Baby and Bug Spray 101

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Nobugs
Image via Smudge’s Organics

My husband, eight month old and I just returned from a family vacation to Mexico. I’ll be the first to admit that I was a nervous wreck before the trip. Google was not my friend and I was especially panicked because a cousin had recently returned from a spring break cruise to the Caribbean with a suspected case of Dengue Fever. YIKES. I’m that mom who called the nurse line at our pediatrician several times with bug spray questions and more bug spray questions in the weeks leading up to our departure.

Fortunately, we were given some great tips from a travel nurse that helped protect our babe from getting a single bite over the week. While, they were helpful for travel, they will also be helpful for my sweet boy and other little ones during our Cincinnati spring and summer.

Without further adieu, I present to you Baby and Bug Spray 101.

1. Choose a family bug spray such as Cutter Family. Make sure the level of  DEET is under 10%.

2. Follow the application guidelines on the bottle. If it says every two hours, make sure you apply that often. If it says once a day, only apply once a day.

3. Apply to baby’s clothes (as opposed to body) whenever possible. If you need to put it on skin, spray it into your hands first and pat onto skin. Make sure that you avoid hands and feet, since they will go into baby’s mouth.

4. If baby has worn bug spray during the day, they need to be bathed/rinsed off before bed.

5. Dawn and dusk are the two worst times of day for mosquitoes. If possible, keep baby inside during those times. Watch out for puddles and standing water, where bugs would tend to congregate.

6. Lastly, Amazon offers a slew off inexpensive bug nets for strollers, pack n’ plays, etc. These are great if you are doing something like camping or going somewhere buggy without air conditioning.

Now get outside and enjoy the great outdoors without the worry of those pesky bugs bothering your little ones!

 

This is just a reference for what we were told by our practice as the parents of a 6+ month old. As always, check with your pediatrician for your specific case. 

 

 

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Courtney Redding
I am a Cincinnati transplant. My husband and I moved here last October from Washington, D.C., where I was an Early Childhood teacher, instructional coach, and most recently principal at a charter school. I’m now a mom to a precious 8-month-old boy and a dramatic 2-year-old golden retriever. I am passionate about education and love spending time with family, reading, walking/ hiking, Pure Barre, taking pictures, discovering new restaurants, fantasy football, and “quick” trips to Target! I’m excited to start exploring all that Cincinnati has to offer a family and to share my journey into motherhood (and undoubtedly some first-time parent laughs) with you!

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