Baby

Protecting baby from the sun

July 9, 2018

Sunshine is good for us all! Even for a baby! But in very small doses and by small doses, we mean less than 5 minutes. Your baby’s skin is very delicate and in only 15 minutes, the sensitive skin could burn.

If you expose your babies' hands, feet, and face for 5 minutes each day, they will get all the necessary vitamin D to keep their bones and teeth healthy. You should always apply sunscreen before going out in the sun, even for two minutes! Your baby’s skin is very delicate! It only takes 15 minutes to burn a baby's skin. 

Duration
  • Babies under 1 year should not be exposed to the sun at all. Their skin is too thin and their tolerance to the sun as well as to chemicals is very low or absent. 
  • After 6 months, you can expose your baby to the sun less than 10 minutes each day and never between 10:00am and 3:00pm. The sunrays would be too powerful. 
  • Because the clouds cannot stop ultraviolet rays, apply sunscreen even on cloudy days.
Sunscreen
  • You can use baby sunscreen. Check the ingredients! No perfume, no alcohol! Use a SPF 30 or more, lotion that protects against both UVA and UVB.  
  • Apply generously 30 minutes before going out to give your sunscreen enough time to penetrate the skin. Don’t forget the neck, ears and the top of their feet!  
  • Reapply lotion every two hours.
Clothing
  • It would be better to cover up your baby’s fragile skin but not in heavy clothing in the middle of summer… Choose a light shirt, baggy cotton trousers and a hat with a brim that’s wide enough to shade their face. That’s the ideal outfit! 
  • You can also slightly wet their clothing if the weather is unbearably hot.
Sunglasses
  • Be careful! You can be tempted to buy cheap sunglasses but it’s better to pay a little bit more and to get proper eye protection for your baby. 
  • Children clothing boutiques sell higher end sunglasses. They cost between 10$ and 20$ but they are worth it. 
Water

A baby dehydrates really quickly! If you are breastfeeding, give them the breast more often when the weather is really hot. If they drink formula bottles, offer them water (after six months).  

Remember that the sun is stronger around reflective surfaces such as water and concrete. It must be taken into account when assessing the exposure length and lotion application. Always remember that applying too much is better than not enough!

Image de Sonia Cosentino
To know more
Choosing a good sunscreen

During the summer, we spend a lot of time outside and we are constantly exposed to the sun’s harmful rays. Here is a list of our favorite sunscreens to protect the whole family!

Treating sunburn

With summer upon us, we are all looking forward to being able to enjoy the sun and good weather! But be careful, you must be wary of sunburns, especially for your little ones!

Understanding sunscreens

There are so many sunscreens on the market that we don’t know how to choose! That is because we don’t know which criteria should guide our choice. Let’s take a look!

Useful accessories to protect them from the sun

It is a known fact that young kids have fragile skin that can be sensitive to sun exposure and we need to take precautions to protect it. Here is a list of useful accessories that will help you!


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