How long after birth can babies sunbathe?

This is an automatically translated article.

The article is professionally consulted by Master, Doctor Phan Thi Cam Van - Neonatologist - Department of Pediatrics - Neonatology - Vinmec Danang International General Hospital. He has 7 years of experience as a Resident Doctor and a Pediatrician - Neonatal Doctor at Hue Central Hospital and Hue University Hospital of Medicine and Pharmacy. Her strength is in the treatment of Pediatric diseases of Respiratory, Digestive, infectious diseases, newborn care and treatment, neonatal resuscitation.
Sunbathing helps infants absorb sunlight, produce enough vitamin D the body needs, limit rickets, and treat neonatal jaundice. 7-10 days after birth is the ideal time for mothers to start getting used to the sun.

1. Sunbathing for babies

Vitamin D is important for calcium absorption, normal growth and development to help maintain bone health in children. Vitamin D deficiency in infants causes many serious problems such as irritation, discomfort and risk of infection. Even a sudden vitamin D deficiency can cause rickets, leading to skeletal deformities, especially in the legs.
From the 40s to the 70s, when the rate of skin cancer patients increased alarmingly, scientists began to step in. They warn about the bad effects of the sun on the skin. Therefore, instead of sunbathing to supplement vitamin D, people should improve through diet, or infrared light.
Later, a lot of studies have shown that exposing babies to sunlight for 30 minutes a week helps children get enough essential vitamin D for the body. Daily exposure to the sun is very beneficial for the overall development of your child. Sunbathing helps infants absorb sunlight, produce enough vitamin D the body needs, limit rickets, and treat neonatal jaundice. Moreover, sunbathing for babies also helps them avoid diaper rash, because sunlight has antibacterial effects.

2. How long after birth can babies sunbathe?

Newborns are full 3 days old, if there are no abnormal problems, full-term birth, parents can help their children get used to the sunlight for about 15 minutes.
If you are careful, you can wait for the baby to settle down, about 7-10 days after birth, you can start to let your baby sunbathe, parents also don't worry too much about the baby's cold, because the heat from the sun will be enough to keep you warm. Furthermore, preventing babies from catching a cold is mainly based on how the mother sunbathes her baby properly.
However, with a baby less than 1 month old, you should pay attention to avoid letting your baby catch a cold when exposed to the sun. Therefore, the sun should be exposed to the abdomen and the legs and hands of the child mainly, so keep the chest and back warm for the child.
Do not sunbathe your baby right after birth
Risk of infection Newborns sunbathing right after birth will wash away all the white waxy substance that covers the baby's body to help protect the baby's skin. This waxy layer contains proteins that prevent some common infections. Therefore, it acts as a natural antibacterial ointment.

Unstable blood sugar Sunbathing a baby too early can cause blood sugar to drop. In the first few hours after birth, your baby is just adjusting to life outside the womb.
Body temperature control Mother's internal body temperature is usually 37° but most babies are born in rooms where the temperature is around 25°. Newborns sunbathing too soon causes their body to change temperature erratically: the air is cool and windy, and the heat of the sun is warm and hot, and children are prone to health complications.

3. Newborns sunbathe properly

3.1. How to sunbathe children in the summer In the summer, the sun is bright and harsh early, it is advisable to take advantage of early morning sunbathing for children to avoid the harmful effects of ultraviolet rays on the young skin of children, moreover The hot sun makes the baby uncomfortable. The ideal time for your baby to sunbathe in the summer is from 6 to 7 am. Should let your child sunbathe earlier when the sun is mild, after sunbathing can wipe the sweat so that the baby does not have heat rash. Choose a quiet, clean, cool place to sunbathe, avoid direct sunlight. On very hot days, limit sunbathing to minimize the risk of dehydration when the child sweats too much. Moreover, depending on the region, the sun is different, but choosing the right time for the morning sun is different for different children.
You can gradually increase the sunbathing time for your child. In the first few days, babies sunbathe for only a few minutes, then gradually increase to 5-10 minutes. The goal is to let the baby get used to the sun and not fuss. Sunbathing time should not exceed 20 minutes each time.
3.2. How to sunbathe children in winter In winter, the cold air is deep from the night, and there is less sunlight, which can easily cause colds and respiratory diseases, so let the baby go out early. Moreover, the fact that children wear too many warm clothes when going out also makes their skin less likely to be exposed to direct sunlight. As a result, infants are at risk of vitamin D deficiency when born in the winter. Winter is often cloudy, cold, the sun rises late but the sunlight is weak. Therefore, it is advisable to wait until it is warmer to bask in the sun, usually around 8:30 am to 9:00 am. On days when the weather is too cold, or when it is very windy, you should not let your child sunbathe to ensure health. When letting your child sunbathe, you should choose a quiet, clean, airy place without drafts.

3.3. Notes on sunbathing for babies After birth, about 7-10 days old, you can let your baby sunbathe. Children should not be sunbathing too early, the child's immature skin can be strongly affected by the sun, causing skin burns, dermatitis, allergies, ... at the same time, the child's natural immune system Children will also become much weaker. From after 10 am, ultraviolet rays begin to be active, causing bad effects on the skin, so this is not the ideal time for children to sunbathe. When you let your child sunbathe, take off all your clothes and cover your baby's nape, eyes and genital area with a hat to avoid the impact of UV rays on these parts. While your baby is sunbathing, talk to her, massage, and caress her to make her feel comfortable. Do not sunbathe children through the window, because the glass blocks the sunlight, so the children cannot absorb vitamin D. Children with dark skin need to sunbathe longer than children with light skin. After sunbathing, mothers should breastfeed to make up for lost water because the baby may sweat when sunbathing. If after sunbathing, your child's skin is red or has any other unusual signs, you should stop sunbathing to monitor, take your child to the doctor for examination if after a few days the baby's skin condition does not improve. . Sunlight supports the absorption of the necessary source of vitamin D for the baby's body. Therefore, you should let your child sunbathe every day. 7-10 days after birth is the perfect time for your baby to get used to the sun. Mothers should not sunbathe their children too early before, nor should they wait until the child's body is severely deficient in vitamin D to start sunbathing.
As a key area of ​​Vinmec Health system, Pediatrics Department always brings satisfaction to customers and is highly appreciated by industry experts with:
Gathering a team of top doctors and nurses in Pediatrics : consists of leading experts with high professional qualifications (professors, associate professors, doctorates, masters), experienced, worked at major hospitals such as Bach Mai, 108.. Doctors All doctors are well-trained, professional, conscientious, knowledgeable about young psychology. In addition to domestic pediatric specialists, the Department of Pediatrics also has the participation of foreign experts (Japan, Singapore, Australia, USA) who are always pioneers in applying the latest and most effective treatment regimens. . Comprehensive services: In the field of Pediatrics, Vinmec provides a series of continuous medical examination and treatment services from Newborn to Pediatric and Vaccine,... according to international standards to help parents take care of their baby's health from birth to childhood. from birth to adulthood Specialized techniques: Vinmec has successfully deployed many specialized techniques to make the treatment of difficult diseases in Pediatrics more effective: neurosurgery - skull surgery, stem cell transplantation. blood in cancer treatment. Professional care: In addition to understanding children's psychology, Vinmec also pays special attention to the children's play space, helping them to have fun and get used to the hospital's environment, cooperate in treatment, improve the efficiency of medical treatment.

Please dial HOTLINE for more information or register for an appointment HERE. Download MyVinmec app to make appointments faster and to manage your bookings easily.