Newborn sun protection

[Teapig]

I need some advice on how to protect my one month old DD from the sun. I keep her in the shade and have her pram cover up and a muslin up whenever go out but is this enough?

I know UV rays can bounce off things and so I wonder whether being in the shade enough. I don't drive so the reality is I must take her out in the pram when it's sunny to avoid being housebound. Also we have a family picnic coming up and other keeping her in the shade I don't know what to do.

She has a newborn skin rash at the moment which the doctor said was harmless but I'm worried that even being in the shade might make it worse. At the same being housebound doesn't seem either healthy or practical.

Any advice would be great. Thanks very much!

Uv rays can bounce off things, but as long as she's in the shade, the intensity that she's exposed to w

You are doingthe right thing...Get a pram umbrella that you can bend round so that she stays in the shade, at the picnic if its hot maybe use a uv tent if you think there is no natural shade or its gping to be hard to keep the pram in the shade.
My dd2 was 5 mths when we hit summer ( hot and humid). I used a cotton sheet buggy liner and had a UV hood on my buggy which let the air pass but not the rays.. At 5 mths I put sunscreen on her toes.

However I was told not to put sunscreen on DD1 when she was a baby at all and just to try to keep her in the shade.

I always found any sun creams seemed to clog baby's pores and they got a heat rash instead, so this would make her rash worse' keeping them in the shade is the best option let and the air get to her skin.

Advice is to keep babies out of the sun til 6 months. I have a 4 mo and I'm not worrying about ordinary English overcast daylight. I figure its more beneficial for her to have fresh spring air than to keep her indoors out of fear of the rays.

Common sense. DD is 4 months old but i also have a toddler that loves being outside so it is impossible to avoid entirely. However, as much as possible i avoid the midday sun, i have a uv hood for the buggy, i have bought a uv tent for the garden/beach and both have sun hats. I tend to always dress them in long sleeves etc and when looking for shade i aim for solid shade (e.g. from a building) instead of under a tree when sun could get through. I am probably a bit over the top, but i burn very easily and i lost an uncle to skin cancer so i am very aware of the dangers.

Oh and i agree no suncream for babies and i also limit use for my toddler as much as possible.

Sorry
Won't be any stronger than on an average day. The muslin over the pram is a good idea although something dark might be even better. I used a big darkish coloured but lightweight scarf. For the picnic, can you make sure she's in the shade of a tree or something? Put a sunhat on her and dress her in something in light cotton that covers her arms and legs and she'll be fine. I think it's important to take her out in something that keeps her cool and covered, so that you can enjoy yourself without worrying about her.

Shade is the only recommended way for newborns. No sunscreen before 6mo. Ds has an allergy to sunscreen and his dermatologist said nothing before 1yo. You and your baby need some exposure to sunlight. Vitamin D deficiency has been in the news recently. The best way to get this is sunlight.

I personally think the whole sunscreen thing has gone too far in the opposite direction. Yes it's important to protect, but not so much that we aren't getting any exposure. Cases of rickets has gone through the roof. Lets face it we hardly live in the Sahara! Try not to panic, you seem to be doing everything I would recommend.

Thanks so much for taking the time to post, the advice is much appreciated and makes me feel more confident. Thanks everyone!

I find the muslin flaps about and falls off, even with clothes pegs. A fitted cot sheet stretched over the buggy works really well. Babies often don't like bright light, so even when awake prefer being completely covered. You can get special uv net things too, and extra dark ones to help them sleep, there's one called shade-a-babe and one called snooze- somethingorother. Check out kiddicare and Jo Jo maman et bebe.