Logistics of taking a baby to the Gathering

My partner and I are going to the Gathering this year, first time for me, second time for him. Our first baby was just born in April, which will make him about 3 months old by July, but I'm concerned about the logistics of camping with such a young baby! Diapers are one thing. Plus we have a mound of laundry to do every day here at home. And if he needs a bath, will there be running water available? I know other parents do it; anyone have any advice?

 

I know there is kiddie camp. There are lots of parents with babies who go to the Gathering. There is always water at kiddie camp. You could give him a sponge bath when needed. Have you tried clothe diapers? I'm not a mama yet, but I would assume it would be easier because you could wash them opposed to disposables. Children and Mamas get fed first at dinner circle before everyone else.

I'm not a mama, but this is what I've noticed when I was at the Gatherings in Colorado and Arkansas.

 

Yeah, my boyfriend assures me there is a lot of support for children there. It just seems like we're on constant alert here with a 7-week-old, and it's hard to even leave the house for a couple hours without a lot of planning. But maybe in another month or so we'll be more comfortable with everything.

Yes, we originally were going to cloth diaper and still want to, but after a few changes just after he was born we realized the cloth inside the diaper covers are not absorbent whatsoever, and we were afraid he'd get diaper rashes. I know there must be a way to do it properly, but every time since his birth I've even had time to do research on it I've been overwhelmed with what appears to be so much STUFF needed to have a comfortable, absorbent cloth diaper. So we're fine with the all-organic disposables for now. In this case, our selfish concern for our one baby's butt's well-being trumps the impact the garbage has on the planet!

 

Not judging but that's a shame.

My suggestion would be to hook up with Kid Village. A brother called Felipe is the focalizer for KV. He (and others) will show you the ropes.
Make sure you know where CALM (medical) is...and please, please remember the rules for washing people or things near water sources. If you need help there are lots of folks carrying GMRS two-way radios that can call CALM quickly.

WELCOME HOME!!! Sister and little one!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Zen

 

Congrats on the new addition Mamma! Yeah, people been doin it for yr's, but the mosqitoes are gonna be bad,, and it breaks my heart when I see so many lil ones with bites, in Wy."08" this one lil babys eyes were swollen from bites to close to his eyes. All over their lil cheeks and arms. We dont have actual running water per say, although our water crew is top notch. This is primitive camping. Not a camp ground scenario. We poop over trenches, and as long as you are useing throw away diapers, please either save them and carry them out yourself, or at least keep them all in one bag, and mark it, so we know at cleanup not to go digging through it for recyclables, at least then it can just go into the pile for the landfill we must drive it away to. I hope your breastfeeding, it makes it so much easier for both you and the lil one, as well as the nutritional value of course. Good luck, be safe.
Blessings,

 

First of all I would be concerned about water. If I were you I would be self sufficient with all water needs including the baby's washing. Arjay and Cindy use a Sanipen UV, as do I but I have a lower need then you and they. The disadvantage of the UV system is it is a battery eater. So you need a plan for that as well.

I would also have extra food packed for you, as your caloric needs will be higher, because of nursing. Not nursing? then the baby food needs need to be considered. In 1999 in PA there was rain & lots of mud, so rain gear, (sure-footed) boots for you guys & extra oneseys for the baby are a good idea as well.

Lastly, all primary elements considered? Then relax and enjoy ... Worried its not enough? You could get a combo elec cooler & heater, set it up in your vehicle and visit it regularly. You could also have a mini-gas stove for water & laundry, a solar shower for hand washing and a comfortable chair in a bag ... or you could just show up like almost everybody else!

 

There was a thread about this a few years back, http://www.hipforums.com/newforums/showthread.php?t=243600&highlight=cloth+diapers&f=64

I posted about making cloth vacation diapers there. I took my son when he was 6 months and my daughter when she was 3 weeks! I brought some disposable diapers, too, but no fun hauling those out so I'd just use them in an emergency like being out away from camp with no other diapers or running out.

If you read the thread linked and have any questions about details, let me know! I check in here every once and a while.

 

Zencoyote, I believe "that's a shame" is a judgment when you claim to "not judge" me. When I read that I feel like you want me to be ashamed of my decision, a decision we made based on our current needs. Methinks you really are judging but are trying to circumvent around the fact by being polite. Thanks for the welcome though.

I think this year we'll only go for three days, the 3rd-5th maybe. Lots of changes of clothes, diapers, water, food, and love! We can do anything for three days. Next time around Sage will be older and wiser, and so will we!

 

Oh, and since it's come up more than once, we are most definitely breastfeeding. At least that's taken care of! Much love

 

Have you looked into tea tree oil? It will keep the bugs away. I believe it is safe to put on babies' skin, but ask a doctor to make sure. Good luck!

 

Nah, If I were to ignore the fact that it's also a shame for me to be on this puter and own a few internal combustion engines...I might be judging.

You misunderstand. You read too much into a simple statement. The shame is that you're in the position of having to rely on Babylon like all of us do. The shame is almost ALL of us have no choice but to pollute and help destroy this planet.

You can be POed at me if you want but you'll have to stand in line...btw, the welcome stands.

Zen

...me? polite?....thanx

 

OK, when we took Cindy to WY '08, we used ordinary disposable diapers, & left any we didn't pack out with the Jesus Camp trash...I've packed out enough of their waterlogged Bibles & Jesus Frisbees &c that they have left behind to feel that I still have good net garbage karma. Shouldn't the biogradeable disposable diapers be OK to throw in the shitter? (You are the shitter, my sister, it is the shitty which you seek...never mind)

Lost of parrents camp in the Kid Village neighborhood, but I would certainly not feel that this is your only option. If your partner has a camp or tribe with which he is accustomed to camping, I say go for it, if this camp has a decent water filtration system, and stays reasonably clean. Didn't I hear Filippe handed KV over to Foxfire?

After you send your man & his 75 lb load of stuff into Rainbow Land, if you still have more stuff & babies than you can carry, stand by the side of the road & flutter your eyelashes helplessly...some young buck will come along & give you a hand. Your stroller can be used to haul gear, if it's one of the heavy duty kind with bicycle tires, and you may want to consider buying a waggon, of the kind I have heard called a "Lowe's Cart" (Guess where you find one...) I think there's a thread on waggons, somewhere.

 

Do bring your baby to the Gathering! Don't bring disposable diapers, cloth can be washed. Bring several five-gallon buckets. You'll be fine.

 

Hi there! I'm a new mama working on taking my 2 month old to gathering this year. i know absolutely nothing about cloth diapering and have been using disposables. Honestly I would rather cloth diaper, but I'm in a situation where cloth diapering is not possible. There is a possibility that my child will not have her first shots by the time of gathering, is there anything other than the water thing that i should be aware of?

 

yes , the positive possibilty that you'll learn all you need to know once you get there . you will not be alone . diapers schmiapers . granny love will tell ya what's what .

 

You have the nut of my opinion of using disposable diapers at a Gathering here. THE TIME FOR SOMEONE TO LEARN ABOUT CLOTH DIAPERS IS NOT WHEN YOU ARE CAMPED IN THE MIDDLE OF 5K OR SO PEOPLE 15 MILES FROM THE NEAREST WASHING MACHINE, WHERE YOU ALSO HAVE TO LEARN ABOUT HOW TO SAFELY DISPOSE OF THE SHITTY WATER.

Please, if if I'm wrong, here, some Fundamentalist Rainbow tell me how someone who does not know what she, and, one hopes, the baby's daddy, are doing with cloth diapers, can cause less damage to the public health with 5 gallons of shit water, than they can with a few disposable diapers. The folks from CALM whom I consider to be reliable say the shigellosis epidemic at MO '96 was caused by a mother who washed poopy blankets in the creek upstream.

Remember, half the grown up hippies don't know how to shit in the woods.