beach tips

So, we live near the beach, but haven't been this year b/c of the babies. Anyways, my ILs have rented a condo at the beach during the last of July and asked us to join them. I'm thankful that we'll have the condo and I can keep the girls mostly indoors (verses the day trips we normally would take pre-twins!). I was just wondering if any tips, tricks, etc that help you out at the beach.... my DDs will be 6 months then.

 

I'm curious to hear some too, we're going to the beach the first week of august and I can't wait!

 

We took our two to the beach for a week at about that age, but try as I might right now I can think of no good tips for you. I'll keep thinking.... there must be something!

 

QUOTE(tinalb @ Jun 29 2009, 11:20 PM) [snapback]1374959[/snapback]
We took our two to the beach for a week at about that age, but try as I might right now I can think of no good tips for you. I'll keep thinking.... there must be something!


Did you take anything to sit them in on the beach...stroller, blanket, etc? We have a large tent/canopy thing that we'll have set up. I know at 6 months they can wear sunscreen, but I don't see them enjoying the heat and sand too much! I'll keep my expectations low and that way maybe I'll be pleasantly surprised!

 

I grew up at the beach and I am going back to visit my parents this weekend. We are going to to attempt it so I don't have experience with my boys yet. But I have a neice and nephew and my sister had them down there early.

We plan on duplicating what she would bring: we are bringing a beach tent (check out One Step Ahead for some good ones), their vibrating chairs, jogger stroller, cooler, towels/blankets, pacifiers, changes of clothes, diapers/wipes.

My boys love it outside so I think they are going to enjoy the fresh air and the sound of the waves. Good luck - I hope you have a successful trip!

(my boys are 3 months old and were born at 36 weeks)

 

So funny you brought this up...we will be driving to Florida for the 4th with my family this weekend. We did a trial run with our babies last weekend at a beach near our house and the new beach cabana we bought and I think that will be the key. We didn't have it when we went in May. It was only about $45 online but it was a bit of a pain to put up. However, it's big enough for them and us and they'll be completely covered. I know you can also buy a regular beach canopy at Wal Mart that is probably much easier to put up.

This past weekend I noticed they got very hot so I am taking a spray bottle filled with water that I can keep in my cooler and plan to spritz them down when they get hot. I am also taking sippy cups of water (introducing sippy cups this week, my babies are 6 months too) or their regular bottles filled with water if the sippy cup plan doesn't work.

Their floats, also bought at Wal Mart, have little canopies on them and when we went to the beach in May we spent a lot of time in the pool and they loved it! They were in the water and cool and protected from the sun. I started putting sunglasses and hats on my babies when they were about 3 months old so they wear them now and don't even notice. But, I wish I had those hats that had the long flaps covering the ears and neck. Ours are like a basic floppy hat.

I don't know if you've tried little swimmers yet - they are awesome in the water but once they are wet they aren't very absorbent. I found this out the hard way after we got out of the pool and took DD to the beach and stood her up on my lap and she tinkled everywhere on me and just grinned. So I plan on keeping extras in the beach bag.

In May a woman approached me in the pool and gave me a great tip. She said they bought one of those cheap-o baby pools and took it took it to the beach and padded it with towels and her baby slept and played in it. She said it kept him dry and from getting sandy; I'm assuming they had an umbrella or something over it. But not a bad idea.

I think that's all I've got, it's a lot of work I know but the pictures will be precious. Have fun and if anyone else has any tips please pass them on.

 

Carla, we live near you, in Pensacola. I've taken the girls to the beach twice this summer. The first time, we went for a week with my mom and I stayed indoors with the girls most of the time. We went out on the beach a couple times and to the pool once, but the water was still a bit chilly. I took a big beach blanket that rolls up and has a carrier that slings over the shoulder and we had a canopy that we all fit under. I took their bumbos a couple times, but didn't end up using them.

I think it's easier if your LOs can sit up. Mine layed on their tummies and I was afraid the breeze would blow sand in their faces. The baby pool sounds like a great idea.

Good luck! Which beach are you visiting?

 

Carla, see if you can check out the beach's website. Sometimes they offer beach umbrellas and chairs for a rental price (daily/weekly). Keeping them shaded and cool will most definitely help them last a day at the beach. We take our girls to the pool every weekend and as long as they have their sunhats, sunglasses, and sunblock they stay content for a few hours.

 

We have a big tent/canopy (10'x10' I think) that we'll use...several people can fit under it. I like the pool idea...did you use an inflatable or one of the small hard plastic kind?

The spray bottle is a great idea...i have hand held fans that I was going to bring too. I had totally forgotten about sunglasses! I'll be going this week to get them some to get them use to them!

I had wondered about taking Bumbos. My girls are not yet sitting up unassisted, but they still have a month to work on that...

The water in the sippy cup is a great idea too. I may pick two of them up next time I'm shopping and see if they are ready for them yet. I know my DS was using one by 6 months or so.

Thanks for all the great ideas!!! keep them coming...

QUOTE(TwinsInFL @ Jun 30 2009, 11:12 AM) [snapback]1375527[/snapback]
Good luck! Which beach are you visiting?


Gulf Shores

 

Ooooh, I'm so jealous! I LOVE Gulf Shores!

 

We moved to the beach when my DD was first born and my twin girls were also born while we were living at the beach.

I took them to the beach from day 1. Obviously when they were 1st born we kept them well shaded with an umbrella and sometimes them in the stroller under an umbrella.

We started using sunscreen when they were 6 months.

We just laid a sheet down on the sand and shaded them with the umbrella. Works like a charm. If it was very sunny out, I would drap a towel over the umbrella to block the sun more.

I didn't care for the cabana tents very much because it would block the breeze. The cabanas also didn't seem to block the sun as good as the umbrellas.

As for the sand, one daughter didn't want to touch it when she was a baby. The other two love to crawl and play in it. I just try to keep it out of there mouths as much as possible (though they always seem to eat some of it). When we get ready to leave, I put a clean diaper on with a clean t-shirt and give them a bath when we get home.

As for putting them in the water, as long as the waves weren't too strong I would take them in. I didn't keep them in the water too long because I didn't want them to get too much sun (sunscreen or no sunscreen).

I found my babies napped great on the beach. The fresh air and the sound of the ocean, they would just fall asleep on the sheet.

Have a good time and make sure someone watches your kids for a moment so you can play in the ocean too!

 

I would think that the inflatable baby pools or the plastic ones would work equally well. The inflatables might be easier to drag around though. Something else I thought about - I'm taking an old sheet to lay out in our tent instead of our big beach towels. The babies got so hot lying on them the other day.

 

Thanks! I think I'll take an old sheet too...maybe they won't get as sweaty as they would on beach towels. also, hopefully the size will keep them from reaching the edge as fast and eating up all the sand their little fists can grab up!

Our tent is the tailgating style, so no sides, hopefully the breeze will feel good on them and they'll sleep like yours did!!!

 

Hey Carla, when we went to the beach I took their pack and play and put them in that and put the umbrella over it. have fun and good luck.