Traveling with an Infant: Beach Babe
So I've never been much of a beach lover. I'm not sure why, maybe because I didn't take many trips as a child or maybe because I've seen one too many seasons of shark week on the Discovery Channel. Not to mention that: I don't like sand, it gets everywhere...my skin is so fair that I burn easily...bugs bite and I'm scared of the unknown waters. In the three years that I lived in Sarasota I think I went to the beach a total of 5 times, maybe.
Even so, I was determined to introduce Gunnar to the ocean on our recent trip. So here are some of the tips from my readers that worked for us:
1. We went to the beach in the late afternoon. Babies under the age of 6 months aren't supposed to be exposed to heat or sun for any extended period of time. So going later in the afternoon meant the sun/heat was past it's peak and much milder. I guess babies under 6 months also aren't supposed to wear sunscreen. But my pediatrician said it would be okay to put small amounts on exposed skin. So that is what we did. We used Aveeno Baby Sunscreen.
2. Full rash guard bathing suit for Gunnar with large brim sun hat! Since we needed as little exposed skin as possible, I brought a full rash guard swim suit from Hanna Andersson with a matching full brim sun hat. This suit and hat blocks 99% of UVA/UVB rays. So I was confident baby G was protected!
3. Carseat. We went ahead and brought G in the carseat (he was sleeping when we got there...so it was easiest) it made it easy for his napping, though it did make for a challenge to carry across the sand (sand is so hard to walk on).
4. A short but sweet trip. To avoid too much sun exposure, we stayed for only 45 minutes. Gunnar touched the ocean and ate a little bit of sand...what more could we ask for? It was short and sweet and very enjoyable!
Other Tips:
* A Queen size Flat Sheet. I meant to bring this with us, I had it in the hotel room afterall (Kendra, great idea!!!) but totally spaced...I meant to use it like a beach blanket for G to roll around on.
* Umbrella. If the sun was brighter or hotter I would have opened my travel umbrella to provide extra shade for G.
* Boppy. If I had brought my boppy this could have helped G sit up and play.
* We used Huggies little swimmers for the pool but not for the beach. I figured he wouldn't be going all the way in the cold water so it didn't really matter. Many peopke mentioned that the swim diapers don't hold pee, only poo...but I found that they did hold G's pee....hmmmm.
In Other News: I'm so excited that the shop owner from Atlanta, Georgia has already sold half of my shirts and has placed another order of 19 shirts! I'm going to be busy busy for the next 2 weeks!
Even so, I was determined to introduce Gunnar to the ocean on our recent trip. So here are some of the tips from my readers that worked for us:
1. We went to the beach in the late afternoon. Babies under the age of 6 months aren't supposed to be exposed to heat or sun for any extended period of time. So going later in the afternoon meant the sun/heat was past it's peak and much milder. I guess babies under 6 months also aren't supposed to wear sunscreen. But my pediatrician said it would be okay to put small amounts on exposed skin. So that is what we did. We used Aveeno Baby Sunscreen.
2. Full rash guard bathing suit for Gunnar with large brim sun hat! Since we needed as little exposed skin as possible, I brought a full rash guard swim suit from Hanna Andersson with a matching full brim sun hat. This suit and hat blocks 99% of UVA/UVB rays. So I was confident baby G was protected!
3. Carseat. We went ahead and brought G in the carseat (he was sleeping when we got there...so it was easiest) it made it easy for his napping, though it did make for a challenge to carry across the sand (sand is so hard to walk on).
4. A short but sweet trip. To avoid too much sun exposure, we stayed for only 45 minutes. Gunnar touched the ocean and ate a little bit of sand...what more could we ask for? It was short and sweet and very enjoyable!
Other Tips:
* A Queen size Flat Sheet. I meant to bring this with us, I had it in the hotel room afterall (Kendra, great idea!!!) but totally spaced...I meant to use it like a beach blanket for G to roll around on.
* Umbrella. If the sun was brighter or hotter I would have opened my travel umbrella to provide extra shade for G.
* Boppy. If I had brought my boppy this could have helped G sit up and play.
* We used Huggies little swimmers for the pool but not for the beach. I figured he wouldn't be going all the way in the cold water so it didn't really matter. Many peopke mentioned that the swim diapers don't hold pee, only poo...but I found that they did hold G's pee....hmmmm.
In Other News: I'm so excited that the shop owner from Atlanta, Georgia has already sold half of my shirts and has placed another order of 19 shirts! I'm going to be busy busy for the next 2 weeks!
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