Taking your newborn baby on holiday can be a lovely experience. It is a chance to get away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life and relax in the country with your new boy or girl.
You can have a lovely time, however if you are safe in the knowledge that your caravan in baby proof you will surely be able to relax a little more. The first thing to ensure is that you have a working fire alarm and a CO2 detector (if you use gas). These aren’t really specific to babies and will make your caravan safer for everyone but they are essential if you are spending time with your baby in the caravan.
The next thing I would recommend would be a first aid kit for babies. You can put this together yourself and it should include a first aid manual which you can use to refresh your memory when a crying and panicked baby make it hard to remember what to do. Your first aid kit should also contain some age appropriate pain killers; dressings, including plasters, bandages etc; antiseptic cream or spray, camomile lotion, antiseptic wipes and any other accessories you feel are necessary.
When baby proofing your caravan it is a good idea to put yourself in the mind of your child. Think, ‘where would I go if I could crawl’ of ‘would that fit in my mouth?’ You should then make sure that anything that your child could choke on is locked away somewhere safe. It is also a good idea to purchase some socket protectors to ensure your child can’t shove their little fingers into any plug sockets.
If you have any flaking paint in your caravan then before you allow your baby to enter you should either remove it all or have a professional seal it. If you don’t your child may pick off the flakes and eat them which could lead to choking or poisoning.
Any sharp edges on your caravan’s furniture or cabinets should be covered with padding or bumpers so your baby doesn’t hit their head and hurt themselves. Sometimes it is a good idea to do the same on the high up cabinets for dad too.
It is a very good idea to bring a cot along as caravan beds are most certainly not suitable for babies. You should make sure that the mattress is firm and that the legs lock securely. It is always a good idea, if your baby is very young, to sleep in the same room as your child for safety purposes.
Childproof locks should be put on anything that your baby can get to. All cupboards and drawers should have these attached so your child doesn’t get into a spot where an accident may occur. If you have cleaning products or anything toxic or for that matter anything sharp, then these should all be kept in cabinets which are out of your child’s reach.