What product (if any) are you protecting your baby from the sun with??

[Ldavis24]

I don't mean to start a debate as to the pros and cons of sun block vs. no sun block on babies (or adults for that matter). I just want to know what everyone is using!

What I do know is that my DD is extremely fair skinned and got a sun burn when we were at the beach the other day. Only on her arms thankfully, but we were in the shade a lot. We only were out of the shade when we were out walking the tidal flats with her. We didn't put anything on her because I am generally not thrilled with the idea of lathering her up with sun block or any chemicals and I honestly didn't think she was getting that much sun. I don't even use soap on her when she gets her baths. I rarely use sun block myself but I am an adult and I at least have the choice to make my own bed and lay in it.

DD obviously needs protection from the sun so this doesn't happen again. I haven't stopped berating myself for being so stupid and DH keeps telling me to stop whipping myself over it but I won't until I have the solution to the problem.

I want to buy her something but I cannot figure out the least chemically processed, most natural sun screen I can get. Someone mentioned California Babies is good but before I run out and get some I wanted to know what everyone else is doing for the kiddies!!

Sooooo what kind of sun screen are you using on your baby this summer?!

[texmati]

I really want suggestions on this as well. the heat here is just awful, and both ds and I get so red!

[Chamomile Girl]

You're going to get a lot of California Baby recs here...but that is not what I use lol! I use Badger Balm 30. It is pure awesomeness.

[red and lulu]

I just started using the California Babies-- it doesn't have any icky extras and I love that they provide explanations of the lesser known ingredients right on the bottle.

[Drummer's Wife]

We love California Baby - and it works. Also, rash guards, sun hats, and shade.

[Xavismom]

California baby here too. Bonus is that I LOVE the smell of it on DS. I also keep a hat on him, especially now that all his newborn hair is falling out I use the tail of our ring sling when he's in it to shade him sometimes.

[lisalu100]

Badger, but soem mums I know just use Titanium Dioxide powder, and use a large make-up brush to dust it on their dc

[4Blessings]

Hats and long sleeves. I try to keep her out of the sun as much as possible. I picked up a bunch of lightweight longsleeve tees at the thrift store.

I'm not a fan of chemicals on babies at all. With my older children I was able to avoid using sunscreen until after age 1. My second child did get a sunburn when he was two months old when grandma was watching him for a few hours.
I remember how sad I was about it. s

[Alisse]

We have an umbrella with us everywhere we go and he wears long-sleeves when he can. I may apply some sunblock to the back of his hands and his calves+feet.

[mkksmom]

I have California Babies right now. Go check out the EWG Report and you can see the ratings for each brand. That's how I decide. I agree with you about the chemicals, but I think sunburn is worse, so I suck it up and put it on my kids and myself. I also do big floppy sunhats and bathing suits with sleeves and the pop-up tent on the beach. I wait until around 4 or so to take little babes on the beach and we head to the pool around here right after dinner to avoid the sun about 75% of the time.


EWG:
http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/wor...uery=sunscreen

[CalaRei]

We're going to buy some long sleeved swim shirts for summer and we use floppy hats a lot, but I've also got a tube of Johnson & Johnson (*gasp*, I know) that is titanium dioxide based and fragrance free and I feel is creamier than the other options, which always feel like buttering molasses onto your skin to me. So that's what I've been using.

[Ldavis24]

thanks for the link mkksmom!
I am going to check it out and show DH too so he can tell me what he thinks.

My MIL bought a tub of bullfrog sun block and insect repellent (not the kids version) and was like "why can't you use that??" I then went on to explain how it was way to strong etc... she just rolled her eyes at me for being that crazy hippy mom who has to have everything "natural"...Sigh.

I am definitely going to get some rash guards or something like that. If anyone has any good clothing suggestions I would love to here those too!

[Mama Khi]

DD hates hats, so I just put CA Baby on her head and carry an umbrella to us as shade. I also keep her in long sleeves and light pants.

[noobmom]

Definitely avoid the sunscreen + insect repellent. You need to reapply sunblock much more frequently than the repellent so if you use that stuff you'll be overexposing your baby to the ingredients in the repellent. I don't know anything about the Bullfrog brand, but you can always use that line of reasoning with your mom.

[FillingMyQuiver]

My LO isn't a babe anymore, but I'm going to answer anyway.

We use Mexitan products.

They get good ratings on EWG, go on really well (not greasy at all), and protect great. We went to FL 3yrs ago and were at the pool, Disney, etc at high sun exposure times and my fair skinned babes got hardly any color. I was sure to reapply every 2hrs and after prolonged water time. In fact, I remember people commenting on how could we got to FL and my children come back without tans

We also use the bug spray from Mexitan. It's primarily a mix of essential oils and it works great for us (we live in a marshy area and my parents live in the woods, lots of mosquitoes and other buggies). And since they're separate products, we don't run into the problem a pp mentioned of overexposure.

[Kelly1101]

Originally Posted by Proud2BeAnAmerican

Hats and long sleeves.

You must have chilly summers!


It gets regularly over 90 degrees every day here in the summer. If I put her in long sleeves she'd have a heat stroke-- really so far it's been a lot of "T-shirt and diaper, sometimes sans T-shirt". I do try to keep a hat on her head to protect the scalp, but sunscreen her up the rest of the time-- if I didn't we could never go outside.

I use California Baby, too.

[Nicole730]

We use hats and sunglasses and long sleeves, rash guard, etc... when possible.

I have some Earth's Best sunscreen. It ranks a 2 on the cosmetic database. I haven't used it on DD, yet, but I have a DS a few times this year. Myself too. Seems to work well. It is a lot harder to rub in than the more mainstream sunscreens.

[Happiestever]

I only use sunscreen if we are heading to the beach and plan to stay for more than 30 minutes. I am looking to try some California baby as well, since I hear so many rave reviews. But everytime I go to the store I can never find it. I think I will just order some online in a bit.

[MaryMarg]

We've used California Baby on our very fair red-heads for a few years, but been recently concerned regarding the non-nano vs. nano debates on zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. After referencing EWG's site, I purchased "Loving Naturals" sunscreen (lovingnaturals.com). Haven't used it yet, but tried a test-patch today on DD and DS with no adverse reactions. Price is LOTS more reasonable than CA Baby (2oz 9.99 vs. CA Baby 2 oz ~$20). Think it's going to show up pretty white/pasty, however, because the zinc is non-nano. I just hope it works!! Coolibar also sells some good hats that we use every summer.

[OurGift]

I have used Cal Baby soap on 10mo old DS maybe 5 times. He is very fair skinned and lives to go outside. He is outside daily 2-3-4 hours a day. Im in So Cal so the first time we got really bright sun/hot weather he got a sunburn on the back of his shoulders.

What I do since is have a (tight weave) straw hat tied to his head at all times outside--he got used to it after a couple of hours. I have him in a short sleeved t-shirt--at all times. I also have those UV blocking rashguard shirts and outfits instead of regular tees that I use also.Then I have a ton of BabyLegs that never made it on his legs, but they are wonderful sunblocking sleeves. He wears shorts (he's usually diaperless outside ) that go right above/below his knees and his legs are vertical so we haven't seen any burn on his legs.

As far as how hot is (once again, i'm in So Cal), we always have a sprinker going for him that he loves to walk through, or his pool, or a muddy bucket, he loves to play in the water holes/basins for our trees, he loves to play in the mud, he loves to water our trees and grass, step in puddles, etc. He'll get some of his t-shirt, shorts and BabyLegs wet, so he is always a little wet and very comfortable/cool.

It does call for a lot of clothes washing, I put a laundry hamper outside to strip him, throw the clothes in. I have changes of clothes right inside the door. He gets bathed in the sink when we come in. It is just too much work/water-waste to bathe him 3 times a day in the bathtub. The extra laundry and sink-bathing is worth it though, he loves it so much outside and he seems to be learning a lot out there.

I have been considering putting sunblock on the tops of his hands as they are getting some color. The Mexitan products that a PP linked to above looked promising and a couple others that were mentioned here. I mean, if I put it just on the top of his hands that can't be too bad, right?

Good luck mama!