HELP - going to be Big Chill with dd1 (6mths) all advice welcome!!

[faireymoo]

Hello lovely mumsnet ladees ;) all our childcare arrangements for the big chill have gone tits up - eekk - so now planning to take our lovely dd1 (6mths). Never been to Big Chill never been camping with dd1 so I'd welcome any advice tips and info PLEASE!!

What can I expect from kids camping??

What can I expect from the festival??

Bugger, pram or baby carrier??

I need an on the spot festival survival kit and I know you ladees will have all the answers ;o)

Thanks muchly in anticipation Faireymoo xxxx

[luckylady74]

not beenn to big chill , but at a festival i used backpack carrier because my pushchair wasn't all terrain - but would need a rain cover for carrier in this weather? as long as you don't mind not getting too close to the action i found it fine with a baby - mine like loud music! once they start crawling and expecting to be entertained it's cack though! i have friends going to big chill - will tell them to be helpful to couples with babies!

[faireymoo]

Anymore ???

[Skribble]

lots of baby wipes,
keep dry clothes in plastic bags so they stay dry,
loo roll inplastic bags,
potty/ bucket for emergency wees
wheel barrow/ trolley/ big hunky male to get all the camping geaqr to camping spot as it is usualy a big trek
Big chill website, campers list.

[KATGOD]

went to latitude with 8 month old and three year old. just used trusty maclaren, dragged it backwards over any stony bits. depends on the trrain i guess latitude not hilly really or wet so buggy was fine.
took pre made up cartons of formula. did not take steriliser as she's crawling and it seems a bit pointless now she's eating dirt. there was a parents chill out area where tea and coffee were free. might be worth seeking out. the loos were grim, but better by the kids area. slept fine, we put travel cot in the tent and she slept the same as at home. all the fresh air i think. there was a disco that went on after the bands ended, but we were all so knackered it did not affect our sleep. one thing that was a bummer but we did not let ruin our time, and please don't freak and maybe less of a problem at big chill as more chilled out - but DH wallet stolen from the pocket of his shorts which were on the floor next to him, in the inner tent, with all 4 of us asleep in there. sods opened the outer tent, rummaged about (tried to find my purse and wallet in the "day pack with all the nappies /wipes/hats/suncream etc - as if i can find anything in daylight let alone a stranger in the dark!) and when that failed unziped inner tent and found DH shorts. festival regulars say we were naive, but while i know it was daft to leave a bag in the outer tent i had though the nner tent with us in was secure. so valuables in sleeping bag with you, or inbetween you, and not near the edge of tent. security might be better at big chill but bestto know its a possible. ours loved the festival and we will go again. enjoy.

[puppydavies]

um, be prepared to leave if necessary i don't think i'd be taking a small baby at short notice to a festie i didn't know tbh, especially given the weather lately.

but given that caveat i'd say find out as much as you can about the festie itself and the camping/festies w/kids thing. search efestivals.co.uk's forums and here, there were loads of glastonbury threads lately. i don't know big chill but something makes me think it's hilly/rural? if so all terrain pushchair and/or carrier pretty much essential. don't expect to get to see all (any?) of the stuff you'd like to. think about feeding - milk and mush - you need to take it all with you. think about the cold at night and how you're going to keep baby warm. are you going with friends? an extra few pairs of hands can make a huge difference.

[ruthydd]

Hi faireymoo

I'm also off to the Big Chill with ds1 (5), ds1 (2) and my 7month pregnant belly.

6 months is the ideal age imo. Old enough to be plonked on the grass (sit up?) but not old enough to need much in the way of solid food or to crawl away. If you're breastfeeding - thats perfect, if not, then take cartons of readymix formula and ask the stalls selling coffee to rinse your bottles in boiling water.

Also, visit the Body & Soul area for a bit of new parent pampering. See www.bigchill.net/story/2021/bodyandsoul.html

Oh, and camp in the family field.

See you there. The forecast looks good!

[mazzystar]

take the babycarrier, but take the pram too for carting the tent and necessities to and from the car park bit

eastnor is hilly-ish and the main stages are in the bottom of the valley.

we took ds to big chill when he was 10 months, he slept in the pram whilst we did stuff in the evenings.

i seem to remember thinking it got particularly cold at night, so take a buggy snuggle or something along for being oit and about in.

there will be loads of people with kids there, you will be fine.

[faireymoo]

Thanks ladies - all really useful stuff - DD seems very adaptable and we have done quite a bit of visiting the relatives etc, she is also really sociable and keen to look at different things - so I have hope!!!

But puppydavies I think being prepared to leave if it doesn't work out is how I'm viewing this.

Packing loads of warm things and praying for sunshine - see you all there

[aDad]

6 months is a great age as has already been said.

We took dd1 to BC at 6 months and it was much easier than taking her a year later at 18 months where she had just learnt to walk and wanted to use her skills, so sitting for long was not an option.

Take pram and baby carrier.

For the family camping field make sure you get the right car park and you dont actually have to walk too far with stuff. Get there as early as you can on the thursday as it does fill up.

Useful accessory for baby was a golfing umbrella you can carry around and you have some ready made shade if it's going to be sunny.

Expect lovely food, and civilised festival folk! It will be great.

[aDad]

actually ruthydd I remember you posting a similar thread to this for last year's BC. If you're going back, you must have enjoyed it!

Have fun all!

[puppydavies]

god i sounded really arsey in that reply didn't i? sorry.

a lot depends on the baby, and my experiences of festies w/a small baby have all been mixed to say the least, but our first was NOT the easiest baby there ever was. so i guess i was just warning against excessive optimism (which i'm personally prone to, hence repeated attempts to take grumpy baby to various events ).

but i really hope that none of this applies to you and you all have a fantastic time

[faireymoo]

Just started packing for tomorrow and have decided am completely mad!!!! But the sun is shining and I suddenly feel a great sense of adventure - I expect I'll be back at home logged on here grumbling by Saturday but at least we'll have given it a go

[ruthydd]

Yes aDad, we had a fab time last year. We really liked that it was much smaller scale than Glasters and hence you don't get stuck in the kiddie field thinking why have I paid £125 to sit in a sand pit. At Big Chill the Kids bit is on the edge of one of the main stages, so you can sit and listen to music while the kids are playing bubbles etc.

Also my wedding DJ is playing (Wheelie Bags) so I'm v excited!

faireymoo - you're not mad. You'll have a fantastic time!

[ruthydd]

Now you've got enough info to spot me! Come and say hello if you're still around on Sunday.

[faireymoo]

Will do

[faireymoo]

We had an amazing time - thanks for all your tips - sorry didn't make it to Wheelie Bags Ruthydd but it was sooo hot we sought a shady place to chill out. DD was a super star - slept OK considering and loved looking at everything. I came down with a virus on Sunday so we came home then and now she has it too boo .

But a fab fab festival

[ruthydd]

Glad you enjoyed it!

You wouldn't have spotted me as I too was hiding in the shade under the trees having just fainted in the middle of a massage. I blame Norman Jay - the sun always comes out when he plays. Its completely inconsiderate to pregnant women

[faireymoo]

We left half way through Norman Jay it was sooo hot - you must have melted - poor you