Sunglasses for 4 month old

[bobby's bear]

We are soon off to sunnier climes on holiday with our 4 month old. I was wondering what peoples thoughts on baby sunglasses were, as in are they necessary if you are using a hat, do they stay on, and which brands are best. They seem a bit pricey given that I usually buy my own sunnies in Sainsburys!

Thanks

[ClareC]

We took our daughter skiing at Easter when she was 11 weeks old, I bought some baby sunglasses and to be honest getting them on her without upsetting her was a complete pain! That said I was glad I had them - bit paranoid as to the sun especially given the reflection on the snow. She didn't have a sunhat, just wore the hood up on her snow suit.

I took them on holiday with me last summer and she absolutely would not keep them on then! Older then so able to pull them off as she did her sun hat...... grrr

I am not convinced they are needed, and are certainly not that practical but I was glad I had them - more from an at least I tried perspective!

[Fuschia]

Decathlon sell them at a good price

[Saffron]

Sun can damage babies' eyes, more so at lower latitudes. I have a pair of BabyBanz you can borrow (they are pink). Mr Saff and I found that if we got them on Little Saff quickly, then got her immediately distracted with something else, she was ok with them. The less we fussed with them the better. When she got tired and started eye-rubbing, I'd have to take them off. But then she was shortly down for a nap anyway. xx

[bobby's bear]

thanks for tips. think i will buy some as i am terrible with glasses and wouldn't want to loose or break a borrowed pair!

[The Nappy Lady]

I think with a four month old I'd just keep baby in the shade, buggy with a shade a babe cover on it, or under a sun umbrella etc and also the Jo-Jo Mamon type wide brim hats with a bit to cover their neck too are good.

I know sum is potentially damaging, but at the same time babies have grown up in sunny countries for a very long time without wearing sun glasses & I haven't heard of there being a record of profound damage to eyes of children from those countries.

Personally I think it is once they are older & in & out the pool / running around all day in the heat playing etc that you need to really worry about sunglasses, can't tell you how many pairs our 6 year old has lost (sigh).

Have a lovely holiday!

[beautiful sam]

I don't think they are necessary at all - you need to keep you baby out of the sun.

[Saffron]

Keeping baby out of the sun is the best option. If you can't keep them out of the sun, sunglasses really are a good option. Especially for children with blue or green eyes. In Caucasian Europeans who have migrated to lower latitudes, for example, there is an increased incidence of sun-damage related eye problems that is often only apparent in later years. This is b/c sun damage in the eye is cumulative. Just like sun damage in the skin, damage can take a lifetime to manifest and is more prominent in non-native individuals spending time in lower latitudes.

Look for baby sunglasses with a soft adjustable strap. Try them on your baby for a few minutes at a time at home, so you know how to fit and adjust them before going out. Don't expect your LO to wear them for too long at first. Like all things with babies, sunglasses will take some getting used to. But, if you always make it a point to encourage your LO to wear them, eventually it will just become normal for you both.

xx