When taking a newborn to the beach, it’s important that you’re prepared. We put together 5 tips to helping you make your beach trip with your newborn go smoothly.
Table of Contents
Tip 1: Avoid Excessive Sun Exposure
You are eager to take your newborn to the beach, but have you heard the old saying, “You can’t take your newborn baby outside for 6 weeks after birth”? Well, according to most pediatric health experts, getting your baby out into nature while following some basic safety precautions is good for both parents and their babies.
So, what is a good time of day to take your baby outside while on your beach vacation? Babies’ skin is brand new, and you want to protect them by not exposing them to harsh wind and sun conditions in the middle of the day.
The sun’s rays are much stronger during the midday hours of 11 am-12 pm and from around noon until about half an hour before sunset.
Recommend: Attending Early Mornings Or Late Afternoons.
You also want to make sure your baby is protected from the sun at all times.
Tip 2: Avoid Crowded Beaches
We have all visited a beach a time or two in our lives and ran into huge crowds of people just trying to cool off from the hot day. But with a newborn in town, it can get frustrating finding a safe place to get set up in the sand as well as your newborn not getting overstimulated from all the noise from the crowd.
The time of day plays a huge part in your decision of when to visit the beach with your newborn.
Earlier Times Of The Day Like Mentioned In Tip 1 Are Key To Beating The Crowd.
You should also choose a beach that is not visited as often or as popular. As well as a spot that is isolated and may offer some shade for your baby.
Tip 3: Dress Your Newborn For The Beach Correctly
Dressing a newborn is not difficult, but what can be hard about taking your newborn to the beach is figuring out what they should wear? Newborns can easily get a sunburn even without staying in the sun long. Packing for the weather is very important. Cloudy days can also cause sunburn for babies.
Bringing things like an umbrella, hat, and dressing newborns in protective clothing will help prevent excessive sun exposure. An extra protective option for babies is UV protection swimwear. The tighter the fabric weave, the greater the sun protection the bathing suit offers.
If you hold up the swimsuit you’re considering to the light, you can see how much it blocks. You should also consider bringing extra diapers to the pool or beachside with you to help prevent diaper rash when your baby plays in the water.
Tip 4: Stay Hydrated
Staying hydrated at the beach is so important. You don’t want to get overheated, and not be able to cool down from the hot day. Bringing lots of water in a cooler with you or carrying a few in your bag will surely keep your body cooled down. This is also very important for breastfeeding mothers bringing their newborns to the beach.
Breastfeeding mothers already need to drink a lot of water for their health but once you are exposed to the sun, your body needs a lot more water than you think. This will also provide hydration for your baby. For formula-fed babies, you should also bring water bottles.
Tip 5: Limit Your Time Outside When Taking Your Newborn To The Beach
Because of the inherent risks to sun exposure and heat exhaustion, it is better to limit your time outside to just a few hours or less. Taking your newborn to the beach can still pose a risk for heatstroke and dehydration both for baby and parents, especially during hot days.
Any outside time should be done before temperatures reach above 80 degrees. This will mean going out either earlier in the day or later in the evening to help keep the baby safe from getting overheated.
Conclusion
Taking your newborn to the beach shouldn’t be a stressful experience. We hope these 5 tips mentioned make taking your little one to the beach a breeze and worry-free.
If you’re heading to the beaches in Florida we recommend visiting these 10 family-friendly beaches. However, if you’re visiting California these are 21 family-friendly beaches worth checking out.
Safe beach travels!
