Comments on: Backpacking After Baby

By: Justine

Justine — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 03:08:54 +0000

It is reassuring to see that this is possible. I will be marrying soon and my fiancee and I are both very active, love traveling and the sort. Thanks for sharing this.

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By: Lavinia

Lavinia — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 07:52:56 +0000

Thank you so much for this! i am having a baby next year and I thought my dreams of traveling were over, but im glad to find out it doesnt have to be that way!

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By: Tabatha

Tabatha — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 06:33:24 +0000

Thanks for this story! With any luck we’ll be joining the ‘parent club’ soon and it’s comforting to read that traveling doesn’t have to end when babies are born! Everyone keeps saying, ‘oh, I’m so glad you’re traveling now before you settle down.’ I hope we never settle down!

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By: Erin

Erin — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 19:37:22 +0000

Living in Utah, I am AMAZED how far and wide people will adventure with infants and small children. My friends take their 1-year-old backcountry skiing, backpacking, hiking in slot canyons, you name it. My other friends’ 2-year-old is already learning to ski. It makes children sound like way more fun. I can’t wait to have kids just so that I can take them into the mountains.

Water exploration is tough, though. I was kayaking and came across a dad who was putting his 5-year-old in an eddy so he could go back and peel his wife off a bridge support, where she had wrapped her canoe. I stayed with the child because I knew there was no way her ducky would stay in that eddy, and a 5-year-old probably wouldn’t stay still alone on a river anyway. She’d get too worried after 20 minutes and head into the (ice-cold) river or out to the mountain in search of her parents.

I only noticed them because I was going upstream to retrieve a friend. I honestly don’t know what the dad would have done without that coincidence. He couldn’t just leave his wife squashed on a bridge, but the kid could have gotten into so much trouble alone. And all this happened on the laziest, most family-friendly stretch of mountain river in Utah.

My boss wants to get his 3-year-old into river sports. After watching this mini disaster unfold, I suggested he hook up with the local water adventure groups to find out what’s doable and safe. Local experts can help keep parents from getting in over their heads.

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By: Dan

Dan — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 02:58:37 +0000

When you bring your little one, you are no longer the average tourist in the eyes of your hosts. Across Europe, and then Micronesia, we were accepted and trusted as normal people, and being a young family broke many cultural and social barriers. We were actually able to go much deeper this way, see more and be invited in. To top it off, our son loved every minute, clearly happy and amused.

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By: joshywashington

joshywashington — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 20:55:43 +0000

What a great piece. I don’t have kids, but I like to think that if/when I do I will take them out into the wide world. I have seen so many families making it work while traveling, what an amazing way to grow up!

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By: Jacob Bielanski

Jacob Bielanski — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 20:12:05 +0000

“Big ups” to your comments, David. My baby took a 30+ hour train ride at two months old and got her first passport stamp (Honduras) before her first birthday (this July); hopefully she’ll get her second before we have to start paying for her plane ticket.

Traveling with a child is definitely “different” from traveling just two adults, much the same way that growing/eating your own vegetables is “different” than eating a salad.

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By: Kathy

Kathy — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 14:35:26 +0000

Congratulations! You’ve learned the most important lesson that having a child can teach–that there are different ways of doing things and looking at the world and things to appreciate and have fun with. Best example: hiking with a toddler, you don’t look for panoramic vistas as much as you used to, but if you’re open to the experience, you learn how much neat stuff there is to see–bugs, rocks, etc.–close at hand along the trail. Take the kids and learn from them and you’ll all benefit!

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By: Catherine

Catherine — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 14:23:27 +0000

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS. This is one of my biggest worries for after we have kids… making sure we don’t stop living because we have a tiny person on board.

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By: David Miller

David Miller — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 05:01:01 +0000

huge ups to this piece. our family never stopped traveling after the birth of our daughter, but were on the road to Patagonia with her at 2 months.

since the beginning of time, people have always including their young ones with them during whatever travels / movements they made. It was what has always helped solidify families and communities.

Only recently, it seems has there been this notion that the baby should be separated, sequestered, seen as a ‘hindrance’ to one’s ‘freedom’. that’s all bullshit–and what, i believe, leads to total separation, alienation, and emotional problems as people grow up.

thanks for sharing your insights and experience Deanna.

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