Sun protection for babies: what's safe under 12 months

Baby & child ·Published 10 October 2026 ·Reviewed 10 October 2026

Written by the Priceline Pharmacy Pacific Fair team. Reviewed by Jason Markey, BPharmSci, MPharm, Owner and Pharmacist.

General health information from a registered pharmacist. It doesn’t replace advice from your own pharmacist or doctor.

Babies under 12 months should be kept out of direct sun whenever the UV Index is 3 or above, and Queensland Health notes that in Queensland the UV Index is 3 or above all year round, even in winter. On the Gold Coast, that makes shade, clothing and a good hat your baby’s everyday sun protection. Cancer Council doesn’t recommend widespread use of sunscreen on babies under 6 months, and from 6 months sunscreen is the last line of defence, not the first.

Whether it’s a morning walk along the Broadbeach foreshore or a coffee stop at Pacific Fair, here’s how to protect your baby without letting them overheat. For the rest of the family, see our guide to sun safety on the Gold Coast.

Can I put sunscreen on a baby under 6 months?

Only sparingly. Cancer Council’s fact sheet on babies says the widespread use of sunscreen on babies under six months is not generally recommended. The RCH advises keeping babies this young in the shade and limiting sunscreen to small, exposed areas of skin, unless a doctor advises otherwise.

So for a young baby, protection comes mostly from:

• shade, such as a pram canopy, an umbrella, a tree or a covered area
• clothing that covers their arms and legs
• a hat that shades their face, neck and ears
• planning outings around the strongest UV

How do I keep my baby out of the sun on the Gold Coast?

Cancer Council points out that a baby’s skin is sensitive and can burn easily. Shade helps, but it doesn’t block everything: Queensland Health warns that UV reflects back off sand and water, so your baby still needs clothing and a hat under a beach umbrella.

Time your outings

• Head out early or late in the day. Queensland Health suggests early or late beach trips, and catch-ups in parks and cafes you know have plenty of shade.
• The RCH notes that UV is usually strongest between 10am and 4pm.
• Check the SunSmart app, which Queensland Health recommends for daily sun protection times.

Dress them for the sun

Cancer Council suggests cool, loose clothing made from densely woven fabric. If there’s a UPF label, look for UPF 50, or an “excellent protection” rating. Queensland Health adds that a loose, breathable fit, perhaps a size up, helps keep babies cooler.

Choose a baby-friendly hat

• A broad-brimmed, bucket or legionnaire style hat protects the face, neck and ears. Caps aren’t recommended.
• Choose soft fabric that crumples if your baby lies down in it.
• The hat shouldn’t block their vision or hearing.
• Long straps need a safety snap, or should be trimmed, so they aren’t a choking hazard.

If your baby will keep them on, Cancer Council suggests close-fitting, wraparound sunglasses labelled AS/NZS 1067:2016. Toy or fashion sunglasses aren’t sun protection.

Is it safe to cover the pram with a blanket or wrap?

No. It’s tempting on a bright day, but covering the pram traps heat.

• Red Nose says covering a pram reduces airflow and increases the temperature inside, and on a hot Australian day it can raise the temperature in a pram by almost four degrees. Overheating is a known risk factor for SUDI and SIDS, and an infant’s temperature can rise three to five times faster than an adult’s.
• Queensland Health warns it can be up to 15 degrees hotter under a pram canopy than outside, and a blanket over the pram makes this worse. It also notes that light muslin rugs do little to block UV.
• NSW Health’s advice is to never cover a pram with a dry wrap or blanket, and not to leave your baby to sleep in a pram in hot weather.

Instead, choose a canopy that covers the whole pram, with a mesh section and a UPF 50+ shade fabric section, as Queensland Health suggests. Park the pram in the shade of a tree or umbrella, and check on your baby often.

In the car, never leave your baby alone, whatever the weather, and never cover a baby capsule with a rug or towel (NSW Health). A sun shade on the window beside the car seat helps.

When can my baby start wearing sunscreen?

From 6 months, you can use sunscreen on skin that clothing and a hat can’t cover. Cancer Council and Queensland Health both describe it as the last line of defence, after keeping your baby out of direct sun.

• Choose a gentle formula. Queensland Health suggests a broad-spectrum, water-resistant sunscreen made for babies or sensitive skin, SPF30 or higher. The RCH recommends SPF50 or higher. Our article on SPF30 vs SPF50 explains the difference.
• Patch test first. Apply a small amount to the inside of your baby’s arm for a few days to check their skin doesn’t react. Queensland Health suggests doing this before the first use and whenever you change products.
• Apply before you go. Put it on about 20 minutes before going outside.
• Reapply. Reapply every two hours and after swimming, sweating or towelling. Water-resistant sunscreens are water resistant only for the time stated on the label.

Sunscreen is one part of sun protection. Use it alongside the five Cancer Council steps (slip, slop, slap, seek and slide) whenever the UV Index is 3 or above. You can browse the sun protection range on priceline.com.au, or ask our team in store to show you sunscreens made for babies and sensitive skin.

How do I keep my baby cool and hydrated?

Gold Coast summers are hot and humid, so heat matters as much as UV. NSW Health’s hot-weather advice:

• babies under six months may need or demand extra feeds in hot weather
• breastfed babies get what they need from breast milk, and extra water isn’t necessary
• bottle-fed babies may need more feeds
• older babies can have extra drinks, and water is the best choice
• dress babies in light, loose clothing

Red Nose lists warning signs of heat stress: a baby who is listless or irritable, skin that is pale and clammy and then becomes hot and flushed, and sweating that increases at first and then decreases. Fewer wet nappies and darker urine are signs of dehydration (NSW Health).

How our team can help

Our beauty advisors can help you find sunscreens made for babies and sensitive skin, and our pharmacists can talk you through a skin reaction or help you decide whether your baby needs a doctor. Drop in for sun care advice in store, no appointment needed.

When to see a pharmacist or GP

See a GP (our in-store Help Medical GPs are one option) if:

• your baby gets sunburnt. A baby’s skin is sensitive, so we’d always suggest having sunburn checked by a doctor.
• there are large blisters, swollen skin or a lot of pain, which the RCH lists as reasons to see a doctor about sunburn
• your baby’s skin reacts to a sunscreen. Stop using it and ask your pharmacist or GP.
• your baby has fewer wet nappies or darker urine. NSW Health suggests seeing your doctor or calling healthdirect on 1800 022 222 if you’re worried.

Call 000 in an emergency. If your baby looks unwell, is limp or floppy, drowsy or confused, or refuses to drink, call triple zero (000) and ask for an ambulance.

This article is general information only and isn’t a substitute for personal advice from your doctor or pharmacist. Always read the label and follow the directions for use. If symptoms persist or you’re worried, talk to your pharmacist or GP. In an emergency, call 000.