Pre-birth Precautions
	Protect the sunshine of your life
	Lead by example

Generally speaking you'll want to take the same precautions in the sun as you would ordinarily. Use a high factor sunscreen, wear a wide-brimmed hat and stay out of the midday sun. Blooming Marvellous do a lovely selection of swimwear to keep you covered up as well as looking great – pair it with our popular sarong which can be worn in a variety of ways to increase the level of sun protection on your body.

As for your new baby, it goes without saying that sunbathing and babies do not go together. A baby's delicate skin is thinner and burns much more easily than an adult's skin. Remember that more than 10 minutes direct exposure to strong sunlight may be dangerous for a newborn child. Newborn babies, in particular, and babies under 12 months of age should be kept out of the direct sun as much as possible. This doesn't mean that you can't take baby on a beach holiday – just keep them in the shade at all times and don't stay on the beach during the hottest periods of the day. Buy baby a sunhat, use a high factor sunscreen on him or her and keep baby hydrated too. You can even get cute baby sunglasses to help protect their eyes from UV rays.

Protect the sunshine of your life
Toddlers will want to run around, whatever the weather. When you're in the garden or on the beach, this becomes even more noticeable. Of course, you will want to stay with your child at all times for many reasons, so take little trips out into the sun together to play with the sand or water or on the grass before retreating for playtime in the shade.

Ensure that your child wears a wide-brimmed or legionnaire style hat and a shirt with a collar and sleeves and use a 30+ spectrum water resistant sunscreen on all exposed areas of skin, remembering to reapply at least every two hours. Our sun protection set keeps little arms and legs more covered whilst offering a UV protection factor of 50+ and can be worn in and out of the water.

When you're out and about with the buggy, use an essential sun protection canopy to give a protection factor of 50+ whilst walking around. This is a simple way to keep your child protected from the sun's rays whenever they're having some buggy time.

Lead by example
Older children can still benefit from protective clothing on the beach – after all, their young skin is still delicate and prone to burning. Hats are an essential component of sunwear, whether you're on the beach, in the park or simply messing around in the garden. It shouldn't be too difficult to get your child to wear a cute hat or baseball cap – they're old enough to see a hat as a cool fashion accessory, especially if you lead by example and wear one too. Sunscreen, as ever, is vital – choose a high protection and water resistant sun cream and reapply it every two hours at least. There are a number of fun coloured sun creams on the market – buy one of these and your child may enjoy applying the cream by themselves, under your supervision of course.

Buy your child a pair of sunglasses to protect their eyes from UV rays and remember to tell your child never to look directly at the sun. When buying sunglasses, look for the British kitemark to check that they've been tested and will do their job properly. If your child wears glasses ordinarily, you might want to get them a pair of prescription sunglasses from your optician.

Lastly, invest in a sunshade for your car, which will block out any harmful rays coming through the car windows. And, when your children are playing outside, buy a fun sun cabana for them to sit beneath. They'll feel like they're hiding in a secret tent – and you'll feel happy knowing that they're being protected from the sunlight as they enjoy themselves.