Sun Safety & Skin Care for Your Baby and Toddler

March 17, 2022

New moms keep a seemingly endless to-do list running in the back of their minds at all times, and safety is usually at the top of this list. Yes, it would be nice to have the perfect colours for your nursery or a collection of adorable (and locally-sourced!) bibs all ready to go. But safety, of course, is more than something ‘nice to have.’ It’s a necessity. 

When thinking about safety for new babies, many people automatically think about strollers and bedding, two of your most important safety purchases. And of course, all the car seats and boosters, strollers, bassinets and bedding in our Victoria boutique are all from highly-vetted, highly regarded brands. 

But in this post, we’re going to explore some less-discussed but equally important safety items for your new baby. These items will help you have peace of mind without breaking the bank. 

Safety Items For Your New Baby: Suncare

We all know that too much sun is bad for babies. But you might not all know just how bad. According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, your baby’s skin is particularly vulnerable to sun damage, and there is “strong evidence that sun exposure and sunburns during childhood multiply the risk of one day developing skin cancer, including melanoma.”

Thankfully, keeping the sun off your baby’s skin has never looked so cute!

For example, we love these Jan & Jul Xplorer Sunglasses, which have UV 400 lenses that offer 100% UVA and UVB protection. They’re also polarized and free from BPA, phthalate, and PVC. They also undergo rigorous testing to ensure they’re safe for your child – whether they’re on your child’s face or end up in their mouth. With an optional strap to keep these beauties secure, the Jan & Jul Sunglasses are the perfect answer for protecting little eyes!

Always outfit your baby with a sun hat (make sure you get a comfortable one, so they’ll keep it on with no fuss). This Headster Bucket Hat in Fresh Bloom is particularly adorable!

And a protip: it might be easier to get your older child to wear a much ‘cooler’ big kid-style hat like this made-in-Canada snapback hat from Ambler Apparel!

We’d also be remiss if we didn’t mention the importance of sunscreen when it comes to protecting your baby from the sun. Of course, when it comes to sunscreen, many parents also worry about strong chemicals that may irritate the skin. That’s why we recommend both Thinkbaby Safe Suncreens and Sun Bum Baby sunscreens in SPF 50 or higher. Both these brands make great skin care products that are gentle and safe for babies, while also doing the important work they need to do. 

Skin Care 

Dovetailing with sunscreen, skin care is another safety product that may be overlooked by new parents. 

Babies have extra-sensitive skin, and most parents these days are also concerned about unnecessary chemicals in skin care. When you can, choose skin care for your baby that is free of synthetic petroleum-based ingredients, phthalates, sulfates and parabens.

Thankfully, if you do your work or find a local baby boutique you trust, you can find a great selection of natural baby skin care products like body washes, creams, moisturizers and sunscreens which are gentle and safe for baby's skin, that also feel great and smell delicious. 

For example, Só Luxury and Vancouver-based K’pure are some of our favourite skin care lines for baby AND mama (and you can never go wrong with too many GAIA Natural Baby Plant-Based Water Wipes when things get messy!).

Speaking of bathtime, remember that safety items for your baby can do double duty - just like this Safety 1st Bath Buddy Floating Thermometer. While it helps keep your baby’s bath water at a comfortable temperature, it also has baby-friendly soft edges. Better still, no batteries required (music to a mother’s ears!). 

And a bathtub spout cover protects your little one’s little head at bath time, too.

Of course, we’re only just begun to scratch the surface when it comes to baby safe items (and don’t get us started on baby proofing!). But these are a great way to get started. 

We provide safe, modern, innovative and functional baby gear and parenting accessories at our baby boutique in Victoria, BC, as well as in our online store. Check out what’s on sale now. 

Leave a comment

Comments will be approved before showing up.

Also in The Baby Blog Learning Centre