Traditional sun protection
Most moms stop with sunscreen and sunblock when it comes to sun protection for their little ones every swimming day. Sunscreen, as we are well aware of, comes in the form of lotion or powder. It contains Sun protection factor (SPF) that helps our skin avoid getting burnt under sun exposure. The higher the SPF level, the longer the duration of protection that you will have from the harmful UVB and UVA rays of the sun. SPF levels range from 5 up to 50.
Dermatologists swore by the effectiveness of sunscreen in avoiding burns and more importantly, skin cancer. But the inconvenient thing about sunscreens and sunblock is that you always have to reapply after a certain period because the effect will wear off. Usually, one must reapply after every three or four hours.
Constant reapplication could be hard especially if you are dealing with an especially active baby toddler. Sunscreens and sunblock are usually in sticky lotion form which babies do not like. In the same way, as adults do, babies do not like the feel of sticky lotion on their skin because it makes them feel uncomfortably sweaty.
Sun protective swimwear
So, if there is no way that Mom can slather her little one with sunscreen on a day at the beach, how else can she protect him or her from the heat of the sun? The best answer is sun protective baby swimwear with Ultraviolet Protection Factor or UPF. Does it sound familiar?
Not to confuse it with SPF, UPF is found in fabrics. It helps protect our skin in the same way as sunscreens do but in the form of swimwear such as rash guards. It measures the amount of radiation that is filtered by the fabric. UPF protection ranges from 15 to 50. The highest level is 50, which can help protect from harmful UV rays up to 98 percent.
That is a high level of protection if you ask me especially if you pair it with the power of sunscreen or sunblock. Put sunscreen on the parts that cannot be covered by fabric such as the face, hands, and feet. It is best to choose rash guards with long sleeves and pants that go all the way down the ankles.
In that way, the child will not feel the stickiness of the lotion all over his body because he or she will be well-covered. He or she will be able to enjoy the day at the beach without Mommy constantly bugging him or her for reapplication. Mommy, on the other hand, will enjoy just as much because she will have more time to sit and relax.
Where to get baby swimwear with sun protection?
Sun protection swimwear may sound new to your ears but you will be surprised by how easily accessible it is to the masses, not to mention its affordability. You can find it in your local department stores or online places like the Cheeky Chickadee Store. Since it is also available for adults, mom can get the same set as her baby but in adult size, for a cute, matching, mother-daughter look.
And, buying matching sets for you and your child will be like hitting two birds in one stone. Another benefit of wearing the same thing as your child is that you will find the child faster in case he or she will get lost, God forbid. But you will only have to point out that you and the child are wearing the same outfit to make the search easier.
So, the next time you go swimming with your baby, make sure to shop for sun protective swimwear instead of the traditional bikini or rash guards. Putting on sunscreen is still a necessary step even though the child is fully covered in the swimwear. Level up your sun protection game for your little one.