Help! Sun cream on babies?

[HollyWell]

Hello - first time mum here - do you put sun cream on newborn babies? My DS is 8 weeks old and obviously I keep him out of direct sunlight but should I be putting sun cream on him as well? Trusty google says not until they’re 6 months - is this right?

No definitely not for newborns. It's too strong for their delicate skin.

Stay indoors during the hottest part of the day and keep him in the shade otherwise.

Also beware that a muslin cloth or similar over the pram will trap heat like a greenhouse, it doesn't act as a shade. You need a proper UV shade for that.

No suncream on tiny babies. You need to keep them in the shade. (I suspect, although I have no evidence whatsoever to back this up, that the guidance may be at least partly intended to stop people from relying on suncream which may not offer enough protection/be well enough applied/be reapplied often enough - it's a more nuanced thing than being in the shade, which you either are or you aren't).

I spent most of last summer dashing a small baby from one patch of shade to another; I eventually got a 'Zamboo' shade that went over his pram while still letting plenty of air flow in, and that really helped.