Baby on a beach disaster

[DisneyGirl2387]

We are on holiday with our inlaws and decided to make an impromptu visit to the beach this morning. We knew it would be both lovely and stressful with a 8 month old, pushchair and a FIL registered disabled on a mobility scooter! We are first time parents and prepared for the beach as best we could with what we had. It is our first holiday with a baby in the middle of this heatwave. Within 1 second of being on the beach our DS had sand in his mouth, hands, feet and all over his face (as to be expected I suppose). We had fun playing but kept it short as no umbrella, windbreak etc. We found it really difficult to clean DS after getting so mucky. The tide was out and where we are there were warnings not to go near the sea due to muddy sink holes! DS got very upset and we had to do the best we could in the blazing sun with the cleanup. Anyway in a few weeks time we are going away again to the beach (just us 3) and I want to be better prepared. For all of you seasoned beach goers what can I do/take to make it less stressful on the beach? Any tips would be greatly received. Thank you! DS is currently fast asleep in his car seat covered in sand!

I rub talcum powder on sandy limbs (obv wouldn’t do this for face etc) it dries up the water so the sand should brush off. I saw it on some life hack site but it really does work.

Not sure what you had ds wearing but one of the spf 50 all in one swim suits will minimise the amount of skin you need to put sun cream on, they dry quickly too. Often paired with a hat in same material.

You can buy a beach tent fairly cheap (we have a pop up one from Amazon) if you fancy some shelter. I wouldn’t recommend it on a very windy beach but otherwise fine.

I always have spare clothes and towels, bottles of water etc in the car just In case. My kids are 3 and 4 now but we’ve only really been going to the beach regularly since little one was 2ish.

We went last weekend but the best thing was this time I had bought a UPF beach shelter. Absolute game changer. Shade all day. Well, actually half the day as we set off super early and left after picnic lunch to avoid the hottest sun. We got our beach shelter from the Range but there’s lots around.

Also: a UPV long sleeved swimsuit for the baby was fab, and of course a sun hat. Not much skin left to attempt to slather in suncream.

Re sand my only advice is to surrender to it. We couldn’t stop DS eating it, and couldn’t get ot all off so knew it would all end up in the car. It’s fine, just vac it afterwards. We used a water bottle to rinse as much off DS as we could.

Was the beach Weston super mare by any chance? If so go to the marina beach instead - can splash all day!

A little pop up beach shelter is useful as a windshield , sun shade and place for the baby to play which is sand free.
I agree sunsuits minimise the necessity of sun cream and the talc trick is great.
TBH they don't really enjoy beaches until they are old enough to run around and build sand castles, about 2 ish.

Agree beaches are not ideal for babies.

Tbh better than our first trip with ed when I was pregnant with ds and had a bad back, and my dh hurt his back putting the pushchair into the boot of the car. She screamed and refused to put her feet down on the sad, or even on the picnic blanket, and just kept climbing up me.
I agree, talc is brilliant for getting rid of sand off toes etc. We used to use a towelling coverup poncho thing so they didn't need to get dressed but could keep warm going back to the car.

Stay somewhere very close to a nice sandy beach next time, preferably with some shallow pools for splashing. Then you can pop back as soon as the baby gets cold, wet or mucky,
Once they're walking, Crocs are ideal. A towelling dressing gown is easier to manage and warmer than towels.

We live next to the beach. If it’s summer hot then we go after dinner when it’s cooler and less busy.

*On the sand not sad, but she was sad.

Shade, all in one suit and hat, cheap paddling pool to fill with seawater, bucket and spade, a towel cape with a hood

Sun suit.
Pop up tent.
Talc - asda do a liquid one as well.
Loads of toys like diggers.
Also sounds daft but a small paddling pool. Lots of toddling to the sea to collect water in the bucket then they can sit in it and 1. Get clean and 2. Cool down but without the scary waves.

I personally hate beaches and find them unbearably stressful if I don't have a chair and shade - I think we managed to avoid them mostly when our kids were babies! But I'd agree UV-rated swimsuits are a big help... and making sure you have seats and shade.

Take a tent so handy for the baby's to lay in, get changed etc and umbrella for outside tent sitting under , picnic, plenty of towels ,talc to dry off quicker.

Stay at home! 😆

If it’s hot where you are (roasting here), go really early. Or in the evening. And sand everywhere is part of the beach . We live near the beach and just come in our wetsuits/togs/towels. Car is full of sand but so what, I’m not precious about my car.

Keep him completely covered.

You can fill those pop up tents with sand and let him play in there.

Beach tent.
Bottles of water for rinsing hands.
Wipes.

Pop a 2 litre bottle of tap water in the car. It will be warm by the time you're done at the beach and then you can use it to hose the sand off

The only thing I’d add to the suggestions already given is a teeny blow up paddling pool and a sandcastle bucket. Use the bucket to fill the pool and make sandcastles for her to knock down.

Take a fitted sheet for baby sit on - put rocks or bags in each corner facing up so you have a six inch wall

It’s pretty annoying until they can walk properly imo and even then it’s annoying as they can wander off!

I’ve seen this hack many times, never tried it myself but worth a shot. The pop up tent things can get very hot and sweaty

maybe that beach wasn't the best if there's warnings about mud etc. Try a smaller sandy cove type beach?

essentials for me with a baby would be
all in one suit for baby
factor 50
sun hat
some toys
parasol
windbreakers and or beach tent
coolbox for picnic and snacks
folding deck chairs or nice blanket to sit on

I've seen people with babies at the beach bring a small inflatable pool which might be handy for dipping baby in and out of to keep cool. And also might be good to be able to dip sandy hands in for a quick rinse etc.

Thank you everyone! These are great suggestions and things I wouldn't think about!!! @Bigoldmachine yes it is that beach!!!
Can I ask a silly question. I've got an all in one suit (not long sleeved though) and do I put a normal nappy under? Or do i buy a swimming nappy? Or does it not matter?

I read the fitted sheet tip on MN when it was way too late for my babies but might try it for myself as I love being by the sea but sand drives me mad.

We live right by the beach and have two littles. agree that it's both lovely and stressful.

my recommendations are:

talc - for some magical reason it gets the sand right off...
all in one swim suit sun suit things.
we bought a small paddling pool - think really tiny that you can blow up with your mouth and fill this with water for our kids to splash in - saves a million walks to the sea. when they were teeny we used to just plop then in it as a playpen type thing without water in it. no sand in there
couple of changes of clothes
beach tents are good - but are also a bugger to get back in their packages if you get a pop up one. i had to ditch ours last year after a truly horrific wrestling match with it. i was hot, stressed and a man laughed at me. so i swore at him, and the tent and binned it.
be aware that swim nappies only hold solids - i learnt this the hard way - thought i was being clever getting the kids changed pre beach. only for ds to pee whilst in the car....
because of where we live i bought a wagon to put all of our beach crap in and then either dh or i can just pull it down the slipway onto the sand. it fits in the boot full so it doesn't need to be unpacked.
i also found that flannels instead of wipes were ace for getting rid of sand too. kept wipes for nappy changes though.
get a wet bag

@HerRoyalNotness

I’ve seen this hack many times, never tried it myself but worth a shot. The pop up tent things can get very hot and sweaty

thats brilliant!