Whether you are like me and have chosen to raise your family off-grid or you just want to get away to camp for a week, you will encounter a unique set of challenges when leaving the power grid behind with a newborn in tow. Even a great solar setup is unlikely to be able to support a microwave, dishwasher, or traditional washer and dryer. Although people have been raising babies this way for thousands of years, there are quite a few modern inventions that can make parenting a newborn off-grid a lot more convenient. Luckily, I’ve been able to do some of the trial and error for you to find out what really works. Here are eight items I love that will make your journey go much more smoothly.
1. The LÍLLÉbaby Complete All Seasons Ergonomic 6-in-1 Baby Carrier
$119.99
from
Being off-grid requires an active lifestyle. This carrier is perfect for allowing you to get through all of your daily chores with baby strapped in for the ride. It includes lumbar support, which is so key if you’re still lacking the core strength lost during pregnancy. I live in an area with hot, muggy summers and frigid winters, so temperature extremes have to be accounted for. A flap in the front zips down, revealing a mesh panel, which allows for great air flow on hot days. During winter, keeping it fully zipped provides great insulation from the elements. In addition, the weight limits go from 7 to 45 pounds, allowing you to use it for the full duration of your babywearing years.
2. Medela Manual Harmony Single Hand Breast Pump
I love this little guy! With it being small and manual, I’m free to pump whenever and wherever I please, with no wires or tubes to hold me back. Being able to sit outside on a nice day and pump while watching my goats play and listening to the birds makes the whole process so much more bearable. It also doesn’t hurt to have some of these Medela Quick Clean Wipes handy for keeping the pump clean when you’re on the go.
3. Granite Ware Enamel on Steel 15.5-Quart Water Bath Canner With Lid and Jar Rack
Why is a canner on this list when the child is too young for eating solids? It actually doubles as a steam sterilizer for bottles, pumping parts, pacifiers, and anything else you want to sterilize! Just put some water in the bottom, fill the metal rack with your items, boil for at least 10 minutes, and voilà — everything is germ-free!
4. Reusable Menstrual Pads
This is another item that is absolutely perfect outside of its intended purpose. Every boy mom knows about the spray that can happen during diaper changes! These reusable pads are the perfect size and shape for covering that little firehose while the diaper is off. They absorb all of the pee, versus other items I have looked into that merely redirect it. Handwashing them is a breeze, and they line-dry super quickly. I have two sets, and the cute designs make it easy to keep track of which set is mine and which belongs to baby.
5. Watersafe Water Testing Kit
Whether you’re pregnant, breastfeeding, or mixing formula, it is super important to make sure that the water you and baby are exposed to is safe! This kit tests for quite a few contaminants, including lead, bacteria, and more. Simple, easy-to-follow instructions allow you to test your own well water without having to pay extra to send it to a lab.
6. Hoppe's Lead-B-Gone Skin Cleansing Wipes
While we’re on the topic of lead exposure, these wipes are key for keeping your family safe. Whether you’re coming home after harvesting wild game or saving money reloading your own ammo, you want to be completely sure that you aren’t touching your baby with lead or other toxic metals on your skin. They remove contaminants much better than washing alone can and are super convenient.
7. The Wonderwash
We all know that with a baby comes a never-ending stream of laundry. Seriously, between spit-up, blowouts, and the food I drop on my kid because I’m trying to eat while rocking him to sleep, the wardrobe changes are endless. The Wonderwash makes it so easy to wash clothes without any electricity. Just fill it with clothes, pour in the water and soap, and torque the crank for a couple of minutes! Turning the crank is almost meditative. You can listen to the water swish around rhythmically while getting a light arm workout. It’s probably the best time I’ve ever had while doing laundry. To dry the clothes a bit faster before hanging them out on the clothesline, you can also spin them out with this manual laundry drying machine.
8. AeroPress Coffee and Espresso Maker
Mama needs her coffee! After a long night of feedings and diaper changes, we still need to somehow function come sunrise. The AeroPress is a fast, easy way to make what may be the most delicious cup of coffee you’ve ever had. Seriously, I don’t know what about the process makes the coffee taste so good, but you can count on a consistently top-notch cuppa with this device. I actually bought mine just for hiking trips, well before I had plans to go off-grid permanently. The coffee was so much better than what my coffee maker at home could produce that I started using it daily and have stuck with it ever since.
*Psst: if you choose to purchase an item from this post, LittleThings may receive a small cut. Each item and price is up to date at the time of publication; however, an item may be sold out or the price may be different at a later date.
