Guest Post By: Alli Starratt: Happy Girl, Happy World
Here in Florida, the weather is really starting to become more “summer-esque”. The water is getting clearer (at least it is over here on the Treasure Coast), the weather is getting warmer (and more unpredictable), and the bathing suits are flying off the shelves at Target (especially the Lilly bathing suits #LillyforTarget, am I right?). I know it’s still Spring, but with just a couple more weeks until Michael is home for the summer – I can’t help but to be a little antsy for the season to be here!
In honor of the summer coming in so beautifully, Michael and I decided to take the little man to the beach for the first time. It was such a blast. I learned a lot of things though, from doing research and asking around with other mamas. There is A LOT that goes into taking infants to the beach.
Let’s just say, the days of grabbing a towel and nothing else for the beach or OVER. That ship has sailed. Now, there are bags that need to be packed, coolers filled, and umbrellas carefully stowed. 
Did you know that SUNSCREEN cannot be used until a baby is about 6 months old? Even then, some sunscreens are way too harsh for baby’s skin. I bought the Babyganics brand sunscreen from Target, but I’ve also heard great things about the Honest Company and the Aveeno brand. I know that a lot of sunscreens found in commercial drug stores actually contain a lot of harsh chemicals (minus the honest company), this includes the Babyganics sunscreen I purchased. In the future, I may opt to make my own sunscreen. I loved this post from Mother Earth News teaching you how to do that. 
While it is a good idea to have sunscreen on the kiddo, it’s more important to make sure there is shade for the baby – minimize your little one’s time in the sun. Don’t get me wrong, sun is important. Floridians and babies, especially, tend to lack in Vitamin D (how ironic!). However, babies only need about 15 minutes in the sun A WEEK to get all the vitamin D their little bodies need. So please, don’t overdo it. The last thing you want is a sunburned little one.
For that reason, I think it is imperative to have an umbrella or tent of some sort to keep the baby out of the harsh sun for the entirety of the beach day. Even if it’s just a HUGE hat, the child needs some shade. Little floppy hats are super affordable and are a necessity with the babies that don’t have a lot of hair. {Cradle cap is bad enough – why add a painful sunburn to that!}
One of the biggest life-savers for us at the beach was the bouncer chair. When Parker wanted to nap or just chill, we had that to strap him in. I especially suggest this if the baby isn’t sitting unsupported yet. Parker is sitting up unassisted, but he gets tired after a little while, so it was nice to have the bouncer. It was great for when I wanted to lie out in the sun, but I wanted him in the shade.
Instead of bringing a bunch of towels, we bring one large sheet for the beach. {We still bring towels, they just stay sand-free in the car!}That way part of it can stay in the shade and part of it can be out, but it’s all one continuous surface. This just made it easier with the baby crawling around and getting into things so that I didn’t have to worry about him getting into a ton of sand!
Another important thing to take note of at the beach is water – drinking water – for the babes. It may seem like a good idea to give the baby some cold water to drink to cool him off, but that’s not necessarily a good idea. Too much water for a baby can cause seizures and a depletion of vitamins. If you want to cool baby off, use a wet rag or you may give him a little sip of water without ice. Of course, if your baby is old enough to drink water (doctor approved) then go ahead. But for my little man who is only about 6 months, thats a no-no.
If your little one is eating solids, some cold cantaloupe or even carrots make a great beach treat. We packed a cooler with lots of water for us and some little snacks for Parker, too.
Speaking of snacks, let’s talk about diapers. I know a lot of mamas who use swim diapers that are reusable. They don’t need a secondary diaper, and they look kind of like little speedos. They are super cute. I think it makes a lot of sense to use them, BUT the reason I opted for the disposable swim diapers is because of poopy. I would hate for the beach day to be ended because of a poopy swim diaper. I think the reusable swim diapers make a lot of sense for pools and when you’re at home, but for the beach where anything can happen – I just felt the reusable ones were a safer choice. Ultimately, this choice {and cost} is up to you!
We stayed at the beach for a little over 2 hours, and it was such a nice time. Now that we’ve gotten our first trip done, we are so excited for all of the beach days to come this summer! I think that a lot of our fears were pointless and it felt great to be at the beach again. Last time I went, I was 8 months pregnant! This trip to the beach was definitely different, but then again, what part of our lives aren’t different after baby!
About Alli:
Hi, I’m Alli. As a twenty-something, stay at home mom, Happy Girl, Happy World is my creative outlet. I’m sharing everything that makes me smile – from cute DIY experiments, to easy recipes and random parenting thoughts and tips! So happy that you’ve stopped by : )
https://www.happygirlhappyworld.com/taking-baby-to-the-beach-what-you-need-to-know/
