Want to bring 8mo old babies to the beach. Nuts?

DH keeps trying to talk me out of going to the beach. If you have gone with little ones, how did you do it? what did you bring?

Want to bring 8mo old babies to the beach. Nuts?

Dd is 4m and my ped told me to bring her to the beach. Why not she said?!

Haven't gone. Can't imagine making it onto the same alone with all the stuff!

Want to bring 8mo old babies to the beach. Nuts?

Sunblock
Bug spray
Sun hat
Towels
Sippy cups
Formula
Bottles
Beach toys
Umbrella or tent
Paper towels
Food
Wipes

Re: Want to bring 8mo old babies to the beach. Nuts?

baby powder for easy removal of sand

Re: Want to bring 8mo old babies to the beach. Nuts?

Message edited 7/7/2013 7:06:56 PM.

Re: Want to bring 8mo old babies to the beach. Nuts?

We were just on a mini beach trip with my 9 mos old DD and it went well! It's a lot of work for just a few hours but we love the beach so we figured it out!

We have a BOB running stroller so we wheeled that right on and balanced umbrellas on it and stuffed the diaper bag underneath to free up our hands for the cooler and beach bag. We went in the morning before her 1st nap and then let her nap in the stroller. First day she cried a bit but fell asleep and second day I pushed her down by the water for a bit and she fell right asleep! We set up a sheet and fed her and played with her the rest of the time and dipped her feet in the water! DH and I took turns going for a swim! Also she is not crawling yet so I felt like it wasn't so bad.

We brought:

2 umbrellas for maximum coverage
Big sheet
Towels
Toys
Sun hat
Bathing suit
Change of clothes
Powder
Sunscreen
Puffs and baby food
We brought chairs but didn't really use them...we laid on the sheet with DD.

We stayed 2.5-3 hours and left with enough time to give her a bath, let her hang out and then take her 2nd nap. It worked out pretty well!

Want to bring 8mo old babies to the beach. Nuts?

I have 20M old twin boys. We went yesterday....They are Clearly TOOO YOUNG. Maybe next year.

Want to bring 8mo old babies to the beach. Nuts?

DD has been at the beach since about 2 mos old. We would make sure we had a little baby sun hut the first summer. Since then we use the umbrella and lots of sun screen. Never had a problem and made sure she had a hat, toys, water shoes, snacks, and plenty of water.

Want to bring 8mo old babies to the beach. Nuts?

Thanks girls! I have all of that equipment but I couldn't figure out how to carry it all with the babies and our stuff too. Where will they sleep? Do they end up eating sand?
We don't want to bring the stroller onto the beach.

Message edited 7/7/2013 11:11:34 PM.

Re: Want to bring 8mo old babies to the beach. Nuts?

Yes... They will eat sand. They also may be scared of sand.

I pack light.
Pick an easy beach, go for one hour...

At 8 months, toys are not important.

Bring a big umbrella or two.

Bring a person per child for help.

Dress kids in rash guards and beach hats for sun protection.

Bring water and a huge blanket (we use an old sheet), and sunscreen and that's all. You can apply sunscreen early and not bring it.

Carry kids by hand (or baby carrier), a beach bag with blanket, water, and umbrellas. A spare diaper per kid can live in the car until you are done and ready to change.

Re: Want to bring 8mo old babies to the beach. Nuts?

I brought my kids to the beach at 5 and 6 mos old. no problems. been going every year since. they love it.

Re: Want to bring 8mo old babies to the beach. Nuts?

we tried the beach for the first time with our twins when they were like 13 months old. The first time we wayyyy overpacked, and the second time went better (less eating of sand, less extra junk that we didn't need). That said, i can't figure out how to do it alone with all that ends up getting brought with us (i.e. umbrella, wagon, small cooler, towels etc) but if you have help you can wheel something with your junk in it (or babies) and carry a kid a piece.

My DD will conk out on the blanket for a bit, but otherwise we time it so they nap on the way there, and take a late nap in the car on the way home. I don't think I could figure it out another way for me personally.

Re: Want to bring 8mo old babies to the beach. Nuts?

DS was about 2 weeks old the first time we took him. Last summer he was about 10 months old. I had the Peapod, which is almost like a portable, fold up screen house. I could stick him in there with his toys and he would play and be happy. I also had a sportbrella and I would set up his blanket under that. I would also bring sunblock, bug spray, baby powder, change of clothes and swim diapers. He loves the beach.

Re: Want to bring 8mo old babies to the beach. Nuts?

Want to bring 8mo old babies to the beach. Nuts?

lol, firstmate Sounds like he enjoys it! Thanks for the cart recommendation! I think we could manage that.

DH and I were thinking Bjorn to carry them in... might as well use them right?

Re: Want to bring 8mo old babies to the beach. Nuts?

Re: Want to bring 8mo old babies to the beach. Nuts?

I used to take Sean by myself ALL the time before I had Colin - I'm too nervous with 2 of them by myself running around in the water -
But I started taking Sean his first summer, so he was 3-4 months

You don't need a ton of crap

Lather her in sunblock before you get on the beach - throw it in your bag, but you probably won't have to reapply unless you plan to be there for hours ....

Bring an umbrella (don't bother w/ the tent if she's mobile, she'll never stay in there) and a blanket to sit on - forget a chair for yourself, again if she's mobile you won't be sitting in it

a pail and shovel, sun hat if she wears one and a towel -

toss a snack in your bag and a sippy of ice water -

Keep in the car a clean towel. comfortabel change of clothes, diaper and baby powder. I never try to get them out of their suits on the beach - total and complete mess. I rinse them off under the shower, towel them down then douse them in powder to get the majority of the sand off

People always feel the need to pack a TON of stuff to drap on to the beach as if they're going to Siberia - If you plan on being there ALL day, that's one thing, but if you're just going for a few hours, save yourself the aggravation - everything you need can easily fit into one beach bag

have fun !!

Re: Want to bring 8mo old babies to the beach. Nuts?

I prefer to go in the evening. It's free and not as hot or crowded.

We pick up some sandwiches and eat dinner there. Just bring a few toys and stay about an hour or so.

I'm not a huge beach person, so I don't like staying there all day long.

Re: Want to bring 8mo old babies to the beach. Nuts?

Want to bring 8mo old babies to the beach. Nuts?

We took the twins last weekend. Used the Ergos to carry them. Had other family members there to help carry stuff but we could've done it with just DH and I or Dh could've made 2nd trip to car. This was a smaller beach than Jones. They stayed on sheet under umbrella. didn't like water yet. Too cold. It was great! They were cranky that night but slept great.