Suntan lotion/bug spray?

Does anyone know how old my baby needs to be to have suntan lotion or bug spray? I would love to take him out in the sun w/us (live in FL) and bugs are bad :) thanks!  Kellie

[GRose]

I believe it is 6 months for sunscreen not sure about bug spray though, my guess would be around the same time.

[GRose]

I just found this at parenting.****.com. Hope this helps.

For babies under six months of age, sunscreen may be used on small areas of the body such as the face and the back of the hands if adequate clothing and shade are not available. For older children, test the sunscreen on the baby's back for a reaction before applying it all over. Apply carefully around the eyes, avoiding the eyelids. If your baby rubs sunscreen into her eyes, wipe the eyes and hands clean with a damp cloth. If the sunscreen burns her eyes, try a different brand or try a sunscreen stick or sunblock with titanium dioxide or zinc oxide. If a rash develops, talk to your pediatrician."

Do not apply to infants under two months of age. (Skin permeability becomes similar to adult by the second month of life.)

[GRose]

the second paragraph is for bug spray

[abbysmommy4]

I live in FL too, I waited till my dd was 6 months old before using sunscreen on her.  That is the recomended age.  As for bug repelant, skin so soft is supposed to work well.  I have never tried it and am not sure how safe it would be for baby.  As for sunscreen that I currently use, I swear by bullfrog, none of my children have ever gotton a sunburn while using it and it doesn't drip into their eyes.  Two of my children are pretty fair and we spen a lot of time at the beach and on the boat.  

[GRose]

Water babies makes a sunscreen stick, I find that it so much easier to apply to Noah's face than the lotion form.

[cantwait4baby]

there is a deet (I think that is what it is called) requirement for babies.  Some bug sprays have too much in them.  There are wipes - bug off wipes I took to my doctor and he looked it up and said they were fine for my 14 month old but a lot of the sprays are too harsh.

[cpatow]

Hi there!!!!
Got your note and YES I so need to update photos...oy vay where does the time go. Can you believe my mom is STILL sick but hopefully getting better.

Anyhoo re: your topic. I asked our peed the same question. She said w/ sunscreen to use the one for babies and it is okay with little ones our kids' ages. I totally forgot to ask about bug spray but I know not to use deet on our little ones. Let us know wha tyou find out! I got eaten ALIVE at the pool the other day and I never get bit. I think I have a dozen bites and that is the most mosquito bites I have ever had...my little guy didn't get even one, thankfully!!!

[abbysmommy4]

I came across this as being the ingredients in Avons Skin So Soft original MINERAL OIL/HUILE MINERALE
ISOPROPYL PALMITATE
DICAPRYL ADIPATE
PARFUM/FRAGRANCE
DIOCTYL SODIUM SULFOSUCCINATE
BHT
DAUCUS CAROTA SATIVA (CARROT) SEED OIL

I would ask the ped to be sure, as I said before I don't recall using it myself, but I am sure my mother used it on me when I was young............and yes the deet is not good.  hope some of this helped.

[Me2mommy2b]

Hi, Kel.  I asked my ped about sunscreen and he told me to keep him in the shade as much as possible and not to apply ANY sunscreen on him.  We went to PA for the weekend and the masquitos are terrible there at night (our vacation house is in the woods) so I kept him in long sleeves and pants.  Luckily it was very cool there so it wasn't a problem.  As far as I remember, it's hot and sticky in FL so I don't know how it would work for you (to keep the pests away).  Ask your ped to be sure.