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Balboa Sling

Dr. Sears Original Baby Sling, by Balboa Baby
Same safety features you’ve come to trust, new updated design. Seven new patterns to choose from. Designed to grow, Dr. Sears Original Baby Sling, by Balboa Baby, offers comfort and hands-free motion while promoting bonding.

Introductory Special $10.00 off exp 09/30/08
discount code: newsling

Click here to order.

*Not valid in conjuction with any other offers.

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Protection from the sun is particularly important for children. In fact, studies show that excessive exposure to the sun during childhood increases the risk of skin cancer in adulthood. A young child's eyes are also susceptible to irritation from the sun's harsh glare.

To guard against problems now and later in life, it's up to parents to take the necessary steps to protect their children's skin and eyes from the damaging effects of the sun.

Here are some tips to keep your little ones safe while having summer fun outdoors:

• Avoid sun exposure from 10 am to 3 pm. These peak hours of the day are when the sun's rays are most intense.
• Cover baby with a long, white, cotton shirt and a wide-brimmed hat. Try to use sun-protective clothing for children that offer an SPF of at least 30. Wet hand-me-down t-shirts provide an SPF of 6. (adult T-shirt's work well)
• Place your infant or child under a large sun umbrella. Don’t forget to protect baby from sunrays reflecting off the water and white sand.
• Cover your child with sunscreen. Choose a product that's gentle but effective for tender young skin. Be sure to apply an opaque zinc oxide generously and repeatedly to particularly exposed areas, such as the nose, cheeks, and ears. Click here for tips on selecting sun screens.
• Apply lip balm with an SPF (sun protection factor) of at least 15. This will help protect your child's lips from sun blisters.

Your child's eyes are also sensitive to the harmful effects of ultraviolet (UV) light. Children's eyeballs can redden and swell from excessive sun exposure. In fact, one of our children recently had what we thought was conjunctivitis, until we noticed his eyes were redder after several hours in the sun without wearing sunglasses.

Eye specialists believe that toy sunglasses may actually be worse than no sunglasses at all. That's because toy shades simply darken the eye area and enlarge baby's pupils, allowing more damaging light to reach the inside of the eye. It's best to use sunglasses labeled "100 percent UV filtration" for your baby—but expect to pay a higher price for this added protection. If your toddler is reluctant to wear sunglasses, keep a wide-brimmed hat nearby to shade her eyes. To get your child to wear a hat and sunglasses, first wear some funky ones yourself and your child will copy.

Thin baby skin and summer sun don’t mix. If baby’s skin is pink or lightly red and baby doesn’t seem to be uncomfortable, treatment isn’t usually warranted. Using aloe or a non petroleum-based moisturizer is always a good idea after sun exposure. In more serious sunburns, try the following treatments:

• If baby’s skin is very red and baby is crying and seems uncomfortable, immerse sunburned area in cool water, or use a cool compress for fifteen minutes, at least four times a day.
• Apply aloe or a non-petroleum-based moisturizer multiple times a day.
• Click here to read our burns article and learn how tell the different degrees of burns as well as more suggestions on burn treatments. If you think baby has a second-degree burn, and baby’s skin is blistering, call your doctor for a prescription cream and/or appointment.
• Give baby Ibuprofen to reduce inflammation and ease pain. Click here for dosing chart.

Burned skin is extremely sensitive to becoming permanently discolored by the sun. Once the burn is healed, you should apply sunscreen or cover the area with clothing or a hat. Continue this extra sun protection for 6 months.

Be sure to select the proper sunscreen product to protect your baby's skin. Here are tips on choosing—and using—sunscreen for your little one:

• Avoid sunscreen for infants under six months old. Sunscreen is absorbed through baby's thin skin, and although it hasn't been proven harmful to infants, there simply isn't enough evidence that sunscreen is danger-free for this age group.
• Select a lotion or milky, gel-like product with an SPF between 15 and 30. Clear alcohol-based products may burn baby's skin.
• Dab a test dose on a small area of baby's arm first. Wait about 15 - 30 minutes to see if she's sensitive to a particular sunscreen.
• Apply generously. If there are no adverse reactions to the test dose. It takes at least one or two tablespoons to cover an average sized preschooler.
• Apply sunscreen at least 30 minutes before exposure to the sun. This allows adequate time for the sunscreen protection to take effect.
• Choose a waterproof product. Generously reapplying it every couple of hours—to maximize protection during water play.