Newborns have sensitive skin that needs to be protected from the harmful effects of the sun, including heat and humidity. Keeping your newborn out of direct sunlight is essential. But exposing your newborn to soft sunlight, especially in the early morning, can be extremely beneficial.
Benefits of sunbathing for children
Sunbathing for babies is not only a fun activity but also brings health benefits to babies, helping them strengthen their immunity and develop good bones and many other benefits such as absorbing vitamin D, preventing jaundice, improving blood clotting, increasing natural Serotonin, but what benefits do these bring to babies? The information below helps mothers understand more in detail the benefits for babies through sunbathing.
Natural Vitamin D Supplement
This is one of the biggest benefits your baby gets from exposure to sunlight. Your baby’s body needs at least 15 minutes of sunlight exposure each day to produce vitamin D. Dark-skinned babies need more time, but no more than 30 minutes. Vitamin D helps absorb calcium to strengthen bones and teeth. The immune system also works more effectively when your baby gets enough vitamin D.
See more products for babies to sunbathe: F2 Baby Feeding Buggy
Preventing jaundice in babies
Sunlight helps break down bilirubin. This is a yellow compound produced when red blood cells are broken down. An uncontrolled buildup of bilirubin causes a yellow tint to a newborn’s skin. Breaking down bilirubin makes it easier for the baby’s liver to process. Exposing a newborn to 15 to 20 minutes of morning sunlight can help treat mild jaundice. However, a severe case requires medical attention.
Improve blood clotting
Sunbathing can help improve blood clotting in children thanks to the provision of vitamin D from natural sunlight. Vitamin D is known to be an important factor in regulating the activity of blood clotting factors, helping to maintain the balance between clotting and hemolysis. Especially in young children, ensuring adequate vitamin D supply from sunlight can help improve blood clotting function and reduce the risk of problems related to unbalanced blood clotting. However, sunbathing needs to be done carefully, limiting exposure time during the hottest hours of the day and using sunscreen to protect children’s skin from the effects of UV rays.
See more: How much food is enough for your baby during the weaning process?
Healthy nervous system
Sunbathing for babies not only brings benefits such as absorbing vitamin D, improving blood clotting, preventing jaundice, but also helps the baby’s nervous system become healthy. When babies are exposed to natural sunlight, it helps regulate the production of melatonin. Melatonin levels in babies can affect their sleep. This is extremely important in the first years of a baby’s life. Sunlight causes a decrease in melatonin levels and an increase in serotonin, thereby increasing the baby’s energy.
Boost Serotonin Naturally
Sunlight is known to increase serotonin production. Serotonin, often called the happy hormone, increases feelings of happiness and security. Serotonin helps regulate sleep and digestion in babies.
Bone development and growth
Sunbathing is a natural way to help your baby develop healthy bones and grow. Sunlight contains a large amount of vitamin D, an important nutrient for bone and tooth development.
Vitamin D helps your baby’s body absorb and use calcium and phosphorus from food more effectively, thereby supporting bone growth and maintenance. If there is a vitamin D deficiency, your baby may experience problems such as rickets or bone disorders.
In addition, sunbathing can also stimulate the production of growth hormones, helping to enhance the baby’s development process. Exposure to natural sunlight can also affect metabolic and hormonal processes in the body, contributing to enhanced growth and comprehensive development.
Increase insulin levels:
Exposure to sunlight from an early age can help prevent conditions like diabetes to some extent. While sunlight is not the only catalyst for insulin production, it is an additional source, as vitamin D in the body helps regulate insulin levels. Combined with a healthy diet and exercise, it can be extremely beneficial in preventing diabetes in young children.
See more: Signs and causes of sleep disorders in infants
When should children sunbathe?
The best time to bathe your baby is in the morning or late afternoon, when the sunlight is not too strong. This is the time when UVB rays (the rays needed to produce vitamin D) are strongest and UVA rays (the rays that damage the skin) are least.
Between 10am and 4pm, the sunlight is usually strongest, so avoid exposing your baby to direct sunlight during this time to reduce the risk of sunburn and skin damage.
Note that sunbathing time should also be adjusted according to weather conditions and geographical location. Make sure your baby uses sunscreen with a high sun protection factor and wears protective clothing when exposed to the sun to protect your baby’s sensitive skin.
Things not to do when letting children sunbathe
When letting your child sunbathe, you need to pay attention to the following things to avoid to ensure safety and protect your child’s health:
- Avoid exposing children to the sun during the hottest hours: Avoid exposing children to the sun between 10am and 4pm, when the sun is at its strongest. Exposing children to the sun during this time can lead to sunburn and skin damage.
- Don’t skip sunscreen: Always use a high SPF sunscreen and reapply every two hours or after your child has been in the water.
- Don’t forget to reverse: Make sure your baby gets sun exposure on both sides of his body, avoiding exposing one side of his skin to the sun for too long.
- Do not expose children to sunlight for too long: Limit the time exposed to sunlight, especially for young children, to avoid the risk of sunburn and skin damage.
- Do not let children sunbathe without protective clothing: Make sure children wear wide-brimmed hats and protective clothing when exposed to the sun to protect their skin from the effects of UV rays.
Sunbathing for babies is essential for their development, however, parents also need to pay attention to avoid sunlight that is harmful to their health. Hopefully, through the above article of Autoru , parents can understand more about the benefits of sunbathing and the notes on sunbathing.