TIPS FOR MOMS: BEACH WITH BABY
As you know we just got back from our family beach trip. It was our first time going to the beach with a baby. We didn't travel until Matilda was 2 1/2. Ha! With a little more experience under our belts we weren't as cautious this time with Phoebe. Baby girl had her sand in the toes at the wee age of 7 months. After asking you guys on facebook for some tips and then gathering my own thoughts during and after the trip, I wanted to share with you what we did and what worked or didn't. Please feel free to leave your own successes in the comments below! Would love to hear them.
As anyone with an infant knows... a bit more preparation and gear are necessary for travel. As much as I pride myself on being a low maintenance Mama, you just really need a big haul for a week long "vacation." Let's start with for the car:
- diaper bag
- three bottles filled with purified water (if you are nursing this obviously doesn't apply)
- formula dispenser filled with 3 feedings worth - I packed OXO's version which was easy to open one-handed.
- wipes + diapers
- squeezy baby food
- bib - we packed OXO's new travel bib that rolls up on itself to return to the diaper bag. Awesome!
- toys
- teethers (these are my favorite!)
- aden + anais blanket - we don't go anywhere without these
- change of clothes
We ended up stopping for lunch/change/bathroom break. We fed Phoebe in the car all of the other times. She did amazingly well, but didn't sleep much. Hard with all of the distractions. We did manage to get her to rest a bit by covering the car seat with a spare muslin blanket (see above). Those blankets are worth their weight in gold and perfect for the summer since they are lightweight and breathable.
As far as mealtime goes...
- bib (shown on Phoebe above)
- travel spoon with plastic case - great for restaurants too!
- squeezy food for beach and jars for home
- baby bowls
- bumbo or other travel highchair
- bottles (we brought three)
- travel drying rack (pictured above) - best invention ever! fold out drying rack with bottle brush was so convenient since we were washing more bottles by hand. also love it for spoons and any other dishes.
Gear for the beach, sleeping + out and about...
- we brought two pack and plays (crazy sounding I know!) we used 4moms Breeze for sleeping and our dear friends let us borrow their Baby Bjorn Travel Light for the beach. Both are amazing for different reasons. You could also use a baby tent for the beach but I didn't find many options.
- bumbo with tray for Phoebe to sit in at the beach. we found that she kept putting sand on her hands and then rubbing her eyes making her miserable. this way she was able to sit and play with a toy.
- large tent - we don't go to the beach without a tent. I am a redhead and I think for kids it's really nice to have a place to escape. The one we came down in got taken out by a beach tornado (true story) so we ended up having to buy another one (and then it rained every day!).
- stoller - we attached Phil and Ted's Dot stroller to the top of our car. I like it for travel because it's slim and fully reclines.
- I really love OXO's stroller hook (coming in August). It holds my huge bag and when not in use it's the perfect size for Matilda's hand to hold on to when crossing the street (Brilliant!)
- An On-the-go wipes dispenser is lovely to have because you can access wipes for cleaning faces and hands in an instant.
- A changing pad is obviously important for impromptu changes on the beach
- I really love the Ergo travel Stowaway carrier for the summer because it's a really lightweight material, but still so comfortable because it's an Ergo. Can't say enough great things.
- baby powder was recommended to me by several people for easy sand removal!
- Toy tether - love this thing! I attach it to my carrier, stroller, car seat. It's awesome.
I hope I'm not forgetting anything! Other than that...
- plenty of clothes
- a light sweater
- sun hat
- bathing suits
- swim diapers (love these)
- rash guard
- sunscreen
- whatever makes them feel comfy: lovies, pacies, blankets etc
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