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Parenting

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Original poster

Suncream on newborn's face?

32 replies

PurpleCurtain · 15/09/2021 15:17

Seems to be lots of conflicting advice about suncream and newborns - so I'm still confused about whether I should be putting suncream on my newborn's face every time we go out in the pram? I try to keep him in the shade during our walks/ errands but there isn't always shade guaranteed as it's quite open where I live, and the pram hood has some mesh side panels that I'm sure do let a fair bit of sunlight onto his face. The rest of him is usually covered or coverable with a muslin.
I do have some sun cream but havent used it as the bottle and my doctor advise not to use before 6 months, so I'm puzzled about whether these 20 minute walks with him in pram and no sun cream are ok or if I should be applying some to his face/head!

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Garman · 15/09/2021 15:20

Is it constantly sunny where you live? You don't put suncream on babies under 6 months, if you can't keep them in the shade put a hat on them. If it's just for a brief moment while you change direction etc hold a muslin/cotton blanket over the buggy to provide shade. A bit of sunshine through a mesh panel for a few seconds won't do any harm, I'd prefer a bit of sun on their skin (provided it wasn't scorching hot summer sun) than suncream.

dudoubleddoubleda · 15/09/2021 15:21

Your baby will be fine without sun cream, assuming you are in the uk and not leaving him in direct bright sun light for long periods of time. A little sun will let him make vitamin d which is good for his immune system.

JazzerMcCreary · 15/09/2021 15:23

As above. Some sunlight is beneficial and baby skin is very sensitive.

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doadeer · 15/09/2021 15:24

Oh I put sun cream on my little one before 6 months, didn't realise you couldn't? He is mixed ethnicity and his skin tans very easily so I wanted to protect it

Dinosworeatus · 15/09/2021 15:25

Shade not cream.
Always in shade, always.

Cakeandslippers · 15/09/2021 15:26

I used it on both of mine. I got the sensitive baby stuff. I can burn in a couple of minutes if it's hot. People often say 10 minutes is OK but not for me, my kids are the same so I thought it was worth it, balance of risk and all that

mamaof2girls · 15/09/2021 15:27

No sun cream before 6 months. I had a newborn last may and she managed all summer without any cream and never got burnt or anything! Do you not have maybe a parasol for over the pram?

Original poster

PurpleCurtain · 15/09/2021 15:33

@Dinosworeatus

Shade not cream. Always in shade, always.

But clearly "always" just isn't possible or I wouldn't be able to leave my house at all!

I think the consensus from others seems to be that what I'm currently doing is okay, so think I'll carry on until 6 months then go for cream when needed. If I can help it I'm choosing times outside of peak sun for our walks / errands anyway, but it can still be quite bright and quite unshaded for the 20 minutes ish we're usually walking. Do people put hats on them whilst in their carrycot? I assumed this was a no no from a safe sleeping point of view iyswim but now wondering if I should have been!

OP posts:

Original poster

PurpleCurtain · 15/09/2021 15:34

@mamaof2girls

No sun cream before 6 months. I had a newborn last may and she managed all summer without any cream and never got burnt or anything! Do you not have maybe a parasol for over the pram?

Recommendations for parasols welcome but I've tried a couple and find they are redundant because I can no longer fit on the pavement with them, or I spend so long adjusting them that he is in the sun even longer!

OP posts:

LakeShoreD · 15/09/2021 15:39

Presuming you’re not in the U.K. OP? On a hot day I always pull the hood of the stroller down to keep baby’s head in the shade but I do put baby suncream on their feet. You can’t always keep every inch of them shaded and I think better a tiny bit of suncream than risking sunburn.

Divebar2021 · 15/09/2021 15:40

You can buy mesh UV screens to put over a carrycot - they cover all of it. I also used a large muslin cloth which I would hang down from the hood.

LakeShoreD · 15/09/2021 15:41

Agree with on parasols, bloody useless things unless you walk only in a straight line!

Oblomov21 · 15/09/2021 15:42

20 minutes of daylight isn't going to hurt baby's skin. Why would you even think it would? I'm baffled that this would even occur to you. Buy a mesh or a shade that fits on the pram.

Miarara · 15/09/2021 15:46

I used a snoozeshade, I got it online but I think I've seen them stocked in boots, it fits over the pram so doesn't stick out like a parasol.

RoseGoldGlasses · 15/09/2021 15:49

Snooze shade!

Amammai · 15/09/2021 15:50

No sun cream before 6 months?? Never heard this before! I have put sun cream on my 8week old - out and about in the sling with my older DS. Stuck to shade as much as possible but didn’t want to risk it if I needed to be out the shade for DS to do something. Just gave a bath afterwards to wash off. Aldi sensitive factor 50.

Tinkerbellfluffyboots79 · 15/09/2021 15:51

I wouldn’t waste money on a parasol they are crap, I had a uv screen it clipped on the pram. Easy enough with a newborn as they are most likely lying flat and you’ll not need it much soon as it’s not going to be that sunny you’d need one. Obs if it’s roasting hot 🥵 you need to keep them out of direct sunlight for long periods of time. In the shade but otherwise a little sun during the day is a good thing, I always had my buggy/pram parent facing so you can see if the sun is shining directly in on them so would pop the shade up if it got quite warm or sun was directly on him. We were in Australia twice in my eldest first year for long periods but no cream and they are great for their shades etc i wish I’d not given it away

Littlepaws18 · 15/09/2021 15:58

Never ever put a Muslim or a blanket over a pram to create shade. It can massively raise the temperature of the space and baby. Only ever use a parasol.

Littlepaws18 · 15/09/2021 15:59

Sorry muslin, spell checker hates me!

Twizbe · 15/09/2021 16:01

If in the UK now then a bit of sunlight on them would be good for the vitamin D right?

I had two winter newborns so they were over 6 months by the time sun became an issue.

Amammai · 15/09/2021 16:11

I’ve checked on nhs site and it says keep babies under 6months out of direct sunlight , which is clearly the ideal. It doesn’t say you can’t put sun cream on them. Other websites, particularly American ones say babies skin will be more sensitive and may get a rash from sun cream but that a small amount of kids sensitive sun cream could be used if staying out of direct sunlight, westing appropriate clothing etc can’t be avoided.

Original poster

PurpleCurtain · 15/09/2021 16:21

@Oblomov21

20 minutes of daylight isn't going to hurt baby's skin. Why would you even think it would? I'm baffled that this would even occur to you. Buy a mesh or a shade that fits on the pram.

Well 20 minutes is enough for myself and DH to burn without suncream, even with cloud cover, so we both wear spf50 all year round - which is why it occurs! It's confusing having been told by doctors and midwives not to use suncream yet, and most bottles I've found say they shouldn't be used on babies younger than 6 months.

OP posts:

BertieBotts · 15/09/2021 16:22

When they say "always" in shade, clearly that's not literal, it's not going to harm the baby if you're walking in a direction the sun is on them fully for a couple of minutes. But prams/car seats etc have hoods which block sun from 3/4 directions usually. So I tend to combine the shade from this with walking in the shade of trees/buildings when I'm going in the "wrong" direction, and if there is a bit where they are without cover that's not a huge worry.

It just means don't stick a blanket down on the ground on a sunny day with no coverage at all and let them lie there for hours.

I wouldn't put sun cream on a baby under 12 months.

Agree parasols are worse than useless.

Babies don't like the sun in their eyes quite reasonably so I think you're overthinking - they'll soon let you know if it's too bright and if you're paying attention you'll naturally react to protect them from it. No need for anything complicated.

BrilliantBetty · 15/09/2021 16:26

Get clip on shade things, a pram with a good extendable hood and stay inside in the middle of the day if or when it's really hot. I wouldn't use sun cream on a tiny baby.

Agree that parasols can be an annoyance.

NotMyCat · 15/09/2021 16:28

@Oblomov21

20 minutes of daylight isn't going to hurt baby's skin. Why would you even think it would? I'm baffled that this would even occur to you. Buy a mesh or a shade that fits on the pram.

I burn in 10 mins or less as an adult!

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