Needing ideas for bedding down 10-month-old in Casita Spirit

[taranis83]

Since my wife and I are considering purchasing a fiberglass camper in the next couple months and the home team is encamped 6 hours down the road for spring training, we decided to rent a Casita Spirit 17' and take some time off next month for our first camping road trip as a "real" family (don't tell the dog she doesn't really count as our child).

We climbed around the display model this morning and have an initial plan of how we'll make everything work... except where the munchkin will bed down. She's 10-months-old and very mobile, and we're looking for advice on how to keep her securely in bed and off the floor when it's time for bed. We had considered putting her pack and play on the side dinette with no cushions but the pack and play is too wide. Has anyone cracked this particular nut? Willing to share?

Thanks in advance!

[Darnelle]

We found an old screen-sided and zipper-screen-topped baby bed at a garage sale that was significantly more narrow than our pack n play. It was definitely old, but in very good condition. I checked it out careful and it always worked safely and well. It fit tightly in the front closet of our 16' Scamp (i installed a flip-down doorstop to keep the door fully open. I wouldn't have used it, in any fashion, on the side dinette -- too risky for a fall.

[Donna D.]

If you purchase a Scamp 16, layout 4, you could always do something like this: http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f...ion-24663.html

Rather than make the top a bunkbed, you could use it for storage. Just another idea.

Here's another idea

[Island Claire]

This is from a friend in a bowler.

[taranis83]

Great ideas from each of you. With the front lavatory/shower/closet in this version of the Casita, we are very limited with regards to where the little one will be able to sleep.
Claire, I'm curious where that high-sided bed rail was purchased.

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[Island Claire]

She bought it second hand, but suggested Wall mart or Toys R Us.

[Lora]

Darn! Can't seem to find the post, but there was a couple who built a shelf over the foot of their Scamp? bed for their little one to have his own bed but still be near mom & dad.

[Raz]

Casita. Carpeted walls. A Velcro suit. Stick 'em anywhere. Sorry, Raz

[Sid]

Raz,
It's been done
Sid

[WildBirder]

I'm considering one of these. I have to check it out in person so can make sure it won't tip off the bottom bunk.
KidCo PeaPod Plus - Kiwi - Kidco - Babies"R"Us

Less expensive version,
http://www.toysrus.ca/product/index....fProd=20428366

[Marion]

Originally Posted by Donna D.

If you purchase a Scamp 16, layout 4, you could always do something like this: http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f...ion-24663.html

Rather than make the top a bunkbed, you could use it for storage. Just another idea.

Here's another idea

love love love the white black and red
is this one of yours Donna?

[taranis83]

WildBirder, my wife actually bought a PeaPod and it arrived this week. I'm considering strapping its base frame down around the tabletop on the dinette-turned-single-bed.

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[Donna D.]

Originally Posted by Marion

love love love the white black and red
is this one of yours Donna?

No Marion, it's not mine. This is Louis Been's modified trailer for his family.

[Jon in AZ]

Have you thought about putting the little one in back of the big bed (in or out of a "Pea Pod") with one adult, and the other adult on the side bed? I don't know exactly how big those things are, but it seems like you could put it in the back corner on the "feet" end and there ought to be plenty of room for one person to sleep diagonally. She couldn't knock it over and the "duty" parent wouldn't have to get out of bed for middle-of-the-night emergencies. Since this is a new experience for your daughter, she might feel more secure with a parent close enough to hear and smell and be more likely to sleep through the night.

[Darnelle]

We now have a 13' with front couch. That's where our daughter is supposed to sleep, but sometimes it's all 3 of us plus the dog on the back bed. I made a bed extension so we sleep with our heads under the back window, making it almost queen size. Once, when it was too hot (we don't have AC) I stayed with the kid and dog, and spouse moved to the couch as Jon suggests above. It worked fine, it was the heat that bothered us. If we were to sleep that way regularly, we would get a piece of memory foam for the couch like we did for the back bed. Report was that the thin couch foam made for a hard bed for an average-weight adult.

[Jon in AZ]

Originally Posted by Darnelle

We now have a 13' with front couch. That's where our daughter is supposed to sleep, but...

Understand that! Every child is different. My older daughter had staked out the upper bunk as her kingdom. On our last trip the younger fought tooth and nail to get a turn, so we let her have it for the first night out. Set everything up, and in the time it took me to go to the bathhouse to brush my teeth, they had switched back. The younger decided she hated the bunk. Current arrangement: wife and younger on dinette bed, head to toe, older on upper bunk, me on lower bunk. (BTW, my wife said to thank the FGRV folks for suggesting head-to-toe sleeping. It made a huge difference on the narrow 45" bed!)

You may have to try out several different arrangements to find what works, and what works this time may not work the next time. That's life with kids!

[WildBirder]

Originally Posted by taranis83

WildBirder, my wife actually bought a PeaPod and it arrived this week. I'm considering strapping its base frame down around the tabletop on the dinette-turned-single-bed.

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Sounds like a good idea. Let me know how it works. Pictures for size reference would be great too.


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[WildBirder]

Originally Posted by Jon in AZ

Have you thought about putting the little one in back of the big bed (in or out of a "pea pod") with one adult, and the other adult on the side bed? I don't know exactly how big those things are, but it seems like you could put it in the back corner on the "feet" end and there ought to be plenty of room for one person to sleep diagonally. She couldn't knock it over and the "duty" parent wouldn't have to get out of bed for middle-of-the-night emergencies. Since this is a new experience for your daughter, she might feel more secure with a parent close enough to hear and smell and be more likely to sleep through the night.

We're discussing arrangement. My wife's not sold on having to unzip our daughter to check on her. We might put me on the bunk and the girls on the bed.

The Peapods are one of those baby items that get very light infrequent use. There are plenty on CL starting at $35. "Used 4 times" etc.


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[Jon in AZ]

Originally Posted by WildBirder

The Peapods are one of those baby items that get very light infrequent use. There are plenty on CL starting at $35. "Used 4 times" etc.

I think that's wise to think that way. I'd say if she will sleep next to mom on the bed without a pod, that's one less thing to pack. She will outgrow it in a few short months anyway.

If I had a do-over, I wouldn't have bought most of the baby stuff I did. Want to buy a lightly-used backpack-style baby carrier? How about an off-road stroller? I laugh now, but first time out we filled our minivan to travel with just one kid!