Let's Go Outside | Adventurous Moms, Hiking, Camping, Travelling with Kids, Parenting Outside

In this episode, I’m sitting down with a friend for a conversation about raising adventurous kids and building a life rooted in the outdoors.
We talk about her childhood road-tripping to Baja, how that shaped her confidence to travel solo, and what it’s looked like to carry that same adventurous lifestyle into motherhood in Northern Idaho. 
From there, we dive into the day-to-day of raising kids who love outdoor play—how to encourage child-led play, create an environment where kids naturally explore, and support them as they take risks and learn through experience. She talks about her purpose as a mother and you can see how that helps her make decisions as she lives with her kids outside. 
One of my favorite parts of this conversation is when we shift into foraging and plant knowledge. She shares how she learned to identify edible and medicinal plants, how she snacks on plants while hiking, and ways to use local plants.

Resources and places Dinah mentioned: 
Clifty Hike - Bonner Ferry Idaho 
Hori hori tool: https://amzn.to/48IDJQq 
Wild Rose College: https://wildrosecollege.com/ 

Join the FREE Facebook community: Connect with other women in your area to go exploring with, ask your gear and trip questions, search in FB groups Let’s Go Outside Podcast https://www.facebook.com/groups/1984734118616209/ 
Connect with Danika on IG: @besidethemountain 
Try Danika’s healthy snack recipes: https://besidethemountain.com/
Watch on podcasts YouTube: @besidethemountain
Email me: [email protected] 
Codes & Discounts:
Download my FREE high protein snacks ebook: besidethemountain.com/protein-ebook
Snack Prep Pro ebook: https://besidethemountain.com/snack-prep-pro/
Travel Gear Guide: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1IEqVfpGk-5uJ29uoiScoZXLPnTY4r311/view?usp=sharing

In this episode, I’m sharing our real experience traveling to Belize with a 9-week-old baby along with our 3 and 6 year old. If you’ve wondered what it’s like flying with a newborn, traveling in a hot climate with a baby, or planning a family trip to Belize—here’s my honest recap!
We spent over three weeks in Belize, splitting our time between the mainland, jungle, and the island Caye Caulker. I walk through our itinerary, travel costs, our highlights of Belize with kids, and it looked like with a newborn.
I share about traveling with a baby in a tropical country—how we handled sleep, feeding, cloth diapers, babywearing in the heat, and what I found challenging in the postpartum season. I share practical tips for flying with a baby, packing minimally for family travel, how I packed light weight on the baby gear.
From Mayan ruins like Altun Ha and San Ignacio Ruins Cahal Pech to jungle life with howler monkeys, to exploring mangroves and snorkeling in Hol Chan, if you’re planning a Belize trip with kids, I wanted to give you the scoop! (I forgot to mention it in the podcast but we loved exploring Rio Pools in Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve as a family!) 
I wanted to share an honest conversation about traveling in postpartum, navigating anxiety and unknowns, and learning how to keep living a full life with kids. If you feel the pull to travel but aren’t sure how it will look with a baby—this episode is for you.

I share about: 
Belize travel itinerary with kids (mainland, jungle, island)

Traveling with a baby in hot weather and humidity

Flying with a newborn + what helped most

Belize travel costs, food, and accommodations

Baby sleep, routine, and feeding while traveling

What surprised us about Belize (beaches, seaweed, weather, bugs)

Highlights of what we explored in Belize

Honest postpartum challenges

Resources Mentioned:

YYCdeals.com (flight deals blog)

UV water purifier (SteriPen Ultra) https://a.co/d/0bL56Ood

Baby carrier (WildBird) https://a.co/d/08EU4PeO

Baby sleep nest (Snuggle Me Organic) https://a.co/d/08aF02wk

Merino wool baby sleeper (Wee Woollies) 

Baby bug repellent stickers https://a.co/d/0e807Wkx

Baby life jacket for travel https://a.co/d/0bB3C5mM

Little ones sleep program 

Portable baby tent (for bugs/shade) https://a.co/d/03r2Iks3

Boiron Coryzalia (homeopathic for congestion) https://a.co/d/06ZaFPi5 

My travel gear list

Some of these links are affiliate links. 
Join the FREE Facebook community: Connect with other women in your area to go exploring with, ask your gear and trip questions, search in FB groups Let’s Go Outside Podcast https://www.facebook.com/groups/1984734118616209/ 
Connect with Danika Vanderpyl on IG: @besidethemountain 
Try Danika’s healthy snack recipes: https://besidethemountain.com/
Email me: [email protected] 
Codes & Discounts:
Wildelore: https://wildelore.com/ Use code LETSGOOUTSIDE15 for 15% off

Becky Molina, a mom and labour and postpartum nurse, shares honestly about her feeding journey and what it was like navigating pumping and bottle feeding while still wanting to get outside. We talk about the pressure around breastfeeding, the realities of pumping on road trips and camping trips, and the systems she figured out for storing and keeping milk cold.
Becky also shares how their family did a winter hut trip to Lake O’Hara when her son was 10 months old — including how they managed bottles in the backcountry and the gear they packed, like their Chariot and backpack. A practical and encouraging conversation for outdoor moms navigating feeding a baby while still adventuring.
Places mentioned: 
Elizabeth Parker Hut - Yoho National Park, British Columbia

Gear mentioned:
Wee Woolies 

Stonz Mitts

Osprey Poco Child Carrier

Mac Ride Child Bike Seat 

Thule Chariot Cross

Connect with Becky: 
Instagram: @beckymolina9
Join the FREE Facebook community: Connect with other women in your area to go exploring with, ask your gear and trip questions, search in FB groups Let’s Go Outside Podcast https://www.facebook.com/groups/1984734118616209/ 
Connect with Danika on IG: @besidethemountain 
Try Danika’s healthy snack recipes: https://besidethemountain.com/
Watch on podcasts YouTube: @besidethemountain
Email me: [email protected] 
Codes & Discounts:
Wildelore: https://wildelore.com/ Use code LETSGOOUTSIDE15 for 15% off
Snack Prep Pro ebook: https://besidethemountain.com/snack-prep-pro/

Josée Bergeron is a Métis mom of five in British Columbia’s Okanagan Valley and the writer behind Backwoods Mama. For nearly two decades, she’s helped families get outside through seasonal activities, nature play, and everyday adventures close to home. She’s the author of Beyond the Front Door: Embracing Nature for a Happier and Healthier Family (releasing February 24) and loves noticing nature with her kids, from backyard mud kitchen moments to camping, hiking, and rock climbing across BC, Alberta, and beyond.
Connect with : 
Instagram: @thebackwoodsmama
Website: https://backwoodsmama.com 
Josée’s Book: Beyond the Front Door: Embracing Nature for a Happier and Healthier Family: https://amzn.to/4tJUV0P 
Join the FREE Facebook community: Connect with other women in your area to go exploring with, ask your gear and trip questions, search in FB groups Let’s Go Outside Podcast https://www.facebook.com/groups/1984734118616209/ 
Connect with me on IG: @besidethemountain 
Try Danika’s healthy snack recipes: https://besidethemountain.com/
Watch on podcasts YouTube: @besidethemountain
Email me: [email protected] 
Codes & Discounts:
Wildelore: https://wildelore.com/ Use code LETSGOOUTSIDE15 for 15% off
Download my FREE high protein snacks ebook: besidethemountain.com/protein-ebook

Becca talks honestly about how her breastfeeding journey looked different with each child, what it’s actually like to nurse on the go, and how she made breastfeeding work while hiking, camping, and backpacking. We cover practical details like clothing and gear that helped, feeding babies in carriers and tents in the middle of the night, eating enough to support milk supply, and whether or not pumping or saving milk played a role when she was away from her kids.
We also chat about how adventures naturally shift as families grow, and how finding other moms online to adventure with made these trips possible — and meaningful — during the motherhood years. We wrap up with reflections on weaning, what she wishes new moms knew about breastfeeding.
This conversation is for moms who love being outside, are navigating feeding their babies, and want reassurance that adventure doesn’t have to stop — it just changes.
Gear mentioned: 
Trail magik: https://trailmagik.com

Morrison Outdoor’s Kids Sleeping Bag: https://morrisonoutdoors.com/

Connect with : 
Becca on IG: https://www.instagram.com/becca_outdoors/
Join the FREE Facebook community: Connect with other women in your area to go exploring with, ask your gear and trip questions, search in FB groups Let’s Go Outside Podcast https://www.facebook.com/groups/1984734118616209/ 
Connect with me on IG: @besidethemountain 
Try Danika’s healthy snack recipes: https://besidethemountain.com/
Watch on podcasts YouTube: @besidethemountain
Email me: [email protected] 
Codes & Discounts:
Wildelore: https://wildelore.com/ Use code LETSGOOUTSIDE15 for 15% off