Amy is a good friend of mine, a previous room-mate, and now, a fellow mom. Before we became parents, our summer weekends were filled with “wild” cottage parties. Now, we go to the cottage to RELAX! Or at least we try… In order to help us relax, we need to ensure our kids our comfortable, safe and entertained. That is why Amy put together a list of what she believes are must-have items to bring when traveling with baby to the cottage. Whether you’re a new or seasoned cottager, hopefully you will find this list useful.
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COTTAGE BABY ESSENTIALS ‘SURVIVAL KIT’
Dock, beer, suntan, swim, campfire, sleep and repeat...This is how I love to spend my time at the cottage. Cottage life IS the life as far as I’m concerned. And then our babe arrived. AND IT ALL CHANGED. Bugs, sunburns and naptimes have all but consumed our otherwise peaceful cottage existence. I trust Dr. Google for almost anything, but when I searched for ‘cottage baby essentials’, I was left empty and sad.
I’ve taken some time to source out some ‘must have’ cottage essentials that will restore your serene cottage life with infant in tow.
NAP TIME! Enjoy the dock while watching your babe sleep peacefully in the cottage. This beauty allows you view up to 400 feet away and is equipped with a two-way voice function as well as zooming capabilities. *Note: while the unit is reliable, nap times are not.
Bug Netting
Let your little one play in the fresh air without the irritation of the bugs biting their flawless baby skin. This cheap multifunctional netting fits over your pack n’ play as well as a bassinet, stroller and more.
Drown out the serene sounds of nature with a noise machine?! Absolutely, if you want to do anything other than sleep when your baby does. Cottages are typically small open spaces, which allow any and all sounds to carry. Floors creak, doors slam and board games get rowdy. Turn up the noise machine and stop tiptoeing around. This white noise machine has the ability to play continuously or on a timer. The built in night light is also handy. 
We’ve all wished we could stuff our magical exersaucer in a bag and take it with us wherever we go. Now you can! The Go-Pod is a lightweight portable activity seat that folds compactly and stores easily. Because it is made from canvas, it’s durable, easy to clean and perfect for both indoor and outdoor use.
This is a fun water accessory that will keep your baby happily entertained in the water and provide sun protection.
Babies cannot swim. Babies love attempting to leap head first into the water. Enough said! The Salus Marine Bijoux’s baby life jacket is a one-piece front design, which ensures that the baby will turn face up from a face forward position.
Sunshade tents protect your baby from the sun’s harmful rays, zip up to keep bugs out and keep crawling toddlers safely contained. This tent provides a great protected play area, and can double as a napping station.
Babies’ skin can burn in less than 15 minutes. The more protection you put between them and the sun, the better. This swimsuit provides full sleeve coverage as well as UPF 50+ to protect their skin from the sun.
***MOST of these items can be purchased second hand for half of the price ….Save the environment and a few $$$ ***
Do you have anything else to add to the list?