Isn’t city life tenuous at times? Raising kids in cities may be suffocating for them too. I must confess that I am into adventure throughout my life. Even raising three wilds, nothing could restrict my inner explorer-self to sprout its wings. I went on hiking whenever I got the chance, and I never hesitated to take my babies to trails and countryside hiking. If you wonder what are the benefits of hiking with baby, well, then this post may be an eye-opener for you.
Indeed, hiking with the baby is fun, however, hiking with the baby is not without challenges and so along with the benefits of hiking with baby, I am adding hacks and tips on hiking with a baby, to make your life easy on the way. So, without any delay let’s dive in!
5 Benefits Of Hiking With Baby
Hiking with your baby isn’t just about exploring the great outdoors; it’s a gateway to a world of incredible benefits for both you and your little one. Here are some of the wonderful benefits of hiking with a baby:
1. Bonding Time Extraordinaire:
Hiking creates a unique opportunity for bonding between you and your kid that is simply unparalleled. You’ll establish a profound connection as you explore together, nurturing trust and love. Every shared moment becomes a cherished memory that strengthens your bond with your little adventurer.
2. Physical and Emotional Well-being:
Hiking is not just good for the soul; it’s also fantastic for your physical well-being. Whether carrying your baby in a carrier or pushing a stroller along a nature trail, you’ll work those muscles and pump your heart. The fresh air and gentle sunlight will invigorate your senses, while the rhythm of your footsteps will help you find the inner balance. Plus, releasing endorphins during exercise will make you happier and more energized.
3. Nature’s Classroom For Your Kids:
Hiking with your baby is like opening the door to nature’s classroom, where every step brings new discoveries. Nature stimulates their senses, ignites their curiosity, and sparks their imagination. Your baby will be captivated by the sounds, scents, and textures they encounter along the way, fostering their cognitive development in the most delightful way possible.
4. Relief From Day-to-day Stress:
Life as a parent can sometimes be overwhelming, leaving us longing for a moment of solace. Nature’s embrace provides a soothing escape from the hustle and bustle of daily life. As you venture into the wilderness, you’ll feel the weight of stress lifting from your shoulders, replaced by a sense of calm and tranquility.
5. Your Kid Also Grows Love For Nature:
Hiking is a gateway to endless possibilities that allows your baby to experience the great outdoors firsthand. Each new trail you conquer exposes your little one to diverse landscapes, plants, and animals. They will learn to appreciate the beauty and diversity of the natural world, fostering deep respect and love for the environment.
When can the baby hike with you?
After birth body, a mom goes through a lot. It needs time to heal before even planning any adventure for the baby. With a normal birth, a couple of weeks is best to recover back the strength. And with a c-section, you can wait 6-8 weeks before going on hiking with the family.
And even then, do long walks around our neighborhood followed by easy hikes, which you would be familiar with.
Tips for Hiking With baby
Test-run before taking the baby
Make sure the trails are familiar to you, and find out which kind of terrain you really like. A test run before hiking with the baby will help you discover the terrains you like. Some may like terrains along with water bodies, while others will like hiking around the trails based on the availability of restrooms and restaurants.
Choose a kid-friendly trail
For the first hikes with your baby, visit places you are familiar with. And when you get experienced hiking with your babies, you can find new hiking trails. You can easily find baby-friendly hiking trails in All Trails.
While hiking with the baby, remember you are hiking in a good place where you can feed the baby. And depending on the time of year you are hiking, try hiking in shades, especially when you cannot put sunscreen on babies below six months old.
Go early
Babies are more energetic in the morning so it’s best to start hiking in the morning. In this way after hiking all day by noon you can be back home and have lunch and a nap. With older babies, you may be able to hike longer trails. If you start early, you can return back from hiking before sunset.
Plan rest stops
Babies become tired easily. So, choose a spot to rest after sometimes of hiking. Rest around beautiful waterfalls, lakes, and so on. Planning a destination to rest in will also keep your baby energized. Make sure to feed the babies with snacks and water and have them take enough rest.
Dress your baby appropriate
While taking the baby outdoors, make sure you keep them comfortable and happy. Depending on the weather make your babies wear an extra layer of clothes. And don’t forget the extra set of clothes (for emergencies), a wide-brim sun hat, sunglasses, and warm babu hiking boots (if it’s winter).
Make sure the baby is fed properly
Babies need to feed properly, even if you are hiking. While it’s easy to breastfeed, moms feed the baby just by finding a comfortable place. For babies who have started taking solid food, make sure to prepare some great hiking snacks for the baby. Like an easy-to-grasp fruit cut up of blueberries and bananas, cooked and cut up potato, or small pieces of bread.
Determine your baby carrier while hiking
The age of the baby most of the time determines which baby carrier to choose while hiking with babies. Most parents feel comfortable with baby carriers while hiking as the baby is close to their parents, and parents feel safe. However, with baby carriers, if parents get sweaty babies also do get sweaty so choose baby carriers that are breathable and have mesh panels.
If you are comfortable with hiking with the baby in the stroller then you need to first search stroller-friendly hiking trails. Even though at first options might be limited but with the best hiking strollers and little research you will find suitable hiking trails to hike with a stroller.
Hiking With Baby Checklist
Babies do not need a lot of hiking gear. As long as the babies are warm and fed properly and their diapers could be changed babies are. However, to make things easy for you here is my essential checklist for hiking with babies.
- Snacks
- Spill-proof snack container
- Sunscreen
- Bug spray
- Rain cover
- Baby carrier or hiking backpack carrier
- Anything necessary for feeding (formula, water & bottles plus a travel bottle warmer)
- Extra outfit or two
- Diaper change mat
- Diapers & wipes
- Wide-brimmed sun hat
- Sunglasses
- Warm hat and mitts for cooler days
- Extra dry bag
Benefits Of Hiking With Baby: Final Thoughts
Hiking has a lot of benefits for both moms and newborns. Prepare well and be flexible about expectations. Don’t worry if your first hike doesn’t go as you planned even stepping out of the home means a lot. Most importantly hiking with the baby allows parents to feel that with little adjustments they can enjoy their life just like before.
FAQ: Benefits Of Hiking With Baby
Can you take a newborn hiking?
Yes! You can obviously take your newborn baby hiking. The hiking might be shorter and you might need to take a longer time for preparation but it’s a great way for you to go out with your baby.
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