---
title: "Our First Vanstoori Trip With a Baby: How Two-Month-Old Vanessa Taught Us New Sides of Vanlife – Vanstoori Blogi"
url: https://vanstoori.fi/blogi/vanstoori-vauvan-kanssa
description: "Our first motorhome trip with our two-month-old baby to the Inkoo archipelago taught us how vanlife changes with a tiny adventurer on board – and why it is still absolutely worth it."
lang: en
---

The first sunny days of spring, hesitantly flashing their shy rays, pulled at the heart with such force that it was impossible to resist hitting the road. Far too long had passed since our last motorhome adventure in Norway. During the final months of pregnancy our trips had naturally been put on hold, and on a crisp January frost day our firstborn kicked her way into the world.

The first months with a small baby had been heavy enough – between the weather and broken nights of sleep – that we barely had the energy to even dream about a new Vanstoori adventure. If, in fact, there was time to sleep enough to have dreams at all!

But when our friends from the Norway trip mentioned a weekend trip they were planning for early April to the Inkoo archipelago, something in us woke up. We decided to take on the challenge. Now would be the perfect moment to test how vanlife works with our just-over-two-month-old Vanessa. We thought it would be good practice and preparation for the future. Originally we planned to stay two nights, but the road – and life with a baby – quickly taught us that travelling as three is not quite as straightforward as what we were used to as a couple.

## From a slow departure toward the calm of the archipelago

Because our friends had done the legwork and scouted the destinations in advance, it was easy for us to follow along with a low threshold in our own van. Our destination was the Bjurs nature reserve and its wonderful campsite on the island of Bärösund.

The drive from Vantaa was pleasantly short, and the route wound through beautiful country roads toward a short ferry crossing. Already while packing, reality knocked on the door: leaving was many times slower than before. One of us had to entertain the baby the whole time while the other carried things. And things there were plenty of. Our experience of packing for a tiny human was limited to what we had learned at home in two months, so just to be safe we packed generously of everything.

In the end, sleep debt and a drawn-out packing marathon took their toll: we got on the road a full day later than agreed. Our friends had already driven to the archipelago the previous evening to enjoy one of the area's wonderful wild camping spots. We met them along the way at the Kirkkonummi Citymarket parking lot, where our friends acted as rescuers and had done the grocery shopping for us, because in the rush we had not even managed to get to the store.

We were already in a bit of a hurry, since the reception of the Bjurs caravanners' campsite was about to close. And it certainly did not speed up the journey when Vanessa decided to make her presence known from the back seat just before the ferry dock.

A short ferry crossing to Bärösund island – the shelter of a motorhome is priceless when the baby surprises you on the road.

The idyllic docks of the Bjurs campsite and the calm of the sea welcomed us.

## Frosty nights, flying pees and slamming doors

At this point we were truly grateful for the luxury the motorhome offered: in an ordinary car a diaper change and clean-up on the road would have been quite a survival battle. In the shelter and warmth of the camper van it all got handled, even though it took its time. We arrived at the campsite at the last minute. We were met by an incredibly warm-hearted owner at the reception, who told us that outside the high season we were the only guests on the whole site.

For the evening we had booked the area's idyllic wood-fired sauna, which the owners had kindly heated up for us in advance. But just as the steam was waiting, Vanessa's evening routines and tiredness started to loom threateningly. Outside the temperature was dropping rapidly toward zero, and ahead of us was a trip to the service building's showers for a bottom wash.

We wrapped the baby in thick layers and headed to the toilet facilities. We could have done the wash in the van too, but at that moment it felt awkward in the tight space – a decision we soon regretted. In the middle of the washing operation, in an unfamiliar space, Vanessa decided to let loose a proper stream of pee straight onto us.

When we finally made it back to the van with clothes and diapers changed, we noticed the next challenge: the heavy doors of the camper van require real force to lock, and Vanessa got startled by the sound every single time. We realised we could no longer step outside the van during the evening without waking the baby. So the pre-heated wood sauna unfortunately had to be skipped this time.

The night itself went relatively well considering the circumstances. Vanessa and my wife Jessika slept contentedly in the back on the big, soft bed. I, on the other hand, climbed up to the rooftop tent with only a thick blanket – a big mistake. Even though the sun had warmed things up during the day, the April night turned into a biting frost. I shivered through the night in every possible layer of clothing, because a proper sleeping bag had been left at home. Sleep was practically non-existent.

When I woke up freezing in the morning, Jessika and Vanessa welcomed me into the warm van, all sunny. Vanessa was even giggling happily in bed. That saved a lot, but the fatigue was heavy. Together we concluded that with such a small baby this was still a bit too tough, and decided to gladly head home to sleep the following night.

The warm interior of the motorhome saved more than one diaper change on a cold April evening.

## The adventure peaks in the nature reserve

The day, however, turned out to be incredibly beautiful and sunny. While Vanessa napped in her stroller, I took a calming morning walk to the stunning sandy beach at the end of the Bjurs campsite. The sea breeze and silence recharged the batteries.

We cooked a tasty lunch in the van and decided to try a hike to the viewpoint at the end of the nature reserve, where a magnificent view opens up from the edge of a cliff straight onto the sea. We took both the stroller and the baby carrier with us. The stroller only went a short way before the path turned into a root-laced forest trail. Just to be safe, we hid the stroller folded deep in the cover of the forest, and for the first time in her life Vanessa moved into the baby carrier for a longer time.

There were surprisingly many people moving around in the forest, even though the campsite stood empty. Vanessa nestled close to the chest, stopped her brief whimpering and fell asleep contentedly. The terrain was demanding and we moved more slowly than usual with the carrier, until right at the threshold of the viewpoint we heard the familiar sound.

We reached the end point, quickly snapped a few photos of the breathtaking view, and noticed Vanessa beginning to show her displeasure. We feared a poop-diaper would cause a crisis, but once we undressed the baby we noticed the biggest emergency was actually heat and hunger. The baby carrier had become so warm that the little girl was completely sweaty. Jessika sat down on the rock, fed Vanessa calm, we reduced the layers and quickly headed back toward the van. Vanessa pushed through the rest of the way wonderfully, and a full service waiting at the van restored peace on earth.

The Bjurs sandy beach offered perfect morning calm and a sea breeze.

The viewpoint opened up a stunning view over the archipelago – Vanessa's first long trip in the baby carrier.

## An educational trip that left us hungry for more

After the successful day trip we briefly wondered whether we should have stayed one more night in one of the archipelago's wonderful wild camping spots with our friends after all. Fatigue and the upcoming new frosty night, however, won the argument. On the way home we still stopped by the Inkoo harbour restaurant to enjoy a good meal before heading home.

The trip was an education. We decided to let Vanessa grow a few more months before the next attempt. As summer progresses and the weather warms up, vanlife with a baby becomes considerably easier: open doors no longer need to be guarded because of the cold air, and the little one does not constantly have to be dressed in thick padded layers.

This trip showed us that with a motorhome anything is possible – even when plans change on the fly and the smallest member of the family is along for the ride. The vehicle gives security, flexibility and the chance to retreat into your own warm peace exactly when the situation demands it. It is a freedom that adapts to your stage of life.

Do you want to experience the kind of freedom that flexes around your own needs and your family? Here at Vanstoori we want to make experiencing freedom possible for everyone. Take a look at our rental fleet, get inspired by our travel stories and book your travel companion for the road trip of your life. The road is open – where would you want to wake up tomorrow?

### Read also

23.9.2025

#### The turquoise wonder of Blåisvatnet and homeward vibes from Norwegian fjords
https://vanstoori.fi/blogi/blaaisvatnet

21.9.2025

#### Surprises on the way to Tromsø – from northern lights to the hospital waiting room
https://vanstoori.fi/blogi/tromssa

19.9.2025

#### Birthday adventure on Senja – from tourist viewpoints to the Hesten summit
https://vanstoori.fi/blogi/senja-hesten

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