With summer quickly approaching, it's either time to buy your baby's first swimsuit or upgrade their old one. The qualities to look for in a baby swimsuit are vastly different from your own, making it challenging to pick out the perfect swimsuit.
RuffleButts Baby Girls One-Piece Rash Guard Swimsuit earns our top pick due to its durability and cute designs. Continue reading to find out our other choices and discover everything you need to know before buying your baby a swimsuit.
Here are a few things you should know before buying a baby swimsuit.
Regular disposable diapers and cloth diapers’ design is not meant for use in water as they swell up with water. While some swimsuits have a built-in diaper, you probably want to have a separate swim diaper as well. You can find disposable and reusable swim diapers.
Swim diapers don’t have a ton of absorbency and only keep in solids. This means that you’ll want to change them often and even consider putting them back in a regular diaper when they’re not in water. It’s important to note that since swim diapers’ designs only contain solids, they are not ideal for newborns.
One of the most important things to look for when picking a swimsuit for your baby is whether or not it offers sun protection. A baby’s skin is thinner and more sensitive than adults, which means they can suffer damage from the sun’s ultraviolet rays very quickly.
To offer your baby the most protection, choose a swimsuit that provides sun-blocking properties like Sun Protection Factor and Ultraviolet Protection Factor. SPF measures the amount of time it takes for your skin to turn red, while UPF measures the amount of UV radiation able to penetrate the fabric. You’ll want SPF and UPF of at least 30, but 50 or more is ideal.
When choosing a swimsuit for your baby, always think about how easy it will be to change their diaper. Swim diapers aren’t able to contain a lot which means you’ll be changing diapers often. If you love the look and protection of a one-piece, having snaps at the legs will make it a breeze to change diapers. Shorts and two-piece swimsuits are easier to manage and won’t present any challenges.
Basic swimsuits for babies start at $10 and, depending on durability, sun protection and snaps, can go up to $50.
A. Most swimsuits for babies account for a diaper, but you may need to size up depending on the swimsuit. Some swimsuits even have a built-in diaper.
A. You shouldn’t need to, as long as the swimsuit has UPF 50 or higher. If you’re not sure about a swimsuit’s sun protection rating, you should always put sunscreen underneath your baby’s swimsuit.
RuffleButts Baby Girls One-Piece Rash Guard Swimsuit
What you need to know: This quality and stylish swimsuit protects from the sun and will last for many fun trips.
What you’ll love: The quick-change snaps make for easy diaper changes, UPF 50+ protects from the sun and a zipper on the back allows it to go on and off easily without fuss.
What you should consider: Users report it runs on the small side.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon and Macy’s
i play. by green sprouts One-Piece Swim Sunsuit
What you need to know: This is a comfortable and protective one-piece sunsuit with patterns to suit any child.
What you’ll love: It offers UPF 50+ sun protection, is quick-drying and has both a zipper on the front and snaps on the legs.
What you should consider: It can be difficult to shake out all the trapped sand.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon, Buy Buy Baby and Macy’s
Carter’s Baby Boy Rash Guard Set
What you need to know: A cute, matching set with UPF 50 to protect against the sun.
What you’ll love: The rash guard is a quick-drying fabric that also keeps little ones cool. It has a functional drawstring to keep the swim shorts put and comes in dozens of fun designs.
What you should consider: It can run a little big.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon, Macy’s and Kohl’s
Bre Richey is a writer for BestReviews. BestReviews is a product review company with a singular mission: to help simplify your purchasing decisions and save you time and money.
