Protective clothing
One of the best advances over the past few years has been protective clothing for children. Not all clothes will prevent your child’s skin being damaged by the sun. As a general rule, the darker the colour and closer the weave, the more protection a garment will give your child.
Ordinary clothing manufacturers are now beginning to test fabrics for their sun
protection factor, and a new British Standard (BS7914) rates clothes for their SPF; look
out for this on labels.
You can also buy bodysuits specifically designed to protect toddlers and older children
playing in the water in the garden or on the beach: these are little bodysuits covering
torso, thighs and arms, made from a stretchy fabric that shields a good percentage of the
sun’s harmful rays. We highly recommend the Sunbounce suits because they have a
protection factor of over 100, well over that of any sunscreen.
Protective clothes we like:
Sunbounce
UV suit £29.95
Sunbounce
UV T-shirt £19.95
Boots UV surf suit £7/£15
UV hat
Any parent who has taken their
child to the playground, swings or nursery this year will know that Legionnaire’s
hats are THE must-wear item for young children!
The best thing about these hats is the flap at the back so that the children’s
necks are covered up as well as their heads. Look for a wide brim to shade the face and
eyes – you might be able to keep a hat on their heads but just try getting sunglasses
on too!
UV hats we like:
Boots UV hat £5
Sunbounce
Legionnaires hat £9.95
Sunshades for the car
There
are several inexpensive designs available that have standard fittings to attach to all car
passenger windows. They are normally easy to attach and quick to remove, and help shade
the car interior from glare.
Sun shades we like:
Toys R Us Bruin sunshade £3.99
Boots Winnie the Pooh sunshade £7.99
Safety
1st extra-wide roller shade £4.50
Safety
1st Deluxe sun screen £2.50
Travel cot
Travel cots are essential
kit for any parents on the move, whether spending a day at a friend’s or
granny’s house or going abroad. Having a travel cot means your baby can sleep or rest
in a familiar environment away from home.
There are four main types of travel cot to look out for:
- travel cot in a bag
- travel cot playpen
- bassinette travel cot
- folding cot
Read our guide to choosing
a travel cot
Travel cots we like:
Brevi
Oscar 100 Travel Cot (11kg) £49.99
Brevi Dolce Nanna Travel Cot £80
Graco
Compact Travel Cot £49.99
Delta
Combo
carry cot, travel and changing bag £39.95
Graco Pack n play (8.15kg) £49.99
Graco Rollabed (8.2kg) £79.99
Monbebe Lettino (10kg) £59
Tomy Sleep n Play (10.37kg) £100
Sterilising equipment
If your baby is still
under a year old, you’ll need to think about how to sterilise equipment while you are
away. Check our top tip below from a babyworld mum.
Abroad, you only have three options, as an electric steriliser won’t plug in:
- Microwave steam steriliser This works in the same way as an electric
steriliser except that it goes in the microwave, usually for around
10 minutes, and keeps items sterile for two or three hours, as long
as the lid isn’t lifted. Very convenient, cheaper than the plug-in
sterilisers, but you do need to check that it will fit into your microwave
cavity before buying, and that all items you sterilise in it are microwave-safe
(i.e. no metal parts). - Cold water steriliser This is a container with a holding rack and
lid. You mix a sterilising tablet or liquid with cold water and then
fully immerse all the items in it. It takes 30 minutes to sterilise
and then all items must be rinsed with recently boiled water before
use. The solution needs changing every 24 hours and items remain sterile
as long as they are not touched. This type of steriliser is often sold
complete with feeding bottles, sterilising tablets and bottle brush
for cleaning. Cold water sterilisers leave the equipment smelling, and
tasting of chemical sterilising solution, but as long as everything
is well rinsed, this does no harm to your baby. - Disposable sterilising bags These are useful when you’re travelling.
You add a sterilising tablet, fill with water, immerse the items you’re
sterilising and hang the bag up. You can also buy sterilising bags that
go in the microwave, and only take three minutes.
Sterilising equipment we like:
Lindam
Universal Steam Steriliser £25.00
Lindam Microwave Steam Steriliser £10.00
Lindam
Microwave Sterilisation Bags £4.49
Boots travel steriliser (cold or microwave) £8.50
Avent microwave steam steriliser £19.99
Go to babyworld’s sterilisers
product test.
Top tip: I always book holiday cottages with a microwave – it means I can
warm my son’s food and milk fast, plus sterilise quickly and leave more time for me.
Light buggy
A light buggy is a godsend when
you are on holiday, not just when actually on holiday but also when negotiating the
airport with your luggage and a wriggling baby.
Look for one that is lightweight, quick to fold, and can easily have a parasol or
canopy attached if needed. Add a net shopping bag or tray if you think that’ll be
handy (they only cost a few pounds) but remember the stroller may overbalance when you
take the child out as lightweight buggies aren’t built for lots of shopping.
One key feature should be front wheels that can swivel or be fixed – the very
cheapest models will have fixed wheels that can be tough to manouevre. Check the minimum
age as well: many lightweight buggies start from 3 months or 6 months so buy one which is
age-appropriate.
Buggies we like:
Brio
Sunshine Buggy £60.00
Continenta
Morden Buggy £29.99 to end of June
Babies R Us Tuscany stroller £29.99
Maclaren Day Tripper £70
Sun canopy/parasol
If you’re going somewhere
hot and taking a buggy, then give serious thought to cramming in a parasol or sun canopy.
Canopies may offer more overall cover, while parasols have the advantage of being angled
to offer shade as you walk along. Bear in mind that a parasol will fit into luggage more
easily than a canopy.
Parasols and sun canopies we like:
Brio
Sunshine Parasol £22.50
Britax sunshade (canopy) £29.99
Toys R Us parasol £19.99
Cosatto sun canopy £25
Cosatto twin sun canopy £50
Mamas & Papas Pliko sun canopy £22
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