I'm not planning to expose K to the sun too much before 6 months when she can properly use sunscreen, but seeing as we'll be on a ship and traveling/sightseeing and it will be really hot and humid (especially with baby-wearing)... I think I should probably use sunscreen on her somedays if her skin is exposed?
What is the safest, best sunscreen you've used for your LO? Anyone else apply sunscreen before 6 months?
coconut / 8299 posts
I don't know if it's safe to use before 6 months but we used Loving Naturals. I did tons of research on sunscreens (I was kind of obsessed actually) and looked every literally every single ingredient on the top 5 sunscreens for kids. I found that Loving Naturals showed the least toxicity.
http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/brand/Loving_Naturals/
I'm not a professional though so this is just based on my mommy research! lol
blogger / eggplant / 11551 posts
My pediatrician said anything with zinc oxide as the main ingredient because it doesn't absorb into the skin. I haven't used sunscreen on J yet though even though we went to Cancun for 5 days.
Eta: I just tried to protect him with hats and shade!
coconut / 8299 posts
@Mrs. High Heels: Oh good because Loving Naturals uses zinc oxide as the main ingredient. 
bananas / 9973 posts
@Mrs. High Heels: that's the main plan! I just worry mostly about little bits exposed while baby wearing. But good tip! I'll look for that! Thanks!
cantaloupe / 6397 posts
I just bought a stick by Substance. I was told in the store it's one of the only sunscreens that's safe for newborns!
honeydew / 7687 posts
Episcencial says it can be used before 6 months I think... I got a sample from somewhere. We use badger balm but didn't until he hit 6 months.
bananas / 9973 posts
@Mrs. Jacks: since you're a ped I value your expertise! Thanks! I guess we'll have to be extra cautious to keep her covered.
hostess / wonderful persimmon / 25556 posts
Yeah, I was going to wrote that my ped said not to use it before 6 months. Glad Mrs. Jacks chimed in on this one! I would just use lots of shades and hats and long sleeves. We took M to Florida at 3 months. She stayed in the shade or was under her infant seat/stroller shade every time we went outside.
pomelo / 5628 posts
I worry about my lo'd legs when he's in the ergo too! I've thought about using a blanket somehow, but haven't quite figured it out. I can keep his upper body covered with a big hat...
grapefruit / 4800 posts
Shade, hats and a muslin swaddle were our best bets for LO. But we're a very outdoor family so I wanted something in case shade wasn't in our immediate vicinity. Sun blocks (which are what @Mrs. High Heels: said) have zinc oxide in them and won't be absorbed into the skin like a sunscreen so that's what we went with. We didn't use it often but I was glad to have it and it goes with AAP recommendations. http://www.aap.org/en-us/about-the-aap/aap-press-room/news-features-and-safety-tips/pages/Spring-Break-Safety-Tips.aspx?nfstatus=401&nftoken=00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000&nfstatusdescription=ERROR%3a+No+local+token
bananas / 9973 posts
@Mrs Green Grass: yes! I've been having a hard time finding full length leggings for the carriers!
pineapple / 12793 posts
I tie A&A blankets to the ergo straps for sun protection. I look like a weirdo walking behind a blanket but it does a good job of keeping her covered.
bananas / 9973 posts
@oliviaoblivia: I do that sometimes in a pinch.
* Just realized BabyLegs are probably are a decent solution!
pineapple / 12053 posts
@oliviaoblivia: I do the same. I'm a freak about her being in the sun. Lucie's List just sent out a review of different sunblocks (a physical block like zinc oxide) for infants and toddlers and I picked up the blue lizard stuff at BBB. Haven't used it yet, as I'm trying to keep her out of the sun but I've also read that if the option is sun or sunblock, you want to err on the side of using the sunblock rather than risk baby getting burned.
Technically speaking, sunSCREENS use chemicals to absorb UV rays; SunBLOCKS uses minerals, such as titanium dioxide or zinc oxide to physically deflect rays from the skin. These terms are often used interchangeably by drugstores and such, so it's a little confusing.
Sunblocks are generally recommended for babies and children (over sunscreens) by pediatricians, advocacy groups, environmentalists, etc, for various reasons [read more below in "sunscreen controversies"].
The general sentiment is something like this: "A natural mineral (aka physical) sunblock is, by far, the safest option to get your SPF. The minerals zinc and titanium sit on the skin's surface and reflect sunrays out away from the body like tin foil. Chemical ingredients [found in sunscreens] are absorbed into the skin to deal with sunrays in a chemically reactive process in the skin cell itself, with potentially unintended and harmful consequences to the skin and body," says Kim Walls, M.S.
The downside to sunblocks is that they are generally more expensive because of the cost of the mineral ingredients.
Screens and blocks come in lotions, sprays and sticks. I prefer to use sticks on the face, sprays for toddlers [and other squirmers] and lotion for infants.
So, what's good?
The Best Sunblocks for Babies and Toddlers
* How did I decide? I weighed input from SkinCancer.org, EWR, Consumer Reports, SafeMama.com and Amazon.com
For whatever reason, most of these products can be a bit hard to find (i.e. they are definitely not found at your local Walgreens or Piggly Wiggly. Sorry.)
pineapple / 12053 posts
Lotions
1. Blue Lizard Baby Suncream SPF 30 ~ $19
* Active ingredients ~ 10% Zinc Oxide and 5% Titanium Dioxide [Non-Nano]
This VERY waterproof formula protects skin for up to 4 hours of heavy activity and uses only Zinc Oxide and Titanium Dioxide (as active ingredients), with no irritating chemical absorbers. This has been our go-to sunscreen since Lucie was born.
This is my personal favorite -- because if it's not majorly waterproof, what's the point? Trust me, you don't want to be re-applying this stuff more than is necessary.
2. Thinkbaby Sunscreen SPF 50+ ~ $17
~ Can also be found at Whole Foods
* Active ingredients Zinc Oxide 20% [Non-nano]
SPF 50+, water resistant, you can actually read and understand every ingredient on this list, yay!
3. Adorable Baby SPF 30+ Sunscreen ~ $25
* Active ingredients ~ Zinc Oxide [Non-Nano] - 24.7%
SafeMama.com Award Winner 2012 - Best Overall
This is an all-natural, high-performance sunscreen that blends clear and is waterproof for 1-2 hours, although [as a practical matter] some complain the bottle is extremely hard to squeeze and the formula is a bit too greasy.
4. Episencial Babytime! Sunny Sunscreen SPF 35 ~ $12
Sorry if that's super annoying but I'm cut and pasting from my phone!
pineapple / 12053 posts
@photojane: yah! I just researched all this bc it's heating up down here and as much as I want to avoid putting any sun on her (she's always covered with hats, umbrellas, etc) I realized I'd have more peace of mind if I found something safe for her (even being 5 months)
I also have read that Babo botanicals is a good option! My friend got the stick kind for the face.
bananas / 9973 posts
@birdofafeather: thanks for this! I'm going to check Whole Foods if they have any of these and are sunblocks! I definitely always use the term sunscreen and forget there is a difference.
@Mrs. Jacks: do you think a tiny bit if sunblock is worse than none? I'm mostly thinking of her feet/legs and forearms.
pineapple / 12053 posts
@shopaholic: blue lizard was at BBB! Good luck! So jealous of your vacay!!
GOLD / wonderful pomegranate / 28905 posts
@birdofafeather: @shopaholic: I use the TB one on M and really like it!
bananas / 9973 posts
@birdofafeather: thanks! Is BBB buy buy baby or bed, bath, and beyond?
grapefruit / 4903 posts
My ped checked with the major children's hospital in our city. They said absolutely none before four months, and ideally none before six. But if we needed it in that interim time frame, they recommended Blue Lizard and California Baby. I had asked because we had two major family events outdoors at five months and wanted to cover our bases.
blogger / pineapple / 12381 posts
@shopaholic: Sun block with only zinc oxide is probably not too harmful if you use it rarely. We just kept our newbies out of the sun.
bananas / 9973 posts
@Mrs. Jacks: @birdofafeather: Thanks and thanks! Will probably pick up one from the list from myself anyways. And only use it on K if really necessary. I can only use the baby zinc oxide ones on my face too. Any other kinds and I break out like crazy.
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