Hi Simone. >From personal experience I second (or third) the view that a front-held >carrier such as the Baby Bjorn is very effective for long hiking, climbing, >and fieldwork with such a young child. She'll keep warm from your own body >heat, you can put as many layers of any material between you and the child to >control sweat, and you can wear an over-sized jacket that can zip around the >kid if it gets rainy/windy. The backpack carriers are intended for older kids >that can support their own weight and you can't really bend over to pick >things up with the backpack carrier (child can fall out if she's too small). I >carried our daughter, from a very young age, all over the place in a Baby >Bjorn - it was her favorite place to be in many ways; and this was on long >steep hikes and doing some basic fieldwork. I also liked being able to see her >all the time - which is a reassuring element of being with a young child in a >more harsh environment.
As for dealing with diapers, I would recommend getting some smallish-sized packing bags where you can use a small foot pump to get rid of the air inside the bag so it packs as flat and small as possible. This not only maximizes the packing of the used diapers but it will also eliminate smell and leakage issues. It's refreshing to see many posters on the forum being supportive of balancing family and work issues. We have a long way to go in supporting a healthy perspective on this balance, but long may the trend continue. John. _____________________________________ Dr. John Swaddle Professor, Biology Institute for Integrative Bird Behavior Studies College of William and Mary Millington Hall Landrum Drive Williamsburg, VA 23187-8795 http://jpswad.people.wm.edu/ Tel. 757.221.2231 Fax. 757.221.6483 -----Original Message----- From: Ecological Society of America: grants, jobs, news [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Eva-Maria Muecke Sent: Monday, April 09, 2012 11:55 AM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [ECOLOG-L] Backpacking with an infant? Your post was right on the spot David! Claudia and Eimy had good comments too. In terms of equipment, I am afraid that I am not up to date on the newest accessories available for infants. I do agree with David that having the right carrier is key. I used a Kelty Kids front carrier, which had at least a few more bells and whistles on it than the standard front carrier. I would hope that they improved the design even further by now. It's important that you get it fitted right - just like a regular backpack. That will make a huge difference. I would recommend going to an REI store (you might have done this already). This store tends to be more progressive than other outdoor stores and folks are usually quite creative in solving problems. They might also have an idea for a potential moisture barrier, rain covers etc. It's worth a shot. I live in the Northwest (Portland, OR, area) where folks tend to be quite outdoor oriented. The climate is also similar here to the one you will be dealing with. So, I looked for hiking groups on Meetup that might have insights for you. (Meetup is a online site that can be used to organize individuals with similar interests). Here is what I came up with: Portland area: http://www.meetup.com/The-Gresham-Outdoor-Mammas-Group/ Seattle area: http://www.meetup.com/Backcountry-Betties/ http://www.meetup.com/PNWLeisureHiking/ I would suggest to contact the organizers of these groups. I am sure they would love to help you. People in these regions are very nice and helpful and more than willing to look outside the box. Best wishes to you! Eva-Maria On Apr 8, 2012, at 9:03 AM, Simone S. Whitecloud wrote: > I'd love to pick up some pointers on how to bring my 3 month old > into the > field. I work in the alpine zone, so cool temperatures, wind and > rain are > the issue. Any favorite gear items you found helpful? I'm already > finding > she is totally soaked by the time we get to the peak from my own > sweat. Know > where to buy wool onesies? Tips on packing out dirty diapers? > > Thanks for your input, > Simone Whitecloud > PhD Candidate, McPeek Lab > Dartmouth College
