Why do people insist it's impossible to hike with a baby? Nomads have been doing it since the beginning of the human race. Congratulations on your beautiful son!
Congratulations! Nursing makes hiking, camping, and backpacking with a baby so easy-sterile, warm, perfect nutrition on the go with no cleanup! Toddlers slow your pace but the trade off is you get to see the world through their wonderful eyes. Do what’s right for your family. ❤
Since when can't a mother hike? It's ridiculous that people think you should give up what you love once you have children. You get the greatest blessing of sharing your love of the outdoors, and instilling that love in them. Congratulations and God bless you and your little one! Your hiking videos got me up off the sofa and outside walking! ❤
I don't think anyone is saying can't more people are saying shouldn't, a pregnant woman could fight in conflicts but almost everyone thinks they shouldn't. I thru hiked the Appalachian trail in 2023 the risk has to be managed even as a young person who's relatively fit I came close to death increasing the risk with a child is borderline child endangerment and I wish I was a loyer so I could get a legal opinion on this I don't know if bringing a baby on trail is legal I know for a fact it's far from safe for the baby I one do not like kids being put at unnecessary risk.
The younger your baby is, the easier to bring the baby along. Breastfeeding means you don't have to worry about formula and safe water to make it with. I loved backpacking with my baby.
My first was preemie and was in NICU two weeks. Having them go pumpkin orange can be scary but they'll treat it with bili-lights. Time passes fast and he'll be home before you know it.❤
My wife started backpacking with me after we were married in 1973. She was pregnant throughout 1976 and we continued backpacking. In fact, we were backpacking two weeks before our son was born the end of February 1977. Our daughter was three weeks old when she went with us backpacking for five days in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness. She is now 46 and survived!!
Ok.......grown man crying over here. loved the comment 'likes to see my son without all the tubes and wires'. That broke my heart. Fantastic story and congrats. We adventured with our 3 kids from pregnancy to delivery and beyond. We were racing sailboats at the time and backpacking some. Wife raced up until her 7th month. Our 1st son even won a trophy for youngest crew to finish a series at 8 weeks old. Got a picture of my wife nursing him as we crossed the finish line of that series. We camped and hiked with all 3 using a Kelty Child Carrier. The equivalent today would be the Journey Perfect fit model. Plenty of storage for "daddy pack mule" to carry the kid and kid related supplies. We did a lot of winter camping, down here in Texas so it was never too cold until with hiked in the Guadalupe Mountains late one winter. (8degrees overnight) Warm shoes for the kid are a must as well as those small hand warmer placed in strategic places around the kiddo. As for you tossing out your breast milk on a long hike, just drink it. Lots of good minerals and vitamins in breast milks. When the kids got older and heavier we took up canoeing. One long trip we carried all our gear for 16 days in the Boundary Waters when our youngest at age 4.5 years old. Don't give up on adventuring with your kids cause they will remember all those trips in the years to come.
Oh my gosh he is beautiful!! I am in tears. Look at all that beautiful hair. I was 39 when I gave birth to my one and only son, Bridger. He is the best thing that has ever happened to me. Enjoy!
My father in law is named Bridger and our middle child was named Wesley (after explorer John Wesley Powell) Wesley (after his grandfather who was named for mountain-man Jim Bridger).
My wife and I kept on hiking and canoeing and kayaking with three under four. we made our trips kid friendly meaning the trips fit the physical level of the kids. I have photos somewhere showing my wife back in the early 70’s with my wife with a light pack and the baby in a front sling and me with the two and three year old sitting on top off my loaded external fame pack hanging on to the frame for dear life. When the two oldest were rested we walked at their speed. With three that young river trips were much simpler. By upper grade school we were able to add ocean kayak trips in Alaska. It can be done and it can be fun. As pre teens we also added week long bike tours. Learn to think like a Nomad, live like a nomad, eat like a nomad. city people teach their kids to live in the city, nomads teach their kids to live on the trail.
congrats on such a beautiful baby! i may be prejudiced as i adore you and this channel. the same way you advocate "hike your hike"; i recommend, "mom your own mom way". 99.9999% of people MEAN well (closer to 100% on THIS channel), BUT y'all gotta do it for yourselves. if you change your minds every day that is OK too! best of luck on this adventure ❤❤❤
No messages really matter. Single babies are far more portable than some would have you believe. Human babies come equipped with everything they (we) need to survive. Far more important is your attitude, and yours is tip top and needs no comment from anyone, no one. You go girl ! Thank you for sharing. May you (both) live long and prosper.
Congrats on giving birth. Your little boy is going to be so very lucky to have a mom who is so adventitious and will be willing to show him the world and all its natural beauty.
Ergo Baby Carrier. It’s the best front carrier!! We have used it for a many hikes with baby and even my toddler. Ospery baby backpacking pack is amazing! It’s quite heavy because it has a lot of structure but my kiddos LOVE it and it has a good bit of storage. The Hakka would be great to keep up supply while hiking but it definitely doesn’t have the appoint of suction as a hospital grade pump so it maybe be hard to keep up your supply. I don’t want to say that you can’t leave baby to thru hike. But after I became a mom the emotional attachment made it really hard. It made me not enjoy the things I was doing because I just would’ve rather be with my children. Don’t put pressure on yourself to do the trail if it doesn’t feel right. The trail will still be there for years, babies are only this little for a little time.
Ergo baby carrier! I was able to carry my son easily on my front from birth to 6 months then, I was able to carry him on my back after that. It was the best!
Congratulations!! Such a cutie. I would try a couple of nights car camping with your little nugget before backpacking, just to get used to the mechanics of baby handling in at camp. It'll help you figure out what you need and what you don't need.
Congratulations on your beautiful bundle of joy! Bratcher is so lucky to have parents who will share their love of the outdoors with him!! That's where kids need to be!
There is no greater joy. I am so happy for you! I had my baby at 45. Baby is now 21, has been my best hiking buddy and is heading off for the second run of her studio assistantship in Colorado, where she, of course, hikes. You have inspired me to teach myself to camp out with the goal of short trips of thru hiking. So grateful for the hikes you do and so happy for you and your husband. Congratulations!
I feel like such a proud Auntie. I have followed you for several years and it's just so lovely to see you find a beautiful relationship and start a family. My heart is bursting. Nobody more worthy of such a beautiful little family!
Hey, congratulations on becoming parents! I have a 13-month-old myself, and over the past year, we've had several backpacking experiences with her. For us, the best carrier up to around 8-10 kg was an elastic baby wrap, which was especially useful in the early months. Once your little one can sit up, I’d highly recommend switching to a back carrier for hikes-it helps keep the baby from getting drenched in your sweat during long hikes and is easier on the back. When it comes to baby carriers, there aren’t that many options, but Deuter and Osprey are top-tier. We ended up getting a used one from BACH, which worked perfectly fine for us. As for your plan, 5 months is quite early to be away from mom for two days imo. There are a lot of factors to consider, and it can be challenging-our baby, for instance, wouldn’t take a bottle for a long time. While it may not be an issue for you, I think it’s important to remain flexible and not push it if things don’t go as planned. One alternative you could consider is hiking with the baby and your mom. That’s what we did on our trips, using a Zpacks Triplex Offset tent, a Morrison sleeping bag, and three Thermarest mats connected together, with our baby in the middle. You could start with an overnight trip and build from there. There’s something else I’d like to mention. Of course, it’s completely up to you how much of your child’s life you want to share publicly. From a financial standpoint, I can see how sharing videos with your baby might be tempting, especially since those kinds of videos tend to do very well. However, it might be worth considering the long-term implications of regularly sharing images or videos of your son with an audience of nearly 500,000 people. He doesn’t yet have a say in whether his face is shown, and by the time he’s old enough to understand, there could be hundreds of hours of his childhood-including personal moments-available for anyone to see, including his future peers. If my mom had done that to me, I’d probably have some mixed feelings, even though I know her intentions would have been good. Just something to think about for the future. All the best in this new life :)
Great advice from this one☝🏻. Congrats! GEAR INTRODUCTION FOR BABY Make sure you follow the gear recommendations for backpack carriers, usually after they can sit without help for long periods of time, and if you cycle with the pull behind carts, usually one year old for brain health since there are not shock absorbers on those things, etc. NUTRITION FOR YOU Also if you hike while nursing or pumping know that you will be eating more calories to produce the milk, so keep food logs before you go so that you are getting adequate nutrition. INTRODUCING BOTTLES Go ahead and quickly introduce bottles with breast milk to your baby early. It is not uncommon for baby to totally reject a bottle of breast milk when they are a few months old if they have never had to drink from a bottle. INTRODUCING THE OUTDOORS IN STAGES And unlike your dive into backpacking, start small with day hikes, try tent camping out of your car, move to a one night backpack trip with baby then progress. You will have a heavier pack so plan your miles and elevation changes accordingly. I’d also not do any crazy elevation difference for baby, check with your doctor. FLEXIBILITY Make plans but be flexible. Try not to have the pressure of hard deadlines if possible. Do what works for your family and don’t worry about what other people think. TAKE IT ALL WITH A GRAIN OF SALT We all have different experiences so go ahead and get advice but ultimately you are mom, you will know your child the best, keep Dad right there with you, and you three do what is best for your family.
Oh, Congratulations, Dixie and Rodney! Bratcher is a handsome boy! 💐🎉🎉🎉. And of course, all hiking will continue. Life doesn’t stop when new life is brought into this world. It just means all your adventures get to be shared with this additional, special, human being. ❤️
I wasn't planning on crying (tears of joy) today! Congratulations Dixie! He's beautiful. You're going to be the best outdoor mama! I'm looking forward to following along on this special journey. Enjoy every moment. The journey is the goal! 🌻💛🌻💛🌻💛
Our son was born six weeks early and was in the NICU for 24 days. He didn’t have any developmental issues except taking a little longer to learn how to eat without a feeding tube and it was sort of a blessing in disguise because it gave my wife and I time to adjust to being parents and learning how to care for him without the pressure of figuring it out on our own and it also we think got him on a really good sleeping and eating schedule.
OMG CONGRATULATIONS YOU TWO!!! That first car ride home, for a new dad, was the biggest flood of emotions I've ever had by far. You guys will be Amazing parents!
We would go on long hikes with a baby backpack carrier when our first baby was 6 months old. Later we would car camp with our second son. When he was 3 we took an overnight with both and then it was short distance backpacking trips. Now they are 28 and 25 and we backpack as a family a few weeks a year. Brachter is a very handsome guy. He's healthy and wonderful, enjoy every minute because they are fleeting. Best times of my life. Congratulations.
Oh, DIXIE!!!!! I am so extremely delighted for you and your family! Bratcher is adorable! I can't thank you enough for being my go-to back in 2017 when I started backpacking, as a 51-year-old mom of thirteen (yes, you read that right). Let me say now that I wish YOU all the very best as you begin your big adventure as a mommy! (And laughing at your "geriatric" pregnancy-- I was 38, and a cancer patient besides, when I delivered that 13th baby. You've totally got this, girl!)
You are an awesome mom ! So much congratulations to your whole family ! And you are 1 of the ones that got my wife & I into long distance hiking ! We were only day hikers before watching your channel. 2021 was our 1st attempt at the PCT. Injury forced us off trail. We hiked Oregon & part of Washington on the PCT in 2023. Now in March 2025 we will do a Mammoth March, 20 miles in 8 hours. Again congratulations to your whole family !
Congratulations! It’s hard having a baby in NICU but I hope he’s doing well now. Hiking with my kids has been one of my greatest joys of motherhood, I hope it’s one of your greatest joys as well.
I'm so glad you're planning to do the AzTrail. Your videos, comments, observations on the trail and of the wildlife will be exciting to hear and see. I've mentioned before that I finished section hiking the AzTrail in 2021 and redid the first passage earlier this year with a friend who will be section hiking it. The diversity of the terrain, flora and fauna will surprise you and most of the viewers. I'm really looking forward to it. Thanks for the videos, professionalism and lore.
Congratulations Jessica and Rodney, and welcome to the world Bratcher ❤ There is ABSOLUTELY NO REASON you should have to guve up hiking and backpacking! Babies can sleep in a tent. I did! I've got pictures of me as a wee toddler and my mum pregnant with my sister and we're out camping. I know there are dozens of UA-cam videos of young families out backpacking and camping. Dan Durston and his wife had their infant out in the backcountry, nothing bad happened. It's great you have plans to finally do the AZT, and that your mom can support you and the baby. What a wonderful family you have ❤
I put my baby in a snugglie backpack and went hiking in the woods all the time now she is a 23 year old who loves hiking and all things nature❤Congratulations on a beautiful baby boy!
Yeah!!! So happy for you Dixie. All those hiker reflections where you wondered if you'd ever find your honey and then have a honey. Couldn't be happy for you and your Boys. :-)
Hi Dixie Congratulations he’s so beautiful! I’m 49 with a 3 year old, 20 year old and 24 year old. All boys. I’m so blessed. Have a wonderful mommyhood! When babes is a bit older the Osprey with canopy and foot stirrups was awesome. Big back zipper pocket. Little pockets up front for carmex. 🥂🍼
Congratulations Dixie! You will be a wonderful mother! As some who start my kids camping at 3 months old, I can tell you that it is not only doable but it makes the adventures so much richer! Good luck to you and my God bless your new family!
Congratulations! I've been watching your pregnancy closely because I'm also geriatric (39!) and just a few months behind you (due in December). My heart sank when I saw that he was in the NICU, but I'm glad everything seems to have worked out. Thank you for being an inspiration!
Congrats Mom and Dad. Bratcher is going to be the coolest kid in school with the stories he'll be able to tell. As for hiking, it's in your blood. The mummy won't catch you and it won't catch Bratcher. Many adventures await.
He’s adorable! Congrats! 🎉 I loved the Baby Bjorn carrier when my daughter was a baby. You can wear on the front. She liked it and never fussed in it. We went hiking around the arboretum with her in it. We did hills and dirty rocky paths just fine. We took her to the aquarium in it. Sometimes I just folded laundry with her in it so she would be calm while I got chores done. I never used a hand breast pump only electric so I can’t really speak on hand pumps. ❤
Congratulations!! You’re a role model for prioritizing things that we are passionate about in life. Your baby is so lucky to have such a hiking legend of a mother!
OH MY GOSH!! He is soooo adorable! In that little flannel shirt with his little hair and everything made him look like a tiny man! Congratulations! Welcome to the WONDERFUL world of parenting.....may you have many wonderful adventures with this little dude!
Mama here to a 7 month old baby boy. Don't listen to anyone, you 100% can get after those hikes! I thruhiked a 130 miles of the MDT while pregnant. Now with my baby boy I hike most days of the week. I also have taken him on two backpacking trips. It is definitely different, not doing big mileage days, but backpacking is still a thing. I have also been exclusively breastfeeding and done that on trail. Feel free to message if you have any questions, always here to support new mamas and their adventures!
Congrats! Beutiful baby with such amazing eyes! It's all about your's and your husband's mental atitude. We hiked in winter in Arizona and Utah, when my wife was so pregnant she had hard time zipping up her down jacket and we slept in a van, in winter... When our son was 4 month old we went on a first trip and continue when he was growing up, never stopped, even though majority of our friends thought it can't be done. Now he is 30 and all he wants to do is travel. Give your child this bug and he'll be grateful later. Best of luck to your family...
Congratulations. My baby, Oscar, had a lung collapse on his 2nd day in this world, got flown to a bigger hospital's NICU and was in there for a week. We got to bring him home after a week. It was a trying time, don't wish that on anybody. He just graduated high-school this year, happy and healthy. I'm glad y'all got Bratcher Winfield home happy and healthy (cool name, by the way).
Hiking with your little one is the best! I got my son out there the instant I could, and he has ALWAYS loved the trail. He's 16 now, and still loves it. Plus, it's such a great way for them to enjoy life's simple pleasures and develop that appreciation for nature and our place in it. I hope you and Bratcher have some beautiful adventures ahead. Thank you for sharing his journey into this world (here and on FB)! Congrats to you and Rodney!
I was in the best shape of my life when my daughter was a toddler because we were out hiking all the time. (We loved our Osprey!) I really miss carrying my kiddo around in the woods!
That transition in the beginning was just so incredible! Congratulations Dixie, I'm very inspired by you continuing to do what you love through your pregnancy and now with your little one :)
Congratulations! I am happy for you and your family. My son was in NICU for 2 weeks. I was happy when he was discharged healthy. He is now 32 years old and has a son of his own.
Congratulations Dixi! I love the name! Winfield was my daddy’s middle name. I’ve watched your videos since your hike of the Appalachian trail years ago. It’s been such a joy to watch your progression through the triple crown and many other hikes! Blessings and prayers for you, Rodney and Bratcher! 🥰🙏
Awww he already looks like a little person ready to get out and explore the world. Very cute. Definitely enjoy him now. They grow so fast. Congratulations !!!!=)
Congrats! having children in the community I grew up in meant the end of any sort of active life, adventure or anything other than work and sit in front of the TV when you get home. It is honestly one of the biggest reasons I decided to not have a family. I'm not hating on those that choose the typical american lifestyle, but it's not for me and many others. I'm glad you are planning to keep getting out there and seeing this beautiful world. It is a great example for people that want activity, nature, adventure and to see what is out there for us to see and experience in whatever way we can. Keep going!
Congratulations! You’ve already done so much for women/parents by continuing to hike while pregnant, and you’re going to do even more by continuing with the baby. Thank you for that. I’m not a mother, but from watching my friends who have gone back to work soon after, one thing I’d recommend is in addition to breast feeding, pump and have your partner and mother bottle feed him NOW. That way he’s bonded with them at meal times and will already be super comfortable taking a bottle from them. It will save you, the baby, and whoever is taking care of him a lot of stress once the time comes.
Why do people insist it's impossible to hike with a baby? Nomads have been doing it since the beginning of the human race. Congratulations on your beautiful son!
FWIW: The woman who guided Lewis and Clark actually gave birth to her son while on her "through hike". So yes, it can be done.
I was thinking - wait a minute- our ancestors did a lot of walking in the wilderness with little ones and yet here we are!
Congratulations! Nursing makes hiking, camping, and backpacking with a baby so easy-sterile, warm, perfect nutrition on the go with no cleanup! Toddlers slow your pace but the trade off is you get to see the world through their wonderful eyes. Do what’s right for your family. ❤
Since when can't a mother hike? It's ridiculous that people think you should give up what you love once you have children. You get the greatest blessing of sharing your love of the outdoors, and instilling that love in them. Congratulations and God bless you and your little one! Your hiking videos got me up off the sofa and outside walking! ❤
I don't think anyone is saying can't more people are saying shouldn't, a pregnant woman could fight in conflicts but almost everyone thinks they shouldn't. I thru hiked the Appalachian trail in 2023 the risk has to be managed even as a young person who's relatively fit I came close to death increasing the risk with a child is borderline child endangerment and I wish I was a loyer so I could get a legal opinion on this I don't know if bringing a baby on trail is legal I know for a fact it's far from safe for the baby I one do not like kids being put at unnecessary risk.
Congrats. Absolutely you can get that baby on the trail…… woooohooooooo
I suggest learning how to baby wrap. There are so many versatile ways to wear your baby. And a baby wrap is secure. Easy to wear a backpack over.
The younger your baby is, the easier to bring the baby along. Breastfeeding means you don't have to worry about formula and safe water to make it with. I loved backpacking with my baby.
My first was preemie and was in NICU two weeks. Having them go pumpkin orange can be scary but they'll treat it with bili-lights. Time passes fast and he'll be home before you know it.❤
My wife started backpacking with me after we were married in 1973. She was pregnant throughout 1976 and we continued backpacking. In fact, we were backpacking two weeks before our son was born the end of February 1977. Our daughter was three weeks old when she went with us backpacking for five days in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness. She is now 46 and survived!!
Ok.......grown man crying over here. loved the comment 'likes to see my son without all the tubes and wires'. That broke my heart. Fantastic story and congrats. We adventured with our 3 kids from pregnancy to delivery and beyond. We were racing sailboats at the time and backpacking some. Wife raced up until her 7th month. Our 1st son even won a trophy for youngest crew to finish a series at 8 weeks old. Got a picture of my wife nursing him as we crossed the finish line of that series. We camped and hiked with all 3 using a Kelty Child Carrier. The equivalent today would be the Journey Perfect fit model. Plenty of storage for "daddy pack mule" to carry the kid and kid related supplies. We did a lot of winter camping, down here in Texas so it was never too cold until with hiked in the Guadalupe Mountains late one winter. (8degrees overnight) Warm shoes for the kid are a must as well as those small hand warmer placed in strategic places around the kiddo. As for you tossing out your breast milk on a long hike, just drink it. Lots of good minerals and vitamins in breast milks. When the kids got older and heavier we took up canoeing. One long trip we carried all our gear for 16 days in the Boundary Waters when our youngest at age 4.5 years old. Don't give up on adventuring with your kids cause they will remember all those trips in the years to come.
Oh my gosh he is beautiful!! I am in tears. Look at all that beautiful hair. I was 39 when I gave birth to my one and only son, Bridger. He is the best thing that has ever happened to me. Enjoy!
Our son is named Bridger too! ❤️
My father in law is named Bridger and our middle child was named Wesley (after explorer John Wesley Powell) Wesley (after his grandfather who was named for mountain-man Jim Bridger).
Some people just don't understand the joy of life. It brings a real focus to what is important and is a lot of fun.
My wife and I kept on hiking and canoeing and kayaking with three under four. we made our trips kid friendly meaning the trips fit the physical level of the kids. I have photos somewhere showing my wife back in the early 70’s with my wife with a light pack and the baby in a front sling and me with the two and three year old sitting on top off my loaded external fame pack hanging on to the frame for dear life. When the two oldest were rested we walked at their speed. With three that young river trips were much simpler. By upper grade school we were able to add ocean kayak trips in Alaska. It can be done and it can be fun. As pre teens we also added week long bike tours. Learn to think like a Nomad, live like a nomad, eat like a nomad. city people teach their kids to live in the city, nomads teach their kids to live on the trail.
congrats on such a beautiful baby! i may be prejudiced as i adore you and this channel. the same way you advocate "hike your hike"; i recommend, "mom your own mom way". 99.9999% of people MEAN well (closer to 100% on THIS channel), BUT y'all gotta do it for yourselves. if you change your minds every day that is OK too! best of luck on this adventure ❤❤❤
You are a wonderful example that Parents don't need to give up healthy passions. ❤
No messages really matter. Single babies are far more portable than some would have you believe. Human babies come equipped with everything they (we) need to survive. Far more important is your attitude, and yours is tip top and needs no comment from anyone, no one. You go girl ! Thank you for sharing. May you (both) live long and prosper.
Congrats on giving birth. Your little boy is going to be so very lucky to have a mom who is so adventitious and will be willing to show him the world and all its natural beauty.
Ergo Baby Carrier. It’s the best front carrier!! We have used it for a many hikes with baby and even my toddler.
Ospery baby backpacking pack is amazing! It’s quite heavy because it has a lot of structure but my kiddos LOVE it and it has a good bit of storage.
The Hakka would be great to keep up supply while hiking but it definitely doesn’t have the appoint of suction as a hospital grade pump so it maybe be hard to keep up your supply.
I don’t want to say that you can’t leave baby to thru hike. But after I became a mom the emotional attachment made it really hard. It made me not enjoy the things I was doing because I just would’ve rather be with my children. Don’t put pressure on yourself to do the trail if it doesn’t feel right. The trail will still be there for years, babies are only this little for a little time.
Ergo baby carrier! I was able to carry my son easily on my front from birth to 6 months then, I was able to carry him on my back after that. It was the best!
Congratulations!! Such a cutie. I would try a couple of nights car camping with your little nugget before backpacking, just to get used to the mechanics of baby handling in at camp. It'll help you figure out what you need and what you don't need.
Congratulations on your beautiful bundle of joy! Bratcher is so lucky to have parents who will share their love of the outdoors with him!! That's where kids need to be!
Damn girl that's a whole baby! 🎉
Hi Dixie and Rodney!!
Congratulations in the birth of your beautiful baby boy, Bratcher! ❤
You brought a tear to an old guy’s eyes….congratulations mom and dad!
Bratcher missed sharing my birthday by one day! What a blessing he will be! Praise the Lord for His good gifts!👍🏼🙏🏼
There is no greater joy. I am so happy for you! I had my baby at 45. Baby is now 21, has been my best hiking buddy and is heading off for the second run of her studio assistantship in Colorado, where she, of course, hikes. You have inspired me to teach myself to camp out with the goal of short trips of thru hiking. So grateful for the hikes you do and so happy for you and your husband. Congratulations!
Congratulations on Bratcher. I hope that his exposure to hiking from the beginning will leave a lasting love for nature and the joy of hiking.
I feel like such a proud Auntie. I have followed you for several years and it's just so lovely to see you find a beautiful relationship and start a family. My heart is bursting. Nobody more worthy of such a beautiful little family!
Oh, how wonderful; congratulations, Jessica and Rodney, and best wishes to you on the incredible journey you're embarking on!
I hiked pregnant and carrying babies. Your life is not over. It becomes a lot of fun. Hiking all the time. Precious baby.
Congratulations Dixie and Rodney. God bless your sweet family.
Hiking with you and your baby is going to be a great adventure for you, but especially for us, your followers.
CONGRATS….Happy birthday lil one!!!
Hey, congratulations on becoming parents! I have a 13-month-old myself, and over the past year, we've had several backpacking experiences with her. For us, the best carrier up to around 8-10 kg was an elastic baby wrap, which was especially useful in the early months. Once your little one can sit up, I’d highly recommend switching to a back carrier for hikes-it helps keep the baby from getting drenched in your sweat during long hikes and is easier on the back. When it comes to baby carriers, there aren’t that many options, but Deuter and Osprey are top-tier. We ended up getting a used one from BACH, which worked perfectly fine for us.
As for your plan, 5 months is quite early to be away from mom for two days imo. There are a lot of factors to consider, and it can be challenging-our baby, for instance, wouldn’t take a bottle for a long time. While it may not be an issue for you, I think it’s important to remain flexible and not push it if things don’t go as planned. One alternative you could consider is hiking with the baby and your mom. That’s what we did on our trips, using a Zpacks Triplex Offset tent, a Morrison sleeping bag, and three Thermarest mats connected together, with our baby in the middle. You could start with an overnight trip and build from there.
There’s something else I’d like to mention. Of course, it’s completely up to you how much of your child’s life you want to share publicly. From a financial standpoint, I can see how sharing videos with your baby might be tempting, especially since those kinds of videos tend to do very well. However, it might be worth considering the long-term implications of regularly sharing images or videos of your son with an audience of nearly 500,000 people. He doesn’t yet have a say in whether his face is shown, and by the time he’s old enough to understand, there could be hundreds of hours of his childhood-including personal moments-available for anyone to see, including his future peers. If my mom had done that to me, I’d probably have some mixed feelings, even though I know her intentions would have been good. Just something to think about for the future. All the best in this new life :)
Great advice from this one☝🏻. Congrats!
GEAR INTRODUCTION FOR BABY
Make sure you follow the gear recommendations for backpack carriers, usually after they can sit without help for long periods of time, and if you cycle with the pull behind carts, usually one year old for brain health since there are not shock absorbers on those things, etc.
NUTRITION FOR YOU
Also if you hike while nursing or pumping know that you will be eating more calories to produce the milk, so keep food logs before you go so that you are getting adequate nutrition.
INTRODUCING BOTTLES
Go ahead and quickly introduce bottles with breast milk to your baby early. It is not uncommon for baby to totally reject a bottle of breast milk when they are a few months old if they have never had to drink from a bottle.
INTRODUCING THE OUTDOORS IN STAGES
And unlike your dive into backpacking, start small with day hikes, try tent camping out of your car, move to a one night backpack trip with baby then progress. You will have a heavier pack so plan your miles and elevation changes accordingly. I’d also not do any crazy elevation difference for baby, check with your doctor.
FLEXIBILITY
Make plans but be flexible. Try not to have the pressure of hard deadlines if possible. Do what works for your family and don’t worry about what other people think.
TAKE IT ALL WITH A GRAIN OF SALT
We all have different experiences so go ahead and get advice but ultimately you are mom, you will know your child the best, keep Dad right there with you, and you three do what is best for your family.
Congratulations! I am in tears. Such a lucky little boy. HIKE ON!
CONGRATULATIONS DIXIE and RODNEY! What a beautiful boy! Welcome to the world Bratcher! You have one HECK of a mom little dude!
Oh, Congratulations, Dixie and Rodney! Bratcher is a handsome boy! 💐🎉🎉🎉. And of course, all hiking will continue. Life doesn’t stop when new life is brought into this world. It just means all your adventures get to be shared with this additional, special, human being. ❤️
I wasn't planning on crying (tears of joy) today! Congratulations Dixie! He's beautiful. You're going to be the best outdoor mama! I'm looking forward to following along on this special journey. Enjoy every moment. The journey is the goal! 🌻💛🌻💛🌻💛
Our son was born six weeks early and was in the NICU for 24 days. He didn’t have any developmental issues except taking a little longer to learn how to eat without a feeding tube and it was sort of a blessing in disguise because it gave my wife and I time to adjust to being parents and learning how to care for him without the pressure of figuring it out on our own and it also we think got him on a really good sleeping and eating schedule.
Congratulations Dixie! He is a cutie! Look at all that hair! He’s precious! ❤
OMG CONGRATULATIONS YOU TWO!!!
That first car ride home, for a new dad, was the biggest flood of emotions I've ever had by far. You guys will be Amazing parents!
Bratcher is adorable!!! Congrats, Jessica for bringing a new hiking buddy into this world! May he have as much of an impact in life as you have had! 😂
We would go on long hikes with a baby backpack carrier when our first baby was 6 months old. Later we would car camp with our second son. When he was 3 we took an overnight with both and then it was short distance backpacking trips. Now they are 28 and 25 and we backpack as a family a few weeks a year. Brachter is a very handsome guy. He's healthy and wonderful, enjoy every minute because they are fleeting. Best times of my life. Congratulations.
Oh, DIXIE!!!!! I am so extremely delighted for you and your family! Bratcher is adorable! I can't thank you enough for being my go-to back in 2017 when I started backpacking, as a 51-year-old mom of thirteen (yes, you read that right). Let me say now that I wish YOU all the very best as you begin your big adventure as a mommy! (And laughing at your "geriatric" pregnancy-- I was 38, and a cancer patient besides, when I delivered that 13th baby. You've totally got this, girl!)
You are an awesome mom ! So much congratulations to your whole family !
And you are 1 of the ones that got my wife & I into long distance hiking !
We were only day hikers before watching your channel. 2021 was our 1st attempt at the PCT. Injury forced us off trail.
We hiked Oregon & part of Washington on the PCT in 2023. Now in March 2025 we will do a Mammoth March, 20 miles in 8 hours.
Again congratulations to your whole family !
Congratulations! It’s hard having a baby in NICU but I hope he’s doing well now. Hiking with my kids has been one of my greatest joys of motherhood, I hope it’s one of your greatest joys as well.
I'm so glad you're planning to do the AzTrail. Your videos, comments, observations on the trail and of the wildlife will be exciting to hear and see. I've mentioned before that I finished section hiking the AzTrail in 2021 and redid the first passage earlier this year with a friend who will be section hiking it. The diversity of the terrain, flora and fauna will surprise you and most of the viewers. I'm really looking forward to it. Thanks for the videos, professionalism and lore.
Oh, sweet baby boy ! Such a precious thing to hold a newborn. It's spiritual. So very happy for you and Rodney.
Your child is going to grow up having some wonderful experiences from two great parents. You're doing really well.
Congratulations Jessica and Rodney, and welcome to the world Bratcher ❤
There is ABSOLUTELY NO REASON you should have to guve up hiking and backpacking! Babies can sleep in a tent. I did! I've got pictures of me as a wee toddler and my mum pregnant with my sister and we're out camping.
I know there are dozens of UA-cam videos of young families out backpacking and camping. Dan Durston and his wife had their infant out in the backcountry, nothing bad happened.
It's great you have plans to finally do the AZT, and that your mom can support you and the baby. What a wonderful family you have ❤
What an ending with those first tender moments. Thank you for letting us know so soon! Hardy congratulations on Bratcher's arrival! 💙👣
I put my baby in a snugglie backpack and went hiking in the woods all the time now she is a 23 year old who loves hiking and all things nature❤Congratulations on a beautiful baby boy!
Thanks for sharing those beautiful pictures of Bratcher. Congratulations!
Congratulations Dixie! Bratcher is a handsome little guy! Thanks you for sharing this special event in your life. God Bless
What a beautiful son and family! Wishing you all so much happiness and love!
Yeah!!! So happy for you Dixie. All those hiker reflections where you wondered if you'd ever find your honey and then have a honey. Couldn't be happy for you and your Boys. :-)
Hi Dixie Congratulations he’s so beautiful!
I’m 49 with a 3 year old, 20 year old and 24 year old. All boys. I’m so blessed.
Have a wonderful mommyhood!
When babes is a bit older the Osprey with canopy and foot stirrups was awesome. Big back zipper pocket. Little pockets up front for carmex.
🥂🍼
What a beautiful family. Kids only add to the dream. Watched you for a long time and hope to continue to watch for even longer. 😊😊👏👏🥰
BRATCHER is absolutely ADORABLE and AMAZING!! God Bless you, Rodney and your entire family! 🙏🤗❤️
Congratulations Dixie! You will be a wonderful mother! As some who start my kids camping at 3 months old, I can tell you that it is not only doable but it makes the adventures so much richer! Good luck to you and my God bless your new family!
Congratulations! Your son is so beautiful! He has so much hair!!! Enjoy your time with your new family!
Congratulations!! Sending your family and beautiful baby boy all the love and happiness your hearts can hold!
OMG What a cutie and look at that head of hair!:) What a wonderful life he'll have following his mama into the wilderness!
Congratulations! I've been watching your pregnancy closely because I'm also geriatric (39!) and just a few months behind you (due in December). My heart sank when I saw that he was in the NICU, but I'm glad everything seems to have worked out. Thank you for being an inspiration!
Congrats Mom and Dad. Bratcher is going to be the coolest kid in school with the stories he'll be able to tell. As for hiking, it's in your blood. The mummy won't catch you and it won't catch Bratcher. Many adventures await.
He’s adorable! Congrats! 🎉 I loved the Baby Bjorn carrier when my daughter was a baby. You can wear on the front. She liked it and never fussed in it. We went hiking around the arboretum with her in it. We did hills and dirty rocky paths just fine. We took her to the aquarium in it. Sometimes I just folded laundry with her in it so she would be calm while I got chores done. I never used a hand breast pump only electric so I can’t really speak on hand pumps. ❤
Congratulations!! You’re a role model for prioritizing things that we are passionate about in life. Your baby is so lucky to have such a hiking legend of a mother!
Dixie, after you fall head over heels in love with your baby, you won't want to be away for a week, much less two months! Congratulations!
I love that photo with you and Bratcher looking at each other ! Congrats 🎉
OH MY GOSH!! He is soooo adorable! In that little flannel shirt with his little hair and everything made him look like a tiny man! Congratulations! Welcome to the WONDERFUL world of parenting.....may you have many wonderful adventures with this little dude!
OH, He looks beautiful! Congratulations! 🎉
Mama here to a 7 month old baby boy. Don't listen to anyone, you 100% can get after those hikes! I thruhiked a 130 miles of the MDT while pregnant. Now with my baby boy I hike most days of the week. I also have taken him on two backpacking trips. It is definitely different, not doing big mileage days, but backpacking is still a thing. I have also been exclusively breastfeeding and done that on trail. Feel free to message if you have any questions, always here to support new mamas and their adventures!
Congratulations Hikeing is never over as long as we’re walking, enjoying and living
Sobbing 😭😭😭 so happy for you, congratulations!!
Congrats!!❤🕊️
Nothing but best wishes on the birth of your child. Hang in there girl👍👍💪🤘 He is beautiful 👌
Congratulations! What an update!
I absolutely love the fact that you're gonna to keep hikin' on! I'm also happy that your family is so supportive
❤Just go hiking. Why not with your wonderful child? Let them people talk. Do what makes you happy. He has the best Mom and the best childhood. 🍀
Congrats! Beutiful baby with such amazing eyes! It's all about your's and your husband's mental atitude. We hiked in winter in Arizona and Utah, when my wife was so pregnant she had hard time zipping up her down jacket and we slept in a van, in winter... When our son was 4 month old we went on a first trip and continue when he was growing up, never stopped, even though majority of our friends thought it can't be done. Now he is 30 and all he wants to do is travel. Give your child this bug and he'll be grateful later. Best of luck to your family...
Congratulations. My baby, Oscar, had a lung collapse on his 2nd day in this world, got flown to a bigger hospital's NICU and was in there for a week. We got to bring him home after a week. It was a trying time, don't wish that on anybody. He just graduated high-school this year, happy and healthy. I'm glad y'all got Bratcher Winfield home happy and healthy (cool name, by the way).
Congratulations Dixie! You have such a beautiful baby and I am excited for all the adventures you will have together. Wishing you all the best!
Babies adjust to your lifestyle. Keep moving
Hiking with your little one is the best! I got my son out there the instant I could, and he has ALWAYS loved the trail. He's 16 now, and still loves it. Plus, it's such a great way for them to enjoy life's simple pleasures and develop that appreciation for nature and our place in it. I hope you and Bratcher have some beautiful adventures ahead. Thank you for sharing his journey into this world (here and on FB)! Congrats to you and Rodney!
He's an absolute doll 🤩 Congrats Mama! Excited to see your adventures with him 🌲
Omg!! Beautiful baby boy and family! Congratulations to you all and I am looking forward to the family hikes!!
He's perfect! Congratulations and may life treat you with kindness Bratcher! ❤
I was in the best shape of my life when my daughter was a toddler because we were out hiking all the time. (We loved our Osprey!) I really miss carrying my kiddo around in the woods!
Congratulations Dixie!!!🎉
Thanks for bringing us a future hiker that I might be able to keep up with!
Beautiful story Dixie - many thanks for sharing your loves and your life.
What a handsome little fellow! Congratulations to you and your husband! God is holding you three in the palm of His hand.
That transition in the beginning was just so incredible! Congratulations Dixie, I'm very inspired by you continuing to do what you love through your pregnancy and now with your little one :)
Congratulations! I am happy for you and your family. My son was in NICU for 2 weeks. I was happy when he was discharged healthy. He is now 32 years old and has a son of his own.
Bratcher is a beautiful boy. He is perfect. Congratulations ❤
Congratulations! Take your time getting to know your new baby and settling in together as a family. Wishing you all continued good health-
Yay🎉 Congratulations on a beautiful baby boy! Sending happy vibes from the Pacific Northwest 🌲❤️🌲
Congratulations, what a beautiful baby boy! Glad everyone is doing well. Looking forward to seeing you all out on the trail in the future.
Congratulations Dixi! I love the name! Winfield was my daddy’s middle name. I’ve watched your videos since your hike of the Appalachian trail years ago. It’s been such a joy to watch your progression through the triple crown and many other hikes! Blessings and prayers for you, Rodney and Bratcher! 🥰🙏
Awww he already looks like a little person ready to get out and explore the world. Very cute. Definitely enjoy him now. They grow so fast.
Congratulations !!!!=)
Not me crying when the pics of the baby popped up. 🥹🥹🥹
Congrats on the delivery of your beautiful boy!!
Oh Dixie, he is just beautiful. Congratulations Momma ❤️❤️❤️ So very glad for a healthy baby.
Congratulations, Dixie! He is a beautiful baby boy!❤
Congrats! having children in the community I grew up in meant the end of any sort of active life, adventure or anything other than work and sit in front of the TV when you get home. It is honestly one of the biggest reasons I decided to not have a family. I'm not hating on those that choose the typical american lifestyle, but it's not for me and many others. I'm glad you are planning to keep getting out there and seeing this beautiful world. It is a great example for people that want activity, nature, adventure and to see what is out there for us to see and experience in whatever way we can. Keep going!
Congratulations! You’ve already done so much for women/parents by continuing to hike while pregnant, and you’re going to do even more by continuing with the baby. Thank you for that. I’m not a mother, but from watching my friends who have gone back to work soon after, one thing I’d recommend is in addition to breast feeding, pump and have your partner and mother bottle feed him NOW. That way he’s bonded with them at meal times and will already be super comfortable taking a bottle from them. It will save you, the baby, and whoever is taking care of him a lot of stress once the time comes.
Congratulations to you and you and your husband . You’re such an inspiration, your boy and future children have such a great role model. 🤗
Congrats from Canada! Lovely baby boy!
Congratulations!! Such a beautiful little boy!!! God's blessings to you, Rodney and baby Bratcher!