Hiking with babies and toddlers is a small adventure. Spending time in the fresh air and walking in nature is good for you, provides a welcome change from everyday life and allows parents to really grow together with their children.
At the beginning, however, everything seems much more complicated with the stroller and everything that goes with it. This creates uncertainty. After all, it is no longer just about your own well-being, but also that of the child. While you try to think of absolutely everything, you may forget your jacket or your water bottle. And when you then notice that the stroller cannot really be pushed along the chosen route, your motivation quickly disappears. A few simple tips will help to prevent this from happening and to focus on relaxing in the great outdoors.
1. Take your time to find a tested route
Walking around your own home quickly becomes boring and at some point you become very frustrated that your radius is reduced so much with a baby. The books from Wandaverlag prove that this doesn't have to be the case. They were written out of personal concern; all the authors are mothers and have faced the same situation.
The advantage of a single source such as a book is that the paths are not assessed by different people in terms of difficulty, path condition, etc. This means that you know what to expect on each hike. In addition, all paths have been tested by mothers with strollers and the most suitable have been selected. Nothing is less annoying than standing in front of insurmountable steps or impassable roots and having to turn back. On the other hand, beautiful areas with suitable paths will warm your heart and your soul can literally unwind. Then hiking with a stroller has something meditative about it. Even after sleepless nights, the body recovers while hiking and the mind finds peace. The regular rocking on suitable surfaces calms babies down and helps them sleep much more relaxed.
"Hiking with a stroller can be very tiring. Especially at the beginning, it is demotivating if the path is too difficult."
2. Keep an eye on your fitness
Anyone who is excited about hiking with their child should still keep an eye on their own fitness. Hiking with a stroller can be very tiring. It is particularly demotivating at the beginning if the path is too difficult or too steep, if the stroller is difficult to push over the gravel and/or even gets stuck in the mud. In addition to a suitable stroller, you should therefore find out in advance what the planned route is, what the path looks like and whether it is passable after winter or after a rain shower, for example. The level of difficulty must also be taken into account. Route information from the Internet should be read with caution, as you do not know whether the authors have tested the route with a stroller. In addition, one path may be easy for one author while another may find it difficult. Anyone hiking with a stroller for the first time should therefore trust a reliable source, start with an easy route and gradually improve, even if this may not be as exciting. If you walk regularly, you will build up your stamina over time and soon be able to tackle steeper, more difficult tours.
3. Attach a safety strap to the stroller
A slightly steeper section, an unfavorable path and then the stroller - all of these factors can be unsettling and cause stress. A safety strap (or cord, available in specialist shops in various lengths and strengths) is recommended in any case. When walking downhill on a gravel road, it is reassuring to have the stroller secured to your body/belt with such a cord. If you slip or accidentally let go, the stroller cannot roll away. When you reach the rest stop or rest area, secure the stroller to a tree or bench in addition to having the brakes on.
4. Take enough provisions for young and old
Even if it is not possible to climb large peaks with a stroller, the hikes can be strenuous. The fresh air also makes children hungrier. Sufficient food and enough to drink for mother and child are therefore a must. Pure, possibly boiled water is best.
If you are breastfeeding, you need to pay particular attention to your own fluid intake. For bottle-fed babies, you should have boiled hot water in a thermos flask with you. If the children are a little older, small biscuits can help in between meals. Ready-made meals in jars can also be taken along and warmed up with hot water from a thermos flask.
5. You should have these clothes with you
A change in the weather or a small mishap - and it's too hot, too cold or your trousers are wet. You should therefore always have a change of clothes with you, for each item of clothing and for each family member. Even older children can slip, sweat or get wet from the rain. Rain or sun protection for the stroller is just as important as a warm hat and jacket or a sun cap for the children when a cold wind sets in or the path is exposed to the sun. Even in summer it can get very cold at higher altitudes. Depending on the time of year, you should always have a warm or light blanket with you, as the child does not move in the stroller and is more likely to get cold.
6. This also has to go in the backpack
In order to enjoy the trip as carefree as possible, you should pack a number of other items in addition to sufficient food and suitable clothing. After all, it may be that you cannot reach the hut, it is closed, a cold wind is blowing, or you need something to clean quickly.
If you want to picnic in the great outdoors, you should think about a (coated) blanket. One or two cloth diapers can be used as padding, a burp cloth or simply for wiping your hands. You should also bring two or three diapers and wet wipes and a plastic bag so that they can be disposed of properly later. A pocket knife is useful when you need to cut up a piece of fruit, open a package or even cut off a plaster. Speaking of plasters: bandages are important on every hike. A nasty scratch on a stone or a bush can happen quickly.
When resting in the summer, don't forget a parasol and sunscreen; a mosquito net is also a practical thing on humid days or near water. In autumn and winter, a wind and weather cream will soothe baby's delicate skin, as will a hot water bottle for cold feet.
Last but not least, you should also think about the baby's favorite pacifier or cuddly toy so that it can feel really comfortable.
7. A packing list helps save time
If you are often on the move, you will become more confident over time and packing up will become routine. Nevertheless, it can take some time to think of everything before you can finally set off. Good preparation will help you avoid being exhausted before the trip has even begun. A good tip is to prepare a cloth bag or bag in which the dry, non-perishable items are already packed. This way, a change of clothes, blanket, sunscreen, a small supply of diapers and bandages, etc. are ready for the next trip and can be taken with you in one go. If you need something or run out while hiking, just refill it when you get home. For food and the like, a simple packing list is helpful at the beginning; after a while, it will become ingrained in your head.
Photo credits: Carina Kraus, Wandaverlag, Peter Wormstetter/ Unsplash, Mathilde Langevin/ Unsplash, photographing/ Unsplash
