Is it time to settle down and pack away the RV? Not even close!

Expecting a baby is an exciting adventure all its own. There are plans to be made, rooms to prepare, names to decide on, and all the stuff in between. It’s not hard to see why some people would consider settling down and giving up the RV life for a few years until their baby was a bit older to enjoy the trip more, and they wouldn’t have to devote as much time to child care. Child care will happen, no matter if your kid is a day old, or five years. Granted, the type of care is different, but it’s an ongoing experience that doesn’t end when they leave the nest.

While RV-ing with a baby does pose some unique challenges, it’s doable.

Baby proofing is a bit different

In a traditional home, it’s easier to cordon off space for your child to play and remain safe. In an RV, space doesn’t allow for many of these areas. You can still block access to certain parts of your RV, but your child will still be exposed to places and items that could pose a risk.

One area to be aware of is your flooring. Is it soft enough for when your baby starts rolling and crawling? Does it provide the traction they will need when they start taking their first steps?

There is an added benefit: RVs should be secured for the road anyway. Cupboards have latches, so they don’t swing around when you’re driving. Padding is also typical for RVs as an additional safety feature. Both cut down on a large portion of your baby proofing.

Still, you have the stove to consider that comes with knobs, an oven door that’s easy to latch onto and pull down, outlets that need covers, corners and edges that can be hazardous, a toilet lid that can be easily opened, and openings just waiting to pinch small fingers. You can purchase covers, plugs, and latches to secure all these things and keep the baby safer once they start roaming.

Saving space takes on a new meaning

You’re replacing concern over where to store a particularly large pot with where to place the crib. You’re worried less about where clean towels are going to go than where the baby will play.

Consider all the things you’d like the baby to have, and what’s necessary: car seat, crib, bouncy swing, etc. Where can you save space by buying smaller? Where will it go? What dimensions do you have to work with that will impact how large the item can be? Fold up options and smaller sizes do exist and can work well with the limited space you have. You may need to clean out some storage to stow items away during the day or when they’re not in use, but you can make it work.

One place you can save space is with bottles. You don’t realize the hassle involved with formula until you’re working with limited space. If you don’t have solar power, you likely go without power throughout the day to save money. This family decided to breastfeed their baby to cut down on the hassle of dealing with bottles, sterilizing them, and storing formula.

Is it time to expand?

This is your RV adventure, and while it may share similar themes and shades of other’s, it’s completely unique to you. There are many options to expand your space. You could opt for a larger RV, or you could purchase a toy hauler and convert it for some extra living space.

Like we said earlier, there are a lot of items that go along with having a baby, and the toy hauler would work well to use for storage of items you need only once in a while or won’t use every day. Expanding is common when you’re RV is smaller, but it’s not necessary if you’re great with saving space and have an area where you can store baby items that aren’t in immediate use.

There are always challenges to expanding your family, and the challenges in an RV are similar to challenges you’d face in a small apartment: storage. Things, like taking main routes for the more frequent stops and making sure your stocked up on essential items before setting off, are unique to an RV, but with a bit of planning, you can make it work for your growing family.

With a baby on board, you will have to plan ahead. Don’t let small problems turn into larger mechanical ones with your RV. When you use our virtual diagnostics, we can help you figure out what the issue you’re experiencing is with your rig!