You ought to take great care to safeguard your baby's skin from the sun, in particular in the middle of the day and in summer. Sunlight is full of UV light that can cause short and long term damage to your baby. Not only will sunburn give your baby immense uneasiness and soreness, a lone bout of serious sunburn during childhood can contribute to the progress of skin cancer in later life.

Like adults, babies with lighter skin possess an even greater risk of sun damage if exposed to sunlight, even on a cloudy day or in the shade.

Two forms of sun protection are available; sun creams that care for your baby's skin when out in the sunlight and clothing/accessories that stops the sunlight from touching your baby's skin at all.

Baby Sunscreens

You ought to look for a sun cream expressly formulated for a baby's skin, as the sun creams used by adults can cause irritation. You should buy a baby sunscreen, offering utmost protection from UVA and UVB rays. Even if your baby is wearing sun block, it is still important to keep them in the shade where possible or use one of the extra means of additional protection given below.

Baby natural sunscreens usually are derived from natural plant based ingredients or are chemical based; ensure you understand the instructions ahead of use. We would advise not using chemical based sunscreens on a baby below 12 months of age and that clothing offers the best form of protection for babies less than 12 months of age.

Protective Clothing

Wear A Hat - your baby should be dressed in a hat that helps to stop the sunlight from reaching their face and neck. That means a hat with a broad brim all the way round it, or a cap that offers a peak at the front to protect the face and a flap at the back to protect the neck. Check the hat is a good, comfy fit, or you may perhaps find your baby attempting to get it off all the time.

T-shirts - a long sleeve T-shirt will offer your baby the best protection from the sun, however this may not be useful given the warmer temperatures that accompany the sun. At least a normal T-shirt is essential as the shoulders can burn very easily.

Parasols and Mesh Covers

You can give extra sun protection while your baby is in their pram by attaching a parasol. Some manufacturers will provide a parasol made for a particular pram. But, parasols with a worldwide attachment are just as useful and typically less expensive. They simply clip to part of the pram using a spring loaded clip, and the angle of the parasol can be adjusted to ensure maximum protection from the sun.

Sun protection for your baby is also available in Australia in the form of mesh covers. These material covers are placed over the buggy or pram in the same way you would use a rain cover.