Preparing Our Sand-Eating Beach Babe

We've been taking our beach babe to the ocean since she was five weeks old. Now that the weather is ideal, we've been going at least once per week. Josephine is old enough now to interact with her surroundings. I put a bit more thought into our beach trips now.

What to Bring?

What do you usually bring to the beach? For us, it's beach blankets/towels, sunscreen, a beach umbrella, a folding chair, sometimes sand toys, and a cooler with beverages of our choice. We don't bring anything special for the baby. Here in Florida, she wears her baby sunglasses every time we go out during the day. I carry a portable changing station in my purse. I leave my purse in the car and take the car seat to the beach to sit in the sand, just in case she falls asleep and I want to put her down in it.

The Hot, Hot Sun

The Florida sun is brutal! Sunscreen isn't recommended for young babies. We pasty white people burn easily. What can we do to protect our child from the heat and burn?

We no longer go to the beach during the hottest part of the day. We wait until the late afternoon, staying until dust. Baby sunglasses are a must, the kind with a band that wraps all the way around the head. We have used hats, but they fall off our tiny baby's head easily and get in her face. Instead of hats, we now use blankets, beach umbrellas, and our own bodies to shade the little one.

Sand Indigestion

Our little person isn't even eating solid foods yet. What would happen when she inevitably ingested sand? Nothing, as it turns out. I don't let her shovel handfuls into her mouth. But her fingers get covered and brushing it all off isn't easy. My nipples seem to attract and capture sand grains despite brief flashes in the air uncovered. The baby isn't yet stable sitting and likes to face-plant on the towel. Milk with a side of sand is going to happen no matter how hard I try otherwise.

As Calm as a Roaring Ocean

It never ceases to amaze me that such constantly turbulent, violent, powerful waves are so peaceful. When I take my little girl in my arms and stand in the crashing waves, she is instantly calm. Even if she was just fussing, she quiets right down, staring at the flowing water around her. The roar resembles white noise and can put her to sleep when we're lucky.

Edit: Sometimes hats do work well at the beach instead of sunglasses, especially for cute photos!