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!

Be prepared for sandy poos!

A normal nappy will absorb water from the sea making it heavy and uncomfortable, swim nappy doesn't absorb anything.

Beach tent and limit yourself to an hour! That would be my advice

Be careful with the beach tent - it can get really hot in them, even though you think they're in the shade. When DD was a baby, she was sick form the heat and had mild sunstroke. We packed up early after using about 100 wet wipes to clean me and her up!

Anti sand sun spray?
www.boots.com/ambre-solaire-kids-sensitive-wet-skin-sun-cream-spf50-150ml-10210726

There is a video of it working on the Amazon listing
www.amazon.co.uk/Ambre-Solaire-Sensitive-Anti-Sand-Cream/dp/B01A5PCRUK?tag=mumsnetforu03-21

Talcum powder has been found to be a carcinogen DON'T USE IT @DisneyGirl2387

Beach tent, ditch the buggy for the day if you can, wet suit style swimsuot, extra bottle of water for rinsing down if needed.

My DD always loved the beach as a baby so I dont agree it's not suitable - depends on the child though.

I took my eldest on holiday to the beach when they were 6 months old and this was 15 years ago so not as many of the things available that people seem to use now but what we did have were a little half tent to put baby in, something to keep drinks/food cold, sun lotion and if possible, something portable to fill with water without them having to go in the sea too much and that you can put in the shade.

My kids loved the beach as babies too and they never had those all in one swim suits - just factor 50.

Talcum powder used as directed eg on legs, hands and feet in a well-ventilated area (eg a BEACH!) is not a carcinogen.

My kit is - one towel per person plus one extra (hand towel fine for this). Poncho towels are useful too for changing. Spare clothes for all children. Talcum powder. Spare plastic bag. One of those picnic blankets that rolls up. Water bottles. Snack each. Hats. Long sleeved swimming costumes are great in the UK. Everyone in sandals. Buckets and spades. We live near the sea and go quite often so I have it down to a fine art, and go between meals so no need to cart a picnic along.

No babies any more so no shelter etc needed but you could add a small tent or umbrella to that and it would be ok.

I use talc to dust of sand. Got the tip here. It really works.

As pp said, if you want to be able to splash in the sea at Weston at any time of day, the Marine Lake has reopened for summer.

Other than that, please look up the daily tide times before you go (many websites have the information or there are info boards near the beaches). It will make a huge difference to your enjoyment as the tidal range is huge, hence people commenting on the mud - yes, that's a low tide. Right now the tide is coming in and it's lovely. Yet again the hovercraft has been out earlier to pull people from the mud who tried to get to the water. So much easier and safer to wait for the sea to come to you.

Swim nappy is for in the water. It contains the poop but let’s the pee run out. A regular nappy would absorb the water and expand and expand and expand.

On the beach itself you want a regular nappy unless you want to deal with pee.

I honestly don’t know how to handle it if you are spending most of your time on the sand but maybe popping in the water to cool off. We didn’t have the opportunity to go to the beach at this stage, only pools where we would spend all our time on ten water so a swim nappy was the obvious choice.

I used these www.amazon.co.uk/Bambino-Mio-Reusable-Nappy-Whale/dp/B07PFXR5V5/ref=asc_df_B07PFXR5V5/?hvlocphy=1007321&linkCode=df0&hvptwo&psc=1&psc=1&hvnetw=g&hvadid=218125876022&hvpone&hvlocint&th=1&hvpos&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl&hvqmt&tag=mumsnetforu03-21&hvtargid=pla-709887166799&hvrand=11213672971961893909

For under swimsuit in paddling pool or at swimming pool. Not sure how it would hold up for a beach trip though

We bought an anti sand mat. The sand just falls through it, so there's less to get on you/baby. The only way to enjoy the beach is to pack everything. The French have it right. A gazebo, anti sand mats, tables and chairs, cool boxes, more towels than you think you need, talc, tiny paddling pools, plenty of toys, plenty of drinks, parasols, buggies that move over sand, basically the whole shebang!

When our kids were small we kept a camping type water container in the car boot. Great for washing sand covered limbs and faces.

I've seen pics on fb of taking a small paddling pool so baby can sit in it and not get sandy

Don't feel obliged to spend all day on the beach. We tend to do morning beach, back to cottage for lunch/nap (no sand in food) then either more beach or something else in afternoon.

Lots of great tips on here.

Agree with PPs who said the beach tents get hot inside. I recently bought a UV parasol from Decathlon which is good.

I would use a normal nappy under a UV suit (long sleeved if possible) and obviously a big-brimmed sun hat too, I like the Jan&Jul ones. If baby's going in the water you need a swim nappy instead of a normal one, in which case I agree with the recommendation for a Bambino Mio reusable swim nappy.

We've always found it best to take the Ergobaby instead of the pushchair. Much easier to carry baby rather than wrestling with a pushchair on the beach. A cart is helpful for lugging all the stuff if you can get one with big all-terrain wheels. (I bought one online but the wheels are crap, I need a better one!)

In hot weather like this I find the beach too stressful tbh. It's ok if you live (or are staying) near the beach and can go early morning or late afternoon, then straight back home to wash the sand off.

I'm sticking to the local parks with paddling pools this summer

@PinkPurplePeacock

Talcum powder has been found to be a carcinogen DON'T USE IT *@DisneyGirl2387*

Not on your feet and hands ffs.

It bloody hurts though. My parents used to do this to us as kids.

Baby powder "talc" isn't the real talcum powder, I thought.

Take a little plastic bag with some damp flannels in, great for clean ups. Take water to drink but use it to rinse hands etc. We have a factor 50 beach shelter, great for little ones.

@PinkPurplePeacock

Talcum powder has been found to be a carcinogen DON'T USE IT *@DisneyGirl2387*

You can get talc free powder-I’ve got it from places like poundstretchers. But as it’s usually used to de sand feet and legs, think the risk is low. I did it in Egypt and women were taking photos of us and coming to watch.

Definitely go to the Marina Beach instead of the main one at Weston Super Mare - it's loads better and cleaner.