Kid playing with dog

Have Fun in the Sun Safely All Year Long

March 27, 2024 General /Family

The sun is essential to our daily lives.

It gives us light, warms us, helps plants grow our food, impacts our sleep patterns, and gives us Vitamin D. But it can also cause burns, make us dehydrated and even cause possible health problems that we may not see for many years.

It’s important to protect ourselves and our children from the damaging UV rays while we enjoy the sunlight and have fun outside. When possible, you should avoid outdoor activities between 10:00am and 4:00pm when the sun is the strongest.

Use Sunscreen!

Using sunscreen is important to protect our skin. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics:

  • Babies under 6 months old should stay in the shade, under a stroller canopy or umbrella, and can use a minimal amount of sunscreen on their face or areas of the body that cannot be covered.
  • Babies over 6 months old and everyone else should use sunscreen all over their bodies.

Use sunscreen with a broad-spectrum sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 15, but 30 SPF or higher is best. Remember to put sunscreen on 15-30 minutes before going outside and then reapply every 2 hours, or more frequently if swimming.

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Did you know?

Just because you are in the shade does not mean you can avoid using sunscreen! The sun’s UV rays still reflect off things like cement, sand, and snow, so you can still get burned. That’s right, snow! The UV rays are still there even when it is cold outside, so remember to use sunscreen on the nose, face, and ears when outside in the winter too.

Dress for the Sun

Everyone should wear protective clothing such as long sleeves, swim shirts, hats, and sunglasses. Hats should have a wide brim to protect the ears, the nose and neck. Sunglasses are not just for adults, babies and children should wear UV protective sunglasses too, they are not just cute, but very important to protect their young eyes. The sun’s UV rays can cause damage to the skin and eyes that can cause skin cancer and cataracts later in life, so it is very important to prevent the damage in childhood.

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Avoid the Burn

Sunburns are skin damage that we can see and feel right away. With a burn, if the skin is just warm and tender, treatment can be done at home by using cool compresses, pure aloe vera gel (medicated lotions are not recommended), staying hydrated by drinking plenty of water, and over the counter pain medications such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen depending on your child’s age. If your baby or child has blisters, fever, chills, headache or flu like symptoms, call their healthcare provider or go to urgent care for treatment. More severe burns require an emergency room and possible hospitalization and need to be taken very seriously, so call 911 if necessary.

Stay Hydrated!

Overheating can lead to dehydration and heat exhaustion or heat stroke, so it is very important to drink lots of fluids (water!) when outside in the sun, even if it is not extremely hot. To prevent dehydration in babies, feed them more frequently and make sure they are having wet diapers. Seek emergency medical treatment when needed.

Remember, children need to spend time outside every day for their health and development, so parents need to protect their skin and eyes so they can have lots of fun playing outside all year long.

Feeding a 6-7 Month Old

Feed solids with a spoon and from a bowl, never from a bottle.

Feeding a 10-12 Month Old

Breast milk is the most important source of nutrition for your baby, even after you start offering solid foods.

Feeding a 8-9 Month Old

Feed solids with a spoon. Never put cereal in a bottle.

Tips

Mom new born home

Breast milk and formula feeding:

Around 2-3 weeks, 6 weeks, 3 months, and 6 months of age, babies may experience a growth spurt when they feed more often.

As they grow babies can hold more milk, so feedings may become further apart and take less time.

To prevent choking, always hold your baby when feeding. Never prop up a bottle to feed.

Start offering whole milk when your baby is one year old.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months and that breastfeeding continue for at least 12 months and beyond.

feeding solid foods

Feeding solid foods:

Wait to offer solid foods until your baby:

  • Can sit up and hold up their own head.
  • Opens their mouth when they see food.
  • Can close their lips around a spoon.

To prevent choking, always hold your baby when feeding. Never prop up a bottle to feed.

Try one new food at a time. Wait 5 days before trying another new food to watch for allergies. Food allergies may include wheezing, rash, or diarrhea.

Introduce peanut butter around 6 months. Spread a small, thin smear of peanut butter or nut butter thinly on a cracker.  Watch your baby for any reaction for the next 2 hours.

Babies under one year should NOT have honey due to the risk of botulism. Also, babies should not have foods that can cause choking like nuts or whole grapes.

All babies are different. Talk with WIC or your baby’s healthcare provider about your baby’s needs.

Feeding Cues

Feeding a 4-5 Month Old

Before teeth come in, wipe gums with a soft, clean wash cloth after each feeding, especially before bed.

Feeding a 0-3 Month Old

Newborns have tiny tummies and need to be fed often. In the first few weeks, you may need to wake your baby to feed if they sleep longer than 4 hours.

Growth Spurts

Many babies are fussy during a growth spurt and will want to nurse longer and more often. This is called cluster feeding. This is your baby’s way of helping you increase your milk supply so that you can keep up with their needs. Remember, the more your baby nurses, the more milk your body makes.

Growth spurts can happen at any time, and every baby is different.

They often happen at these ages:

two-three-weeks

2 to 3 Weeks

6 Weeks

three-months

3 Months

six-months

6 Months

What foods can I get?

Authorized Food List
Authorized Food List

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