Cuisinart & Family
April 24, 2007 |
With the advent of spring,
thoughts turn to warmer weather and basking in the sunshine. But with baby in
tow, sun exposure can be treacherous business. It takes no time at all for the sun
to singe delicate baby skin. And all it takes is one sunburn to risk
dehydration, or even skin cancer.
Here are some tips to help you
protect your baby from that ball of fire in the sky:
· Keep your baby out of the sun completely until
they are at least 6 months old, when it's safe to use sunscreen. Cover them up
with a wide brimmed hat, a stroller blanket or an attachable shade extension to
the stroller hood. Be sure to cover any exposed skin -- even if it's cloudy!
·
Generously apply sunscreen with at least 15 SPF (sun
protection factor) - no matter the season - when your baby reaches 6 months of
age.
·
Sunscreens with ingredients like zinc oxide and
titanium dioxide are gentle choices for babies, because they aren't absorbed
into baby's skin and don't usually cause skin irritation.
·
Before slathering sunscreen all over, test a
small amount of sunscreen on baby's arm to check for an irritating reaction.
·
Slather on sunscreen at least a half hour before
heading out into the sun. Don't miss any exposed spots!
· Be
sure to reapply sunscreen generously every two hours, even if it's waterproof.
· Sunscreen
ingredients expire yearly, so make sure to keep a fresh supply in your medicine
chest.
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