safety tips for taking a baby to the beach
Safety Tips for Taking a Baby to the Beach
Taking your baby along for a beach vacation adds to the fun element for the entire family. However, along with the fun, there comes a set of safety concerns that you should be aware of, to avoid any mishap and spend the day happily. Read through this Buzzle article for the safety tips that will help you to take your little one safely to the beach.
Useful Tip
If you have rented a hotel room, let it be right next to the beach. Do not book it somewhere down the street, because you may have to take frequent visits to the hotel for getting something you have forgotten.
So, your new little bundle of joy has come into your life, and you have planned the very first beach trip with the little one. It's quite imaginable how excited you would be to take your baby to the beach and watch those little hands and feet splashing water, which will leave a contented smile on your face. But hold on! If you think that this trip of yours will be another beach Sunday spent in relaxation while gazing at the horizon, you might have to rethink. You need to understand that the pre-baby beach trips are way too different from the trip with a baby or toddler. It might be an exhausting day due to the marathon running you would have to do behind your super fast kiddo.
There is every possibility that your zealous little one would want to be in the water for hours and hours, or the little one might hate the sand so much that he/she does not want to be put down at all. In such situations, you cannot do anything but keep entertaining the child with something or the other. For that, you will need a variety of baby gear at hand, which will keep the baby safe, engaged, and offer some fun time.
Safe Location
Safety Gear
Sunscreen
Using a sunscreen before going to the beach is important not only for kids, but also for teenagers and adults. Children over the age of 6 months can use the same sunscreen as their parents do. However, kids below 6 months should either be kept in the shade or play tent, preventing them from direct exposure to sunlight, or parents should look for a skin-friendly sun cream suitable for their age. The sunscreen for children should be a specially formulated one with the SPF of 50+ and should be applied half an hour before going to the beach for better protection.Hat
I totally agree to the fact that kids are reluctant to wear hats and other protective accessories. However, there is no alternative to these things, and if you start early on, the kids will definitely get into the habit of wearing them. Look for a hat that offers a covering over the head and neck and is lightweight. Floppy hats are the best option that will give maximum protection from UV rays and prevent sunburn or rashes. To enhance the safety, look for a hat that is made of SPF fabric.Shoes
The seashore is embedded with a lot of material that can be harmful for the baby's feet. There are seashells, pebbles, glass, and other objects that may cause serious injury to the feet of your child. Moreover, even the sand that is soft and spongy can harm the little feet as the skin in that area is delicate and can get burned quickly with hot sand. Thus, get a pair of water shoes and socks, which are easy to put on and off and are strong enough to protect the feet. Some kids are very young to walk but love to be walked; they will also need the shoes on to protect the soles of the feet. Sunglasses
The ultraviolet rays coming from the Sun affect not only the skin, but also the delicate eyes of the baby, and hence, they also need protection. Opt for a pair of UV sunglasses, which will shield the eyes from UV radiation as well as give a cool look to your child. The sunglasses should have bigger lenses so that they will cover a larger area of the skin - from the sides, top and bottom - along with the eyes. You may ask, why and how will it protect the eyes and skin from bottom? Well, the answer to your question is that water and sand reflect the sun radiation back onto our face and eyes, which may be harmful.Clothes
Kids under 6 months should be dressed up in soothing cotton clothes with minimum or no decorative pieces or accessories that will irritate the baby. Kids who are older can wear swimsuits with proper fitting. Ensure that the swimsuit for your toddler is bright-colored to help you locate, recognize, and identify your child amidst several kids at the beach and keep an eye on his/her every move near the water. At some point of the day, you would want to take your child closer to the sand, rocks, and of course explore the water. This will amount to direct exposure to the Sun, and it is necessary to cover the child thoroughly in a sunsuit to protect him/her from UV radiation.Swim Diapers
These diapers are a better choice over the conventional disposable ones. They don't swell up like balloons after getting wet as compared to the disposable ones. The disposable diapers may irritate the sensitive skin of the child causing rashes and itching. On the contrary, the reusable swim diapers are made of cloth, which do not absorb water and hence, can be washed in hot water and reused several times.Health Care
Keep the Baby Hydrated
Being for several hours on the beach under the Sun may easily dehydrate your baby. To prevent such a situation, it's important to keep the baby hydrated all the time. Carry along some extra water bottles than you think are required, to prevent yourself from spending money on purchasing packaged drinking water or looking for some local water resource. If your child is below 6 months, you will have to give him/her extra formula or keep nursing frequently to prevent dehydration.Use Baby Powder
Even after taking all the precautions and keeping the baby under the eye, he/she may happen to come in contact with sand. If the baby gets sandy, the best way to clean the sand is by dusting some baby powder on the hands and feet. This will remove the sand without harming the baby's skin. Never try to rub off the sand because even the softest sand particles have the potential to irritate the delicate skin of a baby and cause rashes.Equipment
Sunshade/Tent
If your baby is a newborn, he/she will go with you to the beach only to rest, sleep, and keep gazing at the surroundings. For making a comfortable resting place for the baby, a beach shade with a floor is a must. A beach umbrella is well-suited for older children and adults to prevent excessive sun exposure, but an open-sided tent will be best for an infant to stay well-protected from the Sun for the whole day. The floor is essential to protect the baby from the rough sand and other objects on the beach. Ensure that the tent you are buying is a UV tent, which is easy to assemble, handle, and carry along.Blow Up Pool
Keep it simple and easy for you as well as your child. If you don't want to keep chasing your kid to and from the water and keep worrying about the rip currents and strong tides, pack an inflatable pool in your beach essentials right away. You just need to blow it up and place it near the water under a beach umbrella. Help your toddler to fill it up with water using a tiny bucket, and let him/her sit in there for as long the baby wants to. Add some seashells and water toys to make it more enjoyable for the kid. This will keep the baby engaged, and you will be free to relax for some time. Do not take your eyes off the baby, though.Sand Toys
Although there is much to explore and enjoy on the beach, children love to be in the company of their favorite toys in all circumstances, and so do they want them on the beach as well. These include a bucket and shovel to play with water and sand. Apart from these traditional toys, kids also enjoy playing with other toys. The bottom line is, you can forget anything but the toys, because the baby might make you go back to the hotel and fetch him/her that favorite toy. Moreover, these toys will keep the baby distracted, thus preventing it from touching the rough soil and putting it in the mouth.Some More Tips
After taking a look at the essentials that should be carried along while you have your baby on the beach, there needs to be some planning to find everything in place at the right time.- Pack everything a night before. This will give you ample time to arrange everything properly in order.
- Try to avoid the hottest hours usually between 11 am to 4 pm, and plan a trip either early in the morning or later in the afternoon when the Sun has shifted its position and the temperatures are a bit lower.
- You will have to be in your swimsuit. Now, why I am saying this is because you may not have planned to get wet, but your adventurous kid might crawl to chase a wave a little too far, and you may have to run to stop him/her.
- Don't forget to carry cash along with you, because you might have to pay charges for any water rides or buy an ice cream for your kid.