sunscreen, bug sprays, and what to do, oh my!

[lellian]

Mamas,

It's almost summer! What do you use on your babies? I have a 4 month old, and just bought some California Baby sunscreen, but what to do about bugs?!?

What's safe?!?

TIA

[mkksmom]

I bought California babies for both. I haven't tried the bug spray yet, though. I buy long sleeve bathing suit tops and big floppy sunhats and avoid the sun during the heat of the day most days. There are times when we are out most of the day, but I still try to find shade and take breaks indoors. I have a mesh shower cap style cover for the stroller and car seat because mosquitoes around here are terrible. You get attacked just going from the car to the house sometimes. I don't like the chemicals, but the diseases are scary too.

[Friendlee]

I've heard good things about the Badger brand. It's organic, people say it smells nice. I plan to order the sunscreen lotion, face stick and bug repellant next week.

[YayJennie]

I'm pretty anti-sunscreen and bug spray. I tend to stay out of prime time, noon day sun, and if we are out for an extended time, I put my babe in long sleeve shirts and pants. I don't mind him getting a little sun (for the vitamin D), but for the most part, we stay in the shade and wear clothes instead of chemicals. Works for us.

[mamadelbosque]

We don't do sunscreen except when we're going to be at the beach or something all day.. otherwise, I'm of the opinion that sunscreen does more harm (by keeping you from making vitamin d) than good. We all end up with nice tans by june just from being outside working in the gardens and playing and I just don't worry too much about the sun.

As for bug spray... we live in the woods, and don't use it, ever really. I swear that people who do use it (or are just not outside where there are lots of bugs w/o it on regulary) smell different, and attract more bugs... because when we have friends from pittsburg and canton and such down, they get eaten alive... and we just generally don't. Oh, you get bit every now and then, but nothing crazy.

[Drummer's Wife]

CA baby has a bug repellant, right? I might try that if I lived somewhere with a lot of bugs. I never really worried about it, to be honest.

[Friendlee]

Oh and I just wanted to add that I agree with the PP's about not really needing sunscreen. I like to have it around for certain ocassions, but it should sit on the skin, not rub in and absorb. A moderate amount of sun is not a bad thing. Unfortunately, the heat is dangerous where I live and long sleeves are not an option - we would die. But mostly, we stay in the shade and limit the time in the sun since baby's skin is so delicate. That's the best option. However, if I were going to the zoo or a park and found myself in a situation where we couldn't find shade or we had to wait in an unsheltered line for an extended period of time or the sun was hitting her just so in her stroller, I would want it on hand. I'm definitely not going to be wearing my baby in 90+ degree heat with a heat index of over 100 and full humidity. I'd like to just not go outside on those days...but after being cooped up all winter, I like to be outside a lot to combat my cabin fever! I wish I didn't live in an area that had that hot weather for weeks and weeks on end. Someday I'll move.

[maddymama]

http://www.californiababy.com/citron...on-2-9-oz.html
It's CB bug repellent and sunscreen in one. I loved it bc the bug repellent didn't washoff right when my kiddos jumped in the pool. ;-)
~maddymama

[JessieBird]

Our blackflies arrived last week and the mosquitoes were out in earnest for the first time tonight. Ugh.

I make my own "bug dope" out of water with a few drops of citronella oil and a few drops of lemongrass oil. I shake it up in a travel size hairspray bottle. I find it works really well and I think it's the same recipe as lots of the natural bug sprays you can buy (like Burt's Bees). Bugs don't go for me too much but my husband gets eaten alive and even he has made the switch from deet products to my stuff!

[zamia7]

California Baby bugspray works GREAT and the bugs lve me. it even worked when i was prggo

[luchadora13]

My DS is 5 mos., and I had recently been wondering the same thing. Based on some looking around forums and reviews, I had decided on California Baby products. Haven't tried them yet. From what I can tell, it is best to wait until their at least 6 mos. old before using these products.