Sunburn!! :(

[SilverFish]

argh! parent fail!

i took my 3 month old out to the botanical gardens today. when we left it was cool, overcast and a bit rainy, and she was wrapped up in her stretchy wrap. of course, within 1/2 hr of arriving, it got blazing hot and sunny. and where was her sun hat? back at home....

of course, she's been getting really alert and interested in the world lately, so unlike before when she'd konk out within a few minutes of being wrapped and i could easily slide the side up over her head, she kept on trying to break free and look around. i did the best i could to keep her shaded and ended up cutting the trip pretty short, but one side of her face is a bit pink now.

i think that's as bad as it'll get, but i feel terrible! we did have sunscreen with us, but i know you're not "supposed" to put sunscreen on babies under 6 months. would it be better to put sunscreen on than to get a bit burned if you don't have another option?

i think i'm going to have to invest in a few more sunhats and just keep them stashed everywhere so we never are without!

[belltree]

I haven't put any sunscreen on our 7month old. Sunhats, light but longsleeved clothing for trips to the beach (we live a 2min walk from the water), I have even used sunbrellas for me and the babe.

Things like that happen. It is not great, but part of being a parent is learning how to deal with mistakes.

[RiverandJulie]

You arent supposed to put sunscreen on babies under 6 months for 2 reasons. They havent tested it on babies under 6 months, because they are not allowed to do tests on babies under 6 months. (Ever notice all directions say "under 6 mos: Ask your physician)
Also, sunscreen makes us feel better about having babies out in the sun, when really they should be shaded.
So, a lot of DR's will say it is ok to put baby sunscreen on an under 6 month old.
So, yeah, covering up is better, but in that situation, I would put sunscreen on the baby.
But, one little sunburn is ok, wont hurt him.

[2boyzmama]

It's alright mama, what's done is done, and you certainly didn't do it intentionally, you know? I also have been caught in the exact situation, it's overcast and cool when we leave, then suddenly the sun is full-bore, and no shade in sight. Inevitable sun burn.

FWIW, we lived near the equator when my first was born, it was impossible to keep him out of the sun. We did hats, umbrellas, long sleeves (which was hard with 100% humidity we often had, it was the tropics, truly miserable hot). And yet he still got a little pink from time to time. I did put sun screen on him before 6 months, sometimes it was impossible to keep him out of the sun, and I'd rather deal with the potential side effects of sunscreen than sunburn. My opinion anyway.

You can research types of sun screen, some are chemical based, some are barrier.

[Nicole730]

Hugs to you...I know how you feel. I accidently got DD a little bit burnt when she was only a couple weeks old. It was in the 60s, mostly cloudy, and I had her face up on a blanekt while I ate...oops. I felt soooo bad. DS hasn't been burnt yet at all.

I know I will use sunscreen on DD this summer. I'd rather put that on her at the beach, than risk her getting burnt. I bought Earth's Best, it's like a '3' I think on the Cosmetic Database. There is a Badger brand of sunscreen that has a low rating also.

My ped told us the reason is says ask your doctor is because you really shouldn't have children under 6 months in the sun, but that is unavoidable sometimes. He said it's okay to use it once in awhile.

[SilverFish]

thanks guys! you made me feel much better. turns out it was the slightest of burns... totally gone by the next morning, and not on her scalp at all, just her cheek. but it was a bit of a wake-up call in terms of what i need to be doing this summer. a) i really need giant floppy hats carried around with me all the time, and b) i probably need a stroller for those hot days when we're out and about... a carrier is really warm, and it's too hard to keep her totally shaded.