Eight month old baby on the Playa?

Captain Goddammit · Post by **Captain Goddammit** » Mon Jan 28, 2008 11:05 am

Don't be such a sour grape.

unjonharley · Post by **unjonharley** » Mon Jan 28, 2008 11:10 am

Captain Goddammit wrote:Don't be such a sour grape.

\/
Raisin baby,Sour grape= corn

Elliot · Post by **Elliot** » Thu Aug 21, 2008 6:31 am

And the answer is....

"Yosemite" Sam, who turns eight months old this Sunday, is going to Burning Man. He is a strapping healthy and happy kid, and he has already participated in all kinds of Kinetic Sculpture Races and other rough-and-tumble outings, including long weekends living in the camping-bus. Only thing that phases him is being left out of the action.

Look for a lock of fire engine red hair under a big shady hat.

DoriumLux · Post by **DoriumLux** » Thu Aug 21, 2008 10:28 am

I still have trouble understanding how and why people want to bring there young, vulnerable children out there. The dangers and concerns seem to out weigh the benefits. It's not like the kid can appreciate it much.

DoriumLux · Post by **DoriumLux** » Thu Aug 21, 2008 10:28 am

Elliot wrote:
And the answer is....

"Yosemite" Sam, who turns eight months old this Sunday, is going to Burning Man. He is a strapping healthy and happy kid, and he has already participated in all kinds of Kinetic Sculpture Races and other rough-and-tumble outings, including long weekends living in the camping-bus. Only thing that phases him is being left out of the action.

Look for a lock of fire engine red hair under a big shady hat.

Jesus, I can only imagine what a weeks worth of diapers smell like.

I think I just puked a little in my mouth. ugh.

MissNev · Post by **MissNev** » Thu Aug 21, 2008 2:13 pm

I took my youngest daughter out there when she was a year old. No problems at all. Everyone was wonderful and generous and I felt much better knowing that she was with me. Leaving her home wasn't an option as I was still nursing her. The best part was napping during the day in my van with the AC on. Don't let the naysayers get you down!

ragabashpup · Post by **ragabashpup** » Thu Aug 21, 2008 2:26 pm

More power to the people that bring their kids to the playa. I think the kids could really take in a lot out there. I for one am not responsible enough to take my daughter there (she is 4). She is a little rambunctious so I would fear her running out into the road and meeting an MV face on.

But to anyone who can actually manager to care for their children more power to you. For me its grandparent time.

ZaphodBurner · Post by **ZaphodBurner** » Thu Aug 21, 2008 5:49 pm

We took two years off because of our little girl who turned 2 on August 15, and THANK GAWD she was a couple of weeks early 'cause I'd hate to postpone or advance her birthday every year...

(boooo.. hissss)

...until we're ready to take her to the playa....when she's 35. (booooo)

We went to New Orleans for four days when she was eight months old though, and she got to bond with grandma. The first day was hell on both but after that they had a blast together, and the only separation anxiety suffered was on the part of the parents. (That SUCKED.) This year, her other grandparents are watching her for the week and can't wait.

Eight months? Wow. The baby can't say "I'm too hot," "I'm hungry," "I can't breathe" or "Jesus, look that FUCKING ART CAR!" so it's going to be no fun for the baby except for one stark reality... ...boobs galore. I mean, seriously.

We thought about taking our baby girl but opted to sit out because it would have been too much for us. Four people and a climate controlled RV would be different, though, and as long as he's covered during a dust storm or cold nights, and kept cool during the heat of the day, I think the evenings and trips to center camp would be a blast. Not a trippin' balls blast for the designated parent, but, still... I can see how that would be a beautiful experience.

It blows my mind to think of the Applegate/Lassen trail and how women walked it pregnant and gave birth along the way. Many of them were buried along the trail, but the reality is, they didn't have an air conditioned motor home and access to medical care in a -real- emergency.

If Grandma's willing at responsible I would 100% lean that way, but, hell, it's still just an RV camping trip in the desert if that's what you choose to make it.

-zb

Elliot · Post by **Elliot** » Fri Aug 22, 2008 9:52 am

I can only imagine what a weeks worth of diapers smell like.

We already have some experience with that from shorter camping excursions, and the answer is industrial grade plastic buckets with O-ringed lids -- and plenty of RV-toilet-tank-chemical. The buckets prevent spills while still camping, and the chemical makes the buckets "safe" to open at home. (One ounce neutralizes ten gallons of sewage.)

As for the choice of bringing Sam to Burning Man.... It's their decision -- I'm just the uncle. But I can tell you this about that little family: Assuming he survives (joke!), that boy will be one Good Person when he grows up.

And... dollars to donuts he'll be having dinner, Mom's own kind, on the Critical Tits Ride. Just a guess, but that would "be them".

ZaphodBurner · Post by **ZaphodBurner** » Fri Aug 22, 2008 10:26 am

Elliot wrote:
I can only imagine what a weeks worth of diapers smell like.

We already have some experience with that from shorter camping excursions, and the answer is industrial grade plastic buckets with O-ringed lids -- and plenty of RV-toilet-tank-chemical.

DiaperGenies = Good. Throw an air freshener tree in it first, and if you don't smell pine or vanilla or whatever, you're set.

MissNev · Post by **MissNev** » Fri Aug 22, 2008 11:08 am

Elliott, have them bring the little guy by The Livers End. We are a family freindly environment (I love seeing the little ones doodle on our bar), we will have a nice misting system and cool chill space....and I can get my "mommy fix"!!!

Elliot · Post by **Elliot** » Fri Aug 22, 2008 3:17 pm

Diaper Genies.... I'll look into that.

The Liver's End.... We'll try to find you -- any idea where you will be?

Elliot · Post by **Elliot** » Fri Aug 22, 2008 3:36 pm

Ahhhh.... Diaper Genies. A disposable diaper disposal system.

Methinks we just arrived at the heart of Why-Baby-Sam-Is-Going-To-Burning-Man-At-Age-Eight-Months. Because... Master Sam wouldn't know a disposable diaper if one jumped up and said "Poo"! Sam only knows life with cotton cloth diapers -- lovingly laundered and smoothed and folded etc etc by his father (who is not me, I repeat, not me).

Of course, this thread now contains more information than really needed. I'm more concerned about electrolytes and body core temperature and that sort of thing.

Watch for Sam On The Playa with his parents on a pedal-powered trike or rickshaw or some such bicycle-car thingie.

MissNev · Post by **MissNev** » Fri Aug 22, 2008 5:05 pm

I too used cloth diapers and they were very easy on the Playa! Right on for your brother and sis! Sam sounds like he has wonderful parents. As far as keeping my little one hydrated out there, she drank plenty of water (along with what I provided to her), and pedialyte. While I had her out and about strolling around, we were gifted with popsicles, water, cold juice, and one camp let her take a dip in their pool! She was a great conversation starter and welcomed everywhere. We had a shade structure up with a big tarp underneath. I put her little inflatable swimming pool there and filled it with a couple of inches of water. She was adorable in her shaded pool sitting there with her flowered sun hat! My very fair, toe head blonde baby never got any pinker! When her pool got warm, we just added a little ice to it. It was also very refreshing for me to sit on the side with my feet in it! I had made home-made frozen juice pops and brought them out in my cooler with dry ice. Since you have an RV, the freezer would be great for this! Otter pops! Find a nice chill space with a misting system. He will be fine out there. And, when it got to be too hot, she and I took a nap in the back of my van with the engine running for the A/C.

I'm not sure where we'll be, but we will register with Playa Info when we get out there.

Elorrum · Post by **Elorrum** » Fri Aug 22, 2008 9:13 pm

I was in center camp last year during the second dust storm. The comedian on stage was actually doing his act with his eyes shut. It was near white out inside, and I wondered if Pompei was anything like this, and when did people start to freak... Everyone had on masks, or bandanas, and goggles, and there was a toddler who wasn't having either. The mother said, "he just won't keep them on." I thought maybe it isn't a safe environment for someone who couldn't reason that the uncomfortable stuff was supposed to stay on. Having an indoor space with climate control would be a fantastic refuge for avoiding that problem.

Elliot · Post by **Elliot** » Fri Aug 22, 2008 9:22 pm

Yes. But we also know how fast a dust storm can come up, so a Portable Dust Storm Survival Pod seems indicated. Maybe a Storm Blanket -- a full body dust mask. But oh, yes, we do have a bus with air conditioning and water. 24 hrs!

Elliot · Post by **Elliot** » Wed Sep 03, 2008 7:41 am

And the way it turned out was...

...Wondermuss! Baby Sam spent a full week at Burning Man and thrived. We had an air conditioner and never used it. His eyes stayed bright and clear; his skin, his temperature, his behavior... he slept in his normal pattern, crawled around on the Playa and chewed on everything in his normal way, went thru diapers in his normal way, and enjoyed his baths in a Little Red Wagon with sun-heated water.

Sure, he is too young to understand where he was, but we do believe that this adventure makes a valuable contribution to his upbringing in general.

Obviously, he was rarely in open sun, wearing a big floppy hat when outside in the day time. And when traveling about the city with his parents, he rode in a pedal car with a big awning.

He did get caught in a dust blow once, after the Temple Burn, but he was in an MV and somewhat sheltered.

We do realize the any Playa dust at all in the lungs is a bad thing (for all of us), but Sam lives such a spectacularly healthy lifestyle otherwise, and I agree with his parents that we should not spend our lives "under the bed" to avoid all hazards.

(Sam's mom felt it was too far to travel to the opposite side of BRC to visit The Liver's End, but she says "Hi!")

We would not have brought Sam if we did not have a sturdy vehicle for him to live in. The bus kept most of the dust out when it blowed, and we even had a vacuum cleaner. During the day, we opened the big "toy hauler" tailgate, and the bus worked like a wind tunnel, funneling the breeze thru and keeping the interior cool.

All my best,

oleg8888 · Post by **oleg8888** » Wed Sep 03, 2008 10:40 am

We gave a ride to a couple with a 2.5 month old baby. Made sure they got back to their camp safely.
Kinda scary

Gage · Post by **Gage** » Wed Sep 03, 2008 12:43 pm

We saw a guy with a baby strapped to his chest, dancing at The Deep End on Tuesday late afternoon...

Being a father myself and remembering when my girl was that tiny and fragile, The Deep End is the last place I would have taken her with the dust being kicked up, blaring music, un-coordinated idiots possibly running into us or spilling drinks, or someone not watching and just dancing into a potential unsuspecting baby (who would have ended up being a shield)...

I know how special the Burn was for us, but come on!! At least get a babysitter before hitting The Deep End?!?!?!? Fucking people...

oleg8888 · Post by **oleg8888** » Wed Sep 03, 2008 12:51 pm

GageNdG wrote:We saw a guy with a baby strapped to his chest, dancing at The Deep End on Tuesday late afternoon...

We saw that guy too, he put ear plugs in baby's ears and probably thought "I am a good father".
I had to dragg my wife away from him before she saw it, otherwise she'd kick him in the nuts

Elliot · Post by **Elliot** » Wed Sep 03, 2008 1:19 pm

.
That was most definitely NOT my friend and Baby Sam.

skygod · Post by **skygod** » Wed Sep 03, 2008 6:35 pm

I saw a baby in a stroller outside center camp when it was quite dusty and windy. The baby did not look happy, and did not have any respirator or cloth covering his face. The mother seemed oblivious.
Should I have said something to her? I did not.
Should I feel ashamed? I do.

MikeVDS · Post by **MikeVDS** » Fri Sep 05, 2008 1:14 pm

We got back with our 6 month old from the playa without a problem. It was a lot of work and we had a few things we didn't completely account for. I was going to take our RV but I hadn't put enough mileage on it since I fixed it to be 100% confident so we rented a small tear drop trailer. I had an A/C unit that fit nicely and a generator. We were able to keep the trailer relatively dust free. It was also very cool during the day, so much that we had to wrap our baby in her blankets. Finlee (our baby) had a good time. She laughed and laughed and laughed at kids jumping on a trampoline and she loves riding in her bike seat with me. A few loud noises scared her even though she had ear protection. The hard parts were nap and bed time for her. That meant one of her parents were stuck back at camp with her, which we completely expected. The dust storms got a bit tiring since we lacked the foresight to bring more things to do in the trailer. We talked and had fun but some games would have been a nice addition.

I did see a couple baby trailers behind bikes with dust kicking up into the kids face; that made me cringe a bit. The trailers sound good in theory but I wouldn't put my kid in one on the playa.

Most people loved seeing Finlee out there, I think especially since it was obvious that she was one of the cleanest things out there and well taken care of.

skygod · Post by **skygod** » Fri Sep 05, 2008 5:35 pm

Finlee!
What a sweet name.