getting to the beach with a 3 month old

those that have brought their babies to the beach; what and how do you make it work with your older children?

 

Don't go by yourself

We took our 4 kids when the twins were 5 months old, along with my sister and her 2 boys. My sis and hubby spent most of their time in the water with the big kids, me and the twins chilled under umbrella's on a blanket most of the time. I had the double stroller so I could sit them in there to feed them their food, then bottle fed them on the blanket and they both took great naps while we were there.

 

Make sure you have at least two adults. One to watch the baby and keep him/her out of the sun (under an umbrella or beach tent hopefully) and the other to chase around the older kids. That's about the only change my family made when we went with babies.

 

It really depends on what kind of beach you go to, too. I have taken all three of mine by myself if we go to an inlet, creek, river, etc. Anything where there are little to no waves, I take them by myself. The twins are good enough swimmers and know to stay close by.

If you're going to a real beach with real waves (and undertow), definitely don't go alone. One adult is on baby duty, one is on big kid duty. Realize that sand will get in everything. I have a beach tent that I use and I use an old fabric shower curtain instead of a blanket to put down instead of a blanket. Do not underestimate the ease of digging a hole in the sand, putting a towel or some sort of large cloth over it and plopping the baby in it. We call it a "sand chair." It works!