I never really registered that Midlothian was land-locked until the pandemic and the travel restrictions meant that we were to remain within our local authority. Midlothian has so much to offer, but there’s no beach! As the saying goes, you never truly appreciate what you’ve got til it’s gone – and I shall certainly never take our trips to the beach for granted again! In fact, I missed the sea so much during Lockdown that one day in June 2020 I laced up my trainers and ran all the way to Portobello just to splash my hands in salty water – yep, that was a round trip of 18miles!!

Beach Babies sessions are now available to book!

Forest Babies session have been such a success (thank you) and I absolutely love these classes. It seemed only natural that we take the idea to the beach. After floating (pun intended!) the idea with some of my Forest Babies regulars and working out logistics like carparking and tides, Beach Babies was launched this July.

There are (obviously!) many similarities with Forest Babies. A Baby Wearing walk is an important part. Baby Wearing is a lovely opportunity to further connect with your baby. Also, have you ever tried to push a buggy on sand?!!? Remember, I am a Baby Wearing Peer Supporter and will endeavour to answer any sling and carrying related questions you may have.

In our outdoor classes, we always settle somewhere for some Baby Yoga together. Everything is adaptable depending on the age of the babies (3-18months welcome), whether the babies are awake or asleep and what mood everyone is in. And Baby Yoga is brilliant for lots of different reasons – but that’s on another blog! Nature art and mindfulness are also fundamental aspects of Beach Babies. We can all switch off and absorb as much of nature as possible to truly benefit from our time outdoors.

In Beach Babies, we take our shoes off – because it’s the beach so why wouldn’t we? But, of course, there is some science behind everything I do, including inviting parents and babies to go bare foot. Sebastian Kneipp first documented the benefits of walking bare foot in the 1900s. Since then, there’s been more rigorous research that has concluded that bare feet walking stimulates the cardio-vascular system, lowers blood pressure and boosts the immune system. And we can paddle in the sea too!

A wee mention about the weather:  please note that these classes may be cancelled due to poor weather, namely high winds or rain.  Safety and comfort come first!

Beach Babies sessions run during summer months meeting near the Fish and Chip van in the car park at Longniddry Bents No 3. You will need to pay (sorry!) £2.50 for parking and this is not included in your ticket price. Book now!