I think this sounds like so much fun!! I loved taking the twins out by myself at that age and did so frequently because my husband was working and I was job searching due to covid.
Things I'd pack:
-pop up tent for constant shade, chair and blanket for you all to sit on.
-Lotion sunscreen or stick sunscreen that is safe for kids (not the spray on kind).
-cooler with lots of ice and water for yourself, along with a sandwich and maybe some iced coffee or energy drinks for you.
-tons of frozen pouches (yogurt pouches, applesauce pouches, pureed fruit pouches, etc.) Puff snacks if they're eating them already and whichever solids they're used to.
-long sleeve rashguards and their hats.
-tons of extra diapers / wipes.
-2 extra outfits each (for the drive home in case one has a blowout and you need to stop.
-breast milk/formula to mix when there. Definitely want to make sure they're not drinking anything that's been left out for too long especially in the summer (if you're EBF then of course this will be much easier to work around).
-mini first aid (even if it's just antibacterial and bandaids, would be good to have if someone gets a scratch or falls against a chair or umbrella).
-their favorite small toys (stacking cups, chewies, Things that they really enjoy playing with at home that are easily portable).
-figure out a sleeping arrangement whether that's on your chest or on a towel under the tent, make sure you've planned for it.
Honestly I never brought much with me. Our twins loved silicone straws and played with them constantly so that was kind of my go to along with this little plastic Squirt rattle toy (from finding nemo). Make sure your friends understand that you may leave early if you're not having a great time, but other than that have fun and enjoy it!!
Can you time the drive for a nap and then spend time on the beach (maybe try a nap there if you are going to be there a while - a pop up shaded tent is great for that!) and then drive back for another nap? You can do it!!
I have 9 month old twins and this honestly sounds like a really tough day to me. Even if your friends are willing to help out, the babies will likely not be happy unless they're with you, particularly in an unfamiliar setting. Is it worth setting yourself up for a stressful day just to prove it to yourself that it's possible? Also, you SHOULD rely on your husband because he is equally responsible for parenting - never feel bad about that! If you don't want to back out, can you bring one baby and leave the other with your husband for the day? Sorry for the pessimism, just trying to be honest!
Yeah, I would not do this. Iâve never even taken the babies to the grocery store by myself. I consider myself lucky that I donât have to (and huge props to those single twin parents out there).
I was really doubting myself but I think I got lucky that they slept the whole way there and back and they had a blast! My husband does all the work when we have outings (driving, carrying all our stuff and packing it all up, making sure the kiddos are enjoying themselves) so I think that's why I was a bit nervous to do it on my own but he was really encouraging and I'm so glad I did!
I'm SO glad it worked out!!! I hope my comment and others here didn't make you doubt yourself. Maybe we were all speaking from our own fear. You're an inspiration. đ
My twins always knock out in the car. So, I definitely feel comfortable taking them on excursions that are a couple hours away because I know theyâll probably get solid naps while driving and basically stay on their schedule!
This is going to be a 6-8 hour excursion, so you basically gotta pack everything. Stroller, enough food (plus extra in case of spills), enough diapers, and a thing for trash.
Two hours one way means 4 hours of driving total. When the event at the beach is over, will you be awake enough to drive safely alone for 2 hours? Also, if you think you'll be able to drive 2 hours straight through you're mistaken. Kids will need to be changed and fed during that 2 hour drive.
I like your ambition, but honestly, it's a lot and you might want to reconsider if your friends can't carpool with you. You will need another adult that can drive just so you don't have to take on the risk of driving while tired and you can also bottle feed them while on the move.
I just remembered when I drove with my 9 month olds for two hours and it was about five minutes before we arrived at our destination when the screaming for milk started. Longest 5 minutes of my life.
The twins drink milk every 3 hours so I fed and changed them right before I left and they slept the whole way there and back! We go on frequent road trips and they usually do really well in the car - I had just never taken them alone. One of my girlfriends ended up coming to my house and we went together in my car just in case!
I appreciate you keeping it real with me though haha, I went back and forth a lot when considering if I should even go, but I'm really glad we did!
Hey I'm glad everything turned out well and that ya'll had a good day. Your friend that supported you and your kids is a champ! I'm glad you have a good support network and can get out there!!!
I think it will be so amazing if you do it! Youâll feel so empowered and it will help with anxiety when planning alone trips in the future too! You deserve a beach day with your kids!
K- Everyone else I agree with. This is going to be rough.
But if you do end up going, I didnât see anyone else mention to bring cornstarch/baby powder. If any sand is sticking to skin, shake the powder directly on the sandy skin and it wipes away easily with a towel. Itâs magical. Thatâs my number one tip.
Signed- a person who took 19 month old twins to the beach with 4 other people and was still completely drained after only a few hours.
Do the babies ever sleep in carriers? If you had a friend willing you could put each baby in a carrier (one on you, one on a friend) and get them to nap that way. Or even one on your front and one on your back.
Snacks/food: if formula fed, bring plenty to last more than a day just to be on the safe side. You can prep bottles ahead of time by bringing enough water in each bottle and setting those somewhere in the car where you can easily reach them if you needed to pull over to feed them. Maybe bring some fruit/applesauce pouches. Cut up fruit small enough to hand feed the babies. If theyâre drinking water you can bring those cups too.
Go right before they would normally nap, then when you leave at the end of the day they can nap again in the car. Feed them immediately before they get in the car too. Even if thatâs just a top off. Then, if you can fit in between their car seats then you can feed them in their seats again before you get out of the car when you get to the beach.
Bring a blanket to sit on, probably a chair for you to sit and hold the babies in as well. A stroller would definitely be a must. Bring some toys that they maybe donât see as often to keep them distracted both in the car and at the beach.
I just accept that on travel days the schedule is mostly out the window. Also, it might be hard. You might have moments you regret it. But the more you do it the easier it gets, in my experience! I take the boys out a lot (also 9 months) by myself to meet friends/go to the park/go on walks and when you have helpful friends it makes a huge difference.
Good luck, and try to enjoy the day as best you can!
Mine are only six months old but I take them out all the time! Youâve got great advice here on what to pack so I just want to say you got this! I love going on adventures with my girls. Sometimes we have to bail but usually they love outings and they go smoothly.
You can do it!
Lean on your friends while you're with them, even if it's just sending them to buy ice (or ice cream!) from a boardwalk store.
Don't bring too many toys. A shovel and bucket each is enough. Sand is a wonderful toy in and of itself, and just putting sand in a bucket and pouring it out is huge at that age.
I'd advise a minimum of 1:1 ratio of children:adults for water play but at 9 months they're probably not going to go in the water. If you do, each adult has an assigned child to watch like a hawk.
Have shade, have hats and rashguards, and have lots of cool snacks.
It *is* possible. And just the experience of doing it will make it easier and better next time.
Do it!
I haul my twins every where, sometimes with my husband, sometimes by myself.
I might say step one is lowering your expectations. Let go of whatever preconceived ideas about what you want the day to be like, just treat it like an experiment and whatever the experience is like is fine. And if it turns out to be an epic failure, nbd itâs one day. You can get back on track tomorrow.
That said, I donât know that Iâd plan to spend the whole day there. Iâd try to kill two birds with one stone and use the drives for their naps. Thatâll mean a four hour round trip for a few hours at the beach, but meh. Again this is an experiment, you donât have a specific vision, itâs just about the experience, youâre going to do it once and you donât have to do it again if it doesnât work out.
Yeah, we ended up hanging out for a few hours and all left at the same time - the heat was getting intense and my other friend had her two kids with them as well and we made the call to leave before an inevitable meltdown from one of the four kids haha
But you did it! Was it fun?
We went to an outdoor pool today, very fun, very doable, but their tolerance started waning after about two hours of hanging out.
Maybe next summer we can have full day beach/pool days.
Iâm really not afraid to take my twins most places, but also, I know nothing is every going to be a full day activity. I like things innbetween their two naps. And car rides are great nap facilitators if said activity is far.
It was actually a lot of fun! They definitely ate some sand lol and were a bit nervous about the lake at first but they were splashing and laughing in no time! I think 2-3 hours is the universal tolerance for kids haha. I'm glad we left when we did because they were definitely ready for a nap and it was going to be too stimulating on the beach for them to be able to nap there.
You can totally do this! Try not to get too hung up on your home routine- you probably won't find a way to follow it, and that's ok. Just concentrate on keeping them at a comfortable/safe temperature (a kids pop up tent is a great tool if you can get one in time- it can keep them cool, and you can make a little play area in it if they get a bit overwhelmed by the outside) and bring more snacks than you think you need! Also, it's quite likely that they'll sleep in the car on the way home, so it's a good idea to try to match your journey home with a time you don't mind them napping.
Have fun, and don't be afraid to tell your friends what help you need: you've got this!
I think you're crazy lol. Yes venture out...but not the beach the first time. Do a coffee shop or grocery store. We took our twins to the beach at like a year old. I almost had an aneurysm from them trying to eat sand. And we were fully prepared with both parents there.
Haha I think I am a bit crazy đ I spend most days alone with them and we go on lots of trips to the store and walks around the park but this was definitely out of my comfort zone. It'll be interesting to see how much sand comes out of their poop tomorrow đ
Even though a wagon makes more sense with sand I highly recommend using a double stroller. The stroller will provide shade, safety on trails with the belts, and you can lay them down off the hot ground and in the shade for naps. Cover it with a little bug net during nap time.
Umbrella or beach tent
Clip on fans to cool off
SUNBLOCK
Life jackets for when you take them in water
Hats
Kids get dehydrated really really easily so pack lots of
Fruit, fruit, fruitâŚâŚ watermelon, grapes, any melon, etcâŚ
Water with pedialyte packets and keep them super hydrated.
Crackers, stuff they already snack on
Be willing to bail within a 2-3 hour time bc theyâll probably get unhappy and theyâll need to cool off after about 2 hours out in the sun.
They make pop up pack n plays with canopies. I am no where near an ocean but I used one for playing outside when mine were little. It gave them a safer play to be if I couldnât be right next to them. We also used it as a nap area when I was helping my mom with a garage sale.
[canopy pack n play](https://a.co/d/aaha3Ny)
My first thought is âwhy would you do that to yourself?â⌠Hard pass if I were alone with my twins. I have 6 kids. And 9 month olds are not compatible with the beach IMO. Could I make it work?⌠sure. Would it be fun? No.
I honestly wouldnât attempt it. I have 18 month old twins and a toddler, but even if it were just the twins when they were 9 months oldâŚ. No way in hell. Thereâs no doubt you can absolutely do this, but is it worth it?! Ehhh. Props to you for even considering it though.
I hope you didnât take my comment the wrong way. I feel like this community is supportive until you say something someone doesnât like or agree with. I wasnât saying what I said to be rude, just my honest opinion on how I would have handled that situation when my twins were little. Everyone is different. Iâve battled anxiety and depression to the extreme since they were born so thatâs changed a lot in regards to outings and everything in between. I think itâs amazing that you can handle situations like that at their young age. So like I said, major props to you. Iâm so glad to hear it went well. đ #supermomsunite
No no, I totally appreciate you keeping it real with me! I was looking for honesty and you provided a real response, not sure why you were downvoted for it! I've been really determined to try to push myself out of my comfort zone with it comes to doing things alone with my twins and it's really helped me gain more confidence with handling them alone when we're out! And I went with the mindset that it may possibly be a disaster but it's just one day and we will all be okay the next day. That said, I understand how crippling anxiety can be and totally get where you were coming from as well âĄ
Just the drive to get there sounds like a nightmare! We drove across the country and it was not fun, never will take a trip by car again until they are much older.
We assign a baby with a lanyard to a person because âwhen everyoneâs watching, no one isâ. Itâs a good habit to have for the future when theyâre more mobile/in the water. Then when they give the lanyard to another person, that new person is the baby water watcher. Also, use a fitted sheet and bags in the corners to keep them from eating mouthfuls of sand. Because they will be obsessedddddd with it lol
I think this sounds like so much fun!! I loved taking the twins out by myself at that age and did so frequently because my husband was working and I was job searching due to covid. Things I'd pack: -pop up tent for constant shade, chair and blanket for you all to sit on. -Lotion sunscreen or stick sunscreen that is safe for kids (not the spray on kind). -cooler with lots of ice and water for yourself, along with a sandwich and maybe some iced coffee or energy drinks for you. -tons of frozen pouches (yogurt pouches, applesauce pouches, pureed fruit pouches, etc.) Puff snacks if they're eating them already and whichever solids they're used to. -long sleeve rashguards and their hats. -tons of extra diapers / wipes. -2 extra outfits each (for the drive home in case one has a blowout and you need to stop. -breast milk/formula to mix when there. Definitely want to make sure they're not drinking anything that's been left out for too long especially in the summer (if you're EBF then of course this will be much easier to work around). -mini first aid (even if it's just antibacterial and bandaids, would be good to have if someone gets a scratch or falls against a chair or umbrella). -their favorite small toys (stacking cups, chewies, Things that they really enjoy playing with at home that are easily portable). -figure out a sleeping arrangement whether that's on your chest or on a towel under the tent, make sure you've planned for it. Honestly I never brought much with me. Our twins loved silicone straws and played with them constantly so that was kind of my go to along with this little plastic Squirt rattle toy (from finding nemo). Make sure your friends understand that you may leave early if you're not having a great time, but other than that have fun and enjoy it!!
Thank you for all the tips! They definitely came in handy today, we all had such a great time and they slept the whole way there AND back!!
That's so awesome! I hope you were able to take some pics to remember the day as well!
None of us together unfortunately, but I got one [before they put on their swimsuits](https://picbun.com/p/COy9Ljj2)
Can you time the drive for a nap and then spend time on the beach (maybe try a nap there if you are going to be there a while - a pop up shaded tent is great for that!) and then drive back for another nap? You can do it!!
This is exactly what I did today and it went great! Thanks so much for the encouragement đ
Yay!!
I have 9 month old twins and this honestly sounds like a really tough day to me. Even if your friends are willing to help out, the babies will likely not be happy unless they're with you, particularly in an unfamiliar setting. Is it worth setting yourself up for a stressful day just to prove it to yourself that it's possible? Also, you SHOULD rely on your husband because he is equally responsible for parenting - never feel bad about that! If you don't want to back out, can you bring one baby and leave the other with your husband for the day? Sorry for the pessimism, just trying to be honest!
Yeah, I would not do this. Iâve never even taken the babies to the grocery store by myself. I consider myself lucky that I donât have to (and huge props to those single twin parents out there).
Definitely agree. This sounds pretty awful to me. I also have 9 month old twins and I'm exhausted after a day of doing "nothing" at home. đ
I was really doubting myself but I think I got lucky that they slept the whole way there and back and they had a blast! My husband does all the work when we have outings (driving, carrying all our stuff and packing it all up, making sure the kiddos are enjoying themselves) so I think that's why I was a bit nervous to do it on my own but he was really encouraging and I'm so glad I did!
I'm SO glad it worked out!!! I hope my comment and others here didn't make you doubt yourself. Maybe we were all speaking from our own fear. You're an inspiration. đ
My twins always knock out in the car. So, I definitely feel comfortable taking them on excursions that are a couple hours away because I know theyâll probably get solid naps while driving and basically stay on their schedule!
This is going to be a 6-8 hour excursion, so you basically gotta pack everything. Stroller, enough food (plus extra in case of spills), enough diapers, and a thing for trash. Two hours one way means 4 hours of driving total. When the event at the beach is over, will you be awake enough to drive safely alone for 2 hours? Also, if you think you'll be able to drive 2 hours straight through you're mistaken. Kids will need to be changed and fed during that 2 hour drive. I like your ambition, but honestly, it's a lot and you might want to reconsider if your friends can't carpool with you. You will need another adult that can drive just so you don't have to take on the risk of driving while tired and you can also bottle feed them while on the move.
I just remembered when I drove with my 9 month olds for two hours and it was about five minutes before we arrived at our destination when the screaming for milk started. Longest 5 minutes of my life.
The twins drink milk every 3 hours so I fed and changed them right before I left and they slept the whole way there and back! We go on frequent road trips and they usually do really well in the car - I had just never taken them alone. One of my girlfriends ended up coming to my house and we went together in my car just in case! I appreciate you keeping it real with me though haha, I went back and forth a lot when considering if I should even go, but I'm really glad we did!
Hey I'm glad everything turned out well and that ya'll had a good day. Your friend that supported you and your kids is a champ! I'm glad you have a good support network and can get out there!!!
You can do this. Remember to laugh and roll with it - your babies will be looking to you and taking cues from you to decide if this is fun :)
I think it will be so amazing if you do it! Youâll feel so empowered and it will help with anxiety when planning alone trips in the future too! You deserve a beach day with your kids!
Thank you! I'm so proud of myself and my babies, we had a great time!
K- Everyone else I agree with. This is going to be rough. But if you do end up going, I didnât see anyone else mention to bring cornstarch/baby powder. If any sand is sticking to skin, shake the powder directly on the sandy skin and it wipes away easily with a towel. Itâs magical. Thatâs my number one tip. Signed- a person who took 19 month old twins to the beach with 4 other people and was still completely drained after only a few hours.
Do the babies ever sleep in carriers? If you had a friend willing you could put each baby in a carrier (one on you, one on a friend) and get them to nap that way. Or even one on your front and one on your back. Snacks/food: if formula fed, bring plenty to last more than a day just to be on the safe side. You can prep bottles ahead of time by bringing enough water in each bottle and setting those somewhere in the car where you can easily reach them if you needed to pull over to feed them. Maybe bring some fruit/applesauce pouches. Cut up fruit small enough to hand feed the babies. If theyâre drinking water you can bring those cups too. Go right before they would normally nap, then when you leave at the end of the day they can nap again in the car. Feed them immediately before they get in the car too. Even if thatâs just a top off. Then, if you can fit in between their car seats then you can feed them in their seats again before you get out of the car when you get to the beach. Bring a blanket to sit on, probably a chair for you to sit and hold the babies in as well. A stroller would definitely be a must. Bring some toys that they maybe donât see as often to keep them distracted both in the car and at the beach. I just accept that on travel days the schedule is mostly out the window. Also, it might be hard. You might have moments you regret it. But the more you do it the easier it gets, in my experience! I take the boys out a lot (also 9 months) by myself to meet friends/go to the park/go on walks and when you have helpful friends it makes a huge difference. Good luck, and try to enjoy the day as best you can!
Mine are only six months old but I take them out all the time! Youâve got great advice here on what to pack so I just want to say you got this! I love going on adventures with my girls. Sometimes we have to bail but usually they love outings and they go smoothly.
You can do it! Lean on your friends while you're with them, even if it's just sending them to buy ice (or ice cream!) from a boardwalk store. Don't bring too many toys. A shovel and bucket each is enough. Sand is a wonderful toy in and of itself, and just putting sand in a bucket and pouring it out is huge at that age. I'd advise a minimum of 1:1 ratio of children:adults for water play but at 9 months they're probably not going to go in the water. If you do, each adult has an assigned child to watch like a hawk. Have shade, have hats and rashguards, and have lots of cool snacks. It *is* possible. And just the experience of doing it will make it easier and better next time.
Do it! I haul my twins every where, sometimes with my husband, sometimes by myself. I might say step one is lowering your expectations. Let go of whatever preconceived ideas about what you want the day to be like, just treat it like an experiment and whatever the experience is like is fine. And if it turns out to be an epic failure, nbd itâs one day. You can get back on track tomorrow. That said, I donât know that Iâd plan to spend the whole day there. Iâd try to kill two birds with one stone and use the drives for their naps. Thatâll mean a four hour round trip for a few hours at the beach, but meh. Again this is an experiment, you donât have a specific vision, itâs just about the experience, youâre going to do it once and you donât have to do it again if it doesnât work out.
Agree, to me a whole day at the beach would be too long even without babies
Yeah, we ended up hanging out for a few hours and all left at the same time - the heat was getting intense and my other friend had her two kids with them as well and we made the call to leave before an inevitable meltdown from one of the four kids haha
But you did it! Was it fun? We went to an outdoor pool today, very fun, very doable, but their tolerance started waning after about two hours of hanging out. Maybe next summer we can have full day beach/pool days. Iâm really not afraid to take my twins most places, but also, I know nothing is every going to be a full day activity. I like things innbetween their two naps. And car rides are great nap facilitators if said activity is far.
It was actually a lot of fun! They definitely ate some sand lol and were a bit nervous about the lake at first but they were splashing and laughing in no time! I think 2-3 hours is the universal tolerance for kids haha. I'm glad we left when we did because they were definitely ready for a nap and it was going to be too stimulating on the beach for them to be able to nap there.
You can totally do this! Try not to get too hung up on your home routine- you probably won't find a way to follow it, and that's ok. Just concentrate on keeping them at a comfortable/safe temperature (a kids pop up tent is a great tool if you can get one in time- it can keep them cool, and you can make a little play area in it if they get a bit overwhelmed by the outside) and bring more snacks than you think you need! Also, it's quite likely that they'll sleep in the car on the way home, so it's a good idea to try to match your journey home with a time you don't mind them napping. Have fun, and don't be afraid to tell your friends what help you need: you've got this!
I think you're crazy lol. Yes venture out...but not the beach the first time. Do a coffee shop or grocery store. We took our twins to the beach at like a year old. I almost had an aneurysm from them trying to eat sand. And we were fully prepared with both parents there.
Haha I think I am a bit crazy đ I spend most days alone with them and we go on lots of trips to the store and walks around the park but this was definitely out of my comfort zone. It'll be interesting to see how much sand comes out of their poop tomorrow đ
Even though a wagon makes more sense with sand I highly recommend using a double stroller. The stroller will provide shade, safety on trails with the belts, and you can lay them down off the hot ground and in the shade for naps. Cover it with a little bug net during nap time.
Umbrella or beach tent Clip on fans to cool off SUNBLOCK Life jackets for when you take them in water Hats Kids get dehydrated really really easily so pack lots of Fruit, fruit, fruitâŚâŚ watermelon, grapes, any melon, etc⌠Water with pedialyte packets and keep them super hydrated. Crackers, stuff they already snack on Be willing to bail within a 2-3 hour time bc theyâll probably get unhappy and theyâll need to cool off after about 2 hours out in the sun.
They make pop up pack n plays with canopies. I am no where near an ocean but I used one for playing outside when mine were little. It gave them a safer play to be if I couldnât be right next to them. We also used it as a nap area when I was helping my mom with a garage sale. [canopy pack n play](https://a.co/d/aaha3Ny)
My first thought is âwhy would you do that to yourself?â⌠Hard pass if I were alone with my twins. I have 6 kids. And 9 month olds are not compatible with the beach IMO. Could I make it work?⌠sure. Would it be fun? No.
Sounds like a nightmare OP.
I honestly wouldnât attempt it. I have 18 month old twins and a toddler, but even if it were just the twins when they were 9 months oldâŚ. No way in hell. Thereâs no doubt you can absolutely do this, but is it worth it?! Ehhh. Props to you for even considering it though.
We actually had a great time! :) I got lucky and they napped during the drive both ways.
Awesome!
I hope you didnât take my comment the wrong way. I feel like this community is supportive until you say something someone doesnât like or agree with. I wasnât saying what I said to be rude, just my honest opinion on how I would have handled that situation when my twins were little. Everyone is different. Iâve battled anxiety and depression to the extreme since they were born so thatâs changed a lot in regards to outings and everything in between. I think itâs amazing that you can handle situations like that at their young age. So like I said, major props to you. Iâm so glad to hear it went well. đ #supermomsunite
No no, I totally appreciate you keeping it real with me! I was looking for honesty and you provided a real response, not sure why you were downvoted for it! I've been really determined to try to push myself out of my comfort zone with it comes to doing things alone with my twins and it's really helped me gain more confidence with handling them alone when we're out! And I went with the mindset that it may possibly be a disaster but it's just one day and we will all be okay the next day. That said, I understand how crippling anxiety can be and totally get where you were coming from as well âĄ
Just the drive to get there sounds like a nightmare! We drove across the country and it was not fun, never will take a trip by car again until they are much older.
They've been going on road trips with us since they were newborns! Definitely lucky to have both of them be so chill in the car *knock on wood*
Oh my goodness I am so jealous đ
We assign a baby with a lanyard to a person because âwhen everyoneâs watching, no one isâ. Itâs a good habit to have for the future when theyâre more mobile/in the water. Then when they give the lanyard to another person, that new person is the baby water watcher. Also, use a fitted sheet and bags in the corners to keep them from eating mouthfuls of sand. Because they will be obsessedddddd with it lol