I would advise not rushing back to physical activity too soon and to ask your doctors permission first and also listen to your body. When I gave birth to our first baby I had to be induced and it was a much harder birth, so I didn’t do much hiking until our baby was about 4 months old. We now have 2 healthy and happy girls thank God. After the initial realization that we forgot all the small intricate things a baby needed, we decided we might try a small local hike with our new baby.

We were itching to get back out hiking with the kids but we decided to wait for the weather to improve before venturing out in the cold with a baby hiking. I am always prepared for a hike, so 6 weeks after having our new little hiker, we got a good spell of warm spring weather and off we went hiking with the kids.

Our first-time hiking with a baby and toddler in Ireland

We had planned to hike up our local mountain, Mount Leinster but when we arrived it was extremely busy. We decided to keep driving to Kilkennys highest mountain, Brandon Hill as we wanted a quieter hike. This would allow us to get used to our new carrier and hiking with two babies. Plus, the kids were asleep in the car and the 1st mountain was only 10 mins drive and we didn’t want to wake them. The extra 30-minute drive was welcomed and they got a great nap and would be in good form for a walk.

When we arrived at the 2nd mountain, Brandon Hill there were only 4 cars parked, so it was nice and quiet. It took us about 20 minutes to get going, I was breastfeeding in the car, while Paul brought Ourlittlehiker for a little stroll down the country road to look at the sheep and the newborn lambs.

I put Ourbabyhiker in her Columbia wind and waterproof suit. I would highly recommend it. I bought it on Amazon here. I wore a strap vest top with a jacket that can zip down, the reason behind this is the Ourbabyhiker can rest her chest on my skin, and its easy access to breastfeeding while walking. I can also check her temp easier and she can get heat from my body.

When is too Early to be hiking with an infant?

This question can be only really answered by the parents of the baby. Remember, you are the ones that know your baby the best. Therefore, you can only make this decision. I would advise that when you do decide to bring your baby out hiking to make sure they are wearing the appropriate clothing and that you are familiar with the hike. Always start small and try to have another adult with you. For more tips click here to see our tips for hiking with a baby.

Our first hike with our Baby

Our first mountain climb with our firstborn was when she was 6 months old. We had never hiked with a baby before so we were sticking to small Forrest local walks. But this time around we brought our 2nd baby on a mountain hike at just 6 weeks old. This time, the seasons were different and the baby LOVED being on my chest in the strap. Which made the hike very easy and stress-free. We had a nice mild day with a very content baby for our first mountain walk.

Hiking with a baby and toddler Ireland

So far my experience with hiking with both baby and toddler has been enjoyable, but you need a lot of time and patience. It takes longer to pack, to leave the house and to leave the car but it’s so worth it. That is, once you make it to the trail and get to take in your 1st breath of fresh mountain air and to watch the big smile on your children’s faces.

Allow additional time while Hiking with young kids

I find you have to stop more as the baby might need a nappy change, then you get going and toddler wants to relax and eat, etc, so make sure to start with small hikes. Try to allow lots of time for all the unforeseen, therefore, you will all relax and enjoy the adventure more.

Go with family or friends to start off hiking

We always go hiking together when going to the mountains, I always carry my baby on my chest as its easy access for breastfeeding and I carry a rucksack with 1st aid kit, water, extra clothes for everyone and most importantly snacks. My husband carries ourlittlehiker in her Deuter Kids comfort when she gets tired from hiking herself.

Start hiking with kids anywhere or anytime

I am self-employed, on my breaks I bring the girls for short walks and carry both kids myself. It is hard but once you get the straps of the carriers correct it can work. It’s hard work though but so good to get outside even if it’s just 10 minutes around the garden.

Why Kids Love Hiking in Ireland

Hiking with a toddler is just fascinating, you start to see the world through a child’s eyes. They slow you down to look at the butterflies, flowers, etc, which make it more about the journey than the destination.

Ourlittlehiker just floats and skips along when on a hike, the outdoors really is her happy place. I read a quote one time which went something like this

” A Child can’t climb the walls, if the walls are removed”

It is so true, they don’t be bored or restless in the outdoors, Don’t get me wrong they can get tired and fed up in outdoors as well but it’s nice to have a good balance.

Tips to keep a toddler motivated while hiking

Here are some tips you can use near the end of a hike to keep your toddler motivated:

• Big Bubbles, so you hold them and walk ahead and your toddler has to run to try to catch them. This is so much fun for children as well as us adults.
• Save their favourite snacks for when they get a bit fed up or upset and tell them you can get some of your treats when we get to such an area. We try to all eat healthily during the week so treats while hiking is extra special.
• The simple” I’m going to get youuuu” game, works every time.
• Eye spy, treasure hunts, hunt for certain animals.
• A Camera. let them take pictures, we had an old camera we didn’t use anymore and we gave it to Ourlittlehiker and she loved it. Believe it or not, but she takes some great pictures (a lot of bad unflattering angles of us ha) but some great nature shots which is cool to see from her angle. For Christmas, we bought her a kid’s action camera which fits her little hands perfectly.

Hiking with the Ergo Baby Carrier 

Our impressions of the Ergo Baby Carrier

I had to watch a few youtube videos to see how to use it with the baby insert but I found our baby wasn’t comfortable with the inset. Initially, I used my sling wrap for the first few months, she was a big baby and never seemed to be comfortable in the Ergo Baby Carrier. But after a couple of months, I took out the baby insert (which you have to buy separately) she was more content and wasn’t trying to wriggle out of it.

Now she is 6 months old and absolutely loves it. I Have her front-facing so she loves looking all around her and laughs at her big sister singing and dancing on the trails.

Would we recommend the Baby Ergo Carrier?

Yes, I would highly recommend the Ergo baby carrier but in my opinion, I wouldn’t buy the separate baby insert unless you don’t have a sling and you were planning on hiking in the very early days or you had a smaller baby to get more use out of it. I only used ours once.

We bought the rain/wind cover separate and I would recommend getting it especially if you live in Ireland as the weather can change very quickly.

Tips for using the Ergo Baby Carrier

• Always check that your baby has good air circulation and not squashed to your chest and that the baby doesn’t overheat or get too cold.
• Be careful putting the baby in and out of the carrier.
• Have someone to help you secure your straps for the 1st couple of times until you get used to it.
• Listen to your baby, as they will let you know soon enough if they are uncomfortable by wriggling around or crying
• Practice wearing around the house and garden
• Read the instruction manual well
• Watch some youtube videos about using it and babywearing
• Make sure baby’s legs are in the correct position so it doesn’t put a strain on their hips, here’s a diagram below:

Gear to bring hiking with a baby and toddler

We previously did a blog post about hiking with a baby here we cover tips and gear to bring on hikes with kids. Below are some additional items that I find we use more now that we have two small kids to take care of in the mountains.

• Deuter kids comfort 3 plus Wind/Rain cover
• Ergo Carrier plus Wind/Rain cover
• Columbia ski suits (winter/cold weather)
• Reima suit (great for summer not to overheat)
• Regatta wind and waterproofs
• Keen hiking boots
• Sun hats
• Sunglasses
• woolly hats and gloves
• 1st aid kit
• Water & Water bottle
• Snacks
• Nappies
• Water wipes
• Hiking sticks
• A mirror (to see a toddler in the carrier on your back)
• Bubbles (when a toddler is hiking you can blow bubbles and they will run ahead to try to catch them, it’s fun and helps speed up a hike)

Hiking with kids in a pushchair versus a baby carrier for an Infant

Mount Leinster versus Brandon Hill. There is a tarmac road the whole way to the summit of Mount Leinster and Brandon hill

is all trail walking. We decided to use the pushchair on Mount Leinster to see which method we preferred. We had our baby in the Quinny Buzz Xtra 3. It is a 3 wheel pushchair which is great for the outdoors but not so great going around shopping centres which is okay as these days most of my shopping is online .

We had our two-year-old hiker in our travel buggy, which has 4 wheels and is a lot lighter. She walked for a good section of the hike and then we had to bribe her to sit into the buggy, as she got very tired.

Physically we found it much harder to push the prams compared to carrying the girls in the rucksacks, especially coming down the hill as you are in a half squat position trying to control and prevent the pram from getting away from us and rolling down the hill. We will continue to use our hiking carriers to hike with our toddler and infant as pushchairs did not give us the options we needed while hiking.

The post Hiking with a baby and toddler Ireland appeared first on Our Family Hikes.

Having a baby doesn’t have to stop you hiking and enjoying the outdoors, in fact, they will add to your adventure and make it an enjoyable and memorable family experience. Here are some tips that we have learned while hiking with our daughter, aka “ourlittlehiker” to help you get started hiking with your baby or toddler.

Invest in a good baby carrier backpack

Once your baby can hold their head up you can go from carrying them in a sling to sitting them in a backpack carrier. Deuter kids comfort III is the carrier I bought for my husband as a Christmas present from our baby. I felt a little pressure picking out the “perfect” bag. My husband Paul is great for researching stuff like this but as it was a surprise I had to do my own research. Deuter kids comfort III got great reviews and I have no regrets, it was the best buy ever. I use it more than our pram. Ourlittlehiker absolutely loves been in the bag, she gets so excited when she sees the hiking rucksack.

Here is an REI link to the backpack. We bought ours in Ireland’s 53  Degrees North Adventure store in Dublin here.

Wearing the carrier around the house: 

This is a great way to help both you and baby get used to the carrier backpack. Sometimes when I do the housework like hovering, sweeping the floors, preparing the dinner and hanging out the washing etc I put her in the rucksack and she does be so happy. It is great because I know she’s safe, and she is getting to see what I am doing and she gives me the odd little kick if I slow down. She’s like my little cheerleader and we are always having a sing-song. These are the memories I will treasure forever.

Hiking with the baby carrier: 

Wearing the Deuter kids comfort III allows you to hike and adventure in places where a pram won’t allow you to go. You can climb mountains, steps,  and go through narrow trails and muddy paths basically, you can go where your two feet will take you.

Yes, they can nap in the carrier: 

This was one of my concerns when buying the bag and going on long hikes. Well do not worry ourlittlehiker has had the best naps and has slept through some pretty great views too, it’s ok we took pictures so she can look back on the views and memories when she’s older. There is a padded cushion built into the bag that they can lie their little head on but a tip I recommend to do is roll up a little blanket and have it placed around the back of their head so they can lie their head back or either side for more comfort. This works best when the rain cover is on as it holds it in place better.

What clothes to bring for the Baby?

When out hiking the weather can change at any moment especially when hiking in Ireland. You could have rain, sun, and wind all rolled into one hike. So we always bring extra clothes and towels.

We find baby and toddler jackets with built-in mittens/gloves are great because it keeps their little hands warm and you are not worried about them losing the gloves or throwing them away. (We learned the hard way)

We are after buying an all in one Columbia suit which is waterproof and fleecy on the inside, it also has a hood and flaps to cover over hands and feet if needed.  We bought it on sale in 53Degrees North, It cost us €34, We put it over her base layers so she is extra cosy.

DIY TIP-

If you didn’t want to spend money on something like that you could always bring a spare warm hiking jacket of your own and put your child’s legs in the sleeves of the jacket and zip it up. Put an extra cosy pair of your socks over theirs and use their own warm jacket and it can be a DIY all in one hiking suit for them, along with blankets and rain/wind cover on your hiking bag, they will be happy campers and hikers.

What’s in our Deuter kids comfort III baby carrier:

• Nappies, wipes & creams- Always bring extra nappies and it is no harm to bring some reusable cloth nappies just to have. We use the disposable as we only go on day hikes at the moment with ourlittlehiker but we plan to go on longer hikes and camp during the summer so we are looking into biodegradable nappies and the cloth nappies and wash as we go. We use the water wipes and we also pack nappy cream and powders just to have.
• Her favourite toy- She got a pink flamingo while down in foto wildlife zoo, she picked it out herself and it has come on all our hiking adventures since. We lost it a few times but luckily after backtracking our steps we found it. So since then, we tie the flamingo’s leg to the bag so she can hold it and then if she falls asleep and drops it then it will still be hanging in there.
• Her beaker of water- There is a section where she can store her water bottle and as she has grown she can reach it and take a drink whenever she gets thirsty.
• Extra blankets and a spare change of clothes-  There is a deep pocket in the back of the bag where its handy to store her extra clothing so if there is a windchill you can pull out an extra blanket and make her cosy.
• Rain cover/windbreaker. We also store this in the front pocket and it is fantastic as it keeps out the cold wind and rain. It is a must.
• Snacks- There is another small pocket which is handy for small fruit and baby biscuits. It saves you stopping and searching your food bag, you can just snack on the go.
• Mirror- There is a little mirror that comes with the rucksack and is kept in the front pocket where the bag attaches around your waist. The mirror is so handy, if your hiking on your own with your baby.

Checking Ourlittlehiker sleeping in her baby backpack

• Thermometer- I keep this handy in the bag so I can check if she is too hot or cold. Of course, you use common sense and your own instincts but it’s nice to have an option to check the temperature.
• Sun hat & woolly warm hat- As the weather changes so often I keep a few different types of hats to suit all weathers.

Below are pictures of Ourlittlehiker reaching for a bottle of water.

Heres whats in our own Deuter backpack:

As there are generally two adults hiking, we take turns carrying a smaller backpack for additional supplies.

• Compass and Maps
• Sleeping Bag
• Poncho
• Extra clothes
• Food and Water
  • Our First aid kit has:
    • needle and thread (helps with blisters)
    • blister plasters
    • hand sanitiser
    • plasters
    • Scissors
    • CPR small mask
    • tinfoil blankets
    • bandages
    • vaseline (helps prevent blisters and helps stop a bleed)
    • wound dressings
    • would closure strips
    • painkillers for adults
    • pain relief for babies and children
    • kinesiology tape
    • aloe heat rub
    • Suncream (child-friendly)
    • insect repellent (child-friendly)
    • survival bracelet that can turn into cord rope
    • whistle
    • splinter tweezers
    • antiseptic wipes
    • waterproof matches
    • firefighter
    • chapstick

Bring plenty of water and snacks (Top tip for hiking with a baby)

I am currently breastfeeding so that makes hiking so much more relaxed for me as I am not worried about time, bottles or sterilizing bottles. So if we happen to be out hiking longer than planned I will always have milk for her. I have seen in some chemists and supermarkets that you can buy ready-made prepared bottles designed for on the go so if you are bottle-feeding, you could look into buying a few of them for backup. I think they’re more expensive than the formula powder but the peace of mind would be worth it.

Snacks and food ideas for babies and toddlers: 

Once she became six months we did a mixture of BLW (baby-led weaning) and spoon-feeding and after a few weeks she was feeding herself and didn’t want to be spoon feed, she loves picking up the food and feeding herself. We found the handiest foods to bring hiking were fruits like bananas, oranges, strawberries, and raspberries which we kept washed and chopped up in a plastic airtight container. avocado, cheese, yoghurt and chopped tomatoes are handy to have in a small lightweight cool bag. We find the organic baby biscuits are very handy and also tasty for us grown-ups too. Tins of tuna and a few forks and rice cakes are also a handy snack for everyone.

Ourlittlehiker eating a Bananna on Croagh Patrick Mountain

Food for the grownups: For us, we like trail mix, protein bars, a few sandwiches and if you have followed our journey you will see I love ice-cream and chocolate, oh and crisps.  What can I say the mountain air makes me hungry, although I try to eat healthier now that I have little eyes watching me from my backpack.

Water, water, and more water: And of course, the most important thing on a hike is water. We fill our girl’s little beaker up, our own bottles and also our Hydration packs as well. The packs are handy as they have the plastic straw so you can keep walking and taking sips as you go along. If you are going on a longer hike you can bring the tablets to purify water so if you do run out you will have safe water if drinking from a river or stream.

Start hiking with babies on small adventures.

• Start with walking around your garden, local parks or someplace close to home. This will help you and your baby get used to the carrier/backpack.
• We used a front carrier when Ourlittlehiker was small.  We bought it in Aldi and also I bought a sling at the pregnancy and baby fair. Then once she was able to support her head up we used our Deuter kids comfort III (They recommend around the 6-10 months) every baby is different.

Our final of the tips for hiking with a baby

Get outside as much as you can together and have fun. It’s easy to find an excuse and no time is perfect but when you are outside hiking, you will be wondering why you don’t do it every day. Happy Hiking.

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