end of the spectrum (13-15ft), have had many conversations about how on earth we can make this work with a baby...we don't have one yet but probably in the next 2 years we will.

We would prefer not to use the dining table as a bed, as we would want somewhere to sit when the baby goes to sleep - we don't want to change our whole life for a baby - we want it to adapt to our lifestyle as much as possible/is practical.

Are we asking for the impossible given the size van we want? Where do babies sleep?

Are we better off starting with a small van for the next 2 years then upgrade to a slightly larger van when the baby comes along. I am such a perfectionist it is going to take me a while to find the first van let alone another one in a couple of years time...

Andw

[ForumMod]

If you are not an experienced caravanner, starting with "anything" is worthwhile. As sure as eggs you will find out what you like and don't like about not only tripping around with a caravan in tow, but being in a caravan for days on end. Like all things in life, there are good bits and not-so-good bits about the whole scene.

You can start with a small van, and then realise after a couple of trips away that the van is just too darn small for the type of people you are, and the way you live. Some people can survive in a canvas swag, while other people can't survive in anything less than a 20-footer van. You only know which category you fall into by experiencing real trips away. A van that may be great fun while the sun is shining might be the same van that gives you severe "cabin fever" after a few days of continuous rain.

I wouldn't buy with the baby in mind. Two years is a long time, and anything can happen between now and then. I'd go for getting a suitable small van now, and then see how it suits you after a few trips away.

After using the 14ft Millard poptop, that I restored, for a couple of years and doing 10,000kms in six trips during that time, I came to the conclusion that poptops from the '70s just weren't compatible with my 6ft height. Bumping my forehead on the lower cabin roof each time I went to sit in the dining seat, or each time I went to climb into the bed at the other end, made me realise I needed a full size van. My partner and I also decided we preferred a certain layout in our "ideal" caravan, and so we set about searching for one that matched those requirements. That ended up being a 1992 Windsor 17ft van that we own today. We've had it for two years now, and travelled about 7000kms in six trips in it so far. And I have to say that it is still not as "ideal" as I would have hoped. It has an island bed at the rear, and the gap between the end of the bed and the lounge/dining seats needs to be another 6 inches. The way the gap is at the moment is too narrow, and we have to 'crab' around the bottom corners of the bed to get down the sides.

So, the point of the story is that you only learn these things by getting out there in some sort of van and seeing what you like and what you don't like about it. Then you start to think about something you reckon might be more suitable to your likes. Then you go searching for that next van, and so on and so on. I remember talking to a fella in a caravan park in Canberra, and he had had nine vans in his caravanning life, so I've got plenty of vans still to go!

cheers,
Al.

[youngdazza]

Hi Andw

Al has some pretty good points there. The most important thing is you get a van that youre comfortable with. A smaller van is easier to tow so probably a good first van.

My first van was a 15" Viscount Pop-top from 1978. I had it for 10 years and it was a great van. I reluctantly decided to sell after having our 4th child. Being a pop-top it has less wind resistance and is closer to the ground so its easy to tow. It had a double bed up one end and L shaped lounge at the other. One part of the L shaped lounge was used for the dining table and the other is a smaller sized single bed. I think a layout like this would suit you quite well. Instead of trying to retro fit a cot I suggest you get an old kids playpen, cut it down to the size of the single bed and strap it down. I think you'll find it very hard to find a van under 15" that has a separate double bed as well as a single bed for the baby.

Cheers
young_dazza

[doublechevron]

Get one with an anexe and put your bed out there. Caravans are hot boxes, you'll never get a baby to sleep inside one if it's hot during the day. Portable A/C's however are really cheap used on ebay these days. Life will change a lot with a baby, but it'll be great. stick the baby inside and use it as a bedroom for the baby. leave the portacot setup in there and don't bother with the beds inside. our 18month old is pulling my hair as I type this

If it must be small, there's a very good reason why those old windup vans with the pull out ends were so popular for so long....   the interior of the caravan isn't used up with the beds.

seeya,
Shane L.

[awbeattie381]

Some very good points there. We are tent campers and have been for the last 14 years. When we decided it was time to upgrade we were considering (for a long time) a wind up camper with the beds that pop out at each end. They really do hold their value and an 80s model jayco would be twice as expensive as a 70s model caravan (depending on size/condition of course). We also decided that as brilliant as they would be for a baby, they would still require a bit of setting up/fiddling about and if you have to pack up in the wet, you get wet beds (unless you put a tarp/plastic down). Our other problem is we currently have no off street parking so we wouldnt be overly comfortable with drying one of those things out on the street (we live in the inner west, Sydney). Lastly, we are both a little bit retro and have always loved the appeal of old caravans. ) My wife seemed comfortable with the 13ft size we saw yesterday, so at least I know the 'minimum' size we can look at.

Cutting down a playpen and strapping it to a seat sounds like a good idea for a bed...using the annex as a day sleeping area for the baby (or the parents at night) also sound like good solutions.

btw Shane love the citroen!

The search continues...

[annieoakley]

With my first van I put a baby in a pram bassinet on the floor between the beds since the van had 2 single beds, when they were older I changed that to a mattress on the floor. Later my next van was 8ft wide I pushed the queen bed (5 foot wide) to one side running north/south and was able to fit a portacot (3 foot wide) alongside the bed. This was an extra large portacot. I think perhaps a double bed which is only 4 foot 6 wide with a narrow portacot would work in a narrower van. The only problem is the adult sleeping along the wall has to climb over to get out and only the side of the bed that has the portacot can have a bedside table. I am glad now I can have the bed back in the east/west position with more room around it. I was fortunate that my van had space to walk right around an east west bed, whereas most do not.

[doublechevron]

When we were kids my parents had "Cabana" caravans. The ends expand out, but it's all solid. They don't appear to have aged well. But if you can find a good one of these, it'll give you two beds that aren't filling the living area. Finding a good one will be the trick.

seeya,
Shane L.

[bobt]

Gidday awbeattie381

Way back in 1986 when my youngest was born we kept him in a bassinet. The bassinet was moved from one end of the caravan to the other depending on the time of day and what we were trying to do. We had to move him out of the bassinet when he started pulling himself up. We eventually upgraded the caravan to more suitably accommodate him.

Go buy a caravan that suits you today. If/when a bubs comes along then look at what you need to do to accommodate it.


bobt

[awbeattie381]

More good suggestions/food for thought. Nice to hear it can be done, but horses for courses and we need to work out what is best for us.

Thanks again.