Friend's taken baby to the beach today!

[ItsTheHumidity21]

I just seen my friend post a photo on social media of her and her baby at the beach. AIBU to think she is irresponsible for doing that? She's in a hotter part of the country in the south east. The beach actually looked empty in the background which you would think might have said something to her.

I guess I'm on the other extreme. I'm a worrier about my children (I have a toddler and baby) and we're inside with windows closed, curtains drawn, fans on, ice lollies out and Disney films on. Just makes me anxious and kind of angry that someone could do that to their baby.

So the NHS website is wrong? Especially the bit about keeping babies out of the sun between 11 and 3?

Babies less than 6 months old should be kept out of direct sunlight. Their skin contains too little melanin, which is the pigment that gives skin, hair and eyes their colour, and provides some protection from the sun.

Older babies should also be kept out of the sun as much as possible, particularly in the summer and between 11am and 3pm, when the sun is at its strongest. If you go out when it's hot, attach a parasol or sunshade to your baby's pushchair to keep them out of direct sunlight.

Beach will have a cooler breeze coming in from over the sea. As long as baby in shade in a breeze it will be fine. Can cool down in water then back in the shade.
Probably the best place to be today if they are in the Northern roasting area

Our local BBC news covered Skegness yesterday and there were a lot of people with no shade, drinking tinnies and generally being oiks - one dad who was interviewed said (of his young toddler) “she’s got a hat, business as usual” and she looked quite clearly hot and not at all shaded - I’d call that fairly stupid.

but providing your friend took proper shade and supplies I can’t see the outrage. It isn’t something I’d do, because neither of my children cope well in heat and we’re very fortunate to have the means at home to keep them cool. But it may well be that the beach is her best option of keeping her baby cool with the sea breeze.

@ItsTheHumidity21 who said the nhs is wrong? Just because they are at the beach doesn’t the baby was plonked down in direct sunlight. And you seen her post a photo at 11:something am so she could have been there all morning and was heading home when it got too hot.

What your reaction be to her complaining an entire day of screen time was awful for your toddler and baby?

As long as she has shade for baby, it's likely a lot cooler at the beach. The risk there is usually sunburn as the breeze cools you so much. Beach on hols is always way cooler than sitting round the pool. Sounds like a good plan to me,.

Which bit of the NHS advice is this friend of yours not following?

How can a BABY 'come in'??? Let alone when they're on a BEACH?*

The same way that our BABY came back from the BEACH when we as her parents thought it was appropriate, living in a Med country!

Of course we all risk assess differently as parents and I hold my hands up that I'm the more cautious/anxious type. However, I don't think watching films and having ice lollies is that bad for the hottest part of the day. It's showing 38 where I am. I plan to take dc out about 7ish when it's hopefully a bit cooler and the sun's not as strong. So they won't be confined all day.

Most of the highest temps at the moment are inland. It’s going to be 40 degrees here today but if I travelled 30 mins to the coast the forecast is much cooler there. The thought has crossed my mind to go. My in laws live down on the coast in the south east and it’s at least 10 degrees cooler down there. I’m sure your friend loves and cares for her baby and will do what’s best for them.

The beach near us is mid 20s. We are at 36 right now.

@missdemeanors being out between 11 and 3, her baby is under 6 months

Hahaha when has a Mumsnet thread every achieved anything?

I find it amusing how people keep running here to ask questions expecting consistent and supportive answers.

Having been born and brought up in a Mediterranean country that doesn't tend to be true and certainly not unless very early in the day or much later on. Most people stay out of the sun during the day and for very good reason. It really is mad dogs and Englishmen!

@LisaSimpson77 I didn't call anyone that

I took my daughter to the park this morning. It's completely covered so no direct sun, she had a hat and suncream and we had lots of water with us.

I did wonder if people would judge me, so it's nice to know they would 🤣

Jeez I wish I was at the beach. Its miles cooler, the water cools you down you take shade with you. Instead I'm cooped up in this airless house with a grumpy bored hot baby. We're gonna have a cool bath in a bit but I'd rather be in the sea.

I live in a country that during summer is always high 30’s sometimes over 40 degrees.

The sea breeze is very cooling. The sand can be very hot so wear shoes to get to the cooler wet sand. Sunscreen, hat, sunglasses, plenty of water, fruit snacks.

I see plenty of families with babies and young children at the beach morning and late afternoon cooling off at the beach on very hot days. I’ve taken my own dd when she was a baby to the beach on hot days in the morning or late afternoon. It was very cooling.

The only other way to be cooler is an air conditioner in your home or a venue where the air conditioner is not struggling with the heat, size of building and crowds of hot people.

Our home didn’t have air-conditioning at the time and shutting windows and curtains/blinds with the fan going was nowhere near enough. Some homes just don’t keep cool. Some homes heat up unbearably. Lack of insulation, drafty, upstairs; lots of reasons why some homes are unbearably hot and being on the beach would be cooler.

I guess I'm on the other extreme. I'm a worrier about my children (I have a toddler and baby) and we're inside with windows closed, curtains drawn, fans on, ice lollies out and Disney films on. Just makes me anxious and kind of angry that someone could do that to their baby

Would you like your friend or neighbour to start a thread about you and your extreme position? "My neighbour is in her house with two small children in the dark and has plonked the poor ikkle kiddies in front of the TV all day". That fair? You don't really give one about the baby, you just wanted the other judgey mummies to agree with you and pat you on the back.

What do you think people do in Australia? Or any other hot country? Keep their kids locked in the house until winter? As long as the baby has sunscreen and shade there's no problem. The sea is there which can cool the kid down, and I'm sure the mother has drinks to keep hydrated.

This! Absolutely, I forgot about that phrase. It really is mad dogs and Englishman!

Depends what the temperature is. My closest beach (south coast) has temps that are about 27C compared to 39C here. 27C is still very hot but it isn't the extreme temps the red warning is about.

Do you seriously think the nhs advice is to never bring a baby out of the house between 11-3pm?
The advice is to keep babies out of direct mid day sun, not indoors from 11-3pm.

I personally wouldn’t, but I can see the argument that people take babies to the beach on holiday in France/Spain. Only in the UK we are not used to these kind of conditions - and it’s whether emergencies services can cope, and putting yourself in a riskier situation could add to this (burst car tyre etc).

I avoid social media because I’m quite anti human behaviour in general these days. Except Mumsnet of course, where I can have an anonymous moan.

The advice relates to babies being out in the sun. Do you know that this baby is out in the sun? One photograph isn't evidence of anything.

yes, in Med countries people stay inside all day and never see the sun. WTF are you talking about? What rot!