It is recommended that babies don’t have sunscreen applied to their skin until they are older than six months. Depending on the season, this could make for a very tricky first six months! So how do we protect our soft and delicately skinned babies from getting sunburned?
Keep Out of Sun
Little Unicorn
I promise I realize this is a lot easier said than done. But truly, it’s the number one recommendation to ensure their safety – especially between the hours of 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. when the sun is at its most dangerous position. Indoors, shaded areas, or under a light
blanket or car seat cover are great places for your baby to take shelter. But let me put an emphasis on the word LIGHT. Items like a
Little Unicorn Swaddle or a lightly colored
Nursing Goods Nursing Cover are good options. They wont completely heat up your baby’s
car seat or
stroller, but they’ll keep the sun off of them! Please don’t forget to watch for signs of overheating! And do stay inside as much as possible.
Proper Clothing
i Play Flap Sun Hat - 0-6M
If inside or shaded areas aren’t an option, there are plenty of
clothing options to help protect your baby from unwanted sun exposure.
Sun hats are a great one, especially for little bald heads! They keep the sun off of the scalp, neck, and a good portion of the face, which is a great place to start. Assuming it’s not a ridiculously hot temperature outside, small newborns are probably better off wearing long-sleeved
shirts and pants for added sun protection. Don’t forget about those little piggies that often stick out of a blanket or car seat cover,
socks or
shoes are recommended also!
Quality Sunscreen When Able
Sun Bum
Fast forward to your baby’s six-month birthday and
sunscreen is now an option –-put it on and put it on often!
Sun Bum has fantastic sunscreen options for young ones, my favorite being the
sunscreen stick because it’s perfect for faces with little-to-no sunscreen-in-the-eye issues. If water and
towel drying are involved, it should be reapplied every 80 minutes. If water is not getting on your baby’s skin, it should still be reapplied at least every 2 hours.
If a sunburn should occur on a newborn, then apply cool compresses, give acetaminophen if needed, and keep them out of the sun until the sunburn has healed completely. Fun in the sun is a great luxury of life, but only when we put safety first! Taking precautions against the hazardous sun is important for EVERYBODY, but especially young babes. Be safe out there! And enjoy the sunshine!
