Enjoying the sea breeze, warm sand, and gorgeous view of your favorite beach with your newborn sounds like a dream come true. But before you hit the road, it’s important to brush up on your “beach safety for babies” knowledge to ensure your newborn is safe, comfortable, and happy during your outing.
In this article, we’ll walk you through five beach essentials and safety tips to know about before your next trip to the shore.
Is it Safe to Take a Baby to the Beach?
If you’re a regular beach-goer with a new baby, you’re in luck! It is safe to take a baby to the beach. In fact, the cool breeze and gentle sound of the waves can be extremely soothing to newborns. Be sure to keep your baby in cool, shaded areas out of direct sunlight until they are at least six months to avoid painful sunburns.
Can You Take a Newborn to the Beach?
Yes, you can take a newborn to the beach! Beaches can be relaxing, soothing environments for parents and newborns alike. Be sure to keep your newborn out of direct sunlight and regularly reapply sunscreen to protect your baby’s sensitive skin while you soak up the sun.
What are the Best Sun Shade Solutions for Baby at The Beach?
Sun shades are crucial must-haves for babies at the beach. Since babies’ skin isn’t fully developed at birth, they’re far more vulnerable to harmful UV rays that lead to sunburn and other skin damage.
Luckily, parents can choose from a wide variety of products designed to shield their newborns from the sun while they enjoy the tides. If you’re headed to the beach with a newborn be sure to grab:
- A beach umbrella
- A sun tent
- A pop-up shade
- Or a covered travel playpen
What Kind of Sunscreen Can You Use on Babies?
Using a sunscreen formulated specifically for babies is essential to get the best protection. Babies have extremely sensitive skin still developing during their first six months of life, so it’s important for parents to be extra cautious when it comes to UV exposure.
Look for a mineral-based sunscreen that uses zinc oxide or titanium dioxide as a primary ingredient for the strongest protection and lowest risk of harming your baby’s sensitive skin. Sunscreens that have chemicals like oxybenzone, octinoxate, or methylisothiazolinone on the ingredient list should be avoided, even if they claim to be safe for babies.
How Can I Feed My Baby on the Beach?
Feeding your baby on the beach can be a breeze with a little preparation. New parents that want to bring solid snacks to the beach can pack homemade baby food into easy-to-clean, leak-proof food pouches for easy storage, travel, and feeding.
If you’ll be at the beach for a few hours, consider packing baby food made from water-rich ingredients that can help your baby stay hydrated and cool under the summer sun. Baby foods with cucumbers, apples, celery, and blueberries can all help support hydration.
How Do You Bring Breast Milk to The Beach?
When it comes to bringing breast milk to the beach, high-quality insulated coolers and diaper bags combined with frozen ice packs reign supreme.
Your breast milk should be kept below 40℉ to keep it safe for your baby, so don’t be afraid to load up on ice packs for longer days. If you plan on using a rolling cooler, make sure the wheels are large enough to handle traveling across dirt and sand.
How Do You Transport Baby Formula to the Beach?
Parents have a couple of options when it comes to bringing baby formula for their newborn on the beach.
If you’re heading out for a quick beach trip, you can pre-mix your formula powder and water and simply pack the pre-made bottles in an insulated cooler. But if you’ll be feeding your baby more than two hours after you head out the door, it’s best to take formula and water separately and make fresh bottles.
Can a Baby Wear a Regular Diaper at the Beach?
Babies at the beach can wear their regular diapers, as long as they won’t be going into the water. However, if you’re considering using the tides to keep your baby cool, it’s best to swap out your regular diapers in your diaper bag for swim diapers.
Regular diapers are designed to soak up as much liquid as possible to keep your baby comfortable and dry. And while this works for normal activities, it makes regular diapers poor choices for swimming. On the other hand, swim diapers are designed to repel liquids while containing any solids.
What Other Diaper Bag & Newborn Beach Essentials Will I Need?
Luckily for parents that want to enjoy time with their babies at the beach, there are a variety of Baby Brezza products designed specifically to make your family outings as smooth, stress-free, and enjoyable as possible.
To keep your baby relaxed and comfortable while you enjoy the sand and surf, pack our Baby Soothe Massager that mimics a gentle fingertip massage - a relaxing remedy for fussy babies that has been used for centuries to relieve stress.
For easy feeding at the beach, check out our convenient Reusable Food Pouches. Our leak-proof, double-zippered pouches are made from the highest quality food-grade materials and arrive with a convenient funnel for easy filling.
If you’re worried about finding a comfortable and clean place to change your newborn at the beach, our Dante Changing Station Diaper Bag allows you to carry everything you need (and more) and features a built-in changing station with comfortable padding and privacy-saving fold-out walls.
Our Lucia Caddy Tray Diaper Bag is another great option for changing newborns at the beach thanks to its convenient slide-out changing caddy. And be sure to check out our ultra-soft, ultra-hygienic diaper cream Finger Shields to make sure your baby is as comfortable as possible in their swim diaper!