Hiking with a Baby

I grew up in a family that drove to the summit of a mountain. I married a man who believes in hiking to the summit. It's been an adjustment, but after lots of yoga, walking, preparing and an occasional celebratory taco, I can now say I love hiking to the summit! Most of the time, at least.

Our family becomes quite the hiking family during the summer! There's just something special about getting out in nature, pushing your body further than you thought you could, and taking in the most remarkable views. I thought I would take some time today to share what we take with us when we go Hiking with a Baby!

I'll include a checklist here with cost estimates of items we recommend and you can find details on why we chose some of these items below.

Hiking with a Baby:

• Baby Carrier $190

• Baby's Tennis Shoes $19

• Baby's Water Bottle $18

• Hiking Backpack $28

Total $255

The most expensive and most important item we travel with is our Baby Carrier. A baby carrier lets your body do the work of transporting your child up the mountain, not your arms. If you take your time and do your research, you can find a great quality baby carrier that can serve your baby for years to come, be warned though it won't be cheap. We own both a Shoulder Carrier and a Classic Carrier. You can't go wrong with either!

While our son loves riding in his baby carrier, we always have his Tennis Shoes on hand. I've learned there are two types of moms in this world: moms that let their kids explore barefoot and moms that make their kids wear shoes. I'm the latter, but both types of moms are great! I am however, not going to spend a fortune on baby tennis shoes that will only last a couple of months. I got these Tennis Shoes for my son at Target. He loves them and I love the price tag!

Our family actively tries to avoid plastic items, especially when it's something that will be outside in the sun for long periods of time such as a Water Bottle. Our son loves his Stainless Steel cup! It has never leaked and the water stays cold, so it's perfect for our family!

When we leave the car to start our actual uphill climb, we like to carry as little as possible in our Hiking Backpack. This means we leave our son's fully loaded Diaper Bag in the car, and take only the absolute essentials with us on our summit. Typically these items include his Tennis Shoes, Bug Spray, Sunscreen, 1-2 Diapers, Wipes, Snacks and Water. We love our Hiking Backpack, it holds everything we need and still has room to spare!

So, who's ready to meet us at the summit?

Find this post helpful? Let me know in the comments! Think of something I missed? Let me know in the comments so we can all get smarter together!